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Walker's Hall of Fame support jumps from '16 Former Rockies slugger receives 21.9 percent of BBWAA vote

By Thomas Harding / MLB.com | @harding_at_mlb | January 18th, 2017 DENVER -- Former Rockies star Larry Walker saw his National Baseball Hall of Fame voting percentage increase from

15.5 percent last year to 21.9 percent, although he wasn't close to the 75 percent needed for induction.

Still, he will be on the ballot next year -- his eighth shot at Cooperstown.

2017 Hall of Fame election results Votes Player Percentage

381 Jeff Bagwell 86.2%

380 Tim Raines 86.0%

336 Ivan Rodriguez 76.0%

327 Trevor Hoffman 74.0%

317 Vladimir Guerrero 71.7%

259 Edgar Martinez 58.6%

239 Roger Clemens 54.1%

238 Barry Bonds 53.8%

229 Mike Mussina 51.8%

199 Curt Schilling 45.0% Complete voting results »

"What it all boils down to is I'm still on the ballot," Walker said by phone. "That's a good thing for me. My dad sent me a

text tonight, saying it's still an honor to be on that ballot, and I agree with him."

MEDIA CLIPS – January 19, 2017

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Walker, who began his career in 1989 with the Expos and ended it in 2005 with the Cardinals, spent the bulk -- and the

best years -- of his time in the big leagues with the Rockies, for whom he batted .334 with a 1.044 OPS and 258 homers

from 1995 until he was traded to the Cardinals in late 2004.

Tim Raines, a teammate of Walker's in Montreal; catcher Ivan "Pudge" Rodriguez; and first baseman Jeff Bagwell were

announced Wednesday as the 2017 Hall of Fame class. Walker tweeted his congratulations:

Walker had warm words for Raines.

"Obviously, very well-deserved," Walker said. "The numbers speak for themselves. He's a great guy, to boot -- one of the

funnier guys I've met in the game. He could make you laugh almost with not even saying anything. His laugh was very

contagious -- fun to be around, a total gentleman."

This was Walker's seventh year on the ballot, and it was his second-highest vote percentage. He garnered 22.9 percent in

'12, his second year on the ballot.

Walker signed with the Rockies in 1995, the year that Coors Field opened, and the impact of playing there on his

offensive numbers has been a consistent factor in Walker's candidacy. It could be one that affects first baseman Todd

Helton, who will be eligible for the Hall of Fame ballot in '19.

"I could be frustrated by it all," Walker said. "I don't let it bother me. I guess I have a fault, and my fault is I played at Coors

Field. You're not going to find anything that's going to link me to any steroids or anything of that nature. I'm not worried

about that at all. That doesn't exist.

"Unfortunately, I still have a fault. But it was one that was out of my control. I played in the big leagues for the wrong team,

according to a lot of the voters."

But not according to Walker.

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"I can't help where I played, and I don't regret one minute of it," he said. "Not one game, not one inning, not one thing

about it. I played in Colorado. I had the opportunity to play for a great franchise in an amazing city and nobody's ever

going to take that from me. I'm grateful for that."

Walker was a five-time All-Star and won seven Rawlings Gold Glove Awards, three Louisville Silver Sluggers and the

1997 National League MVP Award.

His offensive numbers are similar to those of Vladimir Guerrero, who was nearly elected on the first ballot this year at 71.7

percent.

A native of Trail, British Columbia, Walker remains involved in coaching with the Canadian National Team. He was with

Canada's 2015 Pan Am Games team, which beat Team USA for the Gold Medal, and he will be with Canada's World

Baseball Classic club in this year's tournament.

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Murphy makes MLB Pipeline's Top 10 C Prospects list Converted infielder Kelly, Mejia grab top spots, Alfaro remains No. 3 By Jim Callis / MLB.com | @JimCallisMLB | January 18, 2017 MLBPipeline.com will unveil its 2017 Top 100 Prospects list on Saturday, Jan. 28, with a one-hour show on MLB

Network at 8 p.m. ET. Leading up to the release, we look at baseball's top 10 prospects at each position.

Heading into 2016, MLBPipeline's two top-rated catching prospects were Willson Contreras and Gary Sanchez. You

may have heard something about their exploits last year. Contreras took over the starting job on a Cubs team that won its

first World Series in 108 years, while Sanchez tied an 86-year-old record for fewest games needed (51) to hit 20 homers.

