For a five year period, Todd Helton was not just the best player for the Colorado Rockies but was one of the best players in the game. “The Toddfather” had five seasons where he never batted below .325, hit lower than 40 Home Runs, received MVP Votes and had an OPS less than one. Helton would also win four Silver Sluggers and three Gold Gloves. His 2000 Season would see him win the Batting, On Base Percentage and Slugging Title.

January 18 – February 7, 1960
Johnny Preston
Running Bear

While Pete Vuckovich would win the Cy Young Award in 1982 and finish fourth in voting the year before that, he probably shouldn’t have.  Vuckovich won on the strength of am 18-6 record but had a WHIP over 1.5 and did not finish in the top ten in bWAR for Pitchers.  Actually, he really wasn’t close.

The story of Dave Nilsson cannot be told without specifying that he left MLB to represent Australia in the 2000 Olympics.  This was right after Nilsson was named to his first (and only) All-Star Game.