There will be no “Scarface” type scene in Colorado this
season when Troy Tulowitzki is screaming at the fans and the Rockies ownership
and front office to “say goodnight to the bad guy” as Tulo announced he would
not be requesting a trade from the team this season. It was brought up earlier
in the week that the Rockies shortstop may request a trade from the team after
four straight losing seasons and a losing streak this season that has already
surpassed ten games in a row. Tulo eventually announced that he met with his
agent and decided he would stick it out with the only professional team he has
ever known but I personally think that was only because Tulowitzki wants to be
the good guy in the situation.
Tulo is the face of the Colorado Rockies franchise but has
made it abundantly clear that he is a fan of former Yankees captain Derek Jeter
and the whole New York Yankees organization as a whole and would love to play
in the Bronx. With Jeter’s former position and Tulowitzki’s current position,
the shortstop position, in limbo with Didi Gregorius not yet living up to
expectations some fans, including myself, have begun clamoring for Tulowitzki
in the Bronx. Tulo wants to be in the Bronx, he has said as much in not so many
words, but he does not want to disappoint the fans, the teammates, the friends
and the relationships he has built in Colorado and who could blame him. He’s a
selfless guy, I like that in a Yankee.
The casual fan does not want Tulowitzi because of his health
concerns, his contract and what the team would have to give up to get him but I
don’t think it’s going to be as bad as many think it will be if he is traded.
Because of the injury concerns, which would be alleviated I think with a move
to the American League and a move period out of the high elevations inside
Coors Field, I think either the price tag will be lower than expected or the
prospect haul will be lower than expected. If Colorado makes Tulo available
they will either have to eat some of the salary to accommodate a trade, and in
turn get more in return player wise, or trade him for substantially less than
he is worth to completely get the contract off the books. Not many teams can,
or will, take on the entire contract, for example the Mets are not going to be
able to justify that contract on their end of year spreadsheet even with the
added revenue, but the Yankees can. The Yankees ability to eat the contract,
which if he was a free agent right now he would command much, much more than
his current contract pays him at an offensively anemic position, will help them
hold onto some of their top talent and still get a deal done if the discussions
were ever to take place.
The stars are aligning for Tulo to be the good guy like he
wants to be, the Rockies to be the villain like they have to be and for the New
York Yankees to be the winner after six seasons. Get it done Cash, bring me the
good guy.
