Colorado Rockies: A look at All-Star snubs throughout their history

28 Jun 1998: Todd Helton #17 of the Colorado Rockies looks on during an interleague game against the Oakland Athletics at Coors Field in Denver, Colorado. The Rockies defeated the Athletics 11-10. Mandatory Credit: Brian Bahr /Allsport

1998 was the year that the Rockies hosted the All-Star game at Coors Field. At the time, Coors was in it’s 4th season of play. For comparison now, it is the third oldest stadium in the National League, behind only Wrigley Field (1914) and Dodger Stadium (1962).

The Rockies had three players who were All-Stars in 1998, which included Larry Walker (who started in center field for Marlins manager Jim Leyland (who became the Rockies manager in 1999) and the NL), as well as Dante Bichette, and Vinny Castilla.

They still did have some a snub, though, in first baseman Todd Helton, who was in his rookie season.

Here’s a look at Helton’s first half of the 1998 season.

First or Second Half
Split	G	GS	PA	AB	R	H	2B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	BAbip	tOPS+	sOPS+
1st Half	82	68	302	271	39	74	16	13	45	27	32	.273	.342	.483	.826	.269	81	117

Helton put up a good first half of the season but really picked it up in the second half, as you can see by his tOPS+. Look at his monster numbers from the second half.

First or Second Half
Split	G	GS	PA	AB	R	H	2B	HR	RBI	BB	SO	BA	OBP	SLG	OPS	BAbip	tOPS+	sOPS+
2nd Half	70	66	293	259	39	93	21	12	52	26	22	.359	.420	.579	.999	.354	120	163

He came in second in NL Rookie of the Year voting, only to Kerry Wood, the young pitching phenom who set the NL record for strikeouts in a game with 20 against the Houston Astros that May in a one-hit shutout.

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