Colorado Rockies: The top 50 Rockies of all time (numbers 20-11)

20. Walt Weiss (Rockies Career WAR 3.8)

This is where things really get subjective. I am sure many will see that Rockies career WAR and scoff at this ranking with so many of the previous players posting a much higher Rockies career WAR.

But this is about more than just analytical impact. Some may be taken aback that I’m not just a robot that’s a slave to the numbers at this point, but they have never been the end-all to my analytical commentary.

The intangibles with Weiss were off the charts if one existed to measure them. His defensive prowess was second to none and the main reason for his Rookie of the Year trophy I am sure is sitting on the mantle at home.

His best year as a Rockie came in 1997 when he slashed .270/.377/.384 drawing 66 walks and striking out only 56 times. The perfect 8-hole hitter and defensive shortstop in a bygone era. But, again, what he added to the clubhouse both during and after his career are what push him into the top-20.

19. Dexter Fowler (Rockies Career WAR 9.5)

Dexter was a fan favorite that always seemed to find a way to snatch away a hit. Though never an analytics darling on the defensive side, he was always regarded as above average with a good arm to match.

Fowler, a 3-tool player, leveraged those to the maximum with his $82.5 MM deal with the Cardinals back in 2016 that runs until 2021.

His best year in purple-pinstripes came in 2012 as the leadoff hitter on one of the best lineups in Rockies history.  That year he slashed .300/.389/.474 racking up an OPS+ of 119 and WAR of 2.6, the second-most WAR in a single season of his career. His on-field talents coupled with an endearing personality made for some fun times in lean years for a young franchise.

18. Steve Reed (Rockies Career WAR 11.8)

No relation to #46 on this list, Reed was a pitcher ahead of his time.

With a quirky delivery and rubber arm, he was able to go from undrafted free-agent to 14-year work-horse out of the ‘pen that could be used in any situation.

Bet you couldn’t have a guess who is currently number 5 all-time in career Rockies pitcher WAR? That’s right: this guy.

A reliever that had an ERA+ above 102 in all but 2 seasons and his best year came in 1997 where he posted an ERA of 2.14 while pitching in 71 games and twirling 79 strikeouts in 84.0 innings pitched while recording 5 wins and 3 saves. This all culminated in a 251 ERA+ and 4.1 WAR, all career highs.

17. Eric Young Sr. (Rockies Career WAR 9.5)

This is one where at first glance people may assume subjectivity along the lines of #20 on this list. That is until you realize he is tied with another in this installment for 13th all-time in player WAR.

This man had a 15-year journeyman career across 7 clubs amassing almost 500 steals. This was his calling card: speed, speed, and more speed. Young is one of only six men in MLB history to steal 6 bases in a single game.

To add even more to that, in that same game, EY Sr. stole 2B, 3B, and home in the same half-inning. You could not have created a better fire-starter. He still leads the Rockies in career stolen bases with 180. His best year came in 1995 when he slashed .324/.393/.421 and leading the league in with 53 stolen bases.

He also won the Silver Slugger for 2B and was selected to the All-Star Game, the only time he won/was selected for either in his career. All this and I still haven’t mentioned he holds arguably the greatest moment in Rockies history.

Now that I’m thinking about it, if anything, this might be a little low for him. But I digress…on to the next!

16. Jhoulys Chacin (Rockies Career WAR 14.7)

Jhoulys Chacin is one of the first on this list I feel should have been much higher had it not been for some bad luck on the field and with the injury bug.

In just 6 seasons in purple, he littered the Rockies record book with his name. He is in the top-5 in all major pitching categories except wins. His natural stuff was absolutely filthy and could go toe-toe with Adam Ottavino for best slider in team history. Despite the 2nd-best career ERA (3.78) in team history, he only won 38 games, which was a result of seriously poor run support and command that would evaporate in the middle of games.

These mixed with late-career injuries sapped him of much of his potential and keeps him out of the top-15. His best year came in 2013 where he pitched to the tune of a 3.47 ERA and 126 K’s in 197.1 IP, throwing in 14 wins for an ERA+ of 129 and 5.8 Pitching WAR (career-high).

15. Jorge De La Rosa (Rockies Career WAR 15.0)

The almost literal opposite of the last player on this list. Jorge is the winningest pitcher in Rockies history with 86 despite a career ERA of 4.35.

The filthy lefty is also the 2nd-longest tenured Rockies pitcher behind only the next player on this list. This should help illustrate how hard it was to separate these players as we get closer to the end of this list.

Jorge, or De La as I liked to call him, was a personal favorite as he was a prototype bulldog lefty that seemed to win simply by sheer will when he was on the mound. He was a player that I believe lead to the belief and signing of other pitchers with big natural movement that thrived at Coors Field by the natural effects that the park had helping him reign them in.

