Mike from Aurora hates the Rockies, and by association, he hates me.
OK, maybe “hate” is too strong of a word, but he doesn’t like me very much. In his frequent emails, he calls the Rockies worthless and tells me I’m a fraud and a hack. He’s asked me, more than once, how much owner Dick Monfort is paying me. Good one.
Mike from Aurora needs to get a life. Or at the very least, a hobby. Or maybe a goldfish.
But I’ll give Mike some credit. He gave me an idea for my Rockies Journal.
“Pat (he always calls me Pat, probably to annoy me), name me one reason to watch the Rockies this season,” Mike wrote a recent email. “Just one. They’re going to be terrible again.”
I could list off a bunch of reasons to watch the Rockies this season. It would not be limited to sensational sunsets on a perfect summer night at Coors Field when the Red Sox come to LoDo.
Shortstop Ezequiel Tovar is my primary reason. It’s not just that he was a Gold Glove finalist last year as a rookie. It’s not just that he won’t turn 22 until Aug. 1. And it’s not because he overcame an early-season slump last year to hit .253 with 15 home runs, 37 doubles and 11 steals.
It’s because Tovar is poised to be the Rockies’ most important and entertaining player for years to come. He’s not as big or as strong as Troy Tulowitzki or Trevor Story, but he plays short with joy, flair and a hint of bravado.
“What I saw last year was a young player becoming comfortable in the shoes he belongs in,” veteran left-hander Kyle Freeland said. “I would say early on last year, he was a little timid. I wouldn’t say scared, but that was a lot of weight to carry as a 21-year-old kid.
“Once he realized that everybody on the team believed in him, including the coaching staff, he relaxed. Once he knew that, ‘Hey, you’re our shortstop and our leader in the infield,’ he embraced that role. That allowed him to do his thing.”
Then Freeland rattled off the list of things Tovar possesses that give the shortstop a chance to be great: skills, know-how, instincts, confidence.
“Tovar’s got it all,” Freeland said. “He’s going to be exciting to watch for the next 10-plus years.”
Hey Mike, are you still reading? Do you need more convincing?
Here you go:
• Tovar’s 37 doubles were tied with Hall of Famer Todd Helton (1998) for the most by a rookie in franchise history.
• His 56 extra-base hits were the third-most by a Rockies rookie behind Helton (63) and Tulowitzki (62, 2007).
• His 73 RBIs were the fourth-most by a rookie in franchise history, trailing Tulowitzki (99, 2007), Helton (97, 1998) and Garrett Atkins (89, 2005).
• Tovar played 153 games at shortstop, the second-most all-time by a rookie behind Tulowitzki’s 155 games in ’07.
Still not convinced, Mike? OK, listen to what manager Bud Black told me.
“There are certain players on the field who have a presence and a leadership personality on the field,” he said. “My first couple of years here, I think Nolan (Arenado) had that. Tovar doesn’t have to be that guy just because he’s a shortstop, but I’ll tell you what, in the coming years, and it could come as soon as this year, he could get that kind of respect.
“He’s still a young player and he only has one year of service time, but he’s getting that clubhouse respect. I think that’s cool to see him get that from the younger guys and even some of the older guys. It’s because of who he is, his character, his integrity and how he plays the game.”
So, Mike from Aurora, I hope I answered your question. I eagerly await your next email.
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