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Who Makes Rockies Pitching Mount Rushmore?
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The Colorado Rockies have never been known for its pitching. Coors Field is one of the most difficult ballparks to pitch in, and many of the game's top arms have found their struggles in Denver. However, that doesn't mean there weren't any pitchers who didn't make an impact with the Rockies. Let's take a look at four of the best pitchers in Colorado's history. This is in no particular order.

Honorable mentions: Kyle Freeland, German Marquez, Jon Gray

Jorge De La Rosa

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Jorge De La Rosa spent nine seasons wearing the Rockies uniform. He joined the organization in 2008 and left in 2016 for the Arizona Diamondbacks. De La Rosa is at the top in many statistical categories all-time. He is first in wins (86), third in games started (200), and second in strikeouts (985).

His career magically turned around in Denver. Even more impressively, he pitched better at Coors Field. He posted a 53-20 record on his home field. He said that he was able to master his breaking ball in the thin air, but said it was more difficult to control on the road, according to an article by thisgreatgame.com. He became a fan favorite and easily deserves a spot on this list.

Ubaldo Jimenez

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Ubaldo Jimenez had a short stint in Colorado, but he made a massive impact. He played in Denver from 2006 through 2011. He helped lead the Rockies to the playoffs in 2007 and became a true ace. His breakthrough season arrived in 2010, when he was named an All-Star. He posted a 19-8 record with a 2.88 ERA.

He became the first pitcher in Colorado's history to throw a no-hitter. He also set franchise records in a single season with wins, strikeouts and ERA. He was eventually traded to Cleveland in 2011. While his time in Denver was brief, he made his mark as one of the best pitchers in franchise history.

Brian Fuentes

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Brian Fuentes is the greatest relief pitcher in Colorado's history. He joined the Rockies in 2002 and stayed until 2008. He was a three-time All-Star, all in consecutive seasons from 2005-07. Fuentes is the all-time saves leader in the franchise with 115. He's also second in games with 428 and first in ERA (3.38).

He was a part of the team that made it to the World Series in 2007. He actually lost the closer role during the playoffs to Manny Corpas before regaining the role in 2008, where he saved 30 games. The Rockies have had some solid closers in years past, but Fuentes stands alone.

Aaron Cook

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It was an extremely tough call to decide between Aaron Cook and Kyle Freeland. Freeland has emerged as one of the better Rockies pitchers in the late 2010s, but his career is still active. Cook is second all-time in wins with 72.

He didn't have incredible strikeout stuff, but he still accumulated 558 during his career. His sinker was his signature pitch to induce weak contact. He was an efficient pitcher, throwing the most innings of any player to don the Rockies uniform. Again, the final spot could be given to Freeland, but Cook gets the edge.

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This article first appeared on Colorado Rockies on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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