24-year old lefty swinging outfielder Carlos Gonzalez might just win the N.L. MVP Award this year. He has played in 144 games for the Rockies this year and he is 197 of 583 (.338 avg, .980 OPS) with 111 runs scored, 34 homers, 117 RBIs and 25 stolen bases. Gonzalez goes into the last four games of the season leading the N.L. in hits, batting average and RBIs. Gonzalez came over to the Rockies along with Huston Street and Greg Smith from the A’s in a deal with them for Matt Holliday. Holliday is still playing well but not for the A’s so this deal looks like a steal for the Rockies.

The Rockies have shut down 25-year old switch-hitting IF/OF Eric Young (pain in right shin), 39-year old lefty swinging 1B Jason Giambi (biceps) and 26-year old righty closer Huston Street (rib cage). Young played in 51 games for the Rockies this year and he was 42 of 172 (.244 avg, .597 OPS) with 26 runs scored, 8 RBIs and 17 stolen bases. Giambi played in 87 games for the Rockies this year and he was 43 of 176 (.244 avg, .776 OPS) with 17 runs scored, 6 homers and 35 RBIs. Huston Street pitched in 44 games (0 starts) for the Rockies this year and he was 4-4 with 20 saves, a 3.61 ERA and a 1.06 WHIP. With the Rockies out of playoffs contention it makes perfect sense to shut these three guys down and let them get healthy.

37-year old lefty swinging 1B Todd Helton appears to be running low on his gas tank. He has played in 109 games for the Rockies this year and he is 94 of 369 (.255 avg, .713 OPS) with 46 runs scored, 6 homers and 33 RBIs. It’s sad to see Helton losing his skills as a hitter that made him one of the better 1B for years. I think the Humidor is one of the biggest reasons why Helton hasn’t hit at least 20 homers in a season over his last 5 years. Helton has played in 1,921 games in his 14 years with the Rockies and he is 2,228 of 6,875 (.324 avg, .979 OPS) with 1,268 runs scored, 331 homers, 1,235 RBIs and 36 stolen bases. I think Todd Helton’s run as a Colorado Rockie could be nearing an end.

The Rockies have acquired 36-year old righty reliever Octavio Dotel from the Dodgers for a player to be named later. Dotel has pitched in 60 games (0 starts) for the Pirates and Dodgers this year and he is 3-3 with 22 saves, a 3.99 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP. He has now pitched in 622 games (34 starts) in his major league career and he is 49-42 with 105 saves, a 3.75 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP. Dotel has whiffed 1,009 batters while only allowing 663 hits in 829 career innings in the show. This was a good pick-up for the Rockies who needed some help in the bullpen but Dotel won’t be elgible for the playoffs if the Rockies make them.

25-year old righty swinging shortstop Troy Tulowitzki is trying to will his team to the playoffs. He has played in 15 games in September so far and he is 22 of 61 (.361 avg, 1.393 OPS) with 18 runs scored, 11 homers, 27 RBIs and 1 stolen base. Overall this year, Tulowitzki has played in 107 games in which he is 133 of 409 (.325 avg, .964 OPS) with 77 runs scored, 23 homers, 82 RBIs and 10 stolen bases. If the rest of the Rockies start hitting along with Tulowitzki they just might make it all the way to the playoffs.