Rockies fans want to send star shortstop Troy Tulowitzki to the All-Star game being played in Cincinnati on July 14th. His fate is currently being decided by a fan vote but there may be more at stake than just another rote appearance by the four-time All-Star. Tulowitzki has had a pretty decent year and it’s been far better than the disabled list bound season we all thought he’d have.
Arguably the Rockies best player, Tulo certainly deserves a spot on the All-Star roster this year compared to the last few injury riddled ones, but voting him in would be a mistake because a vote for Tulo would be another feather in the cap of Dick Monfort.
In yet another lost season where it seems like there wasn’t a very good plan going in and a systematic train wreck throughout the year, Monfort is hoping fans will forget all of that and focus on the fact that three of their players are participating in an event that makes the Grammys look relevant. And with the winner of the All-Star game getting home field advantage in the World Series, this registers a big fat zero for the Rockies and you.
It’s great that Nolan Arenado and DJ LeMahieu were selected as reserve players. Both were deserving and if/when they move on from the Rockies, they could be back to the midsummer classic as starters. But all this does is embolden Monfort to think he is on the right track. During the Root Sports broadcast the other night when the Rockies were being assaulted by the Angels, the Root boys couldn’t help themselves from mentioning the word “All-Star” every chance they got. No doubt a mandated “pay no attention to the horrible baseball going on behind the curtain” ploy to take your mind off the atrocity going on between the base paths.
Arenado is having a transcendent season and I’m sure this is an honor for him, but the way Rockies management has been licking its lips and letting everyone know they have two players going to MLB’s showcase event, is as obvious as a home run ball leaving Kyle Kendrick’s hand.
The Monforts will use this to justify another year of the same old crap. I was willing to give Jeff Bridich at least another season after this one to show what he can do. But it’s becoming clear he can’t fix this runaway, flaming shopping cart of dog feces we call the Rockies because the ownership is so clueless. And sending two players to the All-Star game is precisely the kind of thing management will point to in their continued non-commitment to excellence.
Fans aren’t angry anymore that the Rockies are awful. They’re weary. And as fans get weary of losing, it takes more energy to care. And that ultimately translates in to less people going to the ball park and buying $7 beers.
Yes, I know the argument where it doesn’t matter how bad the Rockies are, people will still come. But at some point, even the allure of the beautiful Coors Field won’t bring people in. It will simply become too much of a bother, financially and spiritually, to spend any more precious time at 20th and Blake. Fans will begin to stay away. Unless of course Rockies management does something to stop the bleeding.
But they won’t because they have two, possibly three “All-Stars” lining their wallets and more importantly, filling up their excuse vault.
If I told you at the beginning of the season that the Rockies would have three All-Stars at some very key positions on the field, you’d think the season was a success. But it’s not. It’s the usual catastrophe that won’t be helped by having players honored with an All-Star trip. Voting ends Friday but please don’t send Tulo to the All-Star game. Not because he doesn’t deserve it, but because the Rockies don’t deserve it.
