Troy Tulowitzki's monster numbers at Coors Field can't just be a once-in-a-lifetime streak. Can't just be because the Rockies' star shortstop is excellent at baseball. No, they have to be the result of cheating.
At least, that's the speculation of Giants broadcaster Mike Krukow, who's not quite sure Tulo's .552/.667/1.030 slash line at home is legit.
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"I swear he's getting signs," Krukow said Tuesday on a podcast for San Francisco radio station KNBR (via Denver TV station KUSA). The related audio begins at 2 minutes.
Krukow's "evidence"? Tulowitzki was always balanced at the plate and never looked like he was fooled by a pitch the last time the Rockies played the Giants in Denver.
"That kind of gets you thinking. If you can get away with it, I guess it's legal," Krukow, a former big league pitcher, said. "I'm not saying that he's doing anything, I'm not throwing it out there ... kinda, sorta, yeah, but kinda."
Asked later Tuesday about his comments, Krukow didn't shy away from them, although he said he was being "tongue-in-cheek."
"I wasn't making a flat-out accusation, that's not what the intent of the conversation was. It was basically us talking about suspicions that all players have about the game, and I will stand by that," Krukow told The Denver Post's Patrick Saunders.
Specfically, Krukow said that players are always concerned when they're on the road that the home team is trying to get away with stuff.
Maybe Krukow can do some detective work on tonight's Giants-Rockies broadcast from Coors.
Tulowitzki declined to comment. "I would rather not get involved in that," he told The Denver Post on Wednesday.
The Rockies lead the majors with 254 runs in 46 games. They average 7.23 runs per game at home (159 in 22 games).
UPDATE: Tulowitzki went 0-for-4 with a strikeout Wednesday and the Rockies lost, 5-1.
Somewhat related: The Giants have long accused the Rockies of using balls stored in Coors' humidor when the visitors are hitting and then bringing out drier, slicker, non-humidor balls when the Rockies are at bat. In 2010, Giants pitcher Tim Lincecum complained loudly about the baseballs during a start. Major League Baseball responded by ordering changes in humidor protocols.
