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Walker's impact shows in trophy case

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By Thomas Harding / MLB.com

11/22/09 5:10 PM EST

DENVER -- Before the 1995 season, the Rockies signed free-agent outfielder Larry Walker to help lead a young franchise to success.

Walker did it, helping the team to the playoffs in just their third season. Walker then proceeded to spend years filling a trophy case.

Walker earned the biggest individual award in Rockies history, the 1997 Baseball Writers' Association of America National League Most Valuable Player.

In that magical season, Walker led the NL in home runs with 49, on-base percentage at .452 and slugging percentage at .720. Additionally, 1997 marked the first of the five seasons in which he took home a Rawlings Gold Glove Award.

Also, with five Gold Gloves and two Silver Sluggers, Walker is the most decorated player in Rockies history.

Interestingly, outside of Walker, the biggest award winners in club history have been managers, including the first.

That distinction goes to the team's original manager, Don Baylor, who earned the NL Manager of the Year Award in 1995, when the Rockies became the youngest franchise in history to make the playoffs. Baylor did it with a tremendous offense and a pitching staff that relied more on the bullpen than its starters. Baylor managed through 1999, and remains a beloved Rockies figure. He returned to the club as hitting coach for the 2009 season.

In 2009, Jim Tracy didn't take over for Clint Hurdle until May 29 but wound up taking home Manager of the Year honors.

The Rockies made a World Series trip in 2007, but they fell to 74-88 the following year and were 18-28 in '09 when Tracy took over. An early five-game winning streak gave rise to a notion that a quick turnaround was possible. The club won 20 of its first 27 under Tracy and didn't slow down until much after that. Tracy led the team to a 74-42 finish and an NL Wild Card berth.

One other player took home a major award. Surprisingly, given the offensive nature of the Rockies, it was a pitcher -- right-hander Jason Jennings, who was NL Rookie of the Year in 2002.

Jennings, a former star at Baylor University and the team's top choice in the 1999 First-Year Player Draft, joined a rotation that had high-profile free-agent signees Mike Hampton and Denny Neagle and quickly became a staff leader, going 16-8 with a 4.52 ERA.

The Rockies built a reputation on hitting, and their trophy case shows it.

Since 1995, the year they moved into Coors Field, Rockies players have earned 18 Silver Slugger Awards. Walker and first baseman Todd Helton lead with three apiece.

The pace of Silver Sluggers began to slow in 2002, when the Rockies began storing baseballs in an atmosphere-controlled chamber dubbed "the humidor," but the club has added seven since.

Walker has the most Gold Gloves with five, followed by Helton with three. The only other Gold Glove winner was shortstop Neifi Perez in 2000.

Thomas Harding is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.