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Tulo in the Middle of it All
by Doug Krikorian, Long Beach Press-Telegram
October 22, 2007
Troy Tulowitzki, who has helped lead the Colorado Rockies on their surprising
run to the World Series, was a three-year player at Long Beach State.
He hit 20 home runs, had 117 RBI, and batted .310 for the Dirtbags. (Jeff
Gritchen / Press-Telegram)
Troy Tulowitzki is on the line from Denver, and he admits what has unfolded
in his life in recent times defies reality.
"It's all a little unreal, surrealistic," he says. "A couple
of months ago I'd walk around town, and no one would know who I was or
would say to me, `You better get it together soon, or you'll be sent down.'
"People don't realize I've had some downs this season, and really
struggled early in the season when I even heard the boos. But that's changed.
Everywhere I go now in Denver people will come up to me and say, `Thanks.
Good job.' I've actually been getting the rock star treatment."
They're raving about Troy Tulowitzki these hours in the wake of the astounding
ascension of the Colorado Rockies that has resulted in this obscure ball
club landing a spot in the World Series.
They're saying that Tulowitzki should be NL Rookie of the Year, and that
the hitting, throwing, fielding and leadership skills of the 23-year-old
shortstop are one of the compelling reasons for the Rockies opening the
Fall Classic Wednesday night against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park.
They're saying that Tulowitzki possesses so many of the qualities of his
favorite player, Derek Jeter, who was the last rookie shortstop to start
in the World Series when he did it in 1996 for the New York Yankees against
the Atlanta Braves.
They're saying that Tulowitzki's value can't be measured in numbers, and
there is no way his team would have won 21 of its past 22 starts without
Tulowitzki's fierce competitiveness and calming influence.
The flood of media tributes now suddenly engulfing Tulowitzki might be
a surprising development to those sporting observers who never were familiar
with Tulowitzki until the Rockies' magical roll, but it isn't surprising
to Troy Buckley, the assistant head coach and recruiting coordinator of
the Long Beach State baseball team.
After all, it is Buckley who holds the distinction of discovering Tulowitzki,
having seen Tulowitzki perform in an Area Code Baseball workout camp in
Sacramento in July of 2001 when Tulowitzki was a 16-year-old set to enter
his senior year at Fremont High in Sunnyvale.
"Tulo was just a tall, skinny kid in those days, but I liked his
arm, his hands, his bat speed and his sound fundamentals," says Buckley,
who has remained close with Tulowitzki and speaks to him on a regular
basis.
But the Dirtbags already had a commitment from a heralded high school
shortstop, Riverside Poly's Donnie Murphy, to succeed the departed Bobby
Crosby, and Buckley didn't pursue Tulowitzki.
But then it turned out in mid August that Murphy - now a reserve infielder
with the Oakland A's - was an academic non-qualifier.
"We need a shortstop," the Dirtbags' head coach, Mike Weathers,
told Buckley.
Troy Buckley hadn't forgotten Troy Tulowitzki.
He had seen him play for the Giants' team in a couple of Area Code Games
later that summer at Blair Field, and continued to be impressed.
"In looking back, we were probably very fortunate that Tulo only
saw limited action in the Area Code competition in Long Beach because
he had a commitment to play for his Santa Clara Red Sox team in the Palomino
League World Series," relates Buckley. "A lot of other guys
would have broken that commitment and played in all the Area Code games
where all the scouts and college recruiters gather. But not Tulo. He's
a very loyal guy."
And, fortunately for Long Beach State and its Dirtbag baseball program,
Troy Tulowitzki wasn't being pursued by many other colleges.
"Washington State and San Jose States were the only other ones expressing
an interest in Tulo at the time," says Buckley. "When I first
talked to Tulo, I told him about what happened with Donnie Murphy, and
that we thought Tulo would fit in nicely with our program. He and his
family soon would come to the school for a visit, and he would commit
by the middle of that September."
"Best choice I ever made was going to Long Beach State," says
Tulowitzki. "It was great there. The coaches were great. The camaraderie
on the team was great. I'll do anything to help Long Beach State in its
recruiting because I honestly think it's the best place for a young player
to attend."
Ironically, it would be in another sport - basketball - that would convince
Troy Buckley that Troy Tulowitzki was a special athlete.
"I was in Northern California during the holidays and Tulo was playing
in one of those Christmas tournaments in a game against Elk Grove High,"
says Buckley. "He was his team's point guard, and after every timeout,
after every free throw, he would gather his team together and give instructions
and encouragement. He was like a coach on the floor, in total control.
"I remember calling Coach Weathers up and saying, `I think we're
going to have a special leader in Troy Tulowitzki.' And that certainly
turned out to be the case."
The 6-3 Tulowitzki certainly made a dramatic impact during his three years
with the Dirtbags, as he clubbed 20 home runs, had 117 RBI, batted .310
and fielded consistently in 155 games.
A minor league infielder himself for seven seasons, Mike Weathers immediately
noticed a trait in Tulowitzki that caught his attention.
"The ball always would go into his glove," says Weathers, and
that certainly has been the case this season as Tulowitzki committed only
11 errors during the regular season despite handling 740 chances, a major
league high. "That's something that's instinctual, that you're born
with. His hands and feet just work together. You can't teach that."
Tulowitzki also hasn't made an error during the playoffs, and has made
several spectacular plays, including one in the NLCS against Arizona on
a double play feed from second baseman Kazuo Matsui in which he made a
reverse pirouette and threw a strike to first baseman Todd Helton to nab
the runner.
"He made those kind of plays at practice all the time - and sometimes
in our games," says Weathers.
Both Mike Weathers and Troy Buckley aren't surprised that Troy Tulowitzki
is performing admirably in the major leagues, but you get the impression
that neither expected him to dispense the statistics - .291 average, 24
homers, 99 RBI - that he did in his first season.
"I knew Tulo was very capable, but I never thought he'd do quite
this well this soon," says Weathers.
"On the offensive side, I thought it would take him a while to figure
it all out," says Buckley. "But Tulo is a hard worker always
striving to get better, and I'm not surprised that he figured it out quicker
than I thought he would. That's the kind of athlete he is."
"Baseball is Troy Tulowitzki's life," says Weathers. "He
loves the game and he plays it the way it should be played."
The reports out of Colorado is that Troy Tulowitzki already has taken
charge of the team's clubhouse despite his modest age.
"I saw something late in the season in a Rockies game at Dodger Stadium
that showed me once again Tulo's leadership ability," relates Buckley.
"It was late in the game, and the Rockies' reliever, Brian Fuentes,
threw a couple of balls. Tulo called timeout, and went to the mound and
talked to Fuentes. Now you just don't see rookie shortstops do such a
thing, but Troy Tulowitzki isn't your normal rookie shortstop."
Troy Tulowitzki admitted early in the season he spoke up a couple of times
in the Rockies' clubhouse.
"There were a few guys who had come to accept losing, and I let it
be known that wasn't acceptable to me," he says. "Obviously,
I didn't come here as a 22-year-old, and declare myself the leader. But
I did let my feelings known a few times."
But even Troy Tulowitzki admits he never envisioned the Rockies would
go on their unprecedented late season spurt.
"We just got hot and have stayed hot," he says. `We've gone
out every day and played as well as we can - and things just have kept
working out for us."
Still, Tulowitzki admits he once was a member of a team that won with
even greater frequency than the Rockies have the past month.
"I was on a Little League team that won 40 straight games,"
he said, with a laugh. "Of course, Little League is slightly different
than the Major Leagues. I just hope it continues for us in the World Series." |
