Todd Helton’s Stellar 2000 Season

Todd Helton is one of the greatest Colorado Rockies of all time. Over his 17 years in Colorado, he left plenty of lasting memories for Rockies fans. Nothing comes to mind more than Helton lifting his glove hand in the air after the Rockies won the 2007 National League Championship series to clinch their first World Series berth. But in terms of the “Toddfather’s” talent at its best, nothing was more impressive than his stellar 2000 season.

Helton Entered 2000 on a Roll

Helton was drafted eighth overall in the 1995 Major League Baseball Draft out of the University of Tennessee. Speaking of Colorado sports royalty, Helton served as the Volunteers’ backup quarterback to Peyton Manning in 1994. He moved through the minor-league system quickly, debuting with the Rockies in 1997 at 23. His first two full seasons in 1998-99 were excellent. He hit over .300 in both with .OPS over .900. Finishing second in the rookie of the year voting in 1998. He already had collected 78 doubles, 65 home runs, and 221 RBIs across his first three seasons. Proving he was well worth his draft stock. But he reached a different level in 2000.

He came into the 2000 season with a career WAR of 5.9. It was the eighth season of existence for the Rockies in the MLB. They were coming off four straight seasons without reaching the postseason. Helton was just entering his prime and entered the season with a lot of momentum from his previous two seasons. He was an incredibly durable player for the large majority of his career; 2000 was one of two seasons in which Helton played in 160 games (2003).

Helton came out of the gates rolling with hits in 17 of his first 18 games. But unfortunately, Helton’s efforts to that point earned the Rockies a .500 record of 9-9. The Rockies would hover around .500 the whole season, finishing 82-80, missing out on the postseason for the fifth straight year. But Rockies’ fans could hang their hat on the fact that their young franchise now had one of the best players in the MLB.

Helton’s 2000 Season by the Numbers

2000 would go down as arguably the greatest season in Helton’s legendary career. His 8.9 WAR that season is second in franchise history, behind only Larry Walker’s 1997 season (9.8 WAR). Both players are the only Rockies to make the Hall of Fame and have their numbers retired. Helton was truly in a class of his own that season in Colorado. No other Rockie had a WAR above 3.4. Without Helton’s herculean efforts for 160 games in 2000, it’s easy to imagine the Rockies finishing 10-15 games under .500.

Per Fangraphs, Helton ranked fifth in WAR that season overall. He finished in the top ten in numerous offensive categories league-wide, including 42 home runs (10th), 147 RBI (1st), (.372 avg. t-1st), 59 doubles (1st), and 1.162.OPS (1st). Setting several career highs in the process. This season began the string of five straight All-Star seasons and four straight Silver Slugger awards.

He followed up 2000 with a great 2001, finishing with a 7.8 WAR that season. Over the two seasons, he finished with 77 home runs and 293 RBI combined. From 2000-04, he posted a combined WAR of 37.6. For reference, Helton’s career WAR is 61.8. He possesses three of the five highest single-season WARs in Rockies’ history among position players.

Magical 2007 Run

Sadly, the Rockies did not reach the postseason during this stretch. All in all, the Rockies finished with just two postseason appearances during Helton’s career: 2007 and 2009. But he did help bring the only NL Pennant to Colorado in 2007. Part of a magical season in which the Rockies won 13 of their final 14 games in September to force a play-in game for the postseason against the San Diego Padres.

The Rockies beat the Padres 9-8 in a 13-inning thriller at home before sweeping the Philadelphia Phillies and Arizona Diamondbacks on the way to their first World Series appearance. The Rockies had to wait several days for the Boston Red Sox to finish the American League Championship series against the Cleveland Indians and were eventually swept 4-0 by Boston. While Helton’s career was worthy of many more postseason appearances, at least he has that memorable 2007 season to look back on.