NewsTulowitzki more relaxed at the plate
Rockies' young shortstop off to great start this season
By Thomas Harding / MLB.com
04/09/09 4:25 PM ET
DENVER -- Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki is a long way from old. Not even his various mustaches and goatee looks make him look much older than his 24 years. But one can mature quickly in a couple of Major League seasons.Tulowitzki plays with too much passion to ever be described as cold and calculating. But if the first three games of 2009 are an indication, Tulowitzki is not letting his frenetic energy hurt as much as it helps. That was the case in his last two Aprils, when hit a combined .193, including .152 last year before suffering a torn right quadriceps tendon on April 29.
Tulowitzki hit solo homers off the Diamondbacks' Brandon Webb and Dan Haren, respectively, in the season's first two games. Quieter but equally as indicative of his maturing hitting approach, Tulowitzki walked a career-high three times in his third game. He didn't walk as many as two times all last season, when he endured injuries and slumps and hit .263, a dramatic drop from his .291 rookie year.
Heading into the Rockies' home opener on Friday afternoon against the Phillies, Tulowitzki is 3-for-10 with a .462 on-base percentage.
"My rookie year, there were some nerves and a little emotion," Tulowitzki said. "Last year, I got overexcited because I felt like I needed to do a little bit too much.
"But you get older in this game. I'm not old by any means, but it's my third year going into it. It's all a learning experience every year. I'm more relaxed than I have been."
Tulowitzki boiled down his offensive approach to patience. This spring he worked on letting the ball travel deeper while he was at the plate. When he has slumped, it's usually because he cut loose of his swing too soon.
Before the 2008 season, Tulowitzki maintained a high batting average during the spring, but it turned out to be fool's gold. Hitters can build their averages in the early part of the spring by swinging aggressively against pitchers who often merely are working on their fastballs. Hits off pitchers who are struggling to make teams or hits off Minor Leaguers also inflate averages.
Results were slow early in this spring, as Tulowitzki was the one who was concentrating on his approach and not just trying to build numbers. But Tulowitzki was hot by the end -- when pitchers were using the patterns they'd use in a game that counts.
No one expects Tulowitzki to produce home runs on two-thirds of his hits. The chances of a slump or two are high. But Colorado manager Clint Hurdle said Tulowitzki has built a foundation to return to when those times occur.
"This kid is a survivor ... there's too much fight in him," Hurdle said. "Everybody wants to start off well. What he did to get off to a good start was he really stayed focused on the mechanics of his swing and the process, and stopped looking at results so much."
Tulowitzki's familiar confidence actually returned during the latter half of the 2008 season.
After returning from a lacerated right hand, which occurred when he slammed his bat in frustration after being removed in extra innings of a July 4 game, Tulowitzki hit .327 with five home runs and 62 RBIs in his final 62 games. When asked during the offseason or throughout Spring Training about his confidence level, he always pointed out his strong finish.
Now there's no doubting what he says. Whether it's a Webb sinker or a Haren slider, Tulowitzki believes he can win any contest of wits and abilities. Haren, who had a history of success against him, had gotten a slider by him the pitch before the home run.
"I'm just trying to make it as simple as possible," Tulowitzki said. "It's trusting your swing; not worrying about what the pitcher has. You're thinking about what location he's going to throw to.
"I like my chances, and other guys will say the same. When we have our good swing going, no matter what pitch it is or what location, I like our chances."
When the Rockies made their unexpected appearance in the World Series in 2007, Tulowitzki was lauded for his winning attitude. An oft-told story is he announced to his teammates early in the year that he had never lost and wasn't going to start losing.
Last year proved the Major Leagues are full of teams and players who hate losing. There was plenty to hate in the Rockies' 74-88 finish. Tulowitzki even chided himself for becoming withdrawn when he was struggling.
However, he will take the field with a crowd that is hoping he'll rebound. And the crowd will get used to Tulowitzki. He's only in the second year of a six-year, $31.5 million contract. His No. 2 jersey is one of the most popular among fans, and his interactions are overwhelmingly positive.
"That's huge for me because I was such a big fan of the game," said Tulowitzki, who grew up in Sunnyvale, Calif., cheering for the Athletics. "I remember going to the games and wanting to get guys' autographs. I just enjoyed watching the guys that played the game the right way and played hard.
"When fans come up to me and say, 'You're my favorite player because of the way you play the game,' it's so special."
Thomas Harding is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
