Todd Helton
From BR Bullpen
Todd Lynn Helton
- Bats Left, Throws Left
- Height 6' 2", Weight 195 lb.
- School University of Tennessee
- High School Central High School
- Debut August 2, 1997
- Born August 20, 1973 in Knoxville, TN USA
[edit] Biographical Information
Todd Helton is one of the biggest stars that the Colorado Rockies have ever had. As of 2009, he has played 13 seasons for the team, posting an OPS+ of 141 and leading the 2000 National League in batting average. He has won three Gold Gloves and appeared in five All-Star Games.
At the University of Tennessee, Helton starred both as a first baseman and as a quarterback on the Volunteer football team. In the 1993 Intercontinental Cup, he split first base duties for Team USA with Andy Barkett and was used at DH usually when not at 1B. He and another Todd, Todd Walker, led the US offense; Helton hit .429/.524/.571 with 7 walks and 15 runs in 11 games. He was 1 for 3 with 2 walks and 2 runs as the US upset Japan in the semifinals. In the Gold Medal Game, he was 1 for 3 with a walk and a run as the US #3 batter and 1B in a 9-4 loss to Cuba's Lazaro Valle and Omar Ajete. He tied Andrew Scott for 4th in the event in average behind Omar Linares, Hideaki Okubo and German Mesa. He was left off the All-Star team as Cuban slugging Orestes Kindelan (6 HR to Helton's 0) was chosen at 1B and Cuba's Lourdes Gourriel was picked at DH. The arrival of freshman Peyton Manning pushed Helton to the football bench and he left early after being selected in the first round of the 1995 amateur draft by the Colorado Rockies. Helton was the first player in MLB history to have 35+ doubles 10 years in a row.
In his 13 major league seasons, Helton has missed hitting .300 only twice. He has hit 325 home runs although his power has dropped off substantially in the past few years.
His minor league average, .327, is very close to his major league average, .328 (as of 2009). He hit .352 for Colorado Springs in 1997.
[edit] Notable Achievements
- 1998 Topps All-Star Rookie Team
- 5-time NL All-Star (2000-2004)
- 3-time NL Gold Glove Winner (2002, 2002 & 2004)
- 4-time NL Silver Slugger Award Winner (2000-2003)
- NL Batting Average Leader (2000)
- 2-time NL On-Base Percentage Leader (2000 & 2005)
- NL Slugging Percentage Leader (2000)
- NL OPS Leader (2000)
- NL Hits Leader (2000)
- NL Total Bases Leader (2000)
- NL Doubles Leader (2000)
- NL RBI Leader (2000)
- 20-Home Run Seasons: 8 (1998-2005)
- 30-Home Run Seasons: 6 (1999-2004)
- 40-Home Run Seasons: 2 (2000 & 2001)
- 100 RBI Seasons: 5 (1999-2003)
- 100 Runs Scored Seasons: 6 (1999-2004)
- 200 Hits Seasons: 2 (2000 & 2003)
