Troy Tulowitzki won’t be going anywhere at least for the next six years. The outstanding 23 year-old Colorado Rockies’ shortstop who wowed baseball fans with his superb fielding and great plate prowess in his rookie season agreed to a six-year extension worth a reported $31 million Wednesday.

The former Colorado 2005 first round pick (seventh overall) out of Long Beach State hit .291 with 24 home runs, 99 RBI’s and 104 runs scored in his first full major league season- helping the Rockies rally to win the NL wildcard and then advance to their first ever World Series.

“It’s surreal,” a very pleased Tulowitzki expressed to the Associated Press at a press conference in which he sported the team colors with a black jacket, white shirt and royal purple tie. “It’s awesome.” 

His big 2007 was good enough to finish a close runner-up to Milwaukee’s Ryan Braun for the NL Rookie of The Year.

A week removed from Colorado getting NL MVP runner-up Matt Holliday re-signed to a multi-year $23 million deal, the lanky Santa Clara native decided he wanted to be part of the franchise’s continued improvement as they look to improve on last October by taking that next step and raising a World Series banner.

“The guys on this team are great baseball players, but more than that they are great guys, great people,” he noted. “I took that into consideration. I looked at that and said, ‘Wow, if we can keep the core guys together, we have the makings to be something special.”‘  

Winning definitely is something which fuels Tulowitzki as he wants to be a part of Colorado’s success.

“I took it hard,” he pointed out of their World Series loss to Boston in a sweep. “The fact we didn’t win, that affected me for a while. If I was in the cage, or lifting, I used that as motivation.“ 

With the emerging star staying put in Denver for at least the next six seasons with an option for a seventh, he hopes that Holliday will also be able to workout a long-term contract with the club which would take the dynamic duo into the next decade along with Garrett Atkins and Brad Hawpe forming one of the most potent middle of the orders in the senior circuit.

“I pray that there’s more years because he helped me so much last year to become a better baseball player and become a better person,” Tulowitzki noted of Holliday who topped the NL with a .340 average and 137 RBI’s. “I hope that he’s around me for my whole career.”

For Colorado GM Dan O’Dowd, the move was a no-brainer.

“We knew we’ve got a very special player here,” the happy executive said. “In my career, they come along very rare.”

With veteran first baseman and career Rockie Todd Helton still in the fold as well, the team should once again be in the playoff mix in 2008. Especially if a young staff anchored by Jeff Francis continues to improve. The recently turned 27 year-old southpaw should have plenty of help in Aaron Cook, hard thrower and Franklin Morales, Ubaldo Jimenez along with vet pickup Kip Wells.

Boasting a solid pen which includes 1-2 punch Brian Fuentes and closer Manny Corpas, the Rockies should be a lock for 92-93 wins. If that turns out to be true with NL West Division winner Arizona adding former Oakland ace Dan Haren to a staff which includes Brandon Webb and Randy Johnson, the rest of the league could be in trouble.