Rockies GM Jeff Bridich is in a tight spot regarding Troy Tulowitzki, opines Bill Shaikin of the LA Times. While Tulowitzki did not specifically ask to be traded, he did not categorically state that he wants to remain in Colorado. For his part, Bridich did not deny the possibility of a trade.
There is no doubt that Tulowitzki is highly coveted around the league despite a minimum of six years and $113MM remaining on his contract. The star shortstop is off to a strange start to the season for Colorado. One has to wonder if the rumors are getting to him. He’s hitting .284/.292/.448 through 120 plate appearances. His plate discipline has disappeared. He’s swinging at more pitches outside of the strike zone, whiffing more frequently, and he’s drawn just two walks against 29 strikeouts. His power output is also well below his career norms.
Last week, Dave Cameron of FanGraphs identified nine possible destinations for Tulowitzki. He referred to the Mets, Red Sox, and Yankees as the most likely bidders. The long standing connection with the Mets is challenged by their complex financial situation. Cameron suggests the Red Sox could include Xander Bogaerts as part of a trade. If that was the case, I suspect they might be in the best position to secure a deal. The Yankees certainly have the necessary money, but they’ve worked hard to reduce the amount of payroll committed to aging players.
Shaikin adds that the Dodgers would love to slot Tulo at shortstop with top prospect Corey Seager sliding over to third base. While they have the financial wherewithal and enough talented prospects to participate in a trade, it’s unlikely the Rockies would deal directly with their rich rivals. Instead, Los Angeles could attempt to play financial facilitator as part of a three-team trade. The Dodgers attempted to mediate the Josh Hamilton trade by including money for a prospect.
Cameron also explored a hypothetical trade package for the nine teams he identified. Tulowitzki’s contract probably has $50MM to $60MM of surplus value per Cameron, so he should elicit a sizable return. However, the $63MM signing of Yoan Moncada – not a top 10 prospect per all major outlets – indicates that the upper crust of prospects are probably off the table. In other words, no Mookie Betts, no Carlos Correa, and no Seager (among others).
Tulowitzki could return multiple second tier prospects. Cameron names Luis Severino and Aaron Judge as a possible package from the Yankees. The Mets could bundle Noah Syndergaard, Amed Rosario, and Steven Matz. Of course, these are just some hypothetical ideas. The Rockies could try to eat some money in exchange for a true elite prospect, or they might prefer a deep five or six player package.
Where do you think Tulowitzki will finish the 2015 season?
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The Disabled List 24% (4,508)
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New York Yankees 17% (3,175)
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Colorado Rockies 13% (2,492)
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New York Mets 12% (2,354)
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Boston Red Sox 10% (1,832)
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Los Angeles Dodgers 7% (1,303)
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Other 5% (884)
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Seattle Mariners 4% (767)
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Los Angeles Angels 3% (543)
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Toronto Blue Jays 2% (467)
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Pittsburgh Pirates 2% (446)
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Houston Astros 1% (204)
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Tampa Bay Rays 1% (121)
Total votes: 19,096
It should be the Yankees, but it will probably be the Mets. Mets shouldn’t be dealing from there strong SP because of their lackluster bullpen, unless its Matz. The Mets already have 3 starters down.
I find the mets very unlikely given the wilpons
Please elaborate. I’m not sure what you mean by this comment.
Aside from the huge risk of anyone taking on Tulo’s injury history, it certainly won’t be a team without a huge payroll. Otherwise, that risk can’t be mitigated. Zero chance he goes to the Mets, and even less chance the Mets give up the prospects listed in this article for Tulo.
As of today, the Mets starters are tied for 1st out of 30 teams in starter ERA. They are 4th out of 30 teams in bullpen ERA, just ahead of the Yankees. By FIP, it’s 6th out of 30, just behind the Yankees and ahead of the Royals. 3rd in baseball by xFIP. Their bullpen is anything but “lackluster”; it’s been sharp – one of the top pens in baseball.
The inclusion of the disabled list is just cruel!
Someone give Brad Johnson a medal.
I think the mets are very unlikely. The mets won’t take on close to all of tulo’s contract and they won’t give up the price it would cost to get tulo at 60% of his salary.
LOL> Great poll results. As a Rockies fan I want this guy gone already.