Top 10 Prospects by Position

RHP - Breakdown | List LHP - Breakdown | List C - Breakdown | List 1B - List revealed on Fri., Jan. 20

2B - List revealed on Mon., Jan. 23

3B - List revealed on Tue., Jan. 24

SS - List revealed on Wed., Jan. 25

OF - List revealed on Thu., Jan. 26

Top 100 - List revealed on Sat., Jan. 28

Our new Top 10 Catching Prospects list doesn't feature anyone likely to make that kind of instant impact, though it does

include several talented backstops. It starts with the Cardinals' Carson Kelly, a converted third baseman who just

made MLBPipeline's All-Defense Team, and follows with the Indians' Francisco Mejia, who established a modern

Minor League record with a 50-game hitting streak last summer.

Kelly and Mejia are far from one-dimensional, however, and the Phillies' Jorge Alfaro has all-around potential as well.

After that trio, most members of this Top 10 list have offensive games that overshadow their defensive ability or vice versa

-- underscoring just how difficult it is to find a complete catcher.

1. Carson Kelly, Cardinals

St. Louis has had one of the game's top catchers for years and has a worthy successor -- assuming Yadier Molina ever

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slows down -- in Kelly. He has the arm, receiving ability and leadership skills to win Gold Gloves, and his offensive game

is coming around nicely as he gets more accustomed to working behind the plate.

2. Francisco Mejia, Indians

Though he didn't break out offensively until 2016, his fourth year in pro ball, Mejia already was well known in scouting

circles for a cannon arm that ranks among the best in the Minors. His receiving is improving, too, so he could be a solid

all-around performer. Cleveland included him in a trade package for Jonathan Lucroy last July but kept Mejia when

Lucroy vetoed the deal.

3. Jorge Alfaro, Phillies

He has the best combination of raw power and arm strength of any catching prospect, making Alfaro likely the most

valuable part of the five-prospect package Philadelphia acquired from the Rangers for Cole Hamels and Jake

Diekman in 2015. Alfaro made progress with his hitting ability and receiving last season, putting him in line to start for the

Phillies at some point later this year.

4. Zack Collins, White Sox

Collins offered some of the best offensive upside in the 2016 Draft and went 10th overall, earning a $3,380,600 bonus. He

has big left-handed power and has been an on-base machine, though his throwing and catching skills are average at best.

5. Chance Sisco, Orioles

Sisco has drilled line drives everywhere he has gone, winning the low Class A South Atlantic League batting title (.340) in

his first full pro season in 2014 and batting .323 in four years in the Minors. He gave a glimpse of his power potential with

a long home run at the SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game last July, and more importantly, he's showing enough progress

behind the plate that scouts now believe he can be at least a decent defender.

6. Reese McGuire, Blue Jays

Acquired last August from the Pirates in a trade for Drew Hutchinson, McGuire is the lone catcher on this list whose

defense is well ahead of his offense. He's athletic, receives and blocks well and owns a strong arm with a quick transfer.

As a hitter, he makes consistent contact but has yet to show any ability to drive the ball.

7. Tom Murphy, Rockies

Murphy gave Colorado a glimpse of what he can do last September, homering five times in 44 at-bats and erasing four of

10 basestealers. Power and arm strength are his two best tools, while his hitting and receiving are less polished.

8. Austin Barnes, Dodgers

Barnes is both the oldest (27) and most versatile (capable of playing second and third base) catcher on this list. The

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nephew of former big leaguer Mike Gallego, he's a line-drive hitter who controls the strike zone and impresses with his

agility behind the plate.

9. Jose Trevino, Rangers

After starting at three positions at Oral Roberts and four in his pro debut, Trevino has taken off since becoming a full-time

catcher in 2015. Texas' Minor League player of the year in 2016, he showed off his best tool (his plus arm) by leading the

Class A Advanced California League by throwing out 48 percent of basestealers.

10. Jacob Nottingham, Brewers

Traded twice in seven months, by the Astros to the Athletics in the Scott Kazmir deal and by Oakland to Milwaukee as

part of the payment for Khris Davis, Nottingham once was recruited to play tight end by the University of Arizona. He's a

slugger who's still figuring out the nuances of making consistent contact and cleaning up his defense.

Next up

The 11th overall pick in the 2015 Draft, Tyler Stephenson (Reds) had an injury-plagued first full pro season but has

drawn Matt Wieters comparisons with his tools and switch-hitting ability.

