The top 5 best trades in Colorado Rockies history

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PHILADELPHIA, PA – AUGUST 1: Dante Bichette #10 of the Colorado Rockies before a baseball game against the Philadelphia Phillies on August 1, 1996 at Veterans Stadium in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) /

Dante Bichette traded to the Colorado Rockies for Kevin Reimer

This was the second trade in Colorado Rockies franchise history and the first involving a major leaguer. This also happened before the team even played a game, as the trade happened on November 17, 1992.

This was also the date of the expansion draft and the trade came right after the draft. The Rockies traded outfielder Kevin Reimer (who they selected from Texas in the expansion draft) for outfielder Dante Bichette.

Bichette had spent parts of five seasons in the majors prior to joining the Rockies but he had been a below-average MLB player but while with the Rockies, he flourished.

He spent 10 seasons with the Rockies and with the team, he averaged 29 homers and 118 RBI per season with a slash line of .316/.352/.540 with an OPS+ of 112.

His best season came as part of the 1995 Rockies, which made it to the playoffs. That was also the first season where the Rockies played at Coors Field at the corner of 20th and Blake. That’s why Bichette and the other Rockies sluggers became known as “The Blake Street Bombers.”

He led the NL in homers (40) in the strike-shortened year and led the majors in RBI (128). He also led the majors in hits (197) and hit .340/.364/.620 with an OPS+ of 130. He was an All-Star, won a Silver Slugger Award, and came in second in NL MVP voting.

Reimer played one more season in the majors with Milwaukee so that panned out well for the Rockies.

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