You want the best player in your franchise’s last 10 years and the face of the franchise gone because…. he wants to win, no matter where he does it?
So you aren’t a Rockies fan then, I guess.
Really liked this article and poll.. The disabled list selection was a nice touch.. It reminded me of when my cousin and I were on a business trip to Chicago years ago and went to a Cubs game. He decided to heckle Moises Alou by yelling “Hey Alou the only thing you can hit anymore is the D.L.” First time I have seen a player turn around and scowl at a comment..
If the Red Sox, who have plenty of bats and no pitching, wouldn’t give up Xander Bogaerts for Cole Hamels, there is no way they’d ship him out for a fading slugger whom they definitely don’t need.
They very well could do that if they want. If they were to trade Xander to Philly for Hamels, then they would have no capable starting SS. It they were to trade for Tulo giving up Xander in return, then they would be replacing the position with a better guy. I don’t think the Red Sox will specifically target him, but I could see them becoming interested at the right price.
A better question is why would the Rox trade Tulo for another hitter. They’d want pitching, no?
Theoretically, they’d possibly be interesting in Xander to fill the void. But it’d take more than him to land Tulo, so also theoretically, pitching would have to make up the rest of the package. Not that I like BOS as potential suitors.
I don’t see the Sox as a fit for Tulo in any way. However if they did trade Xander for Hamels I’d rather have Marrero at SS than Tulo. The Sox have enough injury prone guys on the team.
You’d rather have a completely unknown quantity at SS than the 2nd best player in baseball? It seems like Boston fans are over inflating their prospects yet again.
2nd best player in baseball seems like quite a stretch, and that’s without taking injury into consideration. I do get the underlying point however.
Actually since I am a Rockies fan, I consider Tulo the BEST player in baseball. I don’t have any stats to back it up, but then again I don’t need any stats to back up my personal opinion. I understand he had flaws and that’s why people talk against him. But then again there is a new article almost every day about some team’s fans that want this old, flawed, injury-prone player. People just talk him down to get the price tag down, but everyone wants him.
I think I’d take Trout, Stanton, Kershaw, Felix and Miggy over Tulo. The injuries really dampen his value.
To each their own. That’s why I tend away from the “black and white” stats view of the game. There are many different answers to who is the best player depending on your viewpoint. I really wanted to use the phrase “shades of gray” there, but that book/movie has really ruined that phrase for me.
add to that TT seems to be another Rockies player whose stats are inflated from playing half their games in Coors. Tulo is a .322 hitter in Denver and a mediocre .274 on the road with far fewer HR/RBI. OK numbers, sure but hardly worth (IMO) $100+million over the next six years. And in his 10 years, he’s played 150+ games in a season only twice. Plus, he’s hardly having a triple crown season right now. If TT is to go, the Rocks are going to have to eat part of his contract and I sure wouldn’t give up any serious prospects for him.
Since when is .274 “mediocre?”
I rate things: GREAT, GOOD, MEDIOCRE, POOR, AWFUL. In other words, a “C” average. Great 330+ Good 290-329 Medicore 270-289. Poor 240-269. Awful…under 240. TT has been good at home, mediocre on the road. He’s had a very good career when healthy—but not worth $100 million more AWAY from Coors.
Okay, but your ratings are not exactly widely accepted. I can set up my own ratings as well, but that doesn’t mean they are accepted or even accurate. But I guess as soon as you get hired by one of 30 teams as their GM, I will eat my words. Until then, I’ll just stick with standard definitions.
That’s the beauty of all this. You have your opinions of what is good/great/average etc…I have mine. I you think .274 is good, fine. I’m just a baseball fan and have been for over 50 years and have no expectations or desires to become a GM for any team.
Ah okay you’re a Rox fan, hard for me to say much more then, I’ve gotta respect that. Idk about putting him up THAT high, but he’s certainly one of the best players in the league when all is right with the guy. The injury thing is a legitimate concern(age not as much), but also shouldn’t signal a sell low for COL, he’s a great player, he’s just a rather sizable risk when you take into consideration what a team would be giving up for him.
I understand your points completely and I realize I have fan blindness, but as a fan I’m allowed to have that. However, I am about at the point where I would be okay with a trade just so everyone will stop talking about it constantly.
Like Todd Helton, he’s a great Rockies player whose numbers are inflated by Coors. Tulo may be worth $100 million over the next six years to the Rox, but not to any other team.
