Colorado Rockies Position Preview: Shortstop

Well this one might be pretty obvious as far as who the starter will be. Troy Tulowitzki is the heart-and-soul of the Colorado Rockies franchise, and will be the everyday shortstop in 2013.

May 11, 2012; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Colorado Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki (2) runs after a ground ball in the fifth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports

Tulowitzki has always been one of my favorite players. There’s not a single player in the league who hits as well as he does in the second half, and the only issue for him nowadays is whether or not he can stay healthy. He only played 47 games last season and only played 122 in the 2010 campaign. His 2010 season; man, was that something else. How often do you see a guy play 75% of the season, but still finish in the top five for MVP voting. Well there was Mike Trout in 2012, but other than that, you’ll barely ever see that.

If Tulo can put together a full season, he can make a run at the National League Most Valuable Player. He has all the tools he needs. A power bat, a solid average, a great glove at the shortstop position, and he’s not the fastest player on the field, but has decent speed. He’s hit 24 or more homers in 4 of his last 6 seasons, and the two seasons he didn’t, he only played in 101 and 47 games. Driving in 100 runs might be tough to do, considering he doesn’t have much around him in the lineup, but he could definitely be the best hitter for the Rockies in 2013. Carlos Gonzalez is really the only guy in the Rockies lineup who has the chance to take over as the teams best player, but if I had to pick between the two, I’d go with Tulowitzki.

May 13, 2012; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Colorado Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki (2) at bat during the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports

He took some heat last season for not playing with the team down the stretch, but what’s the point when your team doesn’t have a chance of making the playoffs? Why take the risk of hurting yourself even more for a team who only won 64 games?

I expect a full bounce back season from Tulowitzki in 2013. The chances of him getting hurt again are definitely not out of the question, but I always have faith in players to come back and play 150+ games at their positions. If he can pull off a healthy season, expect the 28-year old to post 30 homers, 90-100 RBIs, and a .300 batting average. This is also the season that he and Gonzalez emerge as the best hitting duo in the National League.