Troy Tulowitzki sure draws a lot of trade interest for a player who has an extremely difficult time staying on the field.
Over the past three seasons, the 30-year-old has missed out on 222 games due to an assortment of injuries. When he has remained on the diamond, the Colorado Rockies veteran has been one of the most dynamic players in the big leagues.
In 2014, Tulowitzki posted a 1.035 OPS and clubbed 21 home runs in just 91 contests. It's that unreal production that has resulted in so many teams calling to check in on the availability of the four-time All-Star.
Earlier in December, Rockies manager Walt Weiss told MLB Network Radio that the club is definitely picking up the phone when other clubs call.
Weiss "We take all the calls on Troy(Tulowitzki) and listen to what they have to say, but we are not trying to move a guy like Troy."
— MLB Network Radio (@MLBNetworkRadio) December 10, 2014
Let's take a look around the league at which teams can offer the Rockies the best trade packages and which ones can provide Tulowitzki with the best landing spot.
New York Mets
No team in baseball has been the subject of more Tulowitzki trade rumors than the New York Mets.
The rampant speculation makes sense considering that the shortstop position has been a black hole in Queens. The Mets have the young arms to work out a trade with the Rockies, and Noah Syndergaard is right at the top of the list.
TBS MLB analyst Ron Darling recently suggested a trade offer on MLB Network centered on the 22-year-old right-hander, per Amazin' Army.
Ron Darling's proposed Troy Tulowitzki trade package: pic.twitter.com/dtooSQA5qz
— Amazin' Army (@WE_ARE_MET_FANS) December 22, 2014
That offer would look significantly more compelling to the Rockies if Zack Wheeler was also added to the mix. According to Jon Heyman of CBS Sports, the 24-year-old's name has been brought up during trade discussions.
While there have been plenty of links between the National League East club and the shortstop, the Mets aren't the only New York team that could try to make a blockbuster move for Tulowitzki.
New York Yankees
Admittedly, the New York Yankees just can't offer the same kind of trade chips that the Mets can.
However, the Yankees appear to be higher up on Tulowitzki's list of potential new employers. Last summer, while the right-handed hitter was on the disabled list, he popped up in the box seats during a game at Yankee Stadium.
When asked about his appearance, Tulowitzki told Nick Groke of The Denver Post, "I wanted to see (Derek) Jeter play one more time."
Troy Tulowitzki causes stir with surprise Yankee Stadium visit http://t.co/dDBwGeyPhC pic.twitter.com/qBJEM3ObSb
— New York Post Sports (@nypostsports) July 28, 2014
That cameo sparked an avalanche of trade speculation, and months later the idea of a swap isn't entirely out of the question.
According to Heyman, the Yankees "have checked in recently on Tulowitzki." If New York did manage to bring him in, the team could then shift Didi Gregorius to second base, where he could battle for playing with Rob Refsnyder.
Working out a deal between Colorado and New York would be no easy task. The Yankees' minor league system claims the No. 21 spot in Bleacher Report's farm system rankings.
Per MLB.com, the club's top two prospects are right-handed starter Luis Severino and catcher Gary Sanchez. Both players ended the 2014 season in Double-A.
Seattle Mariners
It's difficult to imagine a more dangerous middle-infield combination than Tulowitzki and Robinson Cano.
The Seattle Mariners have the pieces to make just such a scenario a reality. In Taijuan Walker and James Paxton, the M's have two of the most promising young starters in baseball on the club's roster.
According to Bob Dutton of The Tacoma News Tribune, during the winter meetings, "multiple club officials flatly dismiss[ed] the idea of trading either Walker or Paxton" for a player with just one season of club control remaining.
It's possible that the Mariners would be more willing to part with one of those starters for a player with Tulowitzki's contract situation. The shortstop is under team control for up to seven more seasons.
Oakland Athletics
The Oakland Athletics are definitely the dark horse on this list.
Then again, it's never wise to rule out anything when it comes to general manager Billy Beane. After all, the executive has shipped out five All-Stars since the trade deadline. In the process, Beane has racked up a surplus of pitching—a surplus that MLB.com's Jane Lee suggests could be used to pull off a monster move.
Can't imagine the A's will keep all this pitching. Have to think they're prepping for a bigger move, like an Upton or Tulowitzki.
— Jane Lee (@JaneMLB) December 19, 2014
That tweet is right out of the pure-speculation department, but Lee isn't the one to link Oakland with Tulowitzki, who happens to be from the Bay Area. Tracy Ringolsby of MLB.com reports that the team has "kicked the tires" on Tulowitzki.
Note: All stats courtesy of MLB.com. All salary information courtesy of Cot's Baseball Contracts on BaseballProspectus.com.
If you want to talk baseball, find me on Twitter @KarlBuscheck.
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