Top 30 Colorado Rockies Cards (30-22)

Posts have been getting farther and farther apart on this blog so I borrowed an idea from Night Owl's "The Best Dodger Cards Ever Made" Countdown and the "The Dime Boxes Top 100" lists. Here I present my "Top 30 Rockies Cards That I Could Think Of Over This Past Week" Countdown. My only rule was to not take into account value of the card, just judge the card on it's own merits. 30 seems like a weird number, but with a team that only goes back to 1993, that is were I started to run out of cards that I thought were worthy of a list. Broken up into 3 or 4 posts, here is what I came up with for cards 30-21. 

30. Preston Wilson - 2005 Topps #53

Nothing overly special here, just a nice action photo with the ball in flight and Wilson about to make a sliding catch. Not a big fan of the 2005 design, but it's not bad enough to detract from card. Wilson set career highs in his first with Colorado in 2003 with 36 home runs and 141 RBI, but had fallen out of favor with the organization by 2005 and would be traded to the Nationals in July of 2005.

 29. Kirt Manwaring - 1997 Upper Deck #352

A nice action card of a catcher, Upper Deck really liked using the time lapse photos on cards and this one works pretty well. I always thought I didn't like horizontal cards, but this list has made reconsider. Manwaring is better remember as a Giant, winning a Gold Glove with them in 1993, but he finished his career with the Rockies from 1997-1999.

28. Todd Helton - 2011 Allen and Ginter #154
I heavily debated this card as I don't particularly like Ginter, but there is something about this one I like. I feel this is the strongest design that Allen and Ginter has used and the photo, while not an action shot, is not a posed photo that is so prevalent in AG.

 27. Brad Hawpe - 2006 Upper Deck #156

Another action shot, Hawpe was known for having a strong arm, but as a converted first baseman, was kind of a butcher in the outfield, but this photo makes him look like a Gold Glover. Also featured on this card is one of the darkest moments in Rockies uniform history, the black vest with the purple sleeves.

26. Ben Petrick - 2001 Fleer Tradition #65

I tried not to overload the list with cards of catchers, but this one made the cut based on a couple things. I like the vintage style design, Petrick is one of the more interesting stories in Rockies history, a highly touted prospect having to leave the game because of Parkinson's (more info here), and that hat. I have no idea what that logo is all about, it's not a standard Rockies logo as the mountain are not in the middle, it might be an Arizona Fall League hat, I don't know, but it's different.

 

25. John Vander Wal - 1997 Stadium Club #350
One of my favorite players from my younger days, Vander Wal made his living as a pinch hitter, helping the Rockies make the playoffs in 1995 with a MLB record 28 pinch hits, adding 4 home runs and 17 RBI off the bench. This is just a neat photo with the crowd getting out of the way and Vandy about to make the catch. I miss Stadium Club.

24. Matt Holliday - 2008 Topps Trading Card History
Not much special here other than I love the 1971 design and this is the first Rockies card I found using that design, I still prefer this card to the 2012 Archives Troy Tulowitzki.

23. Brent Mayne - 2007 Fleer Tradition Update #7
Cards commemorating moments in time are among my favorites and will make multiple appearances on this list. On August 22, 2000, Brent Mayne became the first position player since 1968 to record a win in a major league game. The Rockies used 10 pitchers that night in beating the Braves 7-6 in 12 innings. Mayne pitched one scoreless inning, getting Chipper Jones to ground out with two runners on to end the inning. Then with 2 out and the bases loaded., Adam Melhuse pitch hit for Mayne and singled in the winning run, giving Mayne the victory in a game I still remember watching on the old giant satellite dishes.

 

  22. Eric Young Jr - 2011 Topps #139
Another action photo, this time of Eric Young, Jr. attempting to turn a double play with Pablo Sandoval trying to break it up. Young has been transitioning to the outfield this past season, but I personally think he is better suited to second base.