He may be undersized at 5-foot-10 and 175 pounds, yet Garrett Stubbs (Astros) is a dynamo who's athletic behind the

plate and excels at making contact.

Chase Vallot (Royals) is still raw defensively but stands out with his right-handed pop.

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Rockies' Winter Caravan to hit road next week By Thomas Harding / MLB.com | @harding_at_mlb | January 18th, 2017

DENVER -- The Rockies will spend next Monday through Saturday spreading baseball cheer through the Rocky Mountain

region. Here are details of the 2017 Winter Caravan across Colorado, New Mexico, Utah and Wyoming.

Players appearing are subject to change, and the Rockies' mascot, Dinger, will make most of the stops. Events are public

unless otherwise noted, and all times are MT. Here is the schedule:

Monday

Golden, Colo., Aurora, Colo., and Denver

Scheduled to attend: right-handed pitcher Chad Bettis, second baseman DJ LeMahieu and catcher Tony Wolters

• 11 a.m. -- Coors Brewery in Golden, fan meet and greet

• 3 p.m. -- Aurora Dugout Store, fan autograph session and photo opportunity

• 5 p.m. -- Diamond Dry Goods Store at Coors Field, fan autograph session and photo opportunity

Tuesday

Colorado Springs and Littleton, Colo.

Scheduled to attend: right-handed pitcher Carlos Estevez, outfielder Gerardo Parra, Bettis, LeMahieu and Wolters

• 11 a.m. -- United Sates Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, meet and greet and cadet lunch (private)

• 1:45 p.m. -- Lockheed Martin in Littleton, tour and staff Q&A with Bettis, LeMahieu and general manager Jeff Bridich

(private)

• 2 p.m. -- Colorado Springs Dugout Store, fan autograph session and photo opportunity with Estevez, Parra and Wolters

Wednesday

Fort Collins, Colo., and Laramie, Wyo.

Players scheduled to attend: outfielder David Dahl, catcher Tom Murphy, Estevez and Parra

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• 11:15 a.m. -- Colorado State University Student Center, fan meet and greet

• Noon -- Lunch at Rio Grande Mexican Restaurant in Fort Collins (invitation only)

• 1:45 p.m. -- Poudre Valley Hospital in Fort Collins (private)

• 4 p.m. -- University of Wyoming Marian H. Rochelle Gateway Center in Laramie, fan Q&A and photo opportunity

• 7 p.m. -- University of Wyoming vs. UNLV basketball game

Thursday

Grand Junction, Colo., and Salt Lake City

Scheduled to attend -- manager Bud Black, right-handed pitcher Jon Gray, Dahl and Murphy

• 10:45 a.m. -- Suplizio Field, Grand Junction, news conference (media only)

• 11:15 a.m. -- Suplizio Field, Grand Junction Rockies season-ticket holder and VIP lunch and Q&A (invitation only)

• 1 p.m. -- Lincoln Park Barn, Grand Junction, fan meet and greet

• 5 p.m. -- The Green Pig, Salt Lake City, fan meet and greet

Friday

Denver and Albuquerque, N.M.

Scheduled to appear in Albuquerque -- right-handed pitcher Adam Ottavino, shortstop Trevor Story, left-handed

pitcher Mike Dunn and Black. Scheduled to appear in Denver -- Bridich, Gray and Dahl

• 9 a.m. -- Farrell B. Howell ECE-8 school visit in Denver (private)

• 10:30 a.m. -- Children's Hospital Colorado in Aurora visit (private)

• 11:15 a.m. -- Albuquerque Convention Center, fan autograph session that's included in meet and greet luncheon ticket

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• 11:45 a.m. -- Luncheon at Albuquerque Convention Center, fan meet and greet luncheon to benefit Lobo Little League,

hosted by the Triple-A Albuquerque Isotopes

• 1:30 p.m. -- Lobo Little League Field, Albuquerque, for press conference and field tour

Saturday

Denver

Scheduled to appear -- Bridich, Black, Dunn, Gray, Ottavino and Story

• 10 a.m. -- Season Ticket Holder Hot Stove at Coors Field, hosted by Root Sports broadcaster Jenny Cavnar and 850

KOA Rockies Radio Network broadcasters Jack Corrigan and Jerry Schemmel (invitation only)

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Saunders: Tim Raines’ Baseball Hall of Fame selection overdue but worth the wait Raines was one of the best players to ever spend a summer in Denver By Patrick Saunders / Denver Post | January 18th, 2017

When baseball’s Hall of Fame class of 2017 was announced Wednesday afternoon, I was getting ready to saddle up my

high horse.

