Hardball Retrospective – The “Original” 2009 Colorado Rockies
In “Hardball Retrospective: Evaluating Scouting and Development Outcomes for the Modern-Era Franchises”, I placed every ballplayer in the modern era (from 1901-present) on their original team. Consequently, Mike Piazza is listed on the Dodgers roster for the duration of his career while the Giants claim Bobby Bonds and the Indians declare Roger Maris and Manny Ramirez. I calculated revised standings for every season based entirely on the performance of each team’s “original” players. I discuss every team’s “original” players and seasons at length along with organizational performance with respect to the Amateur Draft (or First-Year Player Draft), amateur free agent signings and other methods of player acquisition. Season standings, WAR and Win Shares totals for the “original” teams are compared against the “actual” team results to assess each franchise’s scouting, development and general management skills.
Expanding on my research for the book, the following series of articles will reveal the finest single-season rosters for every Major League organization based on overall rankings in OWAR and OWS along with the general managers and scouting directors that constructed the teams. “Hardball Retrospective” is available in digital format on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, GooglePlay, iTunes and KoboBooks. Additional information and a discussion forum are available at TuataraSoftware.com.
Terminology
OWAR – Wins Above Replacement for players on “original” teams
OWS – Win Shares for players on “original” teams
OPW% – Pythagorean Won-Loss record for the “original” teams
Assessment
The 2009 Colorado Rockies OWAR: 44.4 OWS: 297 OPW%: .561
GM Dan O’Dowd acquired 65% (28 of 43) of the ballplayers on the 2009 Rockies roster. 29 players were selected during the Amateur Draft though staff ace Ubaldo Jimenez was signed as an amateur free agent. Based on the revised standings the “Original” 2009 Rockies captured the National League pennant following a fierce battle with the Dodgers for the Western division title.
Chone Figgins accrued 26 Win Shares and received his lone All-Star nomination during the 2009 campaign. He established career-highs with 114 runs scored, 101 walks and a .395 OBP while swiping 42 bags from the leadoff spot. Troy Tulowitzki (.297/32/92) pilfered 20 bases and registered 101 runs on the way to a fifth-place finish in the N.L. MVP balloting. Matt “Big Daddy” Holliday compiled a .313 BA, swatted 24 long balls and knocked in 109 runs. Todd Helton eclipsed the .300 mark for the eleventh time in twelve campaigns, batting at a .325 clip while contributing 38 two-baggers. Brad Hawpe laced 42 doubles and slugged 23 circuit clouts to merit a trip to the Midsummer Classic.
| LINEUP | POS | WAR | WS |
| Chone Figgins | 3B | 4.72 | 26.32 |
| Seth Smith | DH/LF | 2.61 | 13.43 |
| Troy Tulowitzki | SS | 5 | 25.72 |
| Matt Holliday | LF | 4.7 | 26.18 |
| Brad Hawpe | RF | 0.45 | 18.96 |
| Juan Uribe | 3B | 3.01 | 16.45 |
| Todd Helton | 1B | 3.41 | 23.24 |
| Chris Iannetta | C | 2.27 | 9.76 |
| Craig Counsell | 2B | 2.53 | 14.12 |
| BENCH | POS | WAR | WS |
| Everth Cabrera | SS | 2.44 | 13.48 |
| Clint Barmes | 2B | 1.34 | 14.32 |
| Juan Pierre | LF | 1.31 | 11.2 |
| Ian Stewart | 3B | 1.13 | 11.98 |
| Dexter Fowler | CF | 1.1 | 14.4 |
| Jeff Baker | 3B | 1.03 | 7.96 |
| Jayson Nix | 2B | 0.7 | 6.54 |
| Cory Sullivan | LF | 0.16 | 3.14 |
| Josh Bard | C | 0.1 | 4.61 |
| Eric Young Jr. | 2B | -0.25 | 0.21 |
| Jeff Salazar | CF | -0.32 | 0.13 |
| Jody Gerut | CF | -0.41 | 4.01 |
| Garrett Atkins | 3B | -0.58 | 5.21 |
| Ryan Spilborghs | LF | -0.91 | 6.16 |
Ubaldo Jimenez whiffed 198 batsmen and accrued 15 victories along with a 3.47 ERA in his second full season in the Rockies’ starting rotation. Aaron Cook posted a record of 11-6 with a 4.16 ERA following his All-Star season in ’08. Justin Miller (3-3, 3.18) led an otherwise undistinguished bullpen staff.