I guess the Rockies can never have a good player, huh? No one ever states that the numbers of Clayton Kershaw of Madison Bumgarner are influenced by their pitcher’s parks, but I guess it’s okay to just lump all Rockies into the same boat as PED users.
“They might have good numbers, but if they didn’t use then they wouldn’t be as good.”
“They might have good numbers, but if they didn’t play at Coors then they wouldn’t be as good.”
Seems fair.
Helton hit .345 at Coors….287 on the road. In my book, that’s “inflated”. Kershaw is great at home, good on the road. Bumgarner is actually better on the road.
The numbers are what they are. Matt Halliday, 361 @ Coors …291 everywhere else combined. Dante Bichette, .358 in Denver….278 away. Ellis Burks: .336/.247 Carlos Gonzales: 323/256 Eric Young 337/264 Vin Castilla 331/250 Walker: 380/294 Helton 345/287 Gallaraga 315/275. Hard to ignore the facts.
Let’s also compare the better hitting shortstops of the last 15 years in the NL…..Tulo vs Hanley Ramirez. I’ll give you TT has the better glove. But we’re just talking hitting numbers right now. HR is a career .299 hitter while TT is .298. I already talked about the home vs away split for TT. Consider Ramirez has a .364 average at Coors. Granted, it’s only 32 games HR played there but one can only wonder the type of numbers he would have had if Hanley played for The Rockies? Think of some of these guys and if they had played their careers in Denver: Vlad Guerrero hit 318 in his career but hit .382 in Coors. David Wright: 298 career–384 Denver. Chipper Jones: 303/333. Piazza 308/374 Votto: 309/339. I don’t have anything against any of the Rockies players but it’s pretty darn obvious playing in Denver is a pretty darn place to hit.
Whoa whoa whoa, fan. Red Sox fan. I don’t think you’ll find another one saying that. At least I hope not.
Tulo is no longer in the top 10 in baseball. Your info is out of date.
Out of the top 10 according to whom? Your argument is out of facts.
Ray x2, are you really trying to claim a guy with a .744 OPS and negative dWAR is one of the top 10 players in baseball? He was great 2 years ago. Those days are gone. he’ll play 90-130 games per season and be a 3-4 WAR player from now on. Probably no better than the 20th best player in baseball.
Douglas are you really trying to claim that you are using a sampling of one month of data to determine that Tulo is not good anymore? Until the ASG last year, he was arguably the best player in the game, even better than Trout. He had the best stats. But since you can see the future, I guess you know better than anyone else. Have a nice day.
never said he wasn’t good. he IS good. he’s just no longer great.
from 2012 to 2015 Tulo is tied for 49th in WAR among all batters. Is the last 520 games enough of a sample size for you?
Tulo has been injured a lot for the last 4 years and is STILL 49th in WAR. I’d say that is pretty GREAT for someone that has missed a lot of time. But that’s just my opinion.
if you think 49th and missing a lot of games is great then your team should keep him.
Thanks my team will keep him.
That seems to be working out quite poorly.
Thanks for your input. I will file it away in the most appropriate receptacle I can find.
Tell me I didn’t actually just read that
I think the Red Sox will get Tulowitzki and Hamels, as well as Cueto and Kazimer.
now that is pushing it, I don’t think the red sox will make all of those moves, I think they could make a package to get both Cueto and Chapman
Thanks, I forgot about Chapman. They’ll probably get him as well.
Sarcasm, no? That wasn’t the point I was trying to make. If anybody becomes available, the Red Sox are one of the few teams that have the pieces to acquire them. That is why you can’t count them out on anything. I was just stating that they could theoretically acquire Tulo if they wished, as crazy as it may sound.
Xander isn’t in Tulo’s league.
Of course…. Xander plays in the AL, not the NL.
Haha I see what you did there.
Bogaerts is holding his own in the majors at an age when most players are still in A or AA ball. He’s still an elite prospect. I would guess Xander and another prospect could get Tulo. But I also don’t think Boston’s real issue is at shortstop. And I don’t see Colorado giving up any pitching in a multi-player deal, unless maybe Boston really wants De La Rosa.
None of that matters. If there’s a high-priced name player available, then the Red Sox are gonna get him.
