1999 Colorado Rockies season


The Colorado Rockies' 1999 season was the seventh for the Major League Baseball franchise located in Denver, Colorado, their seventh in the National League, and fifth at Coors Field. The team competed in the National League West, finishing in fifth and last place with a record of 72–90, Jim Leyland, a longtime manager in MLB, debuted as the Rockies' new manager, and resigned following the season.
The Rockies, along with the San Diego Padres, made MLB history on Opening Day, April 4, 1999, by playing a contest in Estadio de Béisbol Monterrey in Monterrey, Mexico, making it the first Opening Day game held outside of the United States or Canada. Larry Walker won his second batting title by leading MLB with.379 average, setting a Rockies' club record, and the fourth-high single-season average since Ted Williams hit.406 in 1941. Besides winning the batting championship, Walker also led the major leagues in on-base percentage, and slugging percentage, becoming the first player to lead MLB in all three categories since George Brett in 1980, and the first National Leaguer since Stan Musial in 1943.

Offseason

On April 4, 1999, the Rockies made history as they played their Opening Day contest at Estadio de Béisbol Monterrey in Monterrey, Mexico, marking the first time Major League Baseball commenced the regular season outside of the United States or Canada. Their opponent were the defending National League champion San Diego Padres. Vinny Castilla, a native of the southern Mexican state of Oaxaca, delighted the crowd with four hits including a double. Dante Bichette also collected four hits, drove in four runs, and homered, as Colorado won 8–2. The official attendance was 27,104.
On April 28, right fielder Larry Walker hit three home runs against the St. Louis Cardinals for his second career three home run game while contributing eight RBI in a 9–7 win.
In the May 19 contest versus the Cincinnati Reds, the Rockies were on the losing end of a 24−12 final, tied for the fourth-highest run-scoring output in MLB history. The Reds' Jeffrey Hammonds hit three home runs; following the season, Colorado acquired him via trade. Both Hammonds and Sean Casey totaled four hits. Casey went on base seven times with three walks, scoring five runs, and hit two home runs and six RBI. The Reds totaled six home runs; Brian Johnson hit the remainder. Both Walker and Bichette had four hits. Bichette also had five RBI, and Castilla hit a three-run home run. Walker raised his season average to.431.
From June 18−23, Walker tied Bichette's club record by homering in five consecutive games. The following day, Walker tied another club record, held by Andrés Galarraga, with his sixth consecutive multi-hit game. On July 8, Walker hit his 250th career home run versus Chan Ho Park of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
Carrying a.382 first-half average, Walker had batted.390 from the 1998 All-Star break to the same point in 1999, the equivalent of a full season. He was named to his third consecutive All-Star team. In the July 19 contest versus the Oakland Athletics, Walker became the second player to homer into the plaza reserve seating of the Oakland Coliseum, following Mark McGwire, who had done so three seasons earlier.
For the season, Walker batted.379 − setting a Rockies record and the fourth-highest since Ted Williams hit.406 in 1941 − while leading the major leagues in batting for a second time. Walker also led the major leagues in offensive win %, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, and OPS. Sometimes referred to as the "Slash Stat Triple Crown," he became the seventh player within the previous 60 years to lead the league in each of average, OBP and SLG in the same season, and first since George Brett in 1980. The last NL player to lead the majors in each of the three slash stat categories was Stan Musial in 1943. Walker also hit 37 home runs and 115 RBI in just 438 at bats, stole 11 bases in 15 attempts, and registered 12 outfield assists.
Per the Elias Sports Bureau, Walker's.461 average at Coors is the highest home batting average since ESB began tracking home/road splits in 1974, and 43 points higher than any other player's in that span.

Opening Day starters

Season standings

Record vs. opponents

Notable transactions

Player stats

Batting

Starters by position

Note: Pos = Position; G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in
PosPlayerGABHAvg.HRRBISB
CHenry Blanco8826361.2326281
1BTodd Helton159578185.320351137
2BKurt Abbott9628678.2738413
SSNeifi Pérez157690193.280127013
3BVinny Castilla158615169.275331022
LFDante Bichette151593177.298341336
CFDarryl Hamilton91337102.3034244
RFLarry Walker127438166.3793711511

Other batters

Note: G = Games played; AB = At bats; H = Hits; Avg. = Batting average; HR = Home runs; RBI = Runs batted in
PlayerGABHAvg.HRRBISB
7416845.2685260
761.167000
5716241.2538250
10219156.29311351
10285.179260
9115847.2970131
221.500010
3514545.3104152
4813741.2992140
7236.261110
7132.153020
196220.3234121
25390.231240
4510627.2552110
9226291.347103714
1192.222000
16191.053000

Pitching

Starting pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
PlayerGIPWLERASO
34232.017115.04210
33197.112126.20120
32190.28136.61116
30112.16106.3374
1462.21108.0434
1694.1434.8749

Relief pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; SV = Saves; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
PlayerGIPWLERASOSV
1211.0008.59100
5661.0248.41310
6386.2454.26691
3649.0323.67380
6385.0625.08770
4140.2316.20370
1614.2008.59100
3240.1158.26321
7377.0485.147131
1928.2006.91180

Other pitchers

Note: G = Games pitched; IP = Innings pitched; W = Wins; L = Losses; ERA = Earned run average; SO = Strikeouts
PlayerGIPWLERASOSv
729.2027.89210
516.01210.69100

Game log

Awards, league leaders, and accomplishments

National League leaders

Offensive statistics