A few things were fairly certain when the Rockies left their spring training complex in Tucson to embark on the regular season.

With the improving hitting of Matt Holliday, Garrett Atkins and Brad Hawpe, along with the steady stick of veteran Todd Helton, the Rockies were certain to score plenty of runs.

With a starting rotation featuring Aaron Cook and Jeff Francis, in addition to a revamped bullpen, the pitching was expected to be improved, even if some question marks remained.

But flashing the leather? That never has been the Rockies' forte. Yet, lo and behold, defense is a critical reason why the Rockies are headed to the World Series.

The club was the best fielding team in the majors this season. Measuring strictly by statistics, the Rockies are the best-fielding team in the game's history, a mark few people surrounding the team expected.

"To be honest, I never thought we'd have the leading mark in history in team defense," said special assistant Vinny Castilla, an above-average third baseman during his playing career with Colorado. "I knew we had pretty good defensive players, but I never thought we'd set a record for that. It has been very big for us."

Before this year, the Rockies' best season with their gloves was 2004, when they recorded a .986 fielding percentage. This year, they posted a .98925 percentage in a major league-leading 6,326 total chances, edging last year's Boston Red Sox (.9891) for baseball's best all-time mark.

The Rockies committed a major league-low 68 errors, easily outdistancing the 79 errors committed by the next least-error-prone club, the Baltimore Orioles. The Rockies also ranked second in the majors with 180 double plays, trailing only the 190 turned by the Pittsburgh Pirates, and ranked second with 1,842 assists.

"I'd be lying if I thought we'd be this good," said special assistant Walt Weiss, a former shortstop. "This team has been historical. I didn't expect that. I thought it would be a strength for us, but they've gone above and beyond. The old adage 'strength up the middle.' I think it applies here."

That's a reference to rookie shortstop Troy Tulowitzki and second baseman Kazuo Matsui. Their steady presence and nimble footwork on double plays has given the Rockies a base that has helped the entire lineup improve its defensive prowess.

In addition to being a National League Rookie of the Year candidate, Tulowitzki also will be in the running for a Gold Glove after recording a .987 fielding percentage, the best mark for a shortstop in the majors, and he also ended the regular season with a 36-game errorless streak. Matsui made only four errors in a career-most 515 chances.

Still, it has been the improvement of some of the Rockies' less- heralded glove men that has transformed the club into a defensive juggernaut.

Atkins committed 18 and 19 errors in the past two seasons at third base but reduced his total to 13 this season.

Holliday, an NL Most Valuable Player candidate for his monster season at the plate, also made a significant leap forward with his glove in left field.

He made seven errors in 2004 and 2005 and committed six last year, but this year, he made only three in a career-best 306 chances, evidence he also was getting better breaks and reads to reach more balls than in past seasons.

Add to that mix veteran first baseman Helton, who could win his fourth Gold Glove after posting a National League-leading .999 fielding percentage (two errors in 1,545 chances) and the dangerous throwing arm of Hawpe in right field, and the Rockies have transformed a potential liability into perhaps the team's greatest strength.

"Tulowitzki, he's a special player," Castilla said. "Not only do those guys make the routine plays, they're making those spectacular plays, too. They have saved a lot of runs in a lot of games. I'm very proud of how they have played defense.

"And Matt Holliday, he improved a lot defensively. It was like night and day. Everybody talks about his offense, but his defense this year has been great, too."

If all other things prove equal as the playoffs roll on, defense could be what sets the Rockies apart from their competition. Through Monday night's series-clinching win over the Diamondbacks, the Rockies have made only three errors in seven games while making an array of great plays that have helped the pitching staff put up dazzling numbers.

In games where the slightest fielding gaffe could make the difference, the Rockies hold an advantage.

"We've done a great job. Obviously, the numbers speak for themselves," Tulowitzki said. "It's a pretty special defensive club, and I definitely think it's an advantage for us. Being a shortstop, and how much pride I take in my defense and how much pride I take in my infield playing defense and making sure they're into every pitch, I always thought we'd be fine defensively."

Best of the best

The Rockies turned in the best fielding percentage in major league history.

Year Team Fielding pct. Errors/Chances

2007 Rockies .98925 6 8/6,326

2006 Boston .98910 6 6/6,053

2003 Seattle .98887 6 5/5,839

1999 N.Y. Mets .98875 6 8/6,044

2000 Cleveland .98813 7 2/6,064

Sure hands

The Rockies committed an all-time franchise low 68 errors this season, shattering the previous low of 84 set in the strike-shortened season of 1994. The fewest errors totals in club history:

Year Errors

2007 68

1994 84

2004 89

2006 91

2000 94

2001 96

Around the horn with the Rockies fielders

• C Yorvit Torrealba: Committed a career-most seven errors in 112 games but never had played more than 66 games in his seven-year career. By comparison, Torrealba improved - he made five errors in 63 games in 2006. Threw out only 13 of 74 opposing base stealers.

• 3B Garrett Atkins: Though he doesn't sport the greatest range, Atkins committed a career-low 13 errors at the hot corner.

• SS Troy Tulowitzki: National League Rookie of the Year and Gold Glove candidate transformed the Rockies from an average defensive team to one of the elite. Led major league shortstops with a .987 fielding percentage (11 errors, 834 total chances).

• 2B Kazuo Matsui: Committed only four errors and made a career-most 200 putouts in a career-most 515 chances.

• 1B Todd Helton: Veteran could win his fourth Gold Glove after committing two errors in 1,545 chances, the best mark in the NL. The sure-handed Helton still saves numerous errors with his ability to pick throws in the dirt.

• LF Matt Holliday: Made as many improvements in the field as he did at the plate, cutting his errors total in half while recording a career- most 306 chances.

• CF: Willy Taveras: Ryan Spilborghs and Cory Sullivan were more than capable defensive replacements while Taveras was sidelined with a strained right quadriceps. But Taveras showed what a difference his combination of glove and speed can make with a diving, catch in Game 2.

• RF: Brad Hawpe: Hawpe sometimes can make adventures out of flyballs, but his strong, accurate throwing arm keeps runners at bay. Recording only six outfield assists after recording 27 the previous two seasons is a testament to the opposition's reluctance to test Hawpe anymore.

Pat Rooney

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