(Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports)
Of all the National League players that have stood out this season, no one comes close to Troy Tulowitzki. He is the best player in the National League. He should be the NL MVP this season.
Tulowitzki is hitting .345 with 21 home runs, 52 RBIs, 1.048 OPS and a .613 slugging percentage. He has been the only reason to watch the Rockies this season. His play is why he was voted by the fans to start the All-Star Game last night at Target Field.
Under normal circumstances, he would be considered a MVP favorite. But with the Rockies being one of the worst teams in baseball, he won’t be winning the MVP. It will likely be Andrew McCutchen or a player for a contending team. That’s the way it goes. Baseball writers vote for players that have had an impact of a contending team.
The Rockies star couldn’t care less about the MVP. He couldn’t care less that he is healthy and productive. He is miserable since his team is likely going to have their fourth losing season in a row. At 40-55 and how the Rockies played for the last two months, there’s no reason to be optimistic about a turnaround this season.
It has gotten to the point he wonders if things are ever going to get better for the Rockies. This is why he could be pushing for a trade this offseason. He knows the Rockies are wasting his prime years, and he wants to play for a championship contender.
Just like Rockies owner Dick Monfort refusing to fire his baseball people, he will likely refuse to trade Tulowitzki. He doesn’t have a reason to trade his star player when his contract expires in 2020. He traded Matt Holliday in 2008 only because he had to get something for him before he left the team as a free agent after the 2009 season.
Tulowitzki is stuck whether he likes it or not.
He would trade his personal stats and awards to play for a championship contender. He signed a long-term deal with the Rockies because he felt they were on track to have sustained success for years to come. It hasn’t happened. It turned out those two playoff seasons by the Rockies was a fluke, and there’s no question he believes that.
Like any major leaguer, Tulowitzki has gone through ups and downs as a major leaguer. He has had great years with the Rockies, and he has had years when he would constantly been hurt. He has been criticized for not coming through in the clutch at times. There are some Rockies fans that are bothered he is aloof.
This year should be a rewarding year for the Rockies shortstop after going through injuries. He has proven he can play often. He is hitting well, too. None of that matters, though. Fans are bothered about the Rockies losing for them to notice the year Tulowitzki is having. Even the Rockies shortstop hasn’t been too enthusiastic about the season he is having.
There has been frustration for Tulowitzki going back to last month. He spends more time arguing with the umpires. He has been frustrated at his teammates for not executing plays on defenses. He has been curt with the media. This is what happens when losing takes the life out of a player. The game becomes less enjoyable when the team loses more than wins. That’s the predicament Tulowitzki is in.
It won’t get better for him. The Rockies are playing out the season now. It’s hard to believe they are going to make an epic run that Monfort keeps talking about. The Rockies star is not buying this.
It won’t be long until Coloradoans focus on the Broncos with training camp starting next week. Tulowitzki will likely be playing in front of empty seats at Coors Field.
The Rockies shortstop is playing for his stats now. It’s not something he plays for. Maybe it was good enough for Todd Helton, but it’s not for Rockies shortstop.
No one is saying to feel sorry for the 29-year old player. He is being paid millions to do his job. He has it good unlike others who work for low-playing jobs or others who are getting laid off. Still, it’s not fun to work when the team is playing out the season.
Tulowitzki will be a professional the rest of the season. Expect him to play well. Expect him to play to the max on defense or running for a base hit. He has standards when it comes to playing baseball. No one wouldn’t expect anything less out of him.
It’s too bad for him that all of his good work is being wasted.
Contact or follow Leslie Monteiro: @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.
