Colorado Rockies a bullpen away from contention?

If the Colorado Rockies can't upgrade the starting rotation, they are in for another 90-loss season, says the Denver Post's Patrick Saunders. Some interesting notes in this piece include GM Jeff Bridich saying that pitching is the area where the team has the most depth in the minors and also that the team would like to make a bid to bring back Brett Anderson.

The Post's Nick Groke dives into a fascinating league-wide topic; Tommy John surgery. Pitching injuries in general have sky rocketed in recent years, and apparently MLB as a whole is going to try and do something about it. They have launched the Pitch Smart initiative which provides guidelines in an age appropriate fashion in order to try and better the health of all pitchers.

This is a great thing and I didn't want to be snarky ... but why does this only exist now? I guess it's better to not worry about how late they showed up to the party and just embrace the fact that they decided to come at all.

Our friends over at Rockies Zingers have been doing some great work recently.Jeramiah Penaflor discusses how important Jhoulys Chacin has been for the Rockies and how he may be again.

Adam Peterson tells his story of being a baseball guy in a football town. I think most of us here can relate to this piece.

Connor Farrell over at Roxpile argues -- and I wholeheartedly agree -- that the Rockies are closer to contending than most think and that, as much attention as we are giving to the starting rotation, that it is in fact the bullpen that will be the great equalizer. Good stuff.