MLB: Rockies hope for fewer injuries, better results in 2015

The Colorado Rockies won 66 games last season, finished 28 games behind the division champion Dodgers and — all things considered — were one of Major League Baseball's biggest disappointments.

Perhaps they had an excuse.

The Rockies were riddled by a series of crippling injuries, which gutted the middle of manager Walt Weiss' line-up and turned the starting pitching into a M*A*S*H unit.

That's why there's optimism from within that Colorado can be more of a factor in 2015. Theoretically, improved health will translate into competitiveness in the brutally tough National League West, even for a team with the second-worst record in baseball last summer.

"It's certainly one of the reasons why we didn't feel the need to make any drastic changes to our roster," general manager Jeff Bridich said. "… We have a lot of talent. If and when we have better health, we are going to have an improved team. It wasn't the only issue that plagued us last year, but it certainly was a large one."

Along with players Justin Morneau and Charlie Blackmon, Bridich and Weiss stopped in Utah this week as part the Rockies' annual offseason promotional tour of satellite markets like Albuquerque and Salt Lake City.

"We pretty much got decimated last year with injuries," Weiss said. "So we're hoping, with the law of averages, that we'll have a better year. That's No. 1 on my wish list because we feel like we're a very talented club. If you go position-by-position, I think we match-up with anybody."

Colorado's stars are shortstop Troy Tulowitzki and outfielder Carlos Gonzales, who played only 70 gamers last season because on a knee injury. Tulowitzki hit .340 with 21 homers in 91 games last season before undergoing hip surgery.

"He's established himself, when he's healthy, as the best shortstop in the game," Bridich said. "He's still in the prime of his career so we get back to that word again: h-e-a-l-t-h. For Tulo, it's paramount.

"… Having interacted with him a lot during the offseason and seeing some of his rehab, I think he'll be healthy again. He's basically right on schedule. The hope and expectation is he'll be our starting shortstop on opening day."

Colorado's pitching is the likely key to a quick turnaround.

The top four starters are Jorge De La Rosa, Jordan Lyles, Jhoulys Chacin and Tyler Matzek. Injuries limited Lyles (22) and Chacin (11) to 33 starts a year ago.

"I think there's some strength at the top," Bridich said. "After that, there's competition. … And we have to shore up our bullpen."

Said Weiss: "We need some young pitchers to step up and take the next step in their development and be impact guys. If we can do that, we'll be an interesting club."

Even in the National League West?

"The division," Weiss said, "is a meat grinder."