Colorado Rockies: The greatest players to wear numbers 41-50

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DENVER – JUNE 17: Jeremy Affeldt #41 of the Colorado Rockies pitches against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays at Coors Field on June 17, 2007 in Denver, Colorado. The Devils Rays won 7-4. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images) /

Let’s continue our look at the greatest Colorado Rockies and their corresponding uniform numbers.

Today, we’ll look at the top Colorado Rockies players who have worn numbers 41 through 50.

Number 41

Denny Stark wore the number 41 the most with the Rockies, along with Brian Bohanon. The former had his best career year in 2002 where he went 11-4 with a 4.00 ERA after being traded along with Brian Fuentes for Jeff Cirillo. However, that was his biggest contribution while Bohanon had 29 wins for the Rockies in three years but averaged an ERA above six in the same frame.

With all of that, Jeremy Affeldt is the greatest player to wear 41 for the Rockies. Sure, Affeldt had his best years away from Colorado, winning three World Series rings in San Francisco. The club should have never let him go after acquiring him from the Royals in 2006. He had a rough introduction to the team, but was an integral piece of the bullpen in the storied 2007 season with a 3.51 ERA.

Affeldt should be the model when the Rockies rebuild their bullpen.

Number 42

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Arguably the most iconic number in the history of baseball has only been worn twice in the history of the Rockies franchise. One was by Armando Reynoso and the other was Scott Karl. Karl appeared in 17 games in 2000 with a 7.68 ERA. By default, Reynoso is the greatest Rockie to wear 42.

To be fair, Reynoso played four seasons with the club and he is in the Mexican Hall of Fame of Baseball.

Here’s a fun (or not so fun) fact, he gave up the first career home run to Albert Pujols as a member of the Diamondbacks. For the Rockies, he had his best season in their inaugural year (1993) with a 12-11 record with a 4.00 ERA. He should be remembered as a founding member of the Rockies original starting staff.

CHICAGO – MAY 26: Preston Wilson, #44 of the Colorado Rockies hits his 5th home run of the season in the 5th inning off of Cliff Bartosh during the game against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on May 26, 2005 in Chicago, Illinois. The Cubs were defeated by the Rockies 5-2. (Photo by Ron Vesely/MLB Photos via Getty Images) /

Number 43

By far and away, Mike Munoz has worn 43 the longest in franchise history. Rafael Ynoa is a close second, playing with the club from 2014-16 in 94 games with a .281 batting average.

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Munoz is the veteran of this bunch. He was a member of the inaugural 1993 team and played in Denver until 1998. While never blowing anyone away, he became a reliable relief pitcher, eating a lot of the middle innings for the Rockies.

Colorado’s first run at the playoffs is where he made his most appearances (64) but he had a 7.42 ERA. The strike-shortened 1994 season was his best with 57 appearances and a 3.74 ERA. He played six years in the Mile High City, which not too many relievers in baseball can say.

Number 44

This might be the most contested number between 41-50 with Preston Wilson, Juan Nicasio, Roy Oswalt, and Tyler Anderson. Oswalt is the best player of all of these players, regardless of the team they played for. However, the best player to wear 44 in purple pinstripes is not Oswalt. Tyler Anderson had the best shot of being the greatest Rockie to don Hank Aaron’s number, but his 11.76 ERA in 2019 all but ended his career in LoDo and he now plays for the San Francisco Giants.

That leaves Nicasio and Wilson. Nicasio made a tremendous and inspiring comeback after he was struck in the head from a line drive, fracturing his neck in 2011. He pitched his best season in 2013 with a 9-9 record and 157 innings pitched, but struggled to keep his ERA under 5.00 his entire Rockies career. He has made a decade-long career and is still playing, signing a minor-league contract with the Texas Rangers in the offseason.

Last, but certainly the best player to wear 44 in a Rockies uniform, is Wilson. The center fielder came over from the Marlins for Juan Pierre and Mike Hampton. He struggled in his last years in Miami, but rebounded tremendously when he came to Denver, making his first and only All-Star game with the Rockies in 2003. He logged 141 RBI and 36 home runs, with a .282 average, which was the best of his career.

He didn’t have as good of a season in 2004 as he was limited by injuries and in 2005 when he was traded to Washington in the middle of the season. But he provided a complementary piece to Larry Walker in the outfield and gave significant value to the organization after the club gave up two players they invested a lot in in Pierre and Hampton.

LOS ANGELES, CA – JUNE 17: Jhoulys Chacin #45 of the Colorado Rockies throws a pitch against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on June 17, 2014 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images) /

Number 45

This one is a no-brainer. Jerry Dipoto, who is now the GM of the Seattle Mariners, wore 45 for the Rockies and has arguably had the more successful post-playing career.