I was going to chastise some members of the Baseball Writers Association of America for pumping life into the Hall of

Fame candidacies of Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens, both of whom climbed above 50 percent in their fifth time on the

ballot. As they move up the ballot, it looks like those two cheaters will eventually be inducted into Cooperstown. They

know they cheated, you know they cheated and I know they cheated. They disgraced the game and tarnished their own

legacies.

Next, I was going to complain about the lack of respect accorded former Rockies outfielder Larry Walker. He improved

from 15.5 percent to 21.9 percent of the vote from a year ago, but fell far short of the 75 percent needed for induction. I

don’t think Walker’s ever going to ever make the Hall of Fame, and I worry that the Coors Field Factor is also going to

haunt Todd Helton down the road.

But then, I thought about Tim Raines’ election to the Hall of Fame and the negative arguments melted away.

Raines’ feel-good moment was a long time coming. He made it on his 10th and final year on the ballot. I always thought

Raines was underappreciated, in part because he spent so many seasons playing in Montreal but also because he was

overshadowed by Rickey Henderson. But consider that Raines was one of only four men since 1900 to steal 800-plus

bases. He accomplished that while compiling the highest stolen-base success rate (84.7 percent) of all time. He was a

great leadoff hitter, with 10 seasons with an on-base percentage of .390 or better. Sabermetric baseball guys tend to love

Raines.

Yes, he fell short of 3,000 career hits (he had 2,605) and his career batting average was .294. But Raines made things

happen. He sparked his team, he changed games.

“It takes a real appreciation of baseball to understand what Tim Raines did,” former Expos general manager.

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As an aside, I’ll point out to all of those Colorado newcomers that Raines was one of the best players to ever spend a

summer in Denver.

In 1980, as a second basemen for the Triple-A Denver Bears, Raines won the The American Association batting title with

a .354 average. At age 20, Raines set a league record by stealing 77 bases and tied for the league lead with 11 triples.

He put up those gaudy numbers even though he spent 18 days with Montreal in July and August. Raines was named the

The Sporting News’ Minor League Player of the Year.

So, while there is plenty to argue about when it comes to the Hall of Fame voting, Raines’ election was the right call, just

in the nick of time.

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Trevor Hoffman misses Baseball Hall of Fame election by 5 votes Hoffman became baseball’s career saves leader on Sept. 24, 2006 By Patrick Saunders / Denver Post | January 18th, 2017

SAN DIEGO Well, Hells Bells, Trevor Hoffman didn’t make baseball’s Hall of Fame for the second straight season.

This time, it was agonizingly close.

The former closer with the menacing glare, high leg kick and wicked changeup fell five votes short of enshrinement when

balloting was announced Wednesday.

In his second year on the ballot, Hoffman received 327 votes, appearing on 74 percent of the ballots and just shy of the 75

percent needed to get a plaque in Cooperstown. Jeff Bagwell, Tim Raines and Ivan Rodriguez were voted in.

“You hope that’s not your peak,” Hoffman said in a telephone interview from his home in suburban San Diego. “You hope

there’s a little more in the tank, really, from some of the writers that didn’t vote for you. To get so close is tantalizing, but

it’s that oh-so-close-but-oh-so-far-away scenario.”

Hoffman, who spent the bulk of his career with the Padres, received 67.3 percent of the vote in his first year on the ballot,

giving him hope that he might get in this year.

He said he’d occasionally check a popular online vote tracker run by Ryan Thibodaux of Oakland and saw that of 274

ballots made public, he gained 30 votes from returning voters but lost eight.

“To lose eight from last year to this year would have been the difference,” he said. “You hope the younger-trending voters

don’t hurt you. I don’t think I got huge support from the younger guys. It’s a bit disturbing but, again, I can’t go out and get

another save or do anything to change whatever I’ve done. That’s how the ebbs and flows go. You hope it corrects next

year.”

Hoffman is pragmatic.

“I’d rather be sitting where I am rather than sitting on 50 percent wondering which way I’ll go,” he said. “I’m certainly not

disgruntled or upset by any means. I’m ecstatic I moved up almost 7 percent.”

