Rockies Star Busted for DUI

Just last month, Todd Helton opted to push retirement back for at least another year and return to the Colorado Rockies.

Just last month, Todd Helton opted to push retirement back for at least another year and return to the Colorado Rockies. Completely unrelated, but I couldn't come up with a better way to segue into this...the star first baseman was arrested early Wednesday morning in suburban Denver (Thornton to be specific), and busted for driving under the influence of alcohol.

"Last evening I exercised poor judgment and was charged with drinking and driving after driving to a gas station near my house," Helton said (through his lawyer) upon his release Wednesday afternoon. "I am very sorry and embarrassed by my actions. I hold myself to a high standard and take my responsibility as a public figure very seriously. My entire career I have worked to set a positive example for my family and in our community and I fell far short of this standard."

Alright, all that aside...check out dude's sweet mugshot.

If you showed me that picture, not only would I not recognize Helton, but my guess would be that he was the dude selling gas at 2:39 in the morning...not a five-time All-Star getting ready to hit spring training next month.

2000...2000?

Almost a decade after a horrific July 4 ankle injury that almost forced him out of baseball, Brewers catch Jason Kendall did something that only seven other full-time catchers have done.

You guessed it...he got his 2000th base knock last night against St. Louis.

And even though I failed to mention him in March's National League Central Milestone Preview, the veteran is now closing in on Hall of Famers Johnny Bench (2048 career hits) and Gary Carter (2092) on the career list.

"When I snapped my ankle 10 years ago, a lot of people said that I would never come back and be the same player," Kendall said. "This is very special."

Down in Atlanta, Todd Helton wasn't as fortunate...or was he?

The future Hall of Famer (yup, I said it) lined one at shortstop Yunel Escobar who, after failing to make the play, was saddled with the error instead of the hit.

"All I can do is hit it," the Rockies hit king said. "I've never seen that ball called an error before. I guess I should have hit it higher or somewhere else."

In hopes of getting the ruling overturned, the Rockies requested a meeting with the game's official scorer. Any review of the decision could take up to 24 hours.

So...I guess we'll all wait and see.

Of course, if Helton and his .429 batting average against tonight's Braves starter Jair Jurrjens have anything to say about it...chances are a legitimate Number 2000 might happen sometime in his first couple of plate appearances.

***UPDATE***

In the third inning of Tuesday night's contest versus the Braves, Helton singled off Jurrjens and left no doubt as to whether or not he had eclipsed 2000 hits.

With the single, Helton became the 255th player to reach 2000, and the fourth active player to reach that milestone with one club. Two of the others were at Turner Field in Braves uniforms...Garret Anderson (who had 2368 hits for the Angels) and Chipper Jones (who entered Tuesday with 2310 for the Braves).

The active leader for one team is Derek Jeter, who entered Tuesday with 2,577 hits for the Yankees.