While Troy Tulowitzki wants to play again for the Rockies as soon as possible, he knows he has to play it smart.

That’s why Tulo won’t rejoin Rockies this weekend, and why it could be a while until he comes back from his rehab assignment following surgery to his left groin. There is no set timetable for his return.

After playing three rehab games for Double-A Tulsa, Tulowitzki said pain is not a problem, but getting past the memory of the groin injury is.

“It’s just (being) timid, making sure, playing safe” he said. “The last time I went on rehab, I came back and got hurt again, so that stuck in my mind a little bit. But each game I played I got a little bit better.”

“It’s going to be a slow process, I know that,” Tulowitzki said Tuesday afternoon before the Rockies played the Dodgers. “I’m going to take it slow, and when I’m ready, I’m ready.”

Tulowitzki went 2-for-4 with a homer for Double-A Tulsa Monday night as a designated hitter, but he admitted that he’s not cutting loose and running free on the basepaths. He said that right now he’s playing “station to station” baseball, and that’s not acceptable.

“It felt good, but then again I didn’t push it,” Tulo said. “The most I played (at Double-A) was seven innings last night at DH. The most I’ve played at short was five innings.”

Tulo reiterated that his goal is to return this season, but …

“No doubt, but at the same time I have to be smart about it,” he said.

The shortstop will play for Triple-A Colorado Springs over the next three days, but after that he’s not sure what will happen.

“The next time I take the field I want to be able to go 100 percent, I want to be able to go from first to third on a base hit,” he said.

Tulo’s been sidelined since late May with a groin ailment that eventually required surgery to remove scar tissue. He’s hitting .287 with eight homers and 27 RBIs in 47 games.

Source: The Denver Post