10 Years for Tulowitzki?

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=5868290

The above link recaps the Colorado Rockies signing of shortstop Troy Tulowitzki through the year 2020.

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Wow! Do the Rockies realize that this is not the NFL and all contracts are guaranteed? The $157.5 MM the Rockies are due to pay “Tulo” over the next ten years is actually going to have to be paid.

Why make a ten year commitment when you don’t have to? I just don’t understand. Yes, Troy Tulowitzki is one of the best players in baseball right now, plays great defense at a premium position, and is only 26 years old; but a ten year commitment?

Think about the things that happen in ten years? For example Derek Jeter (age 27) can go from posting a .378 wOBA in 2001 to .320 in 2010. Ooooohhhh that one hit close to home for shortstops signing big deals in this midst of their prime, didn’t it?

This doesn’t mean that signing Jeter was a bad deal for the Yankees--even though from the years of 2002 to 2010 Jeter’s value was put at $151.70 MM while he was paid $173.20 as per Fangraphs.com. What it does mean is that the Yankees had the luxury of overpaying because they are the Yankees. But the Rockies, and their 16th highest payroll in the MLB, don’t have this luxury.

Tulowitzki is an amazing overall player and can definitely be the face of the Rockies franchise, but wouldn’t a seven year deal (a four year extension on his “then-current” three year deal) have had the same effect? This would reduce the risk of any injury making this deal a Mike Hampton-like disaster, and also just reduce the effect that Tulowitzki’s aging curve will have on reducing the value of this contract.

I don't understand...