Maybe you’re right. They are just 4 games out, or something like that, with 120 games to go. The value of Tulo over Bogaerts the rest of the way is probably a couple of wins in favor of Tulo (assuming his early-season struggles aren’t a symptom of something problematic). Add in a decent #2-type starter and regression to the mean by Napoli and Betts, and Boston’s probably back in the thick of things in a pretty weak division.
As I noted elsewhere, I think the Red Sox will get Tulowitzki and Hamels, as well as Cueto and Kazimer. They’re a lock unless the Indians swoop in on Tulo as they’re geared up to go for it in 2015.
I think Cueto makes a little more sense for Boston, Kazmir possibly, simply because neither would require as much prospect depth. I don’t know what Cleveland’s budget situation is, and I know they like Francisco Lindor quite a bit, who would be blocked with a Tulo acquisition. Unless it’s Lindor involved in the trade.
They can move Lindor to 2B and Kipnis to 3B.
Or maybe move Tulo to 3rd? Lindor has a very good defensive reputation, and Tulo will slip a bit as he ages. Perhaps moving to 3rd would decrease his injury risk, too. Kipnis is bad at second and I just don’t know that he has the arm for third. Left field seems to be his final resting spot.
I don’t see a reason for Boston to give up on Bogey. He’s only 22! Boston’s issue is with pitching!
Tulowitzki hasn’t been great this season, but would have been a legit MVP candidate last season had he not gotten injured. Don’t think he’s a “fading slugger” by any means, although the injury history is a concern.
But he did get injured and has been injured a LOT during his career. TT is not Cal Ripkin. He’s missed close to 30% of his games and the last three years, he’s played in just over half the Rox games. One can only imagine the numbers Mantle and Griffey would have put up had they not been injured, either. And picture the type of careers MM & KGJ would have had IF they had played in Coors as their home field?
I think it’s going to be awfully hard for a trade to happen, simply because of what it’s going to cost to land him from COL in relation to what it is a team is buying. He’s an elite player when healthy, but that isn’t very often. COL has no reason to sell low on their star, but teams also may not be comfortable buying high with the type of injury risk he brings, giving up top prospects and taking on a considerable contract in the process. It’s just hard to envision a deal that makes both sides happy, but I suppose anything can happen in baseball given the right scenario.
If Tulo were to be traded, it would be really interesting to see the package. It seems that every perfect fit for Tulo either doesn’t have the prospects to get it done, or aren’t willing to take on his salary and give up the prospects. I think both the Yankees and Mets fit this category.
why on earth is the angels on the list
same with the blue jays
For when Reyes goes back on the DL… plug in Tulo… and vice versa. If the Jays didn’t want to pay a little extra for pitching… I don’t see how AA would risk his job taking on Tulo’s contract and health history.
Isnt Aybar a free agent at years end? Also could move Tulo over to 3rd
Na Aybar isn’t a free agent till after next season, but they don’t need tulo , they have aybar’s replacement in the farm and his name is roberto baldoquin , and then next year Kubitza should be ready to take over third base. all the angels need is a lefty bat or 2 of them and maybe another arm for the bullpen.
A Xander, Henry Owens, and Simon Mercedes package would be an interesting idea for Tulo if the Red Sox really feel it is time to move on from Xander. However, he seems like he’s playing much better all around baseball this season and I’d like to see him stick around.
Same. If they trade Owens I want it to be a pitcher. Owens and Magot plus Marreo, Coyle and ceccnni should be able to get a very good pitcher.
as a met fan if the mets give anything close to the package mentioned here Sandy should be run out of town as it would make Ryan for Fregosi look good in comparison
I don’t think it happens, the feeling I get is they view Thor right there in that top 10-15 prospect range, and Matz not very far behind.
You can’t give us the DL as an option and not expect it to win. But seriously, the Mets make the most sense, but I can’t see them being able to afford the contract. Not interested in the Red Sox making the move. Bogaerts is average this year and that’s fine. You have to keep some of the affordable players. Don’t really want to add payroll unless it’s pitching.
Mets have 30M coming off the books this year and Cuddyer coming of next. Not a far stretch to see it working, especially if they deal Murphy & Gee for prospects
Who is coming off the books for the mets? Colon and Murphy? I don’t think they add up to 30 mil.
