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(Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports)
To show the Rockies were committed to winning, they gave long-term contracts to Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez for leading them to the playoffs. The Rockies shortstop earned his long-term deal for playing a role in Rocktober I in 2007, and the Rockies outfielder earned his deal for playing a role in Rocktober II in 2009.
The Rockies gave them a long-term deal with the idea their stars would lead them to play meaningful games every September. It hasn’t worked out that way with both of them spending time on the disabled list, and that’s why the Rockies have had losing seasons in the last few years.
For the Rockies to have success, they need Gonzalez and Tulowitzki to play 150 games at least. They can’t afford to have their stars miss a good chunk of their season like they saw last season with losses to show for it. Both of them have been a fixture when it comes to being on the disabled list.
Here’s the problem: Does anyone have any faith both of them will ever be healthy for the Rockies?
Here are the ugly numbers about the impact of last season’s injuries of Tulowitzki and Gonzalez:
The Rockies played 96 games last year without both of their stars playing.
Their stars played 81 games together, and they started together 66 times only.
Tulowitzki is the biggest question mark for the Rockies heading to this season. He is always hurt every year. He missed a month last season after he suffered a broken rib making a diving play in June, and the Rockies went on to lose many games that they never recovered.
The Rockies shortstop had a tough time at the plate after coming back from the disabled list. It took him a month to get into a groove. By the time he was back on track, the season was lost.
When he was hurt in June, no one was surprised based on Tulowitzki missing 282 games over the last six seasons and he only played 47 games two years ago after a groin injury that required him to have surgery. If Cal Ripken Jr. is the Iron Man, Tulowitzki has to be the Brittle Man. The Rockies shortstop is the opposite of the Orioles shortstop. This is why Rockies fans are not banking on him to be healthy. He will always get hurt year in and year out. It’s always something with him.
Gonzalez has the same problem as Tulowitzki. He has had hand injuries that have made him a fixture in the disabled list in recent years. He missed time with a finger injury last season.
Gonzalez underwent an appendectomy in January, but he managed to be in spring training. It will be interesting how his appendectomy has an effect on his swing when the season starts.
He has had problems with his hands or fingers for years now. It’s hard to be optimistic about him being healthy. He seems to be a good bet to be on the disabled list every year like Tulowitzki. Their chronic injuries are why no one gives the Rockies a chance to do well.
This is certainly not what Rockies owner Dick Monfort is paying both of his stars to do. For all the criticism he receives, no one can blame him for his stars being hurt. No one can blame him for being disappointed that he hasn’t received a bang from his buck after paying his two stars.
The injuries have not been lost on the Rockies owner. He cited their injuries as a reason why the Rockies have not won in recent years. If he is thinking that way, there’s no question he is thinking if his stars are going to be injury-prone for the rest of their deals.
No one is more frustrated about being hurt than Tulowitzki and Gonzalez. They have done all they could to be healthy. It hasn’t worked out that way.
The Rockies hate to use injuries as an excuse, but that’s the harsh reality. It’s hard to replace the production of Tulowitzki and Gonzalez at the plate and on the field. Both are one of the top 10 players in baseball when they are playing. Both combined to hit 51 home runs and drove in 152 runs last season. It’s not an accident that losses came as a result of both players being hurt.
With due respect to Michael Cuddyer and Nolan Arenado, they are not good enough to do what Gonzalez and Tulowitzki do at the plate. Maybe the Rockies third baseman will be that player in a few years, but it’s too much to ask from a player who is learning to play the game.
The bottom line is if the Rockies want to snap a losing season streak of three seasons, they need their stars to not spend a month on the disabled list. The chances of that are as good as the Rockies spending like the Dodgers, which is slim to none.
Rockies fans are cynical about the Rockies’ stars being healthy. They are waiting for them to get hurt. It’s hard to blame them when they have seen this for years. They have accepted the fact their stars are brittle to play the game.
Until Gonzalez and Tulowitzki show they can play 150 games this season, there are always going to be doubts.
The Rockies would be happy to see them be injury-free for one season.
Based on the injury history of their stars, all the Rockies can do is pray for the best.
Contact or follow Leslie Monteiro at @LightRodWriter.
Leslie Monteiro
Leslie is a contributor for Lightning Rod Sports. He covered high school sports in Bergen County out in North Jersey, and has written op-ed columns on sports such as Bleacher Report and NY Sports Digest.