Scott Oberg wears the number currently on the team and, with Adam Ottavino gone, he has been the most consistent arm coming out of the bullpen. However, the greatest player to wear 45 for the Rockies is Jhoulys Chacin. The righty spent six seasons of his career with the Rockies. After Ubaldo Jimenez left for the Cleveland Indians in 2011, he became a mainstay in the rotation alongside Jorge De La Rosa.

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For several years, he pitched consistently with a sub 4.00 ERA, having his best season in 2013 with 14 wins, 197 innings, and a 3.47 ERA. By 2015, he lost his effectiveness and was released in spring training.

He has made a lengthy career bouncing around to other teams and eventually pitched against the Rockies in the 2018 NLDS against Tyler Anderson. In a game Rockies fans would soon like to forget, Chacin threw a shutout over five innings, getting the win.

In the offseason, Chacin signed a minor league contract with the Minnesota Twins.

Number 46

Jason Hammel wore the number 46 the most in Rockies history and he mostly wins this by default.

Before Hammel came to Denver, he was on the Tampa Bay Rays squad that made their first run to the World Series. The Rockies only gave up a pitching prospect that never played for the Rays in Aneury Rodriguez.

In three years with the Rockies, Hammel had a 4.63 ERA with a 33-22 record. He became an effective middle of the rotation arm. Even though the Rockies lost, he started Game 3 of the 2009 NLDS where the Rockies led in the late innings.

By the way, I’m still convinced the Phillies stole those last two games in Denver. But that’s for another conversation.

Hammel was traded to the Baltimore Orioles for Jeremy Guthrie, which, in retrospect, was one of the worst trades in franchise history. Hammel wasn’t amazing in Baltimore with a 15-14 record and 4.27 ERA, but Guthrie didn’t even finish the year in Denver being traded to the Royals after posting a 3-9 record with a 6.35 ERA.

That basically summed up the 2012 season, which was the worst, based on wins, in franchise history. “The Rockies should have kept Hammel” is an understatement.

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 21: German Marquez #48 of the Colorado Rockies pitches against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the first inning at Dodger Stadium on June 21, 2019 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Harry How/Getty Images) /

Number 47

This position was primed for Drew Pomeranz to run away with the top spot here. For what the Rockies traded to the Cleveland Indians for him (Ubaldo Jimenez), he needed to be. Instead, the team parted with one of the best pitchers in franchise history and this number has been left to relatively low profile players.

Scott Dohmann has wore this number the most in three seasons with the Rockies. He had a 5.22 ERA coming out of the bullpen.

Yes, this number is still waiting for a standout player.

Number 48

At number 48, we finally have an unequivocal best player.

German Marquez is not only the best to wear this number, but he is already one of the best pitchers in franchise history at 25. He is fifth all-time in career WAR with 12.3. He ranks first in walks and hits per innings pitched (WHIP) at 1.270 and bases on balls per nine innings at 2.394. That’s not to mention his win-loss percentage is the best in club history at .613. There is a long way to go and those numbers can certainly change, but he has already had a tremendous impact on the pitching mentality at Coors Field.

It finally felt like the Rockies could develop pitching after seeing Marquez dazzle on the mound. He came over with Jake McGee for Corey Dickerson and he had his best season in 2018, playing a key role in getting the Rockies back to the playoffs. He also won the Silver Slugger Award that season.

For his efforts, he signed a five-year contract extension with the Rockies. Hopefully, he is a leader in this rotation for some time to come. If he does that, he has a chance to be in the conversation for the best Rockies starter of all time.

2 Apr 2001: Jose Jimenez #49 of the Colorado Rockies throws the pitch during the game against the St. Louis Cardinals at Coors Field in Denver, Colorado. The Rockies defeated the Cardinals 8-0. Mandatory Credit: Tom Hauck /Allsport /

Number 49

For a long time, this spot seemed like a lock for Rex Brothers. He wore 49 the longest out of any Rockie and he was a homegrown reliever who looked like the natural successor to Huston Street as the Rockies closer. Instead, he had one bad season in 2014 and he was gone after the 2015 season after not making many appearances.

This spot could go to Antonio Senzatela eventually. He was named National League Rookie of the Month to start the 2017 season. He went 9-3 with a 4.68 ERA before going to the bullpen to monitor his innings. He pitched well out of the bullpen in 2018 but struggled back in the rotation in 2019.

This spot deservingly goes to Jose Jimenez who, at one point, had the most saves in franchise history (102) until Brian Fuentes passed his record. Jimenez became a staple in the Rockies bullpen from 2000-2003. In 2002, he set a then-franchise record with 41 saves with a 3.56 ERA.

The next year he started and did not have nearly the success he did in relief. Regardless though, he is one of the best arms in franchise history.

Next. The top 10 Rockies killers of the past decade. dark

Number 50

Some notable players that wore 50 include Jamie Moyer, who became the oldest player ever to ever earn a win at the age of 49. Julian Tavarez won nine games in a row with two complete games to earn a career high in wins with 11. Chi Chi Gonzalez wears the number currently.

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