"Rockies pitcher Jorge De La Rosa tried to act natural and hide the fact the ulnar collateral ligament in his left elbow was at the snapping point, even if it meant stretching the truth to the breaking point during his second start of last season.

"It was real cold that day in Pittsburgh, and I felt something in my arm," said De La Rosa, the Rockies' best pitcher during a tough early going of last season. "I said it was a blister and they took me out of the game. I told them I would be OK. But I was not. It was weakness. The next day, I felt pain when I woke up."

De La Rosa toughed out eight more starts, until May 24 when his elbow went during a start against the D-backs at Coors Field. He tried telling Rockies manager Jim Tracy and head athletic trainer Keith Dugger that the problem was his groin, but this time no one was fooled. Shortly thereafter, De La Rosa underwent season-ending Tommy John ligament transfer surgery."