Todd Helton Plays 2,000 Games for the Colorado Rockies

First baseman for the Colorado Rockies, Todd Helton, became just the third active player to tally 2,000 games with a single team on Thursday. Helton is in his 15th year with the Rockies after being drafted by them in 1995. Here's a look at some highlights from Helton's career since making his major league debut on August 2, 1997.

• In 2000, Helton led the National League in batting average-.372, hits-216, slugging percentage-.698, on base percentage-.463, on base plus slugging-1.162 and runs batted in-147.
• Became first player in major-league history to post over 100 extra base hits in back-to-back seasons after having 103 extra base hits in 2000 and 105 in 2001.
• Became the first Rockie to hit a home run in the All-Star Game in 2003 when he blasted a 2-run homer off Shigetoshi Hasagawa at U.S. Cellular Field in Chicago.
• Surpassed Joe DiMaggio to become the first player in major league history to hit at least .315 with 25 HR and 95 RBI in each of his first seven full season in the majors by hitting .347 with 32 HR and 96 RBI in 2004. DiMaggio was the only other player to ever do it his first six campaigns.
• Named the Boy Scouts Man of the Year for Tennessee in 2004.
• Reached 1,000 career RBI on April 14, 2007 at Arizona with a two-out single that drove in John Mabry.
• Became first player in MLB history to hit 35 or more doubles in 10 consecutive seasons (1998-2007) on September 9, 2007 vs. the San Diego Padres, breaking a record set by Tris Speaker who did it nine straight seasons from 1919-27.
• Hit career home run no. 300 on September 16, 2007 vs. Florida, prompting Coors Field to entice Helton's first curtain call.
• On September 18, 2007 Helton hit a two-out, two-strike, two-run walk off homer off Takashi Saito to beat the Dodgers and sweep the doubleheader, which kept the Rockies alive in the playoff chase and ignited a franchise-record 11-game winning streak.
• Became 50th player in MLB history to reach 500 career doubles on July 22, 2009 vs. Arizona when he hit a double off Jon Garland.
• Helton is the first player to have at least 2,270 hits, 1,280 runs, 530 doubles, 330 home runs, 1,250 RBIs and 1,200 walks before playing his 2,000th game.

Helton is a five-time All-Star, four-time Silver Slugger, has three Rawlings Gold Gloves and one Hank Aaron Award. He is currently tied with Bobby Abreu and Rogers Hornsby with 541 doubles, which is 26th on the all time list. Helton entered Thursday's game hitting .309 with nine home runs and 34 RBIs in 69 games. Through 1,999 games played Helton has made 7,139 at bats, scored 1,304 runs, had 2,308 hits, walked 1,227 times, driven in 1,273 runs, hit 541 doubles and 342 home runs.

[colorado.rockies.mlb.com]