CHICAGO -- Tyler Colvin looks back at his beginnings in the Chicago Cubs organization as just that -- a start.

Traded by the Cubs with DJ LeMahieu for Ian Stewart to Colorado in December, Colvin has become one of the Rockies’ most productive players, batting .293 going into Friday’s game. His 14 home runs and 52 RBIs are good for third on the team.

He returns to Wrigley Field for the first time red hot, batting .435 in his last six games.

“It is great to see the guys I came through the minors with get a chance,” Colvin said. “Not everyone has made it at the same time but it is nice to see them get a chance just like I am here.”

Colvin has been a versatile performer for Colorado this season, playing all three outfield spots as well as first base.

“When I got here there was good communication from the beginning,” Colvin said. “In the past, the program changed for me. Here I am not being pulled back and forth.”

A stellar rookie season in 2010, when he hit 20 home runs, ended in near tragedy. A broken bat punctured his chest cavity, collapsing a lung and ending his season in early September. He struggled in 2011, batting .150 with six home runs, but he never used the broken bat incident as an excuse for his struggles.

”I know I had a really bad year last year, and I couldn’t work out in the previous offseason like I always do. But that is no excuse for a bad year,” Colvin said. “I was just swinging at everything, not concentrating on my proper mechanics.”

The move to Colorado has been a good thing for Colvin, who will not forget his Chicago roots.

“I’m sorry I did not get a chance to come back and prove myself here, but the Rockies have given me a chance, and I am back to being who I am,” Colvin said.