Troy Tulowitzki Tries to Answer Skeptics

SAN FRANCISCO -- Troy Tulowitzki knows that this is the rubber year. After a brilliant rookie season and a forgettable, injury-marred second year, this is the year for him to show which of the others was legit.

"I believe in myself and my abilities," the Rockies shortstop said, "but there are some doubters out there. People want to see if (2007) was a fluke."

So far, the stats aren't doing much to make his case in 2009. Tulowitzki is hitting just .203, and earlier this week he was in such a tailspin that he was benched for a game.

To listen to Tulowitzki and those around him, though, the numbers don't tell the whole story. It is a story about a kid with one year in the majors who gets anointed by the public as a star, and gets a multi-million contract to match.

"They put too much pressure on him," Todd Helton said, "instead of letting him be a 23-year-old shortstop."

Helton said "they" means "anybody." Tulowitzki knows that "they" includes the guy in the mirror.

"I set the bar pretty high for myself," said Tulowitzki.

That 2007 season was a memorable one. Tulowitzki hit .291 with 24 homers and 99 RBIs. He played brilliant defense. He became a clubhouse leader. His Rockies -- yes, his Rockies -- won just about every day in September and early October to bolt into the World Series.

A few months later, the Rockies gave him a six-year, $31-million contract, at the time the largest contract ever for a player with less than two years of service time.

He was riding high, but carrying a heavy load.

"With young players when you give them big contracts, it's almost the same as (the pressure) on a big free agent," said Rockies hitting coach Don Baylor. "Guys try to live up to that expectation. I'm pretty sure they'll deny it, but I've been there. I know how that is. You just want to do so well and you end up doing less."

Tulowitzki started the 2008 season in a slump and then he suffered a quad injury that cost him two months. He came back and hit a quiet .327 in the second half, but he said he never felt good.

He was not healthy or happy.

Tulowitzki carried all the bad days home with him, and even the not-so-bad ones. He worked. He stewed. He worked some more. He was mostly miserable.

When Baylor joined the Rockies this year, he quickly figured out Tulowitzki's problem.

"He just needs to relax," Baylor said.

They spent the spring working on refining his swing and his attitude. Tulowitzki said the latter helped him get through a month in which the former still hasn't been quite right.

"If you ask anybody, there is definitely a difference how I've carried myself," Tulowitzki said. "You could tell when I was down last year. I think I've done a good job this year of being the same person whether I was successful that day or not."

After an 0-for-19 slump dropped his average to .167, he was given a day off on Tuesday. He and Baylor then started doing a extra work in the cage, trying to get back the swing changes they had made in spring training.

All the while, though, Tulowitzki insisted his head was in the right place.

"I got off to another slow start, but it's one of those things," he said. "I think I learned a lesson last year. It's made me a better person and a better player. Everything happens for a reason.

"Now, I love coming to the field. I'm not happy with an 0-for-4, but there are bigger things in life."