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The city of San Diego could have used a shot of good news. The NFL’s Chargers announced six days earlier they are

leaving for Los Angeles after 56 seasons in San Diego, leaving a massive hole in the city’s psyche and sports history.

Last year, Hoffman played golf in the hours prior to the announcement. This year he got a haircut and picked up dry-

cleaning.

“I tried to keep it as normal as possible for what could have transpired,” Hoffman said. “For what has gone on over the last

week, heck, back to when I got here, the support I’ve gotten in San Diego and the people that have wished you well on

the ballot, from the really tough times in San Diego, with what has gone on with the football team, or lack thereof, it was

amazing to get support around town.”

Hoffman had his first two career saves with Florida as a rookie in 1993 before he was acquired during the Padres’

infamous fire sale. After a rough start, he eventually became the closer, and his save opportunities became an event.

Starting during the 1998 season, Hoffman entered from the bullpen accompanied by the brooding opening riff of AC/DC’s

“Hells Bells.”

Hoffman became baseball’s career saves leader on Sept. 24, 2006, when he recorded No. 479 to pass Lee Smith. He

spent his final two seasons with Milwaukee, retiring after the 2010 season with 601 saves. He was passed by Mariano

Rivera of the New York Yankees, who retired after the 2013 season with 652.

Rivera won’t be on the ballot for another two years.

As it became clear he wasn’t going to get that special phone call Wednesday afternoon, Hoffman was a bit disappointed.

“It was like sitting around hoping to be asked to dance and it didn’t happen,” he said. “You’ve kind of got to put your ego in

check a little bit and take the high ground and be appreciative of being able to be part of the process.”

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Colorado Rockies prospect Pedro Gonzalez has the potential to be a star Purple Row Prospect No. 16, Pedro Gonzalez By Jeff Aberle / Purple Row | January 19th, 2017

16. Pedro Gonzalez (431 points, 32 ballots)

Pedro Gonzalez is a player who has an extremely wide range of outcomes. With his tools and potential, he could become

an All-Star at the major league level. Or, he could flame out before Double-A ball.

Gonzalez was the big international signing during the 2014 period, receiving a $1.3 million bonus from the Rockies. A 6'3"

shortstop when he was signed, Gonzalez has now sprouted up to 6'5" at least and may still be growing. As a result,

Colorado moved him off the position before 2016, placing him in center field. You heard me: a right-handed hitting outfield

prospect!

Midseason Rank: 21

High Ballot: 8

Mode Ballot: 15

Future Value: 45+, potential big league regular

Contract Status: 2014 amateur free agent (DR), not Rule 5 eligible, three options remaining

MLB ETA: Late 2020

In the Dominican Summer League last year, Gonzalez started off gangbusters before settling into a .251/.318/.418 line

with eight homers (rating him 4th overall in the DSL) over 282 plate appearances—good for a 108 wRC+. Unfortunately,

the now 19-year-old Gonzalez struggled in 2016 in his stateside debut in Grand Junction. Against pitchers who were on

average 2.5 years older, Gonzalez posted a .230/.290/.394 line (69 wRC+) with 25 extra base hits in 258 plate

appearances. Thirty one percent of his plate appearances ended in strikeouts.

That’s disappointing, but there is some encouraging news here. Gonzalez had a .261 BABIP, indicating he might have

deserved better results. More encouraging was his post All-Star Break line of .276/.336/.500 in 104 plate appearances

(though the strikeouts remained).

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So what’s the big fuss about with Gonzalez? Eric Longenhagen of FanGraphs ranked Gonzalez 7th in the

system recently:

Gonzalez has already converted from shortstop to center field, where his precocious instincts have impressed scouts. A

below-average runner from home to first, Gonzalez is a plus runner underway and his gargantuan strides cover plenty of

ground in center field right now.

He has incredible physical projection. The on-paper measureables alone indicate this, but the breadth of Gonzalez’s

shoulders and the size of his hands are particularly stunning. I’m setting the over/under on Gonzalez’s prime weight at

230. For reference, Jayson Werth is 6-foot-5, 235. There’s a chance Gonzalez can retain the speed for center field at

that weight and his surprising instincts for center field give him some margin for error down the line in that regard.

