Oct. 5, 2009

By Jeff Muir, Internet Communications Director

Former Tennessee Volunteers All-America baseball players Todd Helton and Rick Honeycutt are set to play their parts in the Major League Baseball playoffs which begin Wednesday, Oct. 7, culminating in the World Series, Oct. 28-Nov. 5.

Helton, the starting first baseman for the wild card Colorado Rockies, face the defending champion Philadelphia Phillies in the National League Division Series. The 36-year old finished the regular season seventh in the Majors with a .325 batting average to go along with 15 home runs and 86 RBI. The career .328 hitter topped 500 doubles in this, his 13th season on the senior circuit. He ranks 44th all-time with 509 doubles.

The 1995 national collegiate player of the year and five-time All-Star, saw his first postseason action in 2007 when the Rockies reached the World Series. He hit .220 with two RBI in 11 games. Helton overcame a slow start in the National League Division Series (1-for-12) to bat .276 (8-for-29) in the Championship and World Series.

Honeycutt, like Helton a standout first baseman and pitcher during his collegiate days, is in his fourth season as pitching coach for the Los Angeles Dodgers. His pitching corps have a Major League-best 3.41 ERA and are the best team in the National League with 95 victories.

He pitched 21 seasons in the Major Leagues, including five with the Dodgers (1983-87) and appeared in 797 games, the 33rd-highest total in Major League history. His teams reached the postseason seven times, including one World Series winner (1989), and two pennant winners (1988 and 1990) with Oakland. While with Texas, Honeycutt led the American League in ERA in 1983 with a 2.42 mark in 25 starts. He also earned a spot on the 1980 and 1983 AL All-Star teams.

Ten former Vols have played or managed in the World Series a total of 14 times. The list includes Tommy Bridges (1934, 35), Phil Garner (1979, 2005 mgr.), Honeycutt (1989, 90), Greg McMichael (1995, 96), Ed Bailey (1962), Chris Burke (2005), Helton (2007), Mike Smithson (1987), Sammy Strang (1905) and Bubba Trammell (2000).

Only Bridges, Garner, Honeycutt, McMichael, Smithson and Strang have been on World Series winning teams.