Colorado Rockies: Todd Helton seeing Hall of Fame candidacy take off
Former Colorado Rockies great Todd Helton is finally seeing his Hall of Fame candidacy take off, as he is adding an impressive amount of votes.
Todd Helton was a star for the Colorado Rockies. One of the team’s true icons, he can stake a claim to being the greatest player in franchise history, his status upon the team’s Mount Rushmore secure. The eighth overall pick in the 1995 MLB Draft, Helton was a true home grown star.
His accomplishments are particularly noteworthy. A five time All Star, Helton won three Gold Glove awards, finished in the top ten of the NL MVP vote three times, and won the 2000 NL batting crown. Overall, he produced a .316/.414/.539 batting line, hitting 369 homers and 592 doubles. He was one of the premier first basemen of his time.
But Helton’s Hall of Fame candidacy did not receive much traction. In 2019, his first year on the ballot, Helton received only 16.5% of the vote. His percentage increased in 2020, as he was checked off on 29.2% of the ballots, but he was still a long way from induction.
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Although it is still early in the voting process, Helton’s candidacy is starting to take off. He has gained 12 votes out of the 65 ballots cast, putting him at 50.8% at this point in time. While he is highly unlikely to keep gaining votes at that pace this year, these dramatic increases bode well for his candidacy in the future.
It also helps that the Coors Field bias is starting to wear off. As Larry Walker was inducted into the Hall of Fame last year, the voters are starting to ignore concerns that the numbers are inflated due to playing in Colorado. The Rockies’ stars are starting to get their due.
That is the case with Helton. His career had been overlooked due to being a member of the Rockies and his prime occurring during the peak of the Steroid Era. His production did not get the attention it deserved.
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Those times have changed. Colorado Rockies star Todd Helton is getting the attention he deserves for the Hall of Fame.