Colon 11, Murphy 8, Gee 5, Parnell 4, Tejada 2, Mayberry 1
thanks for the followup. interesting to see how that money might be used next season.
If they were going to deal Gee, I think it already would have been done. I don’t see much coming for Murphy. That is a ton of money to take on for a long time. Well past when he’s be an elite player. It just doesn’t look like a Mets move.
What do you mean by it being a “ton of money to take on for a long time”? He’s being paid below market and is a free agent in 4 months. Is 4 months a long time now?
I was referring to Tulo.
For the Mets, the money is probably an issue but not the biggest issue. On a team with 11 of their best 25 on the DL, the last thing they should be doing is trading depth in order to put more eggs in a fragile basket. That’s before considering the fact that Wilmer Flores is outhitting Tulo and is much healthier and cheaper. I’d rather go with Flores and still have Thor/Matz/Rosario than have Tulo and lose those three.
I just don’t see the value. It is a lot of money, he is getting older, and is injured more than he is healthy.
I guess the money might be offset by all the revenue he causes…still those injuries…yikes. Very risky for the package it will take to get him.
To be fair, everyone on Earth is getting older…not just Tulo.
The only team on the entire list that makes any sense is the Mariners. Tulo would be an upgrade, and they could provide one of their SS and pitching back. They may also be silly enough to take on the contract. While the Dodgers can afford him, it just doesn’t seem like a Friedman move. Most of the other teams listed are just not financially able or willing to absorb that type of contract.
Seattle doesnt have the pitching, unless Colorado wants prospects down in double a and single a. With Kuma being out till July at the earliest SP is a need and cant afford to trade Walker, Paxton and Elias
So then, none of the teams listed made sense.
Yup, I can’t see the Dodgers trading for Tulo especially w/ the Dodgers already having Guerrero, Seager, and just signed Olivera. That will be the future INF.
So people think there’s an 85% chance he gets traded? What a joke. Any vote that isn’t the Rockies is pretty unreasonable.
Why? Makes a ton of sense for the Rockies to trade him. Also 38% of the people who voted think he will stay on the Rockies, between the actual rockies option and the disabled list option.
TT has put up some nice numbers but he’s spent a lot of time on the DL the last few years. Plus another thing to consider is that he’s a Coors hitter. His average is 322 in Denver and only 274 on the road. Power numbers: 100HR-353rbi at Coors. 78-262 away. Combine that with his big salary and frankly, I would back off this one unless the Rocks want to just give him away.
.274 is very solid for a shortstop. Compare his away stats to any active shortstop, and Tulo has better numbers than nearly all of them. His career power numbers away from Coors is impressive for a shortstop. Not to mention he is one of the best defensive shortstops in the game.
There is no way the Rockies would just give him away. A player of his caliber is hard to come by. The only thing that teams are worried about with Tulo is that he is injury prone.
being injury prone is not some minor issue, especially with a guy scheduled to make over $100 mil the next six years. If he’s hitting over .300 and playing every day, fine. But would you pay that much money for a .275 hitting shortstop whose power numbers are greatly reduced away from Coors? If the Rockies want to dump his salary, that’s one thing but to give up prospects for him? If I’m a GM, I say no thanks, I’ll make due.
He has 78 career home runs away from Coors Field in 1,845 AB. That would average to be about 23 Home runs a season. How many active shortstops could hit 23 HR a season for any team ? I doubt you could name many. Shortstop is a position where power is rare.
again, is it worth $100 million the next six years for 23 HR’s a year out of shortstop when you could get a player at another position who would hit more and would not be injured as much? TT has had a very nice career. But at that salary, I just don’t seem him being worth that amount of money especially with his being so fragile. Having a SS who can hit well is a nice bonus but most important is how good they are with the glove. Doesn’t mean Mario Mendoza bad but doesn’t have to be ARod good—because there’s only been one ARod.
Solid, yes. But is “solid” worth 100-million over the next six years? Colorado is paying him cause he hits over 300 for the season. And the fact he’s missed so many games is not a minor deal. I just don’t see him bringing a bunch of prospects and The Rockies will have to pick up a big part of that paycheck.
Those numbers make him the best hitting away shortstop on the road in baseball. Go compare his road numbers to other SS, not to his own Coors’ numbers.