With that weight should come big raw power. Gonzalez isn’t making loud contact right now but he has loose wrists, some

natural opposite-field ability and picturesque loft and extension through his swing. There’s a chance for plus raw power at

peak.

Of course, with levers this long, there are holes in the swing. Gonzalez has shown some ability to adjust his hands but is a

long way from being able to punish velocity on the inner half. His breaking-ball recognition was spotty during instructs.

Because the future of his hit tool is quite volatile, so is Gonzalez’s overall profile. He’s a potential star but light years from

the majors.

Gonzalez is currently ranked 23rd on MLB.com's list, though the note is from before the 2016 season:

With bat speed and a 6-foot-5 frame that provides terrific leverage and hints at future strength, Gonzalez has tremendous

power potential. Though his right-handed swing naturally gets long and he had a 29 percent strikeout rate in his debut, he

shows feel for hitting with his ability to use the opposite field and make adjustments. Considered a below-average runner

when he signed, he now flashes plus times but figures to lose a step as he matures physically.

Gonzalez has grown two inches and added 15 pounds since signing, and he has room to put on 50 more. The Rockies

figured he'd outgrow shortstop, where he made his debut, so they're moving him to center field in 2016. He figures to

eventually wind up in right field, where his strong arm would be an asset, and one club official says Gonzalez reminds him

of a young Alex Rios.

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John Sickels had Gonzalez just missing the top 20 before the 2016 season:

When signed, he was listed at 6-4, 160, lean, lanky, and projectable. He's up to 6-5, 175 now and could very well end up

at 6-6, 200+ as he matures. His power potential is excellent and he demonstrated what he can do with his long levers in

the Dominican Summer League. He also demonstrated the downside of his size with a very high strikeout rate, a long

swing, and issues with strike zone judgment. The Rockies hope those issues will subside as he gets at-bats and irons out

his swing mechanics. Gonzalez was used at shortstop and third base last year with poor results so he's moving to the

outfield, supposedly in center though my guess is that he ends up in right field eventually. Grade C+, high ceiling but with

unanswered questions.

A gigantic power-hitting center-fielder? Yes please! Obviously the strikeouts and lack of dominance to date are a huge red

flag and there’s a long way to go with Gonzalez before he gets to the Show. Still, if Gonzalez does make the Show (it’s

still a big if) he's a very intriguing player whose plus power potential that will play up in Coors Field. We’ll see if the

Rockies test Gonzalez out in full season ball initially in 2017 or if they have him repeat in short season ball—hopefully it’s

the former.

I'm aboard the hype bus for Gonzalez, placing him 13th on my personal ballot, which equated to a 45+ Future Value as a

high potential MLB contributor.

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Colorado Rockies prospect Ben Bowden could be on the fast track to the majors Purple Row Prospect No. 17, Ben Bowden By Jeff Aberle / Purple Row | January 18th, 2017

17. Ben Bowden (395 points, 36 ballots)

Ben Bowden seems destined to be the first player from the 2016 draft to hit the big leagues. After all, he was assigned

directly to Low A Asheville after the draft and he threw out of the bullpen exclusively—two markers of a fast mover through

the system. After being drafted early in the second round of the 2016 draft, Bowden signed for a slightly above-slot $1.6

million bonus after moving between Vanderbilt's rotation and bullpen during his collegiate career.

Midseason Rank: 27

High Ballot: 11

Mode Ballot: 19

Future Value: 45, MLB set-up man or mid-rotation starter

Contract Status: 2016 second round, not Rule 5 eligible, three options remaining

MLB ETA: Late 2018

The now 22-year-old lefty ended up in the bullpen in college and started that way in the pros, but the Rockies have not

ruled out a return to the rotation for him as soon as next year. At Asheville, Bowden threw 23 2⁄3 innings over 26

appearances for the Tourists with a 3.04 ERA. His 29 strikeouts in that time translate to a great 11.0 K/9, though his 5.7

BB/9 and 1.61 WHIP are worrisome—a .373 BABIP boosted the WHIP. Bowden held lefties to a .212 average as well,

which is always relevant for a lefty reliever prospect.

A second-round pick typically has at least one major league-caliber tool, and for Bowden it's his low- to mid-90s fastball

from the left-hand side. Importantly, Bowden is not a one-trick pony, boasting two secondary pitches and command that

grades out as average as well. MLB.com ranked Bowden 67th overall pre-draft and had this to say about him

when ranking him 16th in the system:

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As a lefty with three pitches and a durable frame, Bowden has the ingredients to pitch in the middle of a big league

rotation. His 90-95 mph fastball plays up because it has late life and steep downhill plane. He also shows feel for a sinking

changeup and has a three-quarters breaking ball that fluctuates between a low-80s slider and a high-70s curveball.

