Just like the baseball season sprint isn't a marathon but rather a marathon, the game goes for fantasy baseball. And to make sure one's team does not get slowed down during the season, making a good first-round selection goes a long way to keeping things afloat. The Colorado Rockies' Troy Tulowitzki is certainly going to be a first-round pick in most leagues, given the lack of top-shelf players at the position and his elite production. ESPN's Eric Karabell has Tulowitzki as his No. 5 overall player this year:
Shortstop is kind of a mess as well, and position scarcity absolutely matters.
Tulowitzki's 30 home runs were tied for the most in the majors with the Baltimore Orioles' J.J. Hardy while his 105 RBI were the most by a wide margin (the Cleveland Indians' Asdrubal Cabrera was second with 92). A .302 batting average put him at third in the majors. His 87 runs scored also had him in the top 10 for that category. Nine stolen bases are just extra.
Barring injury, as with all players, there's no reason to doubt Tulowitzki will significantly differ from the same kind of production in 2012.
For more on Tulowitzki, visit Rockies blog Purple Row. Check out Baseball Nation for more news and notes around the Majors.