The Colorado Rockies traded Troy Tulowitzki to the Toronto Blue Jays on Tuesday in what was perhaps one of the most surprising deadline deals in MLB history. Even Tulo wasn't expecting it.
There's been a lot of speculation regarding a trade involving Tulowitzki mainly because he's regarded as the best shortstop in the MLB (when he's healthy) and the Rockies have not been a winning franchise in years. Other clubs in need of a shortstop inquired about the All-Star, but Colorado repeatedly told other teams they were not moving their franchise player.
Then rumors surfaced earlier in the season that Tulowitzki was going to ask Rockies' management for a trade. He denied that speculation and it reportedly never happened. The 30-year-old also said he and the front office were transparent in any such trade talks, so something of that nature wouldn't be an issue.
However, it apparently was.
"I felt like I got blindsided a bit. I thought I was in the loop, in the conversation," Tulowitzki told Patrick Saunders of the Denver Post. "So it definitely caught me by surprise. I was shocked and it caught me off guard. I think maybe I was a little naive to think I would be so connected to the (trade) process."
"They told me they would keep him in the loop, and that if anything got serious, they would talk to me about it. So, to get pulled out of the game in the ninth inning and be told I was traded, I was shocked."
And here's another bit of information he may not have been entirely aware of:
Interesting: Sources say Tulo trade talks between Rockies and Blue Jays started during the 2014-2015 offseason.
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) July 28, 2015
Tulowitzki said he knew Blue Jays' general manager Alex Anthopoulos "kept tabs" on him for a while, but he said he never expected to be traded there.
Nonetheless, Tulowitzki will get his wish and play for a postseason contender and join the MLB's best offense.
"It's bittersweet," said Rockies' GM Jeff Bridich. "These types of decisions are difficult for everybody involved. There's a million reasons to do them and just as many reasons not to do them. It's not lost on us the type of impact Troy has had on this organization over the last eight years."
