San Diego – Long hair dangling, eyes narrowing, Trevor Hoffman, one of baseball’s greatest closers, sat at his locker and wondered.
The San Diego Padres issued 10 walks Tuesday night, two of them to Rockies first baseman Todd Helton. It raises the question: Why would San Diego ever pitch to him?
“That’s a good question. I don’t know why. He leads the (National League) in on-base percentage (.432),” Hoffman said. “I guess (the Rockies) have just put us in position where we have to face him.”
After experiencing the worst start of his career, hitting below .300 in April and May, Helton has climbed out of the statistical abyss. He owns baseball’s best average since July 1 at .386.
“I was trying to do too much early on,” said Helton, initially feeling the burden to deliver every big hit and drive in every run. “I have simplified things.”
Against San Diego, Helton is batting .413 (19-for-46) with four home runs and 14 RBIs. Against everyone else: .294 with 13 home runs and 48 RBIs. He had a 26-game hitting streak against San Diego snapped Wednesday.
“I am sure he was embarrassed and disappointed by his first half just like I was with mine,” reliever Mike DeJean said. “I just know that if you are on the other team, he’s one of the last guys you want to see up there right now.”
Break from reality
No Rockie felt the impact of Hurricane Katrina more than reliever Scott Dohmann. His grandmother Yvonne Schmit lost her home in St. Bernard Parish just outside New Orleans. Schmit made this road trip with the pitcher’s parents and wife.
“I gave her a great big hug when I saw her,” Dohmann said. “She knows her house is gone, but she wants to eventually go back and see it for closure.”
Footnote
The Blue Jays consulted with Rockies trainers concerning pitcher Roy Halladay’s broken leg and potential rehab advice. The injury ended the former Arvada West High School star’s season when it was slow to heal. Research revealed that his break was similar to Todd Hollandsworth’s in 2002, though Halladay didn’t suffer the severe nerve damage.
