Colorado Rockies’ veteran first baseman Todd Helton feeling excited about return - MLB News
Colorado Rockies’ veteran first baseman Todd Helton is gearing up to make a return to the Colorado ball club for his 17th season in the Majors. Todd is recovering from surgery of a torn labrum in his hip which forced him to play only 69 games
in the 2012 season.
The 39-year-old is feeling well about how things have gone so far and said that after a slow start, things appear to be moving in the right direction with all the excitement coming back.
“I usually don't hit until the first of the year, with Christmas being over," Helton said. "My first day was nothing to get excited about -- I was just getting some feel back. But yesterday, I was really excited."
He credited Pat Burgess, the Rockies’ bullpen coach to his current return to hitting form. Pat has previously helped with other hitters as well, in order to help them get back in form. Todd is having a good time in the cage and is hitting the balls as well
as he would like. The best part is that he is feeling good about it.
He said, "I worked with Pat Burgess, who is our bullpen catcher but who is really good. [Rockies hitters often work with him.] I got to the point where I was seeing the ball where it was pitched. I could hit it hard. It was a good feeling. I kept telling
him, 'Wow, that was a lot of fun.'"
The hitter says that he had a few aches at the start of the practice and had to put his hip under stress to get going. He does not see himself being a part of too much action during Spring Training and should be ready and up and running for the 2013 season.
The five time All-Star hitter is in the last year of his deal with the Rockies. He has played in the Major League for 16 seasons now, all with the Colorado Rockies. With a batting average of .320 and a .419 on-base percentage, he is surely one who will be
a serious contender for a place in Cooperstown once he hangs his shoes and the qualifying period is over.
He is confident that the Rockies have developed a good hitting unit in general and in future they should not be having too many issues. Helton will turn 40 in August and it is not clear whether he will continue to play on in the 2014 season or not, particularly
with his contract expiring in the 2013 season.
Todd Helton has been a great performer for the Colorado Rockies and the game of baseball. One hopes that he has a successful time in the Majors for the remainder of his career. He has proven his worth to one and all and deserves to end his career on a high
note.
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