Colorado is still undecided about Bowden's long-term role. Though he could move quickly as a possible high-leverage

reliever, he also has mid-rotation potential and a fresh arm that logged just 96 1/3 innings in three seasons at Vanderbilt.

His control and command improved steadily during his college career, but to make it as a starter he'll have to show that he

can maintain a quality fastball into the late innings.

Eric Longenhagen of FanGraphs is high on Bowden, ranking him 12th in the system:

Having spent the lion’s share of his career at Vanderbilt in relief, Bowden has a relatively fresh arm. He made five mostly

mediocre starts mid-year for Vanderbilt before kicking back into the bullpen, where he finished the year. He pumps mid-

90s gas with downhill plane and has a workhorse body but the quality of the repertoire suppresses enthusiasm about

Bowden’s chances of starting in pro ball. His changeup flashes above average and could be plus at peak, but the slider

would do well just to get to average and it may only play against lefties at the upper levels. The fastball/changeup combo

should play in a relief role, but moving Bowden into a minor-league rotation to start 2017 allows Colorado to give it a

chance to take and also allows Bowden’s pitches to get more reps than they would in a relief role. I ultimately expect

Bowden to become a fastball/changeup reliever, and think it plays in a setup role.

The question of what the Rockies decide Bowden's path is going forward—starter or reliever—will determine in large part

his ceiling as a prospect. In relief, Bowden has the potential to move quickly, a la Rex Brothers, perhaps as soon as

2018. If he's a starter, I think the more likely gestation period lasts into 2019. If he's a reliever, Bowden is an intriguing

high-leverage option who would probably settle into a set-up role. As a starter, he's a potential mid-rotation guy. I hope

Colorado tries him as a starter in Lancaster next year to see if he can hack it there.

Because of the uncertainty around him, Bowden was a tough guy for me to rank, but the combination of stuff and pedigree

ultimately led me to place him 19th on my personal ballot. Currently I'd give him a 45 Future Value as a potential mid-

rotation starter or late-inning reliever.

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Larry Walker, Colorado Rockies Once Again Left Out of Hall By Kevin Henry / Rox Pile | January 18th, 2017

We knew it was going to happen for some time, but Wednesday’s announcement made it official. Larry Walker still isn’t in

the Baseball Hall of Fame and the Colorado Rockies still don’t have a player represented in Cooperstown.

With 442 ballots cast, Walker finished with a vote on 97 of them. That’s a 21.9 percent rate.

In his seventh year on the Hall of Fame ballot, Walker did improve on his 15.5 percent vote from last year’s balloting.

That’s the good news. The bad news is that the “Coors Field” asterisk seems to be something that Walker may never be

able to shake. As Jon Heyman said in his article, “He had amazing talent and an incredible slash line, even if it was

Coors-enhanced.”

That’s the prevailing thought for most Hall of Fame voters it seems. Heyman also brought up the amount of injuries that

Walker endured during his career. Yes, those are things that stick in the voters’ mind as well it seems.

You’ve seen all of the reasons why Walker should be in the Hall of Fame. We broke them down in this article. You’ve

seen our thoughts on why playing at altitude must be worse than taking performance-enhancing drugs. We tackled that

in this article. There’s little more that can be said or explained about Walker’s Hall of Fame legitimacy. This, however,

sums a lot of things up in a very simple statistical comparison…

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Walker’s similarity scores on Baseball-Reference.com are pretty interesting as well. Take a look here and see how his

numbers compared to Hall of Famers Joe DiMaggio, Johnny Mize and Duke Snider. There are some fascinating

comparisons in there.

As a reminder, Todd Helton is eligible for Hall of Fame voting in 2019. That’s the next potential former Rockies player

who could join Walker on the ballot. Will he face the same scrutiny because of his home park? Absolutely, just like Nolan

Arenado or any other future Hall of Fame candidate might who played at 20th and Blake.

Again this year, Larry Walker is on the outside looking in. It’s a sad commentary on a bias that exists within the majority of

voters regarding Coors Field. A player can only play the game to the best of his ability. Again this year, Hall of Fame

voters told Larry Walker that that simply wasn’t enough.

