Colorado Rockies: The best players to wear each number (#11-#20)

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DENVER, CO – AUGUST 17: Owners Dick Monfort (L) and Charlie Monfort (R) present former first baseman Todd Helton #17 of the Colorado Rockies a replica of his retired number during a ceremony to retire his number before a game against the Cincinnati Reds at Coors Field on August 17, 2014 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Justin Edmonds/Getty Images) /

Number 17- Todd Helton

There was no doubt on this one. The only other guy to wear the number for the Rockies was David Nied. It was also the first number retired by the Rockies (excluding #42 since it was retired by all of professional baseball for Jackie Robinson on April 15, 1997).

In his 17 year career (all with the Rockies), Todd Helton hit .316/.414/.539 with an OPS+ of 133. He also accumulated 369 home runs and 1406 RBI, for an average of 27 HRs and 101 RBI a season.

He was a five-time All-Star, ranked in MVP voting six times with his fifth-place finish in 2000 being the highest (he should have been way higher when you compare him to the others), he won four Silver Slugger Awards, and won three Gold Gloves.

Number 18- Bruce Ruffin

Bruce Ruffin was on the Rockies pitching staff for the first five years of the franchise’s history. He pitched almost exclusively out of the bullpen and he pitched very well for those pre-humidor Rockies teams. In 246 appearances (321 innings), he pitched to a 3.84 ERA (131 ERA+) and a 3.66 FIP. He also accumulated a total bWAR of 6.8 with the Rockies.

He was one of the Rockies’ most reliable bullpen arms for their playoff run in 1995 and he pitched in all four games for the Rockies in the NLDS.

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