Tulo

with the Rockies before the 2008 season, Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki said he wanted to organize a foundation dedicated to fighting cancer. The disease had taken his grandmother.
Now there is another inspiration to battle the disease.
On Tuedsay, Tulowitzki received a call that his cousin, longtime friend, mentor and workout partner Lexy Winters had died of melanoma.
The foundation has yet to be organized. That's because Tulowitzki is being especially careful, wanting everything to be done right. He is following the example of Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter, whose Turn 2 Foundation is designed to motivate young people to avoid drugs and alcohol. Jeter did painstaking homework and research before the foundation was ready for the public.
"I want an organization that's not going to be there, then be gone if I don't become a good player," Tulwotizki said. "I want something that's going to make an impact on the community and get the right people involved in it."
Tulowitzki realizes cancer touches a large number of folks.
"I'm not the only one dealing with things," said Tulowitzki, who said he will leave camp for California for a memorial service. "There are people out there that have family members that are sick right now. Some of them battle through and some of them get past it. Some of them don't make it.
"But everything happens for a reason. That's what I try to live by, and that's how we're handling this. It's better than him suffering and it's better than him not being himself."
Tulowitzki said Winters, an older cousin, went to the same gym Tulowitzki went to when he began working out while in high school. "I told him i was going to put in double work, for him and for me," Tulowitzki said Troy Tulowitzki wears the letters on his eye black to honor his cousin Lexy Winters, who died of skin cancer during spring training. Tulo and his father Ken were close to Winters. Winters worked out at the same gym as the shortstop. Tulowitzki would visit him after chemotherapy treatments and tell him he was doing double-time at the gym for him The initials L.W. were written in silver on Troy Tulowitzki's cap. They explain why the shortstop will miss time in spring training this week.
Lexy Winters, Tulowitzki's cousin, died of skin cancer Monday. The two were close, often working out at the same gym in northern California. The funeral arrangements have not been made, but Tulowitzki will be leaving to attend the services.
"Things went south in a hurry. It's crazy," Tulowitzki said Wednesday. "He was suffering at the end with a tumor. It's really tough."
Tulowitzki lost his grandmother to cancer several years ago. Winters leaves behind a wife and two sons, whom Tulowitzki plans to help as much as he can.
"Lexy motivated me all winter. I would tell him I was doing double workouts, one for me and one for him," Tulo- witzki said. "You think sometimes that you don't have time to ." The initials L.W. were written in silver on Troy Tulowitzki's cap. They explain why the shortstop will miss time in spring training this week. Lexy Winters, Tulowitzki's cousin, died of skin cancer Monday. The two were close, often working out at the same gym in northern California. The funeral arrangements have not been made, but Tulowitzki will be leaving to attend the services.
"Things went south in a hurry. It's crazy," Tulowitzki said Wednesday. "He was suffering at the end with a tumor. It's really tough."
Tulowitzki lost his grandmother to cancer several years ago. Winters leaves behind a wife and two sons, whom Tulowitzki plans to help as much as he can.
"Lexy motivated me all winter. I would tell him I was doing double workouts, one for me and one for him," Tulo- witzki said. "You think sometimes that you don't have time to cram everything in, and what if you only had a few months to live? It puts things in perspective

— The initials L.W. were written in silver on Troy Tulowitzki's cap. They explain why the shortstop will miss time in spring training this week.
Lexy Winters, Tulowitzki's cousin, died of skin cancer Monday. The two were close, often working out at the same gym in northern California. The funeral arrangements have not been made, but Tulowitzki will be leaving to attend the services