But it’s not that much better and certainly not worth that huge contract….and you still have an often injured player who has missed nearly 30% of his games over his career and almost HALF his games over the last three years. That’s a helluva risk to take IMO.
I don’t disagree with any of that. Health and decline are great reasons why I wouldn’t want to trade for Tulo. But pretending like he can’t hit away from Coors when in reality, he’s literally the best hitting SS away from Coors in the entire sport is not good evidence for the anti-Tulo camp.
I never said he COULDN’T hit away from Coors. Only that his lifetime numbers are inflated because of Coors, just like Walker, Helton and several others. 15 years ago, we had a golden age of great to good hitting shortstops: ARod, Jeter, Nomar, Visquel, Rentirea, Tejada, Auriela, Guzman and a couple others. Now…there’s a shortage and Tulo is perhaps the best of the bunch when he’s healthy.
No Betts, Seager or Correa, but a Syndergaard/Matz or Severino/Judge package is acceptable? People say those two Yankees are too much for Cole Hamels (which that’s what it would take) and Cole Hamels is a far better deal and less injury risk compared to Tulo. plus Hamels has been a better player in terms of WAR. I really don’t get where some writers come up with stuff. Bogearats is a good idea for Tulo but not for Hamels who is superior in terms of value? Does not make sense.
imo I really think for Hamels it could come down to the cubs or the dodgers and my wildcard is the padres. I really would like to see the angels get him but they are doing pretty good on the pitching side of things, best starters era in the AL.
Tulo has been better in terms of fWAR, at least. Not sure about bWAR.
How do the Nationals not make the list when they’ve got a weak shortstop who is a free agent after this year, more pitching prospects than they know what to do with, and a boatload of cash they’ve proven quite willing to spend on star prospects (Werth, Zimmerman, Scherzer)? They’ve also reportedly expressed interest, FWIW.
Tulo and Desmond are probably the two best offensive shortstops in the game , I know desmond is struggling a little bit but he’s right up there with tulo with the power but not with the glove.
There are three major issues with Desmond right now, from the Nats’ perspective:
1. He’s a free agent after this year. The Nats are already paying a lot of money for a player (Werth) who hasn’t lived up to potential. I don’t think they want to give a pay raise to a shortstop who has been their weak link both offensively and defensively so far this season.
2. His error count. The rest of the team has improved dramatically since that incredible 13-12 comeback win in Atlanta. Desmond has not. He had two against the Diamondbacks the other day, a game the Nats should have lost and somehow (Moore, Taylor) didn’t.
3. His batting average. Desmond’s gone from being one of the club’s most productive hitters last year to being one of their least this year. It’s easy to strike him out, because he wants to take every pitch long. He’s a rare sight on base and a rarer sight crossing home plate.
All in all, I understand well the rumors that the Nats are interested in Tulowitzki. They could probably afford to part ways with Desmond plus a minor-league pitcher or two; hell, at this point, they could afford to trade Strasburg (with both Roark and Cole as ready replacements in the rotation) and might be better off for it.
Probably because they’ll move Yanel Escobar to SS in 2016 if Trea Turner is not ready.
If they lose both Zimmerman and Desmond to free agency after this season, that’s two big holes in their infield they need to plug. Espinosa and Uggla have been good-not-great offensively this season. In theory, they could put Rendon, Escobar, and either Turner or Espi on bases and Tulowitzki on short for the 2016 season (with Tulowitzki probably displacing the slumping Desmond if he’s acquired before the deadline this year).
Well with losing Zimmermann and Doug Fister they can fill them holes easily. but desmond I think is one of the players they can’t afford to lose. they offered him over 100 mill and I think he turned it down, next year I kinda see him with the yankees. but then the nationals could move Escobar to short, rendon at third, and if they needed a second basemen, howie kendrick would fit nice
Ryan Zimmerman isn’t going anywhere. He’s signed through 2020 I believe.
Tulo needs to become a full time DH if he is to stay healthy.
Yeah. No one wants him now. Like Hamels.
Give Hamels one or two more starts and he will be gone
Pretty clear the Rockies waited way too long to trade Tulo.
“The Mets should have the financial capability to afford his salary…..”
So where does Cameron get this info from? Wilpon is broke
Not really. Their payouts to Madoff were dropped to just around $70 million. They aren’t on great financial footing but their purchasing power is underrated.
