Is this what baseball has come to?

Today, on my way to checking my fantasy teams, I happened upon a yahoo article that I found to be one of the most cynical pieces of journa-ma-lism ever.  The article is about the Rockies having locked up their all-world shortstop, Troy Tulowitski, to a long-term, big-money contract.  The reporter, Jeff Passan, opines that Tulo was foolish not to pursue more money, as well as championships, with different teams. [read large-market]

What could’ve been, though. Oh, what could’ve been. On one hand, Tulowitzki played things safe. He was reasonable. And on the other, he lacked the fortitude to chase the greater glory that awaited him elsewhere. The money he could’ve gotten and the championships he could’ve won had he simply played out his current contract with the franchise that can’t help itself from taking a blade to its jugular.

So this is what it has come to?  Remaining loyal to one team throughout your entire career shows a lack of fortitude?!  I didn’t realize that Ernie Banks had such little gumption.  According to Passan we should look up to people like Alex Rodriguez, Cliff Lee, and Roidger Clemens — athletes who follow their dreams of glory through inevitable championships.   

Passan goes on to write

If this deal is bad for Tulowitzki, it’s ill-conceived and unconscionable for a Rockies team that knows what long-term, big-money contracts do to franchises with middling budgets: cripple them. 

So as the Rockies celebrate Tulowitzki’s new deal, they do so knowing that Ubaldo Jimenez is now likely to leave after the 2014 season. And that Carlos Gonzalez, a Scott Boras client, is certain to do so. And that rather than waiting until 2014 to figure out where to spend their money, the team went all-in on a player who has missed significant time in two of his four seasons because of injuries.

In Passon’s cynical world the chief function of teams such as the Rockies and the Washington Nationals is to serve as petri dishes for the serious contenders.  The temerity of the Rockies, to lock up this talented player, thereby denying the large-market teams the chance to tweak their already over-stuffed lineups. 

My dreams scenario for 2011:  The Rockies win the NL West by 10 games and breeze to the Series by beating the Cards and Phillies in the playoffs.  In the Series they sweep the New York Yankees on the strength of Troy Tulowitzki’s 4 homerun, 10 RBI performance.