Should the Colorado Rockies Trade Troy Tulowitzki

Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

Should the Colorado Rockies trade Troy Tulowitzki? It’s a fair question in light of how this season is falling apart before our eyes.

The Rockies currently sit 12.5 games behind the first place San Francisco Giants and only 1.5 games in front of the last place Arizona Diamondbacks. In other words, the Rockies are much closer to last place than first.

The Rockies can just as easily be in their current position without Tulowitzki so why not trade him in an effort to improve the team as a whole? He’s widely considered one of the top five position players in baseball and would likely net a king’s ransom in a trade.

The Rockies could potentially add a quality starting pitcher, a quality position player and some high end minor league prospects in return for Tulowitzki. A team like the New York Yankees would love to add a marquee player like Tulowitzki and have the financial capability to do so.

As great as Tulowitzki is and as special as he has been this season, it always feels like his next major injury is right around the corner. If the Rockies are ever going to get close to full value for Tulowitzki, then now’s the time. He’s healthy and he’s having arguably the best year of his career. His value has never been and never will be any higher than it is right now.

There are some disadvantages to the thought of trading the face of the franchise starting with a simple question, does anyone trust the front office to pull off a deal of this magnitude without getting fleeced?

The front office led by owner, Dick Monfort and Bill Geivett does not exactly inspire confidence. Any team that trades a player the caliber of a Tulowitzki should get enough in return that they can begin to lay the foundation for the future. When the Rockies traded Ubaldo Jimenez a few years ago, they did not get nearly enough in return. Granted Jimenez is now an average pitcher at best but at the time of the trade, he was highly thought of and the Rockies basically gave him away for two minor league pitchers who are now long gone.

If the Rockies do decide to move Tulowitzki, then they must set a price and don’t move off of it. The worst thing that can happen is they keep a great player; they can’t give Tulowitzki away just to make a move.

It’s also worth noting that, with the retirement of Todd Helton, Tulowitzki is now the unquestioned face and heartbeat of the Rockies. By trading him, they run the risk of becoming a rudderless ship. It’s true the Rockies are losing and going nowhere but everyone from the players to the media knows who the leader is. Tulowitzki is the one guy who stands up loss after loss and defends his teammates and the organization as a whole. It sounds like a small thing but Tulowitzki takes the pressure off of a lot of people because of his willingness to be the public face of the Rockies.

Now is that a reason not to make a trade if the right offer came forward? Of course not, but Tulowitzki’s contributions off the field and in the locker room should not be discounted.

So what’s the answer, should the Rockies trade Tulowitzki? The answer, at least my answer, is yes and I am a huge Tulowitzki fan. However the Rockies are one of the worst teams in baseball and only getting worse by the day. The only asset they have who has any value to anyone else is Tulowitzki and dealing him might be the only way out of this black hole.

The Rockies are losing with Tulowitzki; they can lose without him just as easily. It’s time for a bold move for the Rockies in an effort to get better, and trading their best player might be the only way.