His best year came in 2013 as well when he flipped it from the left-side to the tune of a 3.49 ERA, 112 K’s, and 16 W’s in 167.2 IP for a 128 ERA+ and 4.4 WAR(which was a career-high).

14. Aaron Cook (Rockies Career WAR 17.1)

The longest-tenured Rockies pitcher in its brief quarter-century history who spent all but 1 year of his 11 in the league in Purple Pinstripes. This longevity allowed him to climb to the top of the Rockies record books in just about every major pitching category.

He’s second in career WAR, wins, completed games, and shutouts while he’s first in games started and innings pitched. Those numbers perfectly encapsulate his workmanlike career.

He never had a pretty ERA but when his sinker was on, it was HEAVY and his 79-pitch shutout on July 1, 2008 — at Coors Field against the hated Padres is one of the least celebrated accomplishments in MLB history (not to mention the year before he had a 74-pitch complete game against the same Padres).

Speaking of Padres, it doesn’t hurt the man was otherworldly whenever they took the batter’s box (his career numbers against the Padres are 14 wins and a 3.10 ERA in 27 career starts). He had a career 4.53 ERA for comparison’s sake. His best season came in the aforementioned 2008 campaign where he had a 3.69 ERA (lowest in full-season for career) and 16 wins(career-high) in 211.1 IP (2nd best in his career by 2/3 of an inning) for an ERA+ of 118 and WAR of 4.4 (another career-high).

13. Dante Bichette (Rockies Career WAR 4.8)

This is another point where I get to reiterate this is my list. As with EY Sr. and Walt Weiss before him, the stamp he put on an expansion club during its inception goes far beyond the stats they put on the sheet even though he stuffed that plenty.

As the second-best LF in Rockies history, his best season alone justifies his placing on this list. 1995 was insane for Dante where he led the NL in hits (197), home runs( 40), RBI (128), slugging (.620), and total bases (359).

A career .299 hitter, he fell shy of the Triple-Crown that year by placing 3rd in batting average at .340 to some guys named Mike Piazza (.346) and Tony Gwynn (.368).

He finished 2nd in MVP voting (one of the worst snubs in MLB history, just look at the numbers), winning the Silver Slugger and going to the 2nd of three straight All-Star games of the 4 total he had in LoDo. And this wasn’t even one of the years he joined the 20/20 (1994) or 30/30 (1996) clubs. He’s still one of only six Rockies to have 200+ career home runs.

So please, @ me on social with your doubts if you will for this ranking. I’ll wait. Oh, and one more thing, unlike so many in today’s game, he only struck out more than 100 times twice in his 14-year career.

12. Ellis Burks (Career Rockies WAR 12.0)

A true 5-tool outfielder who, if he played in any other era than the one where Ken Griffey Jr. played, would be spoken of in much higher regard.

Ellis is a borderline Hall-of-Famer (again, please @ me on social media if you disagree) and should be spoken of as such. A 2-time member of the 20/20 club, and also a 30/30 campaign on his resume attest to this. Not to mention his longevity with an 18-year career to boot.

Ellis was a surprising member of the best-left fielders in Rockies history as he only spent 289 innings in that spot in his career but this again attests to the impact this man had on the field no matter where he lined up in the outfield as he had the arm to line up in RF for 360 innings as well.

But he played the most roaming the expanses of center field for 1,061 innings. His best year came in 1996, when he was the Rockies everyday left fielder. He led the league in runs (142), slugging (.639), and total bases (392), while adding 40 home runs, 31 steals, 211 hits, 128 RBI, a .344 batting average, and .408 OBP.

That all equates to an OPS+ of 149 and 7.9 WAR. He also added an All-Star nod and won a Silver Slugger. In yet another super-snub, he finished 3rd in MVP voting.

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11. Andres Galarraga (Rockies Career War 14.5)

The Big Cat was a fan favorite and arguably the best first baseman of his generation. The athleticism exuded by this human belied his massive 6’3″, 235 lb. frame. Hence the nickname, for you younger fans who loved the infectiousness of a Carlos Gonzalez.

Andres was the glue of this clubhouse and the fun-patrol. It’s amplified when that player can stuff the stat-sheet as The Big Cat could. His displays of power were absolutely legendary.

His best year came in 1997 with the Rockies when he slashed .318/.389/.585 smacking 41 bombs, swiping 15 bags, and driving in an NL leading 140 RBI (his second year in a row) accumulating a 131 OPS+ and 3.8 WAR.

He finished 7th in MVP voting and got an All-Star nod to go with it all. He is fittingly 11th all-time in Rockies Career WAR.