TROY TULOWITZKI – 10 YEARS – $157.7 MILLION
After his first five seasons, all with the Colorado Rockies, Tulowitzki had established himself as a dominant offensive shortstop. His fourth and fifth season, he hit 27 and 32 home runs. His batting average had climbed to .315 in his fifth season. He was a premier defender recognized as a gold glove caliber shortstop. In 2007, he was a big factor in getting the Rockies into the World Series, which they lost to the Red Sox.
Everything was projecting in an upward movement and the future seemed very bright. In 2008, he signed a 6 year $31 million contract at the age of 24. Even though he was slowed by injuries in 2010, limiting him to 122 games, he still hit 27 home runs and batted .315
THE BIG DAY
Because of his consistent All Star level performance, in 2011 the Rockies extended his contract by an additional 6 years for an additional $120 million. The new extension totaled his guarantee to $157 million over 10 years. He played 5 years under the new contract with the Rockies. In 2012 due to injuries he was able to play in only 47 games. Every one of the five years he batted over .300. Injuries limited his games in 2014 and 2015. When he played he was effective. In a move shocking to many, in July of 2015, the Rockies traded their All Star shortstop to the Toronto Blue Jays for Jose Reyes (another Swing Badder nominee).
The Blue Jays received a player with 5 years left on his large contract. In September he cracked his shoulder blade which kept him out for the next 18 games. He played 41 games and batted .239 in his 41 games with the Blue Jays. In 2016, the Blue Jays began to realize that Tulowitzki’s best years may have been behind him . He finished the season batting .254 with 24 homeruns. In 2017, the third year of the Blue Jays commitment, it all fell apart. Tulowitzki played in only 66 games. He batted .248 hitting only 7 homeruns. The Blue Jays gave up and released him eating $38 million left in his contract.
The Blue Jays paid Tulowitzki $98 million. He played only 3 seasons. He never batted over .254. He hit only 36 home runs in the three season. It was a total disaster for the Blue Jays. Tulowitzki played five games the next year with the Yankees and his career ended. The Rockies had a great Hall of Fame shortstop for nine full seasons. They trade him to the Blue Jays letting Toronto pay $98 million of his contract for virtually no production. The Blue Jays have long regretted the move and this contract has moved them into the Swing Badder voting progress.
