The Rockies are keeping their "eyes and ears open" for offers on star players Troy Tulowitzki and Carlos Gonzalez, according to Fox Sports' Ken Rosenthal.
Rockies reportedly willing to trade Troy Tulowitzki, Carlos Gonzalez
The Rockies are facing a potential payroll dilemma and might be willing to part with a couple of star players who could fetch a decent return in trades.
Mike Ehrmann
Colorado owner Dick Monfort previously made public his disinterest in parting with the duo, but new general manager Jeff Bridich seems to have swayed his boss in a different direction, per Rosenthal. The Rockies reportedly don’t plan to embark on a full rebuilding effort and aren’t actively looking to trade either player, but it might be in their best interest to part with at least one. Colorado’s payroll is expected to remain around $95 million in 2015, and the salaries of Tulowitzki and Gonzalez would make up $36 million of that total. That’s a lot of money for a pair of players who failed to crack 100 games last season.
Complicating matters even more is the team's decision to extend a $15.3 million qualifying offer to 36-year-old outfielder Michael Cuddyer, who, like Tulowitzki, has averaged fewer than 100 games per season in each of the last three years. In fairness to the Rockies, no player has ever accepted a qualifying offer, but Cuddyer is realistic candidate to become the first.
Tulowitzki’s agent, Paul Cohen, issued a response to Rosenthal regarding the rumors surrounding his client, who he compared to three legendary athletes:
”Right now he’s totally immersed in his work and his rehab. He knows the life of a pro athlete can certainly lead to change of this nature. It happened to Gretzky, to Shaquille O’Neal, to Joe Montana. It wouldn’t be the first time a noteworthy player has moved on.
”He has such a familial relationship, a close personal relationship with the ownership group, he’s not going to talk about it right now. If something ever came up, his hope and expectation is that he would be able to sit down with the front office and ownership and have a conversation about it because of his history with them.
“He loves playing there, loves the fan base, loves living there. If ultimately it’s best for the Rockies and they approach him (about a trade), he’ll deal with it accordingly. Right now just wants to focus on his rehab and get ready for a terrific season.”
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