DENVER — It was Aug. 21, 2000, and as a ball writer, I was in the only place to be in the 15-year stretch from 1991 through 2005, the Atlanta Braves’ clubhouse.
In this case, the Braves were occupying the visiting clubhouse at Coors Field where they were about to start a three-game series against the Rockies. As Braves’ pitching coach Leo Mazzone finished up his pitchers’ scouting report meeting, Kevin Millwood, that day’s starting pitcher, stood up and loudly stated to his teammates: “Hey guys. Todd Helton hit (freakin’) .512 in May.”
He shook his head in disbelief as he moved to his locker. Not only did Helton accumulate a slow-pitch softball-like 42 hits in 82 at-bats in 23 games in May, he also drilled 11 homers and had twice as many walks (18) as strikeouts (9).
In my baseball lifetime, which dates back to the Cubs’ Kenny Holtzman outdueling Sandy Koufax in a late-September 1966 game on WGN, Helton’s 2000 season at the time was the best full-year hitting exhibition I ever witnessed. Barry Bonds surpassed it from 2001-04, with each season more dominant than the other. But Bonds was walked so much he did his damage with 373 to 476 at-bats a year.
Helton whacked his way to a .421 average entering June and .397 through Game 131 on Aug. 28. Alas, the pressure of becoming the first major-league hitter to bat .400 since Ted Williams in 1941 became too much in the season’s final month. Helton still finished with MLB-best .372 batting average – off a robust 580 at-bats, mind you – 147 RBIs and 59 doubles. He fittingly hit his 42nd homer in his final at-bat of the season – a two-out, game-winning, three-run blast in the 9th inning off Braves’ lefty closer John Rocker in Atlanta.
Incomprehensively, Helton finished just fifth in the National League MVP race. It was a case of baseball voters exaggerating the Coors Field factor. The humidor wasn’t installed until two years after his great 2000 season, and coupled with an aching back that he had to constantly manage the final 10 or so years of his career, Helton never did hit with the same power he did in 2000 and 2001, when he clubbed a career-best 49 homers.
And now Helton is in his sixth year on the baseball Hall of Fame ballot. After just missing election with 72.2% of the vote last year, Helton deserves the necessary 75% when the HOF results are announced at 4 p.m. (MST) Tuesday.
He finished his career with a .316 batting average, 369 home runs and 1,406 RBIs. Compare those numbers to recent HOF inductees Scott Rolen (.281-316-1,287) and Helton’s longtime Rockies’ teammate Larry Walker (.313-383-1,311).
Granted, Rolen and Walker were also superior defensive players. But Helton was no slouch at first base, winning three Gold Gloves.
Here is the biggest reason why Helton deserves a plaque in Cooperstown: Of the 29 major-league players who finished their careers with at least a .316 batting average and at least 2,500 hits over 9,000-plus plate appearances, 27 are in the Hall of Fame.
The two exceptions are George Van Haltren, who played from 1887-1903 and Helton, who played from 1997-2013.
Helton, thus, is the only modern-era snub. May that change at 4 p.m. Tuesday. And 120 years, may one of the HOF committee take up the long-forgotten qualifications of George Van Haltren.
Millwood, by the way, held Helton to two singles and a line out to left in three at-bats on that August 2000 day but otherwise pitched 7 strong innings for the win. The Braves would go on to win their 9th of 14 consecutive National League division titles. Helton’s average stood at .398 after that game. On his way to baseball immortality? In the name of George Van Haltren, let's hope so.
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