Where the Stars of Tomorrow Shine Tonight!

Todd Helton

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      HIGH AND INSIDE – Unlike most Major League Baseball franchises, the Colorado Rockies had never retired a player’s number in their 22-year history – until Sunday. Todd Helton (Orleans, 1994) became the first to be so honored in a ceremony preceding the Rockies’ doubleheader with the Cincinnati Reds. The Rockies unveiled a plaque bearing Helton’s No. 17 on the façade of the second deck railing next to one with the initials of Keli S. McGregor, the team’s late president, and Jackie Robinson’s No. 42, which has been retired throughout Major League Baseball. “I’m proud to say I’m a Colorado Rockie for life,” said Helton who retired after the 2013 season, ending a stellar 17-year career. “There’s no greater honor for me than having my number retired from the team that I put my heart and soul into.” In an earlier media conference, the five-time NL All-Star was asked if there was any reason he chose to wear No. 17. It turned out that when he reported to his first big league spring training camp, that was the number he was given. “I showed up and it was in my locker and I certainly wasn’t going to say anything,” Helton said. “I just took the number and stuck with it.” … Third baseman Conor Gillaspie (Falmouth, 2007) walked and hit a grand slam in four trips to the plate as the Chicago White Sox held on to defeat the Toronto Blue Jays 7-5 Sunday. Gillaspie’s first-inning slam provided the first four runs in what ended up as a six-run ChiSox outburst. Gillaspie has five home runs, 46 RBIs and an impressive.311/.363/.456 slash line on the season. Manager Robin Ventura (Hyannis, 1987) wasn't surprised by Gillaspie’s drive to deep right-center. ''When he hits it good, it's going to go,'' the manager said. Chicago right-hander Scott Carroll (Falmouth, 2006) pitched 5 2/3 innings and allowed five runs on eight hits and three walks as he won for the fifth time against seven losses. The Cape League’s batting champion (.345) and MVP in ’07, Gillaspie led Falmouth to the postseason and an eventual loss to Yarmouth-Dennis in the playoff finals … Although Gillaspie had to leave the Cape early that season to return to school at Wichita State, his current White Sox teammate, second baseman Gordon Beckham (Y-D, 2007), stuck around and helped the Red Sox sweep the Commodores in two straight games to win their second consecutive Arnold Mycock Trophy as CCBL champs. These days, Beckham knows he may be playing out the string as a member of the White Sox as rumors about his future in Chicago continue to circulate. With a $4.175 million salary this year, Beckham is the team’s sixth-highest paid player and is headed toward his last year of salary arbitration before he can become a free agent after 2016. If offered, Beckham would be in line to make more than $5 million, but it seems unlikely the White Sox will tender an offer. His .220/.264/.341 batting line with seven home runs and 36 RBIs put him at or near the bottom for all MLB second baseman, lessening his trade value with each passing day. Through it all, the former Georgia star hasn’t let his offensive woes affect his fielding. In a recent 10-inning win over the Giants, Beckham made a diving stop and glove flip to start a double play in the ninth inning and he hit a game-winning single in the 10th. With younger and less-costly second-base prospects such as Carlos Sanchez, Marcus Semien and Micah Johnson (Cotuit, 2011) waiting in the wings, Beckham realizes his days in a White Sox uniform are numbered. “The White Sox have been extremely good to me – they’ve hung with me through some struggles,” Beckham said. “I’ve been through a lot of ups and downs, but I feel like I’ve come to play every day. That’s all I can really do, whether the hits fall or don’t.” … The Houston Astros are hopeful that outfielder Alex Presley (Chatham, 2005) will rejoin the team within the next few days. He’s been out since July 8 with an oblique problem and he’s now rehabbing at rookie-level Tri-City … Another former Cape Leaguer who is anxious to return is San Francisco first baseman Brandon Belt (Harwich, 2008), currently sidelined with post-concussion syndrome. Belt also missed 12 games last month after suffering an earlier concussion on July 19. Giants manager Bruce Bochy is cautiously optimistic about Belt’s return: “I can’t assume that until our doctors tell us what they think,” the manager said.