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Colorado Rockies: A look at the Hall of Fame case for Todd Helton

By Noah Yingling |
7 Mar 1999: Infielder Todd Helton #17 of the Colorado Rockies swings at the ball during the Spring Training game against the San Francisco Giants at the Hi Corbett Field in Tucson, Arizona. The Giants defeated the Rockies 10-9.
7 Mar 1999: Infielder Todd Helton #17 of the Colorado Rockies swings at the ball during the Spring Training game against the San Francisco Giants at the Hi Corbett Field in Tucson, Arizona. The Giants defeated the Rockies 10-9.
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PHILADELPHIA – OCTOBER 07: Todd Helton #17 of the Colorado Rockies bats against the Philadelphia Phillies in Game One of the NLDS during the 2009 MLB Playoffs at Citizens Bank Park on October 7, 2009 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA – OCTOBER 07: Todd Helton #17 of the Colorado Rockies bats against the Philadelphia Phillies in Game One of the NLDS during the 2009 MLB Playoffs at Citizens Bank Park on October 7, 2009 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Jeff Zelevansky/Getty Images) /

In the past week or so, the 2019 Hall of Fame ballot was released and, as expected, among the first timers, Todd Helton is on the ballot. However, considering the Coors Field bias that most of the BBWAA members have, he may be a long shot, at least this season.

Whether it’s because a disdain for Denver and/or Coors Field, ignorance of numbers, or just sheer stupidity, the Baseball Writer’s Association of America writers that have votes for the Hall of Fame do not like Rockies players but if you look at the numbers, there a couple of Rockies that should be Hall of Famers.

One of them is Todd Helton. If you are a Rockies fan who saw Helton on a day in and day out basis, you probably already know this. However, the numbers back it up.

For me personally, when I look at a player, to determine them to be a “Hall of Famer”, I want to see eight “Hall of Fame” seasons and it helps in particular if the seasons are bunched together. For Helton, I see eight Hall of Fame seasons in a row plus two more seasons after.

The seasons that are together are 1998 through 2005. In those seven seasons, these are the numbers that he posted.

Standard Batting
YearAgeGRH2BHRRBIBBSOBAOBPSLGOPSOPS+TBAwards
199824152781673725975354.315.380.530.911119281RoY-2
19992515911418539351136877.320.395.587.981122339
200026160138216594214710361.372.463.6981.162163405AS,MVP-5,SS
200127159132197544914698104.336.432.6851.116160402AS,MVP-9,GG,SS
20022815610718239301099991.329.429.5771.006148319AS,MVP-19,GG,SS
200329160135209493311711172.358.458.6301.088165367AS,MVP-7,SS
20043015411519049329612772.347.469.6201.088165339AS,MVP-16,GG
GRH2BHRRBIBBSOBAOBPSLGOPSOPS+TBAwards

His average season during this span was 157 games with 192 hits, 47 doubles, 35 home runs, 118 RBI, 94 walks, only 76 strikeouts, and a .340/.464/.620, and a 149 OPS+ (or 49 percent better than league average). The OPS+ is the big number here considering that it is park adjusted, so the “well, he played half of his games at Coors Field” don’t really have an excuse.

The other three seasons that are borderline Hall of Fame worthy for me are these three.

Standard Batting
YearGRH2BHRRBIBBSOBAOBPSLGOPSOPS+TBAwards
20051449216345207910680.320.445.534.979144272
20071548617842179111674.320.434.494.928133275
2009151791773815868973.325.416.489.904127266MVP-13
GRH2BHRRBIBBSOBAOBPSLGOPSOPS+TBAwards

To me, those seasons and the other seven put him over the top, but there are a fewer other things to look at.

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
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 /

What about his numbers outside of Coors Field?

In just looking at the stat OPS, which is on-base percentage and slugging percentage added together, at Coors Field, Helton’s average was a staggering 1.048 for his career. If that were his total OPS for his entire career (home and road), only three players in the Hall of Fame would be better than Helton.

Their names are Babe Ruth (1.164), Ted Williams (1.116), and Lou Gehrig (1.080).

However, on the road, his OPS was .850.

Stop the presses. His OPS was 200 points lower on the road. “Don’t let that man in the Hall of Fame!” –A BBWAA voter, probably.

But on closer inspection, that is still a very high number. The average Hall of Famer’s total OPS is .841. If Helton were to be inducted, three guys directly below him would be Orlando Cepeda, Tony Gwynn, and Reggie Jackson. Just above him would be Billy Williams, Jim Rice, and Al Kaline.

Overall, though, his career OPS is .953. That puts him at 19th all time.

Here’s a breakdown of the 18 ahead of him: 12 are Hall of Famers, 2 are currently playing, 3 aren’t in because steroid allegations (Barry Bonds, Manny Ramirez, and Mark McGwire), and the only other one…is another former Rockie in Larry Walker (but his Hall of Fame case is another examination soon).

The four players below him are Jeff Bagwell (HOFer), Mel Ott (HOFer), Miguel Cabrera (still active but he’ll be a HOFer five years after he retires), and Ralph Kiner (HOFer).

So, now that we have proven that Helton is a Hall of Famer on the offensive front, let’s look at his defense.

DENVER, CO – SEPTEMBER 24: Todd Helton #17 of the Colorado Rockies runs to first as he singles against the Boston Red Sox in the sixth inning at Coors Field on September 24, 2013 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)
DENVER, CO – SEPTEMBER 24: Todd Helton #17 of the Colorado Rockies runs to first as he singles against the Boston Red Sox in the sixth inning at Coors Field on September 24, 2013 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images) /

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Obviously, he was very good offensively but, defensively, he also did very well.

He won a Gold Glove award three different times but that, quite honestly, doesn’t mean a whole lot. For example, Derek Jeter won a total of five Gold Gloves…and by Defensive Runs Saved, he is the worst fielder in all of baseball (regardless of position) since the stat was created in 2002…by 60 percent over the next worst fielder, who is, coincidentally Prince Fielder.

But for Helton, though, the numbers back up the awards (particularly in his first and last seasons in winning the Gold Glove).

In combining Helton’s Total Zone, or TZ (which is the main stat used to quantify fielding prior to 2002), and Defensive Runs Saved, or DRS (which was created just before the 2002 season), was at 61 TZ/DRS and 0 is league average.

Now, this isn’t to say that defense is really something that is looked at to the magnitude of offense (because Derek Jeter will waltz into the Hall of Fame next year because of his offense and his performances in October/November). But for Helton, is something that, if a voter is on the fence about him being a Hall of Famer, it could be something that puts him over the top.

Final Thoughts

Since balloting started, it is obviously hard to gauge where Helton will finish up on the balloting (he is on 3 of the 7 ballots made public, entering Tuesday morning). Personally, I would not bet that he will make it in this season and I would, quite frankly, be shocked if he gets more than 50 percent of the vote.

Next. Examining a trade for Noah Syndergaard. dark

Whether it’s because ignorance, stupidity, or just a hatred for Coors Field, it’s a sad reality for Rockies fans and anybody that dons a Rockies uniform that they will likely not sniff the Hall of Fame unless something drastic changes.

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