God I hope NOT with The Mets! Flores is a YOUNG guy still learning and I still believe he will be a descent SS with good power. Give the guy a chance. Dont get why everybody wants immediate results! This guy will cost The Mets alot of $$ and Flores will then blossem somewhere else.And quite frankly what The Mets need right now to compete is a legitimate power hitter. Their pitching is on the verge of great, but folks like Cuddyer, Granderson, Wright, and Murphy are not going to get good pitches without that BIG threat in the lineup! Back in the day, Strawberry had alot of strikeouts, but EVERY time he got up to bat he brought with him a pressance. Folks did not change the channel, get up to take a restroom break, go get some crackerjacks when he stepped to the plate.Pitchers pitched around him when the game was on the line. The Mets need THAT guy now! The guy that will make a differance to the guys around him! This is one mans opinion!
My only problem with Flores is the iffy glove. He’s tied for lead in the ML in SS
HR’s. Tulo is always hurt. The Mets can never keep guys on the field. This would have disaster written all over with it and all it leaves us is Tejada starting at SS again and our entire farm system in Colorado. They best NOT do any trade for Tulo.
If the mets wanted a short stop that bad, they should go ask the cubs about starlin castro
….the worst of the Cubs’ highly touted prospects? Russell or Baez would be far better options. Yes, more expensive.
Castro is easily more expensive than Russell or Baez. The proven Major Leaguer with a cheap extension would definitely require more in a return than Russell or Baez. His floor is higher than either of the other two even though their ceilings are higher.
Nah. I’d rather have Flores at SS and still have guys like Thor and Matz in the system than acquire Castro or Tulo.
Tampa Bay, really?? C’mon now
I saw somebody said that the rays should consider trading Longoria to the cubs for some of their prospects.
Is Tulo blocking anyone in the Rockies’ organization? If not, then any trade package for him would obviously need to include a major league ready SS.
Trevor Story is hitting ~.350 for their AA affiliate.
I voted the Blue Jays because I’m a homer, and it would be some sort of compensation for drafting Rickie Romero one pick before Tulo.
The thing is this: do you want to give $100 million bucks the next six years to an injury prone shortstop for “very solid” numbers? He’s a Denver hitter. Great home numbers and mediocre numbers on the road, like Helton, Castilla, Walker, Galarraga and Holiday before him.
99% of MLB players would hit better at Coors than on the road if they played for the Rockies. Matt Holliday has proven he can hit away from Coors Field. He has made several all star teams with the Cardinals.
so why Pay $100 million for a 274 average? He’s being paid for Coors stats. Outside of Colorado, he’s not that special. ARod, Jeter, Nomar—they were special.
You’re forgetting the fact that he averages 23 home runs a year away from Coors Field. How many shortstops can hit .274 with 23 home runs a season ? Not many I can guarantee you.
$100 million is nothing in today’s game. Shin-Soo Choo got a $130 million dollar contract, and he is a .271 away career hitter with less power than Tulo.
Choo was an incredibly stupid signing for Texas and don’t think the talk shows in Dallas aren’t filled with anti-Choo talk. Shin has done well the last three weeks after hitting under 100 in april. At least, Rangers didn’t give up anything but money to get Choo. How can another team gloss over TT’s injuries? If you’re an owner, why would you want to give up prospects and pay $100 million for a shortstop who, in your words, is merely solid away from Coors and in his ten year career has played in 150+ games only twice and 140-games three times?
It’s not just Choo either. Mark Teixeria and Ryan Howard both got over $100 million dollar contracts, and they hit for a lot lower average than Tulo does on the road.
.274 average is very good for a shortstop with power, and gold glove defense imo. Tulo when healthy is arguably the best shortstop in the game, although this year he has been struggling thus far. Injuries have always been the concern with Tulo. It is a risk other teams would have to take.
He’s the best road-hitting SS in baseball, so let’s keep that in mind. Obviously he hits better at Coors, but he hits better away than all other shortstops, too.
But $100 million bucks better? 🙂
I wouldn’t acquire him. As a Mets fan, I’d rather keep Flores and all the young pitching since guys get hurt.
you can’t ever have “too much good pitching”
Why are the Nats not listed? In my mind, they’re the best fit.
you’d be crazy to send a great young prospect for that guy and his contract. (unless the Rockies agree to pay half of it)