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Top Five: Best Rockies All-Stars

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The Rockies have had some incredible All-Stars over its short history. There should be no surprises over who made this list.

By Russ Oates
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The 2010 Glorified Exhibition Game is tomorrow, otherwise known as the Major League All-Star Game. Which of the Rockies All-Stars over the years have been the best ones? The candidates are numerous. From Todd Helton to Larry Walker. From Dante Bichette, Vinny Castilla, and Andres Galarraga to Shawn Chacon and Mike Hampton.

In order to eliminate having a player or two dominate this list, guys who made the All-Star team multiple times will have all their appearances combined into one ranking.

Honorable Mentions

  • Brian Fuentes, Relief Pitcher - Fuentes made three straight All-Star Games from 2005 through 2007. To be a Colorado Rockies reliever and do that is quite something. However, he still is just a reliever and, in the end, chicks dig the long ball.
  • Ubaldo Jimenez, Starting Pitcher - Jimenez was the last one off my list. Everyone in the top five went to multiple All-Star Games, but Jimenez received consideration for the fifth spot. He's 15-1 with a 2.20 ERA. That's damn impressive. Think of Jimenez as 5a on this list.

All numbers below are the players' first-half stats (except for wOBA, that's overall season).

5. Andres Galarraga, 1B, 1993, 1997

G   GS   AB   R   H   2B   3B   HR   RBI   SB   BA   OBP   SLG   OPS   wOBA
1993 69 69 271 42 106 24 3 13 65 1 0.391 0.424 0.646 1.070 0.426
1997 84 84 328 66 106 15 2 22 84 8 0.323 0.399 0.582 0.982 0.417

 

Galarraga's first half in 1993 is darn impressive. To bat close to .400 for half a season anywhere in the majors is a hard thing to do.


4. Matt Holliday, LF, 2006-08

G   GS   AB   R   H   2B   3B   HR   RBI   SB   BA   OBP   SLG   OPS   wOBA
2006 85 84 332 61 112 29 3 16 57 4 0.337 0.387 0.587 0.974 0.409
2007 87 87 358 56 122 30 4 15 69 4 0.341 0.392 0.573 0.964 0.428
2008 79 79 309 52 104 21 2 14 51 13 0.337 0.421 0.553 0.975 0.418


Matt Holliday is no longer a Rockie, but he still holds a place in Rockies fans' hearts. The man could hit all season long and well enough to make the NL All-Star team three years in a row.


3. Dante Bichette, OF, 1994-96, 1998

G   GS   AB   R   H   2B   3B   HR   RBI   SB   BA   OBP   SLG   OPS   wOBA
1994 89 86 373 59 113 26 1 21 77 18 0.303 0.328 0.547 0.875 0.375
1995 67 63 274 43 92 19 1 13 48 6 0.336 0.362 0.555 0.917 0.413
1996 86 85 358 71 120 24 2 17 80 14 0.335 0.377 0.556 0.933 0.380
1998 88 87 368 53 124 26 2 11 68 5 0.337 0.351 0.508 0.859 0.375


Bichette happens!


2. Todd Helton, 1B, 2000-04

G   GS   AB   R   H   2B   3B   HR   RBI   SB   BA   OBP   SLG   OPS   wOBA
2000 83 82 298 83 114 28 2 21 70 2 0.383 0.479 0.701 1.181 0.476
2001 87 85 315 80 99 30 1 26 84 4 0.314 0.426 0.663 1.090 0.456
2002 85 85 306 60 106 25 4 16 63 5 0.346 0.439 0.611 1.050 0.422
2003 96 95 358 87 125 32 4 21 78 0 0.349 0.441 0.637 1.078 0.450
2004 81 80 293 66 102 27 0 17 57 3 0.348 0.464 0.614 1.079 0.455


Where have you gone, Todd Helton. Looking at these numbers makes me really sad about how he's playing now. Todd, you're one of the best. Chapeau!


1. Larry Walker, RF, 1997-99, 2001

G   GS   AB   R   H   2B   3B   HR   RBI   SB   BA   OBP   SLG   OPS   wOBA
1997 84 82 309 79 123 25 3 25 68 19 0.398 0.496 0.741 1.237 0.494
1998 69 65 245 52 81 30 1 9 33 8 0.331 0.414 0.571 0.986 0.461
1999 73 70 275 73 105 17 3 25 77 9 0.382 0.449 0.738 1.188 0.486
2001 80 77 297 72 102 19 1 27 83 9 0.343 0.439 0.687 1.126 0.462

 

Looking over this list now, it also reads as a possible Top Five Best Rockies Players. Walker's probably the most talented player the Rockies have ever had, and who knows how much better he could have been without all those injuries over the years. His 1997 season was one for the ages.

As always, debate is welcome in the comments. Quibbles over where the top five are placed? Did I leave someone off the list? Is Ubaldo Jimenez one of the top five best Rockies All-Stars?

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