06-13-2019, 02:33 AM
Two great players have decided to join Mariano Rivera in calling it a career at the end of this season. Larry Johnson Jersey . The first was arguably the last star produced by the Montreal Expos organization, Vladimir Guerrero, and the second is one of the all-time greats with the Colorado Rockies, Todd Helton. Helton is calling it quits at the end of this season and will go down as one of the few players who played with the same franchise his entire career. The Blake St. Bombers were born in 1995 when Colorado moved from Mile High Stadium, where it played its first two seasons, to Coors Field. The Rockies, at that time, were the most successful franchise ever. Their first year attendance was nearly 4.5 million - a record for all pro sports. They clinched the National League wild card spot on the final day of the 1995 season, coming back from an 8-2 deficit to win 10-9 and becoming the quickest expansion team ever to make the post-season - doing so in just their third year of existence. The 1995 team featured the likes of Andres Galarraga - who won the National League batting title in 1993 with a .370 batting average - Dante Bichette, Vinny Castilla, Ellis Burks and Larry Walker. This team could flat out hit, aided and abetted by the rarified Denver air that helped balls carry further and flattened out even the best of curve balls. Helton joined the party in 1997. He had been a two-sport star at the University of Tennessee. He was the starting quarterback with the Volunteers until he was supplanted by some guy named Peyton Manning. They are still good friends to this day and ironically for the past two years have played pro in the same city. Helton has had a spectacular career. He became the 96th player in Major League history to crack 2,500 hits and he leads in seven all-time Rockies hitting categories. Number 17 has a career average of .317 and has hit 367 homers over 2,235 games. Helton is a three-time Gold Glover at first base, but these are the numbers that really stick out. He has over 2,500 hits, 550 doubles, over 350 homers and a .310 or higher batting average. The only other match in Major League history to accomplish that was St. Louis Cardinals Hall of Famer Stan "the Man" Musial. For the record, Heltons final appearance in Toronto came in a three game series from June 17 through the 19. It was right in the middle of the Blue Jays record-setting 11 game win streak. The Jays swept the series and outscored the Rockies 15-5. Helton played the first two games at first base for the Rockies and was rested by skipper Walt Weiss in the third. He went a combined 1-for-7 with a walk and two strikeouts. His final hit in Toronto came in the second inning of game one; a line drive single to centre fielder Colby Ramus. The man who gave up that hit was Josh Johnson. This night was arguably his best game as a Blue Jay. Johnson pitched seven and a third shutout innings, gave up just five hits, walked two and struck out 10 but didnt get the decision. The Jays rallied late and beat the Rockies 2-0. Not counting this year, in 20 seasons, the Rockies have had only five winning records. Still, theyve made it to the post-season three times as a wild card and got all the way to the World Series in 2007 where they were swept by Boston in four straight. Though attendance has slipped since the early glory years, Colorado still averages over 2 million and has only slipped below that figure once in 20 years. At one point, they had a stretch of 203 straight sell-outs. Helton wasnt with the Rockies in 1995 and 96 but he can still lay claim to being part of one of the most dominant hitting teams to come down the pike. Colorado lead the National League in hitting every season from 1995 to 2002, led in homeruns from 1995-97 and again in 99. They also led in runs scored in 1995-97 and again from 2000 to 2001. Yes, Helton played his entire home career at Coors Field but on balance you cant deny the mans Hall of Fame credentials. Former Helton teammate Jason Giambi is in the twilight of his career right now with Cleveland. With two weeks to go in the season, the Indians are just a half game back of Texas and Tampa Bay for a wild card spot. If Cleveland gets in, Giambi will be going to the playoffs for the ninth time with his fourth different team. The Baltimore Orioles went into Sundays play leading the American League in walks. The next five behind them in order were Boston, Rays, As, Cleveland and the Tigers. The common factor - four of the six are holding playoff positions at the moment. Cleveland is just a half game out and Baltimore is still alive at three and a half out. The Blue Jays should take note of this if they already havent. Authentic Chiefs Jerseys China . "No difference at all," chirped U.S. roommate and linemate James van Riemsdyk. "Its still the same cranky Phil. Wholesale Chiefs Jerseys China . -- Damian Lillard couldnt believe when he got a clear look at the rim. http://www.cheapchiefsjerseysauthentic.com/ . Perhaps as important, shes sending a message to 17-year-old gold medal favourite Sara Takanashi of Japan. Iraschko-Stolz relegated Takanashi, who has 10 World Cup victories this season, to second place in two of three training jumps Saturday.Justin Williams buried the winning goal in overtime, giving the Los Angeles Kings a 3-2 win over the New York Rangers in Game One of the Stanley Cup Final. The goal gave Williams eight goals and 20 points, ranking fourth in goals and tied for third in points for the postseason. Rangers D Dan Girardi wore the goat horns on the winning goal, coughing up a soft clearing attempt after he initially fanned on the puck. Kings C Mike Richards intercepted the puck, sent it to Williams in the slot and that was the game. While Kings LW Kyle Clifford played fewer minutes (9:03) than any of his teamamtes, the bruising winger contributed a goal -- his first of the playoffs -- and an assist. Kings D Drew Doughty was, as usual, in the middle of the action. In the first period, Doughty was stripped of the puck in the Rangers zone, leading straight to Benoit Pouliots breakaway goal. In the second period, however, Doughty made up for that gaffe, taking a feed from Williams, deftly pulling it up through his legs as he danced around before snapping in the Kings second goal. Kings D Willie Mitchell was a possession beast in Game One, on for 25 5-on-5 shot attempts for and 10 against (71.4%), while the Kings only had 42.9% of the 5-on-5 shots when Mitchell was off the ice. In score close situations, the Kings earned 55.4% of unblocked even-strength shots on goal. Mitchell had five shots on goal, for the first in a game since time since January, 2012. Kings D Alec Martinez came in on the low end of the possession scale, on for 31% (nine for, 20 against) of the 5-on-5 shot attempts.. Mecole Hardman Jersey. On the Rangers possession chart, D Raphael Diaz led the way, on the ice for 13 shot attempts for and seven against, while the defence pairing of Marc Staal and Anton Stralman was on for 14 shot attempts for and 20 against. The Rangers second goal was scored by LW Carl Hagelin, whose speed was very effective throughtout the game, creating chances as he would burst past Kings defencemen that had trouble keeping up. Hagelin, who has seven playoff goals to lead the Rangers, led the Blueshirts with five shots on goal and tied Derick Brassard for the team lead with seven shots attempted. If there is something positive to take from this game for the Rangers it is that their forwards could use their speed to take advantage of the Los Angeles defence. Rangers G Henrik Lundqvist stopped 40 of 43 shots faced, and his .928 save percentage is best among goaltenders with at least six games played in this years playoffs. It was a relatively even affair through the first two periods, but the Kings dominated the third period, outshooting the Rangers 20-3, and asserting territorial control, even if it didnt result in a goal. This was a tough loss for the Rangers, who surrendered a two-goal lead and kept up with the Kings through two periods before fading late. When youre the underdog, its all the more difficult to pull off an upset when opportunities like an overtime game fall the other way. Scott Cullen can be reached at Scott.Cullen@bellmedia.ca and followed on Twitter at http://twitter.com/tsnscottcullen. For more, check out TSN Fantasy on Facebook. 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