Rockies Extend Tulowitzki: 6-Years $30 Million

The Colorado Rockies have reportedly agreed to a contract extension with SS-R Troy Tulowitzki on a record six-year $30 million contract with a club option for 2014. This deal represents the largest contract for a player with only one-year of service time, eclipsing the six-year $23.45 million contract signed by CF-L Grady Sizemore in 2006.

Big ups to General Manager Dan O’Dowd and the Colorado Rockies front office for getting this deal done. They have managed to give themselves cost certainty through Tulowitzki’s arbitration years and have cut into his first two seasons of free agency provided they pick up their club option. As a result, Tulo won’t become a free agent until he turns 30.

Still, for the kid who was drafted 7th overall out of Long Beach State in 2005, Tulowitzki must be happy and he sure earned his new contract. Tulowitzki is coming off a stellar rookie season where he hit .291/.359/.479 with 24 home runs and 99 RBI in 609 at-bats. Tulowitzki also made a name for himself as a wizard with the glove and rated as the second best shortstop in baseball according to defensive zone rating and finished the season 24 fielding runs above average (FRAA). He finished in second place in rookie of the year voting behind 3B-R Ryan Braun of Milwaukee.

Regardless of what happens with LF-R Matt Holliday, whether he departs as a free agent following the 2009 season, Tulowitzki is exactly the type of player an organization wants to lock up longterm and build around as his defense at a middle of the diamond position will keep his value high. The only concern is his road performance as his he hit only .256/.327/.393 with 9 home runs, compared to .326/.392/.568 with 15 home runs at home. This disparity is troubling, but isn’t too much cause for concern as it was his rookie season.

All in all, this is a great deal for the Rockies and their fans.

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The St. Louis Cardinals have given C-R Yadier Molina a four-year extension with a club option for 2012. Like the Tulowitzki deal, this will keep the catcher with the Cardinals through one or two of his free agent seasons. Molina, living up to the family reputation, has consistently been one of the best defensive catchers in baseball although he has never hit too well.

The financial terms have not yet been disclosed but Molina likely is earning less than $20 million over the life of the deal and again, cost and position certainty are important for teams, particularly at a position like catcher where a working relation with a pitching staff is key.

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The Chicago White Sox have agreed to terms with RHP Octavio Dotel to a two-year $11 million deal. Dotel has battled arm injuries and was limited to 30.2 IP in 2007 and missed most of 2005-06 as well. This is another long-shot attempt by the White Sox at contending in 2008 through taking risk and giving a player who probably won’t pitch over the life of the contract in the hopes of getting something out of him in 2008.

I’m not buying it.