Never mind Todd Helton’s flirtation with .400, the glowing admiration of Hall of Famers such as George Brett or a swing that has annoyed and terrified pitchers for eight years.
Helton’s first major-league hitting slump reached a critical juncture three weeks ago.
“I came to the realization that I stink,” Helton said long after the clubhouse emptied Thursday afternoon.
As much as his two majestic home runs in a dramatic 8-5 victory, this response was vintage Helton. When going well – a normal state for a player many peg for Cooperstown – he’s happily miserable. When he struggles, which has been the case for much of the season, he’s painfully self-critical.
The funk grew more irritating because Helton’s batting practice sessions were productive, with manager Clint Hurdle even saying, “They’ve been some of the best he’s ever had.”
So the key to his recovery was not necessarily his bat, but his head. With no physical limitations, other than a bruised hand months ago he dismisses with a shrug, Helton addressed the mental issue.
Said bench coach Jamie Quirk: “I think he finally came to the conclusion that he wasn’t going to get back to .330 overnight. That was important. Now, he’s slowly building from .260 to .270 to (.281). He’s going to get where he wants to be.”
What separated Thursday weren’t the hits, but the voltage. Helton, at his best, is dangerous because he displays power to all fields and turns mistakes into souvenirs.
His sixth-inning blast off Derek Lowe reached the upper deck, his first deposit there in 10 months. It left him the Rockies’ all-time home run leader.
“That (hit) felt good,” Helton said with a hint of a smile.
His second and No. 260 of his career represented the “aaah” to the previous “oooh.” It came with unusual drama. Everything appeared to be setting up perfectly for the Dodgers in the seventh. With two on and one out, manager Jim Tracy summoned left-handed specialist Kelly Wunsch.
Helton was hitless against the side-armer in three at-bats, including an ugly strikeout in Los Angeles earlier this year. Wunsch threw a wrench into the plan, spraining his right ankle during one of his last warm-up pitches in the bullpen. This information hadn’t been relayed to Tracy.
He signaled for Wunsch with his left hand, then switched to his right for rookie Franquelis Osoria after watching Wunsch limp onto the field. Helton entered the at-bat hitting .186 against lefties and .328 off right-handers. Advantage, Rockies.
“It’s a tough situation to put another one of our rookies against Todd Helton,” Lowe said, “just when he’s starting to become the Todd Helton we all know again.”
Helton hammered Osoria’s fastball into the right-field seats. Helton has hit safely in 15 of 16 games, batting .409 with three home runs and 12 RBIs. This isn’t by accident.
During games, he checks pitch locations on the video machine and recalls his at-bats with the clarity of a first kiss.
“People don’t realize how smart a hitter he is and how well he makes adjustments,” said reliever Mike DeJean, who earned his first Rockies win since July 17, 2000. “What I saw today was the Todd I remember. He’s one of the few guys who can swing violently and still hit the ball where he wants.”
Helton eventually grew tired of discussing his batting. He had more important issues occupying his thoughts. The sun was shining bright and his daughter wanted to go swimming.
“I have attacked this (slump) by working hard every day,” Helton said. “But I have to get out of here.”
Rockies recap
This is the kind of moment Mike DeJean had in mind when he rejoined the Rockies. Thirty minutes after Thursday’s win, he stood in the clubhouse manager’s office holding his smiling 8-month-old son. DeJean was back on the roster. He won his first game for the Rockies in five years. “I’d like to think I am little smarter pitcher now,” DeJean said. “I am not throwing the ball as hard as I can down the middle of the plate.” DeJean looks different during his second tour in Colorado, gray speckling his goatee and the No. 18 instead of 44 on his back. He gave up 44 to Rolando Arroyo in his last stint with the Rockies in exchange for a Cuban national jersey. “I still haven’t seen that. I better get my people on it, huh?” DeJean said.
BULLPEN HELP: Shawn Chacon, last year’s closer, said he would be open to pitching in relief during this final series before the all-star break. “It’s going to be a long layoff, so it would only make sense if they needed it,” he said.
ROBLES ROLLS: Dodgers shortstop Oscar Robles, a spring training invitee, went 11-for-19 in the series, extending his hitting streak to nine games.
Staff writer Troy E. Renck can be reached at 303-820-5447 or trenck@denverpost.com.
