- Source: 1997 Colorado Rockies season
The Colorado Rockies' 1997 season was the fifth for the Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise located in Denver, Colorado, their fifth in the National League (NL), and third at Coors Field. The team competed in the National League West, finishing in third place with a record of 83–79. Right fielder Larry Walker won the NL Most Valuable Player Award (MVP), becoming the first Rockies player and Canadian-born player to do so in MLB.
In a season of contrasting dynamics, the Rockies led the NL in attendance, runs scored, batting average, on-base percentage (OBP), and slugging percentage. However, the club was last in earned run average (ERA), as only Roger Bailey and John Thomson pitched enough innings to qualify for the ERA title and both produced ERAs under 5.00. Walker, Vinny Castilla, and Andrés Galarraga each hit at least 40 home runs. Walker led the NL in home runs with 49 and OBP (.452), and the major leagues in on-base plus slugging (1.172), while Galarraga led the NL in runs batted in (140).
Offseason
November 28, 1996: Armando Reynoso was traded by the Colorado Rockies to the New York Mets for Jerry DiPoto.
December 9, 1996: Kirt Manwaring was signed as a free agent by the Colorado Rockies.
January 15, 1997: Juan Uribe was signed as an amateur free agent by the Colorado Rockies.
January 24, 1997: Darnell Coles was signed as a free agent by the Colorado Rockies.
March 26, 1997: Steve Decker was released by the Colorado Rockies.
Regular season
The Rockies commenced the 1997 season on the road. Larry Walker hit two home runs in the season-opening series against the Reds in Cincinnati, and, on April 5, hit three more versus the Montreal Expos in Montreal for his first career three home run game. His first week accomplishments included a .440 batting average with six home runs in 25 at bats and the Player of the Week Award for the second time in his career on April 6. Walker concluded the month of April batting .456 with 41 hits, 29 runs scored, 11 home runs, 29 runs batted in (RBI), seven stolen bases, .538 on-base percentage (OBP), .911 slugging percentage (SLG), and 1.449 on-base plus slugging percentage (OPS). His 29 runs scored set a major league record for the month of April, until surpassed by Bryce Harper in 2017. Walker was named NL Player of the Month for the first time. The Rockies concluded the month of April with a 17–7 record for a .708 winning percentage, their most successful month of 1997.
Perhaps the most famous home run first baseman Andrés Galarraga hit was a mammoth grand slam off Kevin Brown on May 31, which landed 20 rows deep into the upper deck at Florida Marlins' Pro Player Stadium. It may also be his most debated home run with a distance initially measured at 573 feet (175 m) and then 529 feet (161 m). At the time, it set a record for both the Rockies and the stadium. In 2011, ESPN's Home Run Tracker recalculated the distance to 468 feet (143 m).
In the June 20 contest versus the San Diego Padres, Walker collected his 108th hit of the season and the 1,000th of his career while batting against Andy Ashby.
Walker continued to hit near or above .400 in July, when he was selected to play in the All-Star Game. His remarkable season continued: as late as July 17, he was hitting .402. The Rockies struggled in the month of July, losing 19 of 27 games for a .296 winning percentage.
Third baseman Vinny Castilla replicated the exact totals in batting average (.304), home runs (40), and RBI (113) as he had produced in 1996, with one fewer game played (159) and one point less in slugging percentage (.547).
The Rockies led the NL in attendance at more than 3.88 million. They also led the league in runs scored (923), home runs (239), batting (.288), OBP (.357), and SLG (.478). They were last in ERA at 5.25.
The career season for Walker was 1997, when he hit .366 with 49 home runs, 130 RBI, 33 stolen bases, and 409 total bases, en route to becoming the first Canadian-born and Colorado Rockies player to win the MVP Award in MLB. Combined with 12 outfield assists, the season remains one of the finest all around performances in recent baseball history. Even more impressively, Walker's breakout season came just one year after various injuries limited him to 83 games and 272 at-bats, although the NL Comeback Player of the Year award went to Darren Daulton.
= Season standings
== Record vs. opponents
== Transactions
=May 23, 1997: Darnell Coles was purchased by the Hanshin Tigers (Japan Central) from the Colorado Rockies.
June 3, 1997: Aaron Cook was drafted by the Colorado Rockies in the 2nd round of the 1997 amateur draft. Player signed July 13, 1997.
June 3, 1997: Chone Figgins was drafted by the Colorado Rockies in the 4th round of the 1997 amateur draft. Player signed June 9, 1997.
July 27, 1997: Craig Counsell was traded by the Colorado Rockies to the Florida Marlins for Mark Hutton.
August 19, 1997: Eric Young was traded by the Colorado Rockies to the Los Angeles Dodgers for Pedro Astacio.
August 20, 1997: Bill Swift was released by the Colorado Rockies.
= Major League debuts
=Batters:
Todd Helton (Aug 2)
Pitchers:
Mike DeJean (May 2)
John Thomson (May 11)
Bobby Jones (May 18)
= Roster
== Game log
=Player statistics
= Batting
== Pitching
=Starting pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
Other pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
Relief pitchers
Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
Awards, league leaders, and accomplishments
= National League leaders
=Offensive statistics
At bats per home run: Larry Walker (11.6)
Extra base hits: Larry Walker (99) †
Home runs: Larry Walker (49)
Offensive win %: Larry Walker (.857) †
On-base percentage: Larry Walker (.452)
On-base plus slugging percentage: Larry Walker (1.172) †
Power–speed number: Larry Walker (39.4)
Runs batted in: Andrés Galarraga (140)
Slugging percentage: Larry Walker (.720) †
Total bases: Larry Walker (409) †
Wins Above Replacement: Larry Walker (9.8) †
Notes: † – led MLB. References:
Defensive statistics
Assists at third base: Vinny Castilla (323)
Double plays turned:
at first base: Andrés Galarraga (176)
at third base: Vinny Castilla (41)
all outfielders and at right field: Larry Walker (4)
at center field: Quinton McCracken (3)
Fielding percentage:
at left field: Dante Bichette (.991)
at right field: Larry Walker (.992)
at pitcher: Roger Bailey (1.000)
Putouts for all fielders and at first base: Andrés Galarraga (1,458)
Range factor per game:
at first base: Andrés Galarraga (10.23)
at shortstop: Walt Weiss (4.73)
Range factor per nine innings:
at first base: Andrés Galarraga (10.69)
at shortstop: Walt Weiss (5.22)
at pitcher: Roger Bailey (3.06)
References:
= Awards
=All-Star Game selectees:
Andrés Galarraga
Larry Walker (starter at right field)
Baseball Digest Player of the Year: Larry Walker
Colorado Rockies Player of the Year: Larry Walker
National League Most Valuable Player (MVP): Larry Walker
National League Player of the Month: Larry Walker (April)
National League Players of the Week:
2× Larry Walker (April 6 & September 21)
Vinny Castilla (April 13)
Ellis Burks (May 25)
Dante Bichette (July 27)
Rawlings Gold Glove at outfield: Larry Walker
Silver Slugger
at third base: Vinny Castilla
at outfield: Larry Walker
Tip O'Neill Award: Larry Walker
Farm system
LEAGUE CHAMPIONS: Portland
See also
References and notes
References
1997 Colorado Rockies at Baseball Reference
1997 Colorado Rockies team page at www.baseball-almanac.com
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- 1997 Colorado Rockies season
- List of Colorado Rockies seasons
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- 1995 Colorado Rockies season
- 1993 Colorado Rockies season
- History of the Colorado Rockies
- 1998 Colorado Rockies season
- List of Colorado Rockies minor league affiliates
- 1996 Colorado Rockies season
