Tulo: Not playing will 'drive me nuts'

Shortstop now must focus on his rehab

By Tracy Ringolsby, Rocky Mountain News

Saturday, May 3, 2008

Troy Tulowitzki may be sidelined for as long as two months.

Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki figured things were as good as they could get. He had an eye-opening rookie season, then signed a six-year, $31 million deal, the largest given a player with less than two years' worth of major league experience.

Now he's finding out how bad things can get. He tore a tendon in his left quadriceps near his hip, and most likely will be out until the All-Star break. He officially will be placed on the disabled list today, when the Rockies activate left-handed pitcher Jorge De La Rosa to start against the Los Angeles Dodgers tonight at Coors Field.

"Sometimes, you ask yourself why things happen," Tulowitzki said Friday. "I guess it shows why you never get too high. Coming off last year and signing the contract I signed has to be as good as it gets. . . . This is definitely frustrating."

For the Rockies, it means some roster juggling. Clint Barmes, the Opening Day shortstop in 2005 and 2006 who, last weekend, was told he would move from a utility role to become the primary second baseman, returns to his original position. Omar Quintanilla will see some time at short but also will play at second, along with Jeff Baker.

"It's a challenge for him and a challenge for our club," manager Clint Hurdle said of Tulowitzki. "He has to get well, pay attention to the trainers and realize there's no timetable. I told him the best thing he can do for the team is not get ornery.

"No one raises their hand to get in front of the line for adversity, but you better deal with it."

The frustration comes, in part, from uncertainty. Tulowitzki said he has heard various timetables for how long he could be on the disabled list - the most optimistic being four weeks but the most mentioned being two months.

"It's one of those sports injuries," he said. "I've heard not too many baseball players have had it. It's more soccer and football, people who tend to kick a lot. The good news is, I've heard of some athletes who had it and came back."

For now, Tulowitzki's day consists of getting treatment on the injured area, with plenty of ice. Doctors want to relieve the inflammation and drain the excess blood from the injury so they can get a better look at the way the tendon tore off the bone.

Then Tulowitzki will get a more detailed rehabilitation program.

"It will definitely drive me nuts," he said. "I will definitely watch the game and try to keeping learning. Being around the big-league game can help improve my skills. . . . It will be tougher mentally, watching my teammates coming on the field and knowing I am not going to play."

It is the second time Tulowitzki will miss an extended period because of an injury in his baseball career, dating to his amateur days. Shortly after signing with the Rockies as a first-round draft pick in 2005 and reporting to Single-A Modesto, he strained his left quadriceps.

"That was a little lower," he said. "That time, I was running and came up a little lame. This time, it gave out on me."

Tulowitzki wasn't even supposed to play Tuesday at San Francisco. But Baker, in the lineup at second base, broke a blood vessel in the middle finger of his right hand while throwing a ball during batting practice. A quick adjustment was made, with Tulowitzki going in at shortstop and Barmes moving from short to second.

"I was properly stretched and ready to go," he said. "I had time to be ready."

On the second play of the game, Tulowitzki made an off-balance throw to first, suffering the injury. He tried to stay in the game, but three plays later he had to hold up after starting to break for a ball up the middle.

"I tried to stay in the game because I knew our infield situation," he said. "I tried to tough it out, but I had nothing on that last play. My leg gave out."

And now, Tulowitzki is sitting out, most likely for the next couple of months.