The Colorado Rockies had been looking for someone to lead them back into the playoffs since their lone appearance in 1995. In 2007, the team finally found that player in the form of outfielder Matt Holliday.
Drafted right out of high school in the seventh round of the 1998 amateur draft, Holliday paid his dues for six years in the minor leagues before making his big league debut in 2004. He immediately showed a knack for handling the bat at the game's highest level, hitting .290 in 400 at-bats and finishing fifth in Rookie of the Year voting.
And that was just a taste of things to come. Holliday's batting average, home run and RBI numbers would all increase over the next two seasons, resulting in his first trip to the All-Star Game in 2006.
Continued improvement by Holliday and his teammates set up a dramatic finish to the 2007 season. Winning 13 of 14 games to finish the season, the Rockies faced off against the San Diego Padres in a one-game playoff for the National League Wild Card. Holliday secured the NL batting title and RBI crown during the extra game and fittingly scored the winning run with a memorable face-first slide in the 13th inning.
It remains to be seen if Holliday's heroics can earn him an MVP award or the Rockies a championship, but collectors already realize his talent is likely to be on display in Coors Field for many seasons to come. His 1999 rookie cards are extremely affordable thanks to plentiful supply, though that also means they have plenty of room for growth if Holliday continues to torment opposing pitchers.
Matt Holliday 1999 Rookie Cards
- Bowman # 400
- Bowman Chrome # 400
- Bowman's Best # 172
- Stadium Club # 341 - SP
- Topps # 442
- Topps Chrome # 442