Colorado Rockies: What if Todd Helton signed with the San Diego Padres?

Todd Helton is one of the most-revered Colorado Rockies players ever. He spent part of 17 seasons in the major leagues with the Rockies and another two in the minor leagues.

Since he spent his entire career with the Rockies, he leads in nearly every offensive category in franchise history including games played (by exactly 1,000 games over Carlos Gonzalez), at-bats, runs, hits, doubles, home runs, RBI, and walks. He is in the top 10 in average, on-base percentage, and slugging percentage (minimum 900 ABs as a Rockie).

But that all might not have happened if not for one move by Todd Helton. A move that Helton later said he didn’t regret but it was a very difficult decision to make.

Before the Colorado Rockies drafted Todd Helton in 1995, the San Diego Padres drafted him in 1992.

It’s something that falls through the cracks of history but it’s true: Todd Helton could have been a member of the San Diego Padres.

You may be thinking “oh, he didn’t sign with the Padres because they drafted him really low in the draft.” If you thought that, you’d be wrong.

The Padres drafted him in the 2nd round (55th overall pick) by the Padres. It was also the Padres first pick of the draft because they lost their first-round pick because they signed free-agent infielder Kurt Stillwell. Their draft pick went to the Kansas City Royals, who drafted right-handed pitcher Jim Pittsley (who spent parts of four seasons in the majors).

Some of the draft picks behind Helton were future Colorado Rockie Jason Giambi (drafted three picks behind Helton by Oakland), three-time All-Star second baseman Jose Vidro, current Brewers manager  Craig Counsell (drafted by the Rockies in the 11th round), and two-time All-Star Darin Erstad (didn’t sign).

What might have happened if Helton signed with the Padres?

Since he was drafted by the Padres right out of high school, he almost definitely would have spent more time in the minor leagues than he did with the Rockies. The Rockies drafted him in 1995 and by August of 1997, he was in the major leagues.

By 1998, the Rockies gave Helton the reigns to be the full-time first baseman as he played in 152 games. The Rockies let Andres Galarraga walk in free agency after he hit 41 homers, 140 RBI, and hit .318/.389/.585. He also came in 7th in NL MVP voting.

Helton did play some left and right field for the Rockies in 1997 but they had a great outfield of Dante Bichette, Ellis Burks, and Larry Walker, who won the NL MVP Award in 1997. So, entering 1998, for Helton to get playing time, it was clear that he would have to play first base.

For the Padres, that likely would not have been a foregone conclusion. The Padres everyday first baseman at the time was Wally Joyner, a left-handed hitter who had been in the majors since 1986.

His best two seasons were his first two seasons as he was an All-Star in his rookie season, ranked 8th in MVP voting, and came in 2nd in Rookie of the Year voting to Jose Canseco (who oddly enough, ranked 20th in AL MVP voting). In 1987, Joyner came in 13th in AL MVP voting but he never was an All-Star or ranked in MVP voting again.

That doesn’t mean that Joyner would have been dethroned at first base.

Padres first baseman Wally Joyner was a bit of an anachronism for his time.

Joyner, after 1987, was known to be a fairly low power guy (he only had more than 16 homers once after he hit 22 and 34 in ’86 and ’87) but he was always on base. From 1988 through 1997, he had an on-base percentage of .365. In 1997, he hit 13 homers with 83 RBI and hit .327/.390/.486 for the Padres.

The Padres outfield situation was less steady. In 1997 (when the Padres went 76-86), the Padres primary outfielders were Greg Vaughn, Steve Finley, and Tony Gwynn.

If Helton was a Padre then, he likely would have replaced Vaughn because Gwynn was “Mr. Padre” and Finley had 28 HRs and 92 RBI in 1997. Vaughn had hit just .216/.322/.393 in 120 games in 1997.

However, Vaughn ended up being one of the key reasons why the Padres went from being a 76-win team in 1997 to facing the New York Yankees in the 1998 World Series. The Padres, who won 98 games in 1998, got an MVP-like season from Vaughn, who posted a slash line of .272/.363/.597 with 50 home runs and 119 RBI. He won a Silver Slugger Award, was an All-Star, and came in 4th in NL MVP voting.

Vaughn was traded after the season to the Reds, though and the Padres went from a 98-win team to a 74-win team in 1999. Along with Vaughn, they let go of their ace Kevin Brown and third baseman Ken Caminiti. The trio was half of the team’s top six players in WAR that season.