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 |
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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