If I were Troy Tulowitzki, I would listen a great deal more when Derek Jeter talks about me than, say, when Jay Mariotti spouts off on Around the Horn. Peers>MSM. Hence the honor of the Players' Choice Awards, voted on by fellow players.
Tulo was indeed on the ballot for most outstanding player in the National League, but Troy was deservingly ousted from the running, leaving Prince Fielder, Hanley Ramirez and David Eckstein Albert Pujols, as Troy Renck reported in his blog yesterday. Aaron Cook didn't make the cut as the Man of the Year, which I'm not too bent out of shape for.
But poor Todd Helton. He was 35, came off a back surgery to relieve pain and numbness going down his leg and hit .325 with a wOBA near .400. It was a remarkably surprising and impressive season. I already ceded the possibility of him getting the Comeback Player of the Year Award after seeing Chris Carpenter twirl a Cy Young worthy season. Then of course there's Aaron Boone, who came back to play after having open heart surgery.
But Nick Johnson? Sure, he hit .220 last year and barely got on the field. But he hit half the home runs the ToddFather hit this year and posted his worst wOBA in since 2005...
Big Mac and Big Daddy Reunion
The Rockies tried multiple times to bring Mark McGwire in as hitting coach while fellow slugger, friend and student Matt Holliday was here. It may not have worked out in Colorado, but Holliday will get his opportunity to be under full-time instruction from Big Mac if he chooses; Mark McGwire was just announced as St. Louis' new hitting coach. This could be a big draw for Holliday to re-sign with the Cardinals.
Tracy Ringolsby chimed in on the subject for FOX Sports, writing that McGwire's back, and there's nothing wrong with it - MLB News.
Colorado Sports
Two months ago, I wrote somewhere that the Rockies were suddenly in a fight with the Nuggets for the best professional Colorado sports team. Both had just polished off their best regular seasons in my lifetime, while the Avalanche and Broncos projected to be bottom feeders. It is interesting now that the Broncos (4th) and Avs (5th) actually sit higher in their respective ESPN power rankings than the most recent rankings for the Rockies (7th) and Nuggets (8th).
It's a good time for professional sports in Colorado. If the relative slowness of the Row has got you down, check out Mile High Hockey, the Mile High Report or Denver Stiffs.
Lastly...
Every kid's dream: the walkoff hit in baseball - The Denver Post: Troy Renck profiles the play we all imagined executing while growing up, including details on the players lucky and good enough to actually realize that dream.
Fewer words carry more weight for Fox's Buck, McCarver - The Denver Post. Dusty Saunders' first line: "Joe Buck and Tim McCarver are having their best postseason in the Fox Sports booth." Don't say I didn't warn you.