Philly Front Office

For this edition of the Phillies Series Preview, let’s look back on those Rockies teams from the 90s that used every millibar of the low-pressure, high-altitude early days at Coors Field, colloquially known as the Blake Street Bombers…

Friday, May 8 at 6:40p – Jesus Luzardo vs Chase Dollander (R)
Saturday, May 9 at 6:05p – Aaron Nola vs Kyle Freeland (L)
Sunday, May 10 at 1:35p – Cristopher Sanchez vs Tomoyuki Sugano (R)

Citizen’s Bank Park – Philadelphia, PA

After years of teasing and previous minor league success, professional baseball finally came to Denver, Colorado in 1993 when MLB expanded with the Rockies (and Marlins). Despite physics and pressure becoming formal sciences in the 1600s, no one was seemingly ready for how much of an impact the Mile High City would have on the flight of a baseball and it wouldn’t truly be clear until the opening of Coors Field in 1995. After only 2 years of great attendance but bad baseball, this was the year the Rockies came alive with the lineup known as the Blake Street Bombers.

Phillies at Rockies: Best Rockies Pitchers Ever

Beginnings

One person who realized the possibilities of playing in front of big crowds and high altitude immediately was Larry Walker. Walker played for the Montreal Expos in 1993 who just so happened to be the very first opponent to visit the expansion team. That first game, the Rockies drew 80k to Mile High Stadium and dropped 11 runs on the Expos including a HR in the very first home at bat for the team by Eric Young. For the series, the teams combined for 57 runs in front of 211k people. Despite only having a single at bat in the series, Walker was hooked. In 1995, he would sign a 4/$22.5m contract to come play right field in Colorado.

While Walker was a big ticket free agent, the “Big Cat”, Andres Galarraga had a completely different route to Denver. He came up with the Expos and after early success, tailed off due to injuries. He was traded to St. Louis in 1992 where he met Cardinals hitting coach Don Baylor. Conveniently, Baylor was just a few months away from being named the first manager of the Rockies. Upon Baylor’s recommendation, they signed Galarraga to a one-year contract to play 1st Base.

As sort of an amalgam of both Walker and Galarraga, Ellis Burks came to the team as a veteran coming off a good season with the White Sox, but with a bad injury history over 6 years in Boston. He signed a 5-year deal in 1994 to play centerfield.

Dante Bichette was a mess when he joined the Rockies in a pre-first season trade with the Brewers for Kevin Reimer. He barely walked, had little power, struck out too much, and was a bad outfielder. Expansion teams need players though and the Rockies took a chance on a guy with a lifetime -.5 WAR in 5 seasons with the Angels and Brewers

Vinny Castilla was the only one of the bunch to come to the Rockies the old fashioned way, through the expansion draft. That year the Rockies and Marlins alternated through 36 rounds of selections, making 72 total picks. One time pitching phenom David Nied was the first pick by the Rockies from the Braves. Future Hall of Famer (though not with the Marlins) Trevor Hoffman went 8th overall to Florida. It wasn’t until the 20th round and the 39th overall selection that Colorafo would select SS Castilla also from Atlanta. In two cups of coffee over two years with the Braves, Castilla only had 24 at bats.

Bombs Away

Galarraga was the first of the Bombers to break out with an electric first season in Denver. He led the league in hitting with a .370 average which included a robust .402 avg and 1.077 OPS at home. Remember, this was still cavernous Mile High Stadium at the time which included a power alley in left but a huge right field. CF was 425 feet, right center was 400 feet and right was 375 feet. As a result, old friend Charlie Hayes led the team with only 25 HRs.

In 1994, Bichette joined Galarraga in the club. Despite this being the strike shortened season, Bichette hit 27 HRs in only 116 games. In just 103 games, the Big Cat paced the team with 31 bombs and a .319 avg. As a whole, the team went from a just below average 142 HRs in 1993 to 7th in majors with 125 in 1994 (again, only 117 games).

By 1995, not only was the gang all here, but Coors Field opened on Blake Street and changed everything. The dimensions were a much more manageable 350 to left and right and 415 to center. The Rockies would finish 2nd in baseball with 200 HRs (trailing only Cleveland) and even make the playoffs in the 144 game shortened season. Galarraga put up 31 HRs and finished 4th on the team!!! Vinny Castilla finally joined the club with a breakout 32 HRs and a .309 average after moving to 3rd base. Newcomer Walker delivered by finishing 7th in MVP voting thanks to an all-around superb 36 HRs, 101 RBI, and .306 avg. The star though was Bichette who erupted for a league leading 40 HRs and 128 RBI and paced the team with a .340 average. He finished 2nd in MVP voting only behind the defensively and park adjusted superior Barry Larkin of the Reds. The 1995 Rockies would become just the 2nd team ever at the time to have 4 players hit 30+ HRs and they did it in just 144 games.

Though the success of the 1995 team would not be duplicated during the Bomber era, they did keep mashing. Walker was injured most of 1996, but Ellis Burks joined the party with an insane 7.9 WAR season that included a .344 average, 40 HRs, 45 doubles, 211 hits, 128 RBI, and 142 runs scored. The craziest part of that stat line was where he finished of the team lead. Galarraga led the NL with 47 HRs and 150 RBI, Castilla also hit 40 HRs, and Bichette knocked in 140. All 4 of them hit over .300 and drive in 100+ runs. Bonkers.

1997 was the year of Larry Walker. This was his MVP year where he racked up 9.8 WAR that included a league leading 49 HRs and a 1.172 OPS. His 46 doubles and .366 average both trailed Tony Gwynn (not bad). The other guys weren’t too shabby either. Galarraga was his consistent amazing self with 40 HRs, 140 RBI, and .318 avg, Castilla and Bichette both drove in 110+, hit over .300, and knocked 40 and 26 HRs respectively, while Burks chipped in 32 dingers. The big bummer though was that all that offense led to a record barely over .500 while their expansion brothers in Miami won the World Series.

Friday Fun: Expansion Tail of the Tape – Marlins vs Rockies

Things started to change in 1998. The Big Cat moved on to Atlanta and Walker didn’t duplicate his MVP year (though he did grab the battling title). Burks’ HRs cratered to just 16 in an injury shortened season. Castilla continued to mash with his best overall season (.319, 46 HR, and 144 RBI) while Bichette had a ho hum (for him) .331, 22 HRs, and 122 RBI. The real story though was the play of the new rookie 1st Baseman. His .315 average, 25 HRs, 97 RBI, and equal walks to strikeouts landed him 2nd in ROY voting (barely behind Kerry Wood). While the Bombers era was ending, the Todd Helton era had just begun for the Rockies.

End

Castilla and Bichette would each have a final good but not their best season in 1999 before moving on after the season. Walker though signed an extension and continued to produce until he was traded to St. Louis in 2004. His run for the Rockies included 3 batting titles, 48 WAR, a .334 average, and a 1.044 OPS in 10 seasons. He is still the only MVP winner in team history and was the first Rockies player to be inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2020.

Photo: Denver Post

Stats: Baseball Reference