Tuesday is a crucial day in MLB.
Today, the Baseball Writers Association of America (BBWAA) will reveal its 2023 Hall of Fame vote live from Cooperstown.
The announcement will be aired on MLB Network at 6 p.m. ET.
The player(s) elected today will be inducted during Hall of Fame Weekend on Sunday, July 23 in Cooperstown.
Former Colorado Rockies great Todd Helton is currently on a promising trend.
“Significant development: Todd Helton is at 80.1% on known ballots, per @NotMrTibbs tracking. Last year, his drop on advance-to-actual was 5.0%. If that holds true, he would be elected with 75.1%. This could be decided by <5 ballots, one way or the other,” MLB insider Jon Morosi tweeted.
Significant development: Todd Helton is at 80.1% on known ballots, per @NotMrTibbs tracking. Last year, his drop on advance-to-actual was 5.0%. If that holds true, he would be elected with 75.1%.
This could be decided by <5 ballots, one way or the other.@MLBNetwork @MLB
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) January 24, 2023
As a reminder, candidates need to appear on at least 75 percent of the ballots to gain election.
That projected 75.1 percent would make him a Hall of Famer today.
Helton spent his entire 17-year MLB career in the high, thin air of Coors Field, playing for the Rockies.
This is actually used against him: some people say his numbers are “inflated” by playing half his games in Coors.
He slashed a cool .316/.414/.539 with 369 home runs, 1,406 RBI, a 132 wRC+ and a .953 OPS.
While his performance at Coors was better, he didn’t get as much of an advantage as your regular Hall of Famer: he also hit .285/.391/.442 with a .833 OPS in the road which is good-to-great.
Helton went to five All-Star Games (2000–2004) and won three Gold Gloves (2001, 2002, 2004), four Silver Slugger awards (2000–2003), an NL Hank Aaron Award (2000), a batting crown (2000), and an RBI crown (2000).
He was never an MVP, but his overall body of work and consistent excellent would make him a worthy Hall of Famer if elected.