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The 100 Greatest Colorado Rockies: 88 John Vander Wal By Ben Macaluso / Rox Pile | January 18th, 2017

We continue our look at the top 100 Colorado Rockies of all time in this article. Here, we look at No. 88 on our list, John

Vander Wal.

John Vander Wal played for Colorado for five seasons, more than any other team in his nearly 15-year career. He ranks

seventh on the all-time pinch-hit list with 129. He had an MLB record 28 hits in 1995 which was his best season with the

club. Vander Wal helped the Rockies reach the playoffs that year with a .347 batting average. Although he never had

much power, even at Coors Field, as a pinch hitter he could be counted on to get on base and drive in runs.

Vander Wal has easily played the most games of any Rockies player on this list so far. While that didn’t always translate

to success or consistent at bats, Vander Wal had some of his best seasons in Denver when the club was first coming up.

His versatility in the outfield and at first base brought dimension to his game.

Vander Wal got to Colorado by a similar path as his teammates Larry Walker and Andrés Galarraga. He started his

career in for the Montreal Expos, eventually making it to Denver, in 1994. While in Denver he had almost a 2 WAR being

utilized mostly as a utility player coming off primarily off the bench. Vander Wal was one of the glue guys for the original

Rockies playoff team. In 1996 Vander Wal had similar production actually getting more hits than in 1995 but in more plate

appearances. In 1997 his production declined but he rebounded dramatically in 1998 essentially the later season evening

out the one before.

This performance gave Vander Wal more confidence in the marketplace and the Padres traded for him in August. He

played in the 1998 World Series collecting two hits in five at bats. Vander Wal would become a more of an every day

player with the Padres and eventually the Pirates who he had his best season of his career with in 2000.

As of 2015, Vander Wal was a scout for the Arizona Diamondbacks. His son Jake Vander Wal is trying to follow in his

father’s footsteps and is part of the Ohio State baseball team. Anyone with a nearly 15-year career is a great person to

start emulating.

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The The 100 Greatest Colorado Rockies: 89 Charles Johnson By Ben Macaluso / Rox Pile | January 18th, 2017

We continue our look at the top 100 Colorado Rockies of all time in this article. Here, we look at No. 89 on our list, Charles

Johnson.

Charles Johnson was already great before he got to Colorado. Johnson was the fourth catcher in the majors to win a Gold

Glove in his rookie season. The only others are Johnny Bench, Carlton Fisk and Sandy Alomar Jr. While he didn’t

have the offensive skillset that those all-time catchers did, he was a phenomenal catcher. His best year came for

the World Champion Florida Marlins in 1997 where he had a 4.4 overall WAR. That year he set a record where he

didn’t commit one error deservingly making it to his first All Star game that year. In the World Series he turned it on even

further by leading the team with 10 hits and a .357 batting average. He won four consecutive gold gloves with the

Marlins becoming a Miami sports legend.

Johnson’s first bout of history with the Rockies came long before he made his debut with the club. Al Lieter threw a no

hitter against the Rockies in 1996 and Johnson caught the game. That was no small feet as the lineup included Eric

Young, Walt Weiss, Dante Bichette, Andres Galarraga, Ellis Burks and Vinny Castilla just to name a few. The next

year Johnson caught another no hitter against the Giants.

Like every other player on that 1997 World Series team, Johnson got traded to Los Angeles. He went to Baltimore and the

South Side of Chicago before returning to the Marlins where he played until 2002. In his second stint with the Marlins he

caught his third no hitter and made his second All-Star appearance. This is where Johnson’s Colorado story begins.

Johnson was traded again by the Marlins before their 2003 World Series championship, along with Preston

Wilson for Mike Hampton and Juan Pierre. Johnson made a solid performance in his two year stay in Denver with a 2.1

WAR. He hit 33 homers in those two years showing as much power as any Rockies catcher outside of Wilin Rosario.

Johnson made a bit of history of his own against the Marlins when he hit a home run after teammates Matt

Holliday and Jeromy Burnitz did before him in a row.

While he never matched his level of play in Colorado that he did in Florida, he brought semblance to the position. Joe

Girardi and Jeff Reed did it in the early days for the Rockies. Johnson bridged the gap between that generation and the

Rockies catchers that helped the club make it to the playoffs and beyond.