Game Threat: Jays (41-36) @ Rockies (36-39)

Image via Twitter/@BlueJays

So this is the game where we’re supposed to write about Troy Tulowitzki’s return to Colorado.

Neato!

Or, at least, it must be for the fans in Denver, who I’d imagine are champing at the bit to give an enormous ovation to a true franchise icon, which will be as much a “fuck you” to an ownership group that never managed to do enough to surround him with the talent required to win a World Series, save for a couple years very early on in his career.

That’s what I’d be doing, at least. And I think most of the Rockies fans are going to feel the same way. Not all of them, though!

HEYO!

But seriously, this is understandably a pretty big deal down there. Maybe he wasn’t quite their version of Roy Halladay, but he’s damn close. And he was unceremoniously and surprisingly shipped out in the middle of the night late last July. Fans didn’t even get a chance to send him out with a “maybe this is it” ovation, the way Jays fans did when the good doctor made his final home start of 2009.

I don’t think the fact that we saw a Halladay trade coming muted the outpouring of love when he returned with the Phillies, but imagine if he’d been dealt with no chance to say goodbye? It would have been… maybe crazier? I don’t know. But it would have been something!

Now let’s see if Tulo can give his own kind of “fuck you” to Rockies management, know what I mean?

Crazy quote from Rockies manager Walt Weiss, via a Brendan Kennedy tweet, about Tulo’s incredible work ethic and how… he… uh… might just be a crazy person who needs to relax a bit more for his own good. There were times when he would be in the batting cage at one in the morning, still. That’s a great thing, but there’s a point of diminishing return, especially taking into account the schedule that we play,” he said. “But his work ethic was as good as I’ve seen.” Hmmm.

No Trevor Story for the Rockies tonight, which… is a good thing.

TV: Sportsnet
Next Game(s): Tuesday @ Colorado, 8:40 PM ET
AL East Standings: BAL (-), BOS (4), TOR (5), NYY (7.5), TBR (13.5)
And now, the lineups…

Ezequiel Carrera(L) RF

Devon Travis(R) 2B

Josh Donaldson(R) 3B

Edwin Encarnacion(R) 1B

Michael Saunders(L) LF

Troy Tulowitzki(R) SS

Russell Martin(R) C

Kevin Pillar(R) CF

Marco Estrada(R) RHP

Charlie Blackmon(L) CF

Cristhian Adames(S) SS

Nolan Arenado(R) 3B

Carlos Gonzalez(L) RF

Mark Reynolds(R) 1B

Daniel Descalso(L) 2B

Nick Hundley(R) C

Brandon Barnes(R) LF

Jon Gray(R) RHP