| ROTATION | POS | WAR | WS |
| Ubaldo Jimenez | SP | 6.05 | 19.07 |
| Aaron Cook | SP | 2.88 | 11.26 |
| Esmil Rogers | SP | 0.06 | 0.21 |
| Jhoulys Chacin | SW | 0.08 | 0.39 |
| Franklin Morales | RP | 0.31 | 4.19 |
| BULLPEN | POS | WAR | WS |
| Justin Miller | RP | 0.66 | 4.47 |
| Matt Daley | RP | 0.55 | 3.97 |
| Mark DiFelice | RP | 0.43 | 3.66 |
| Alberto Arias | RP | 0.21 | 3.27 |
| Jason Jennings | RP | 0.2 | 3.92 |
| Ryan Speier | RP | 0.02 | 0.26 |
| Steven Register | RP | 0.01 | 0.08 |
| Sean Green | RP | -0.14 | 2.73 |
| Pedro Strop | RP | -0.2 | 0 |
| Manny Corpas | RP | -0.25 | 0.88 |
| Juan Morillo | RP | -0.36 | 0 |
| Jorge Sosa | RP | -0.38 | 0.09 |
| Jamey Wright | RP | -0.53 | 3.69 |
| Luis Ayala | RP | -0.59 | 1.47 |
| David Patton | RP | -0.68 | 0.02 |
The “Original” 2009 Colorado Rockies roster
| NAME | POS | WAR | WS | General Manager | Scouting Director |
| Ubaldo Jimenez | SP | 6.05 | 19.07 | Dan O’Dowd | Bill Schmidt |
| Troy Tulowitzki | SS | 5 | 25.72 | Dan O’Dowd | Bill Schmidt |
| Chone Figgins | 3B | 4.72 | 26.32 | Bob Gebhard | Pat Daugherty |
| Matt Holliday | LF | 4.7 | 26.18 | Bob Gebhard | Pat Daugherty |
| Todd Helton | 1B | 3.41 | 23.24 | Bob Gebhard | Pat Daugherty |
| Juan Uribe | 3B | 3.01 | 16.45 | Bob Gebhard | Pat Daugherty |
| Aaron Cook | SP | 2.88 | 11.26 | Bob Gebhard | Pat Daugherty |
| Seth Smith | LF | 2.61 | 13.43 | Dan O’Dowd | Bill Schmidt |
| Craig Counsell | 2B | 2.53 | 14.12 | Bob Gebhard | Pat Daugherty |
| Everth Cabrera | SS | 2.44 | 13.48 | Dan O’Dowd | Bill Schmidt |
| Chris Iannetta | C | 2.27 | 9.76 | Dan O’Dowd | Bill Schmidt |
| Clint Barmes | 2B | 1.34 | 14.32 | Dan O’Dowd | Bill Schmidt |
| Juan Pierre | LF | 1.31 | 11.2 | Bob Gebhard | Pat Daugherty |
| Ian Stewart | 3B | 1.13 | 11.98 | Dan O’Dowd | Bill Schmidt |
| Dexter Fowler | CF | 1.1 | 14.4 | Dan O’Dowd | Bill Schmidt |
| Jeff Baker | 3B | 1.03 | 7.96 | Dan O’Dowd | Bill Schmidt |
| Jayson Nix | 2B | 0.7 | 6.54 | Dan O’Dowd | Bill Schmidt |
| Justin Miller | RP | 0.66 | 4.47 | Bob Gebhard | Pat Daugherty |
| Matt Daley | RP | 0.55 | 3.97 | Dan O’Dowd | Bill Schmidt |
| Brad Hawpe | RF | 0.45 | 18.96 | Dan O’Dowd | Bill Schmidt |
| Mark DiFelice | RP | 0.43 | 3.66 | Bob Gebhard | Pat Daugherty |
| Franklin Morales | RP | 0.31 | 4.19 | Dan O’Dowd | Bill Schmidt |
| Alberto Arias | RP | 0.21 | 3.27 | Dan O’Dowd | Bill Schmidt |
