Tulowitzki’s Hardware Haul
Baseball legend Satchel Paige once stated “Aint no man can avoid being born average, but there aint no man got to be common.” No where in the modern major league landscape is this attribution more applicable than the Colorado Rockies own Troy Tulowitzki. Consistently lauded by his peers for his hard work ethic and commitment to playing the game the right way, Tulowitzki’s efforts continue to pay off big time.
Although the 2011 season ended on a sour note for the Rockies, a bright spot can be found in the performance of the franchise shortstop. Troy’s aptitude for making breathtaking defensive plays look routine earned him both the Rawlings Gold Glove and the Fielding Bible Award earlier this week. Both of these awards are presented to the player that excels the most defensively at his position. With Range Factors and Fielding Percentages that led the league, along with being in the top five in both Assists and Putouts, Tulowitzki’s performance guaranteed him a virtual lock for the accolades.
While a majority of the team struggled to find any rhythm offensively in 2011, Tulowitzki again had an incredible offensive output this year. He hit .302 while slamming 30 Home Runs and driving in 105 RBI, phenomenal numbers for a player that had missed nearly 20 games throughout the season. Troy’s impressive offensive output in the 2011 season ended with him earning his second consecutive Silver Slugger award this Wednesday.
Clearly, Troy Tulowitzki continually transcends the expectations that are laid before him. In no way has Tulowitzki accepted the role of being “common.” While the Rockies continue to search for the right combination of players to bring a championship to Denver, they can be assured that in Tulowitzki, they have found a true diamond in the rough.
Congratulations Tulo on your 2011 Silver Slugger, Rawlings Gold Glove and Fielding Bible awards. May there be many more to come. Keep up the good work!