- Admin
- #1
Colorado Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki is tired of losing. With the club currently on a nine-game losing streak, Tulo is set to meet with his agent Thursday in order to discuss whether he should request a trade, according to Joel Sherman of the New York Post.*
Tulowitzki's agent, Paul Cohen, pretty much confirmed the meeting, telling Sherman this shouldn't come as a surprise.
There's some thought that getting Tulowitzki out of Colorado would benefit both sides. The Rockies would be able to get premium players in a deal for the All-Star, and Tulowitzki could experience better health away from the high altitude.*
Over his career, Tulowitzk has dealt with a number of injuries. Since 2012, he's played in over 140 games just once. Tulowitzki missed significant time with a groin issue in 2012, lost a month to a rib injury in 2013 and had hip surgery last July.*
On top of that, his contract could be an issue for some teams. Tulowitzki will make $20 million in 2015, and is owed at least $98 million from 2016 to 2021. He has a $15 million club option in 2021, which could increase that figure.*
While he would likely receive more on the open market, the length and cost of the deal could prevent some clubs from making an offer. According to the report, the Mets, Mariners, Padres and Pirates all have needs at the position. Though the Yankees could afford Tulo's contract, they are not considered a contender for the shortstop.*
Rockies general manager Jeff Bridich doesn't seem to be in hurry to deal Tulowitzki or outfielder Carlos Gonzalez. He told local reporters that it's early in the season, and he would deal with those issues once they popped up further down the road.*
If Tulowitzki asks for a trade following Thursday's meeting, that could expedite the process. Though the injury history and contract could prevent a deal from happening quickly, it's clear that a healthy Tulo is among the best players in the game.*
[Check out Big League Stew on Tumblr for even more baseball awesomeness.]
Over 4,168 career plate appearances, he's hit a fantastic .299/.372/.517. He also plays a premium position, and is regarded as a strong defender.
Those players are rarely made available, which is why demand should be high for Tulowitzki. While trading Tulowitzki would signal a full rebuild for Colorado, that's not the worst thing.
The team hasn't been able to contend with him, and could use some young, talented prospects. Given Tulowitzki's injury history, it might be in their best interest to move him sooner rather than later.
More MLB coverage from Yahoo Sports:
Tulowitzki's agent, Paul Cohen, pretty much confirmed the meeting, telling Sherman this shouldn't come as a surprise.
To say that it is not a possibility would be silly,” Cohen told The Post by phone.
Cohen said he “spent a tremendous amount of time” on this topic with Tulowitzki in the offseason. He explained “it doesn’t take a rocket scientist” to see why the subject will be renewed now – the Rockies are miserable again (they had a nine-game losing streak going into Tuesday) and the likelihood of being a contender any time soon is*not strong.
The Rockies have not posted a winning record over the past four years, and that's starting to weigh on the 30-year-old shortstop.
Over his career, Tulowitzk has dealt with a number of injuries. Since 2012, he's played in over 140 games just once. Tulowitzki missed significant time with a groin issue in 2012, lost a month to a rib injury in 2013 and had hip surgery last July.*
On top of that, his contract could be an issue for some teams. Tulowitzki will make $20 million in 2015, and is owed at least $98 million from 2016 to 2021. He has a $15 million club option in 2021, which could increase that figure.*
While he would likely receive more on the open market, the length and cost of the deal could prevent some clubs from making an offer. According to the report, the Mets, Mariners, Padres and Pirates all have needs at the position. Though the Yankees could afford Tulo's contract, they are not considered a contender for the shortstop.*
Rockies general manager Jeff Bridich doesn't seem to be in hurry to deal Tulowitzki or outfielder Carlos Gonzalez. He told local reporters that it's early in the season, and he would deal with those issues once they popped up further down the road.*
[Check out Big League Stew on Tumblr for even more baseball awesomeness.]
Over 4,168 career plate appearances, he's hit a fantastic .299/.372/.517. He also plays a premium position, and is regarded as a strong defender.
Those players are rarely made available, which is why demand should be high for Tulowitzki. While trading Tulowitzki would signal a full rebuild for Colorado, that's not the worst thing.
The team hasn't been able to contend with him, and could use some young, talented prospects. Given Tulowitzki's injury history, it might be in their best interest to move him sooner rather than later.
More MLB coverage from Yahoo Sports:
- - - - - - -
Follow @Chris_Cwik