Todd Helton is retiring, minus the fanfare

Todd Helton has played for the Rockies in 17 of the franchise's 21 seasons, and he's never worn another uniform. The five-time All-Star has announced that this season will be his last, and the way he did it is a reflection of his quiet, unassuming nature.

Helton's stats -- which included five straight seasons of an OPS over 1.000 -- will merit Hall of Fame consideration, and his reputation is further buoyed by the rarity of spending a long career with a single team. But unlike Mariano Rivera or Chipper Jones, both of whom enjoyed yearlong farewell tours after announcing their final seasons, Helton had no desire to be feted in that way.

As this clip from the D-backs broadcast of Sunday's Colorado-Arizona game says, he made the announcement on a Sunday when a lot of attention would be on football, and before a road game, no less. He received a nice ovation from the Chase Field crowd, and is sure to receive a thunderous one throughout his last Coors Field homestand -- whether he wants it or not.