TUCSON - The oddsmakers have the Rockies a solid pick to finish last in the National League West.

The over-under for wins is 74 1/2.

The Rockies might be optimistic. The rest of the world, though, doesn't seem to share the anticipation.

That's no problem, manager Clint Hurdle said. He understands the cynicism, even if he doesn't share it.

"There are always going to be skeptics until you do something," Hurdle said. "One of the topics we have talked about is, we just need to go play. We need to go out and do it on the field, not talk about it. A six-month hot streak would be very nice."

The Rockies took the first step Friday in what Hurdle hopes will be a major move in becoming a respected big- league team with the opening of spring workouts for pitchers and catchers. The first full- squad workout is a week from today. The Rockies begin the regular season against Arizona on April 2 at Coors Field.

The Rockies have a lot of history to erase. They have suffered six consecutive losing seasons, never have won more than 83 games in a season in their 15-year history and have finished in either fourth or fifth place for nine straight seasons.

"Time to change some things," Hurdle said. "I feel very good about our chances. I like the people we have. I like the talent we have. I like the players we added in the offseason. Our core players have had another growth year. There's a lot of optimism, and we have a lot of skill to back it up."

What Hurdle likes is the Rockies have the young nucleus from a year ago, and when he looks at players such as Matt Holliday, Garrett Atkins, Brad Hawpe, Aaron Cook and Jeff Francis, none of whom have three full seasons in the big leagues, he sees them as getting better thanks to experience.

He sees a rotation with only three starters that are set - Cook, Francis and offseason addition Rodrigo Lopez - but with seven other candidates for the two remaining spots. That includes two pitchers who filled those roles last year (Byung- Hyun Kim and Josh Fogg), who have to reclaim their jobs in 2007.

The same holds true for catcher Yorvit Torrealba and shortstop Clint Barmes, who will get opportunities this spring to claim starting spots. They will have to outplay promising rookies Troy Tulowitzki and catcher Chris Iannetta, who many believe are ready to make their big-league marks right now.

Center fielder Cory Sullivan returns, but he could find himself in a backup role. He needs a strong spring to keep his job because, during the offseason, the Rockies added Willy Taveras, who, at 25, has two years of big- league experience with Houston in center field and can combine with second baseman Kaz Matsui to give the Rockies a 1-2 base-stealing threat at the top of the lineup for the first time since the inaugural 1993 season.

Taveras came from the Astros, along with right-handed pitchers Jason Hirsh, a leading contender for a rotation spot, and Taylor Buchholz, who gets a shot at the rotation but probably will wind up in the bullpen, in the trade that sent Jason Jennings and Miguel Asencio to Houston.

Lopez is the other product of an offseason trade - he was acquired from Baltimore for two minor league pitchers. Former San Diego Padre Brian Lawrence, who missed last season after labrum surgery, and promising rookie Ubaldo Jimenez also will get opportunities to claim rotation spots.

The Rockies supplemented the bullpen by signing veteran reliever La Troy Hawkins off the free-agent market. He has made at least 60 appearances in each of his seven big-league seasons as a reliever. They return closer Brian Fuentes, an All-Star the past two years, along with left-handers Tom Martin and Jeremy Affeldt, and right-handers Ramon Ramirez and Manny Corpas. They also have a group of nonroster relievers in camp, including former closers Danny Graves and David Veres.

"This is, by far, the most depth and (pitching) talent we have been able to bring to spring training," Hurdle said. "We have guys who are on their way up. We have guys who have done it in the past and we have guys who are close to making a move (to the big leagues)."

ringolsbyt@RockyMountainNews.com