TUCSON - For Todd Helton, this is a season of redemption.

He established himself as one of the game's elite players, but the last two years have been more good than great. And it bothers Helton.

"When you put the bar some place you would like to keep it there and move forward," manager Clint Hurdle said. "Todd has been in territory that not a lot of people have been in offensively and defensively. He has the Gold Gloves, too. He is focused and determined to do things (this season) the way he wants to do them."

Things certainly look promising so far.

There was a blip on the radar in the last week when he missed a few games with inflammation in his right knee, but that's something he said he would have easily played with during the regular season. And his return to the lineup the last three games has reinforced the positive vibes Helton is feeling about the revamped workout program he undertook in the winter.

Helton unloaded a mammoth three-run home run off left-hander David Wells in the first inning of the Rockies' 5-5, 10-inning tie against San Diego on Tuesday at Hi Corbett Field. In his third at-bat, he drove a double over the head of center fielder Brian Giles. That came after a 3-for-3 afternoon Monday. He is now 9-for-17 this spring with one walk and no strikeouts.

"I have a lot to prove to myself, and a lot of other people," Helton said. "If you are going to be a good player you have to do it for a long period of time. I need to get back to where I feel I should be, not for myself, but to help this team win. I left a lot of runners on last year. I'm looking forward to that changing this year."

Everything is relative.

Helton's mediocre numbers would meet many players' goals.

Placed on the disabled list for the first time in his career two years ago because of back problems, he hit .320 with 20 home runs and 79 RBI. Last year, interrupted in late April when he suffered an intestinal problem, he hit .302 with 15 home runs and 81 RBI. Those numbers aren't too bad for most players. Helton, though, isn't most players.

Last year was the lowest full-season batting average of his career, and two years ago he had his lowest RBI output. The home run totals were the lowest of his nine full big-league seasons.

"We're talking about a guy with a special place in this game," Hurdle said.

Helton is the leader among active players with a career .333 average. His .430 on-base percentage is 10th on the all-time chart, and his .593 slugging percentage is ninth. Names ahead of him on both lists include the likes of Babe Ruth, Ted Williams and Lou Gehrig.

Quiet as Helton might be, he appreciates being mentioned in the same breath as those Hall of Famers. And he wants to reinforce that he belongs in those conversations. This winter he beefed up his conditioning program, including going home to Knoxville, Tenn., for three weeks of work with a longtime personal trainer.

"I want to be prepared," he said. "I want to be healthy."

Rarely does Helton acknowledge concerns about what others say or do, but it does eat at him that, at the age of 33, he found his abilities being questioned. Not only were the Rockies willing to discuss trading him to Boston, but there were vocal Rockies fans who felt it would be in best interest of the franchise to make the move. Helton, the first position player ever taken by the Rockies in the first round of the draft when he came out of the University of Tennessee in 1995, is supposed to be the foundation for the eventual success of the Rockies, not a $16 million-a-year white elephant.

The deal fell through when Boston refused to put a prospect in the deal along with third baseman Mike Lowell and reliever Julian Tavarez and offered to pick up less than one third of the $90.1 million Helton is guaranteed in the next five seasons.

"You never think that someone would want to trade you," he said. "You'll always remember that. You realize this really is a business and you will remember that."

Helton, though, is comfortable remaining with the Rockies. Even though he had indicated he would have approved the trade to Boston, he made it clear he would continue to make his home in Colorado.

"It was a win-win," he said. "On one hand, it would have been a fresh start. On the other hand, remember what they say about the grass not always being greener on the other side of the bench. I am happy here and I would have been happy there.

"The thing to remember is that once I'm on the field I don't worry about anything except playing the game. What didn't happen is not something I am thinking about."

ringolsbyt@RockyMountainNews.com Padres 5, Rockies 5 10 innings