Derrick Gibson coulda been a contender

Last week, the Purple Row community voted on the best cleanup hitter in the Rockies 30-year history. Todd Helton won with 47% of the vote, but Andrés Galarraga was close behind at 39%. The fun G.O.A.T. debate leads naturally to another question: Who should be the cleanup hitter for the Rockies in 2023? And because it’s so connected, who should be in the No. 3 spot?

The weekend is a great time to kick back and reflect. This Week in Purple is the place to catch up on the news from our team at Purple Row. You’ll find links to Rockpiles and other content below as well as a platform for community discussion in the comments.

23. Karl Kauffmann (165 points, 18 ballots) Though Kauffmann was Rule 5 draft eligible after 2022 (he was un-protected and un-selected), the 25-year-old righty starter has only two professional seasons under his belt. The 77th overall pick in 2019 (slot $800k signing bonus) saw his pro debut delayed by an extended run in the College World Series and then the lost Covid year (and a shoulder injury in the alternate site) in 2020.