MLB Network analysts whiff on Colorado Rockies all-time wins leader

It’s a question that those who cover the Colorado Rockies and those who are fans of the Colorado Rockies would probably get pretty quickly but might be tough for those who don’t follow the team as closely and understandably so. However, when you get some clues it might be able to help you … but not in this case.

On MLB Network’s “Hot Stove” on Monday, they were preparing to interview former Colorado Rockies catcher Nick Hundley, who is leaving the MLB office to join the Texas Rangers in their front office. He is joining his former teammate, pitcher Chris Young, who was also in the MLB office before joining the majors.

While they were waiting on Hundley (who never appeared anyway for unknown reasons), host Matt Vasgersian was quizzing former MLB All-Star Harold Reynolds and MLB.com insider Mark Feinsand with some teammates of Hundley. None of them were down the rabbit hole as they were all fairly big names and not, for example, Hundley’s minor league teammates on the 2005 Eugene Emeralds.

One of the players was a former Colorado Rockie. The clues that were given were:

• “Former battery mate” (visually on their graphic)
• “Born in Mexico” (on the graphic)
• “Is the Colorado Rockies all-time wins leader” (on the graphic and verbally)
• Left-handed (verbally)

Apparently, you can’t be the Colorado Rockies all-time wins leader unless you’re a Baseball Hall of Famer.

After Vasgersian said the pitcher was left-handed, Feinsand (probably without seeing the graphic) said “Jeff Francis.” Not a bad guess since he is left-handed but Francis was with the Colorado Rockies from 2004 through 2010 and again in 2012 through 2013. Hundley wasn’t with the Rockies until 2015. Also, Francis was born in Canada and not Mexico.

But if you don’t see the graphic, it’s not a bad guess. Either way, no dice.

After this guess, Vasgersian says “Born in Mexico” verbally. Harold Reynolds is completely baffled at this point so he doesn’t even guess.

Feinsand says “Ubaldo,” as in Ubaldo Jiménez. First, Jiménez is right-handed. Secondly, he left the Rockies in the 2011 season. Third, he was born in the Dominican Republic and not Mexico.

Vasgersian adds another clue (albeit, not a great one) when he says that “he threw hard. Really hard.” Reynolds throws in the towel and Vasgersian says “Jorge De La Rosa.”

That answer gets some chiding from Reynolds who, again, didn’t even make a guess.

“Oh come on man,” said Reynolds. “What is this? From your notebook when you broadcast with the Padres 30 years ago?” Vasgersian’s last broadcast for the Padres was 14 years ago in 2008. But nice try!

Vasgersian then says “He had a big-time career! Big-time career! He’s the winningest pitcher in Rockies history!”

Reynolds then quips back with a hilariously awful comeback. “That’s top of mind for me when you start saying ‘big names?’ I’m thinking (Greg) Maddux, Randy Johnson … ”

The Rockies got their first Hall of Fame player ever inducted into the Hall of Fame when Larry Walker was inducted as part of the Class of 2020 in September 2021. Maddux and Johnson, at last we saw, never played for the Rockies nor has any Hall of Fame pitcher.

And if it’s so hard to pitch at Coors Field (as many national analysts think), they wouldn’t be Hall of Famers anyways.

Feinsand added after that he thought “Mike Hampton,” who struggled with the Rockies for two seasons, was not born in Mexico but, hey, he’s a lefty. Hampton is tied for 25th in Rockies history with 21 wins.

Vasgersian ended that portion of the segment with “Sorry! I’m giving you guys more credit (than I should), I guess.”

Yeah, that he did. Jorge De La Rosa. Since he pitched nine seasons with the Rockies, he is the franchise leader in a lot of stats and in the top five in many others. The only pitcher who pitched longer for the Rockies is Aaron Cook but he is second in wins with 72, compared to De La Rosa’s 86.

Not a great showing on the trivia question, guys! May want to brush up on your Rockies history.