Todd Helton once again gains ground in Hall of Fame voting

When the results of the latest round of voting for the Baseball Hall of Fame were announced on Tuesday night, former Colorado Rockies first baseman Todd Helton had, once again, made strides toward an eventual place in baseball immortality in Cooperstown.

Another Baseball Hall of Fame voting cycle, another year of former Colorado Rockies first baseman Todd Helton gaining votes

In his fourth year on the Baseball Hall of Fame ballot, Todd Helton received 52.0 percent of votes from eligible members of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America (BBWAA). That number represented another gain for Helton among votes from BBWAA members, growing from 16.5 percent in his first year on the ballot (2019) to 29.2 the following year and 44.9 last year.

The gains are a positive trend for Helton, who is bidding to be the second member of the Baseball Hall of Fame to wear a Colorado Rockies cap after Larry Walker (a former teammate of Helton’s) was elected as part of the Class of 2020 on his 10th and final time on the Hall of Fame ballot.

While Helton will have to wait for his place in Cooperstown, it was announced on Tuesday night that BBWAA members did vote former Boston Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz into the Hall of Fame, earning mention on 77.9 percent of ballots. Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Curt Schilling, and Sammy Sosa did not, however, meaning they will be fall off the ballot next year as this was their 10th and final time to be listed for consideration by BBWAA members.

Like Walker, Helton will still have to overcome a stigma in the minds of many voters about his time playing at Coors Field. However, like Walker as well, more and more voters are seeing the numbers that Helton put up in his playing days, while in Denver and also on the road.

Will the next voting cycle be the one that sees Helton take his place in Cooperstown? It may take a little more time than that, but the Colorado Rockies legend is certainly on the right track to get there soon.