Todd Helton and Wade Boggs share a career batting average of .328, and Helton's career on base percentage is .428, just 7 points higher than Boggs OBP of .415. Helton has averaged 46 doubles a year, Boggs averaged 38. Both won gold gloves at an infield corner position. The big difference is Helton's power. Helton has averaged 30 home runs per 162 games while Boggs averaged just 8. That said, Helton hasn't hit 30 home runs since 2004 and he is on pace to hit only 13 in 2009.
What Helton is doing this season is getting on base, sporting a .341 battaing average and .398 OPS, and if he can stay healthy for 150 games and keep this pace he will have 189 hits and 26 doubles. Those stats look a lot like Wade Boggs between 1989 and 1991. Helton is even sporting some Boggs-like facial hair.
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