| Jason Jennings | RP | 0.2 | 3.92 | Bob Gebhard | Pat Daugherty |
| Cory Sullivan | LF | 0.16 | 3.14 | Dan O’Dowd | Bill Schmidt |
| Josh Bard | C | 0.1 | 4.61 | Bob Gebhard | Pat Daugherty |
| Jhoulys Chacin | SW | 0.08 | 0.39 | Dan O’Dowd | Bill Schmidt |
| Esmil Rogers | SP | 0.06 | 0.21 | Dan O’Dowd | Bill Schmidt |
| Ryan Speier | RP | 0.02 | 0.26 | Dan O’Dowd | Bill Schmidt |
| Steven Register | RP | 0.01 | 0.08 | Dan O’Dowd | Bill Schmidt |
| Sean Green | RP | -0.14 | 2.73 | Dan O’Dowd | Bill Schmidt |
| Pedro Strop | RP | -0.2 | 0 | Dan O’Dowd | Bill Schmidt |
| Manny Corpas | RP | -0.25 | 0.88 | Bob Gebhard | Pat Daugherty |
| Eric Young | 2B | -0.25 | 0.21 | Dan O’Dowd | Bill Schmidt |
| Jeff Salazar | CF | -0.32 | 0.13 | Dan O’Dowd | Bill Schmidt |
| Juan Morillo | RP | -0.36 | 0 | Dan O’Dowd | Bill Schmidt |
| Jorge Sosa | RP | -0.38 | 0.09 | Bob Gebhard | Pat Daugherty |
| Jody Gerut | CF | -0.41 | 4.01 | Bob Gebhard | Pat Daugherty |
| Jamey Wright | RP | -0.53 | 3.69 | Bob Gebhard | Pat Daugherty |
| Garrett Atkins | 3B | -0.58 | 5.21 | Dan O’Dowd | Bill Schmidt |
| Luis Ayala | RP | -0.59 | 1.47 | Dan O’Dowd | Pat Daugherty |
| David Patton | RP | -0.68 | 0.02 | Dan O’Dowd | Bill Schmidt |
| Ryan Spilborghs | LF | -0.91 | 6.16 | Dan O’Dowd | Bill Schmidt |
Honorable Mention
The “Original” 2007 Rockies OWAR: 42.0 OWS: 264 OPW%: .546
Matt Holliday (.340/36/137) topped the Senior Circuit in batting average, RBI, hits (216) and doubles (50), earning a runner-up finish in the 2007 NL MVP vote. Troy Tulowitzki (.291/24/99) accrued 104 tallies and placed second in the Rookie of the Year balloting. Todd Helton ripped 42 doubles and third-sacker Chone Figgins manufactured a career-best .330 BA. Garrett Atkins (.301/25/111) and Brad Hawpe (.291/29/116) contributed to Colorado’s offensive onslaught. Jeff Francis paced the starting staff with a 17-9 record while Manny Corpas posted an ERA of 2.08 and saved 19 contests.
On Deck
The “Original” 1992 Brewers
References and Resources
Baseball America – Executive Database
James, Bill, with Jim Henzler. Win Shares. Morton Grove, Ill.: STATS, 2002. Print.
Derek Bain is a New Jersey native with a passion for baseball, statistics, computers and video games. He has written a number of articles for Fangraphs and Seamheads, and enjoys spending quality time with his family.