5 numbers you need to know about Colorado Rockies legend Todd Helton

By Kevin Henry

On Saturday, Todd Helton will return to Coors Field as part of the 30th Anniversary Celebration for the Colorado Rockies. Before the Rockies host the Chicago White Sox for a 6:10 p.m. contest, fans will be given a 30th Anniversary Todd Helton jersey and Helton himself is scheduled to throw out the ceremonial first pitch.

Helton’s appearance is another chance for Rockies fans to show their appreciation for the man who not only spent all 17 of his MLB seasons manning first base for Colorado, but who will very likely be the second person to enter Cooperstown as a member of the Rockies, joining his former teammate Larry Walker.

In honor of Helton’s return and his sixth year on the Baseball Hall of Fame ballot (and the one where he is hopefully named on 75 percent of the ballots cast by BBWAA members to gain induction into the hallowed halls in Cooperstown), here are five numbers you need to know about his spectacular playing career. These are all reasons why Helton belongs among baseball’s immortals in the Hall of Fame.

4: That’s the number of players in MLB history who have posted five consecutive seasons with a .320 batting average, 30 HR, 100 RBI and 100 runs scored. The other three players listed below are all in the Hall of Fame.

• Lou Gehrig: 8 straight seasons (1930–1937)
• Babe Ruth: 7 (1926–1932)
• Jimmie Foxx: 5 (1932–1936)
• Todd Helton: 5 (1999–2003)

21: That’s the number of players who have managed to post the .320/30/100/100 feat mentioned above as many as three times ever in their careers. Of the 21 players, 16 are in the Hall of Fame. The five who aren’t (at this moment) are Helton, Albert Pujols, Miguel Cabrera, Barry Bonds and Manny Ramírez.

133: Todd Helton’s career OPS+ was 133. There are 47 players in baseball history with at least 9,000 plate appearances and a 133 OPS+. Of those 47 players, 40 are in the Hall of Fame. This year, Helton could become the 41st.

160: That’s the OPS+ for Helton during his five All-Star campaigns (2000–2004). In that time span, only Barry Bonds posted a higher OPS+. Additionally during those years, no MLB player had more doubles (250), runs scored (627) or a higher on-base percentage (.450) than Helton.

.316/.414/.539: That’s the career slash line (batting average/on-base percentage/slugging percentage) for Helton in 9,453 plate appearances. In his career, Helton drew more walks (1,335) than strikeouts (1,175). There are just seven players with at least 9,000 plate appearances and a slash line that stellar with more walks than strikeouts. Those seven are Jimmie Foxx, Lou Gehrig, Rogers Hornsby, Stan Musial, Babe Ruth, Ted Williams and Helton. The first six names on that list are in the Hall of Fame and are considered some of the finest players in the history of the game.

So yes, this Saturday, take a moment to appreciate Helton’s return to Coors Field. But also take a moment to remember just how special of a player number 17 was for not only the franchise, but for the game of baseball.

—ROCKIES—