CHICAGO — Nolan Arenado celebrated his 25th birthday Saturday.
The kid with the infectious grin, unadulterated love for the game and three Gold Gloves in his trophy case is growing up.
But his best seasons are still ahead of him, and he has a chance to become the best player in Rockies history.
Now, don’t go crazy. I said Arenado has a chance to be the best Rockies player ever. I realize there is a guy named Todd Helton, the only player in franchise history to have his number retired, who wears that crown.
I tip my cap to the incredible talents of Larry Walker, but Helton remains Mr. Rockie. He batted .316, rapped out 2,591 hits, slugged 369 homers and played in 2,247 games, all in a Rockies uniform. He won three Gold Gloves at first base. He deserves to be in the Hall of Fame.
In 2000, in his third full season in the majors, Helton was phenomenal. All things considered, it was the best season of his 17-year career. Helton hit .372, blasted 43 homers and 59 doubles and drove in 147 runs. His on-base percentage was .463.
Last season was Arenado’s third in the big leagues. His numbers weren’t Heltonesque, but they were impressive: .287 average, 42 homers, 43 doubles and 130 RBIs. His 89 extra-base hits were the most by a third baseman in MLB history.
Tunnel-vision seamheads frequently point out that Arenado’s .323 on-base percentage was a glaring weakness. What they fail to see is how Arenado affects every game on defense, and how he inspires his team with his enthusiasm and energy.
In terms of being a pure hitter, I doubt Arenado will ever match Helton, who had the eyes of an eagle and incredible reflexes at the plate. But there are signs that Arenado is growing into a better all-around hitter. He’s found his power stroke and he’s a terrific clutch hitter. Last season, his average with runners in scoring position was .373; it was .338 with two outs and runners in scoring position.
And baseball is about much more than hitting. Manager Walt Weiss has repeatedly said that Arenado is the best third baseman he has ever seen. Arenado’s range, arm, feel for the game and guts to attempt — and pull off — risky plays set him apart.
There are, of course, no built-in guarantees for Arenado’s future greatness. He must stay healthy while playing a demanding position. No player is immune to injury. Back problems began to cut into Helton’s power after he reached age 30.
Arenado goes to great lengths to keep his body strong and flexible — a lesson he learned from former teammate Troy Tulowitzki, the injury-prone shortstop who turned pregame and postgame stretching into an art form.
There also are no guarantees that Arenado will play 17 seasons in Colorado, as Helton did. Arenado becomes a free agent after the 2019 season, and there have been no discussions about the Rockies signing him to a long-term contract. There might be in the future, but that defends on whether the Rockies can turn things around and become a competitive team in the next three seasons. If not, I imagine Arenado will want to bolt Colorado.
Bottom line: Arenado may never supplant Helton as the greatest player in Rockies history, but he has enough talent to make a run for it.
Patrick Saunders: psaunders@denver- or @psaundersdp
Spotlight on …
Jay Bruce, Reds, right field
What’s up: Few thought Bruce would be wearing a Cincinnati uniform this season. Even Bruce thought he would be traded as the Reds proceed to tear down their lineup for a future rebuild. The 29-year-old slugger batted .333 with a .967 on-base percentage plus slugging percentage (OPS) through the Reds’ first nine games, and he looks like a rejuvenated player as the Rockies come to town Monday. Bruce’s solid start improves his trade value for teams looking for a left-handed, slugging right fielder. “It sounds like the effort they were making to trade me was pretty diligent,” Bruce told USA Today during spring training. ” I still would like to stay here. I’ve been here since I was 18, and I always wanted to finish my career here. But I’m not naive to the fact that something could happen at any moment.”
Background: The two-time all-star averaged 32 homers and 102 RBIs a season from 2011-13. Yet he hit just .217 with 18 homers and a .654 OPS in 2014, and .226 with 26 homers and a .729 OPS last season. Even so, Bruce remains the Reds’ most valuable trade chip, with second baseman Brandon Phillips twice exercising his no-trade clause. And there is no way the Reds are trading all-star first baseman Joey Votto.
Saunders’ take: Bruce’s best days are probably behind him, but he still has power, and teams will be interested in him as division races begin to take shape over the next two months. Bruce, however, won’t be the only right fielder general managers will be calling about. The Rockies’ Carlos Gonzalez, who extended his hitting streak to 21 games Saturday (dating to last season), is sure to be a hot commodity.
