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DENVER -- There was a time when the Colorado Rockies valued talent well above character and baseball knowledge.

Not anymore.

After a few high-priced flops and plenty of losses, the Rockies have shifted their focus and money to players who can contribute in the clubhouse as much as they can with their arms or bats.

Talent is still important -- no team can win without it -- but the Rockies want a little substance to go with the skills.

"I know people don't want to hear this," general manager Dan O'Dowd said, "but we've learned from the past that having players without character doesn't mean anything, even if they have skill.

"I feel pretty good about the 25 we'll break with and the 32-35 we'll use," he said. "I don't think they'll be a guy in the group that doesn't measure up to our test of character through the course of the season."

It's an approach that made Colorado the league's busiest team in the offseason.

The Rockies signed 20 free agents, including infielder Mark Sweeney and right-handers Scott Elarton and Steve Reed, who were with the team last year. Colorado also traded for three others: second baseman Aaron Miles, left-hander Joe Kennedy and right-hander Allan Simpson.

But of those new players, 14 signed minor-league contracts and will have to earn their spots on the team. Reed, Elarton, lefty Alex Herrera, third baseman Vinny Castilla, outfielder Jeromy Burnitz and catcher Todd Greene were the only ones signed to big-league deals.

Many of the players, like shortstop Royce Clayton, left-hander Shawn Estes and Jeff Fassero, have struggled in recent seasons and are getting up in age, but the Rockies are hoping they can coax one or two more good years out of them.

Besides, the Rockies tried the big-name approach and it didn't work.

Colorado signed pitchers Denny Neagle and Mike Hampton to contracts totaling $172 million in 2002, only to see them struggle in the altitude at Coors Field. Hampton lost the break on his sinker ball and his confidence before being shipped out in a trade before last season. Neagle struggled for two seasons before having reconstructive elbow surgery last year.

"We didn't sign Vladimir Guerrero or Greg Maddux or anyone like that, but we've been consistent with what we've been trying to find," O'Dowd said. "We want players who fit what we're trying to do, not what anyone else is trying to do."

Of Colorado's new players, Castilla has created the biggest buzz, particularly from Rockies fans.

He was a main cog during the team's heyday in the mid-1990s, when the Blake Street Bombers overpowered teams and turned Coors Field into the league's best home-field advantage.

Signing Castilla has brought some of that excitement back, but the Rockies aren't interested in nostalgia. They wanted him because he can still play -- .277 with 22 home runs and 76 RBIss with Atlanta last season.

"We're bringing him back because I think Vinny, at 36, has kept himself in pretty good shape," owner Charlie Monfort said. "He hit 22 home runs last year, he knows Coors Field and he plays pretty darn good defense. I think he's going to have a heck of a year."

But of all Colorado's offseason maneuvering, it's an internal move that could have the most impact next season.

One of the Rockies' weaknesses last season was the inability to pull out close games. Of Colorado's 88 losses, 40 were by two runs or less, in part because closer Jose Jimenez became ineffective midway through the year.

The Rockies moved him to a setup role and split closer duties between Justin Speier and Brian Fuentes, but those weren't long-term moves. So after releasing Jimenez and trading Speier to Toronto, the front office decided to move right-hander Shawn Chacon from the starting rotation, instead of signing or trading for a closer.

With Chacon's stuff and ability to bounce back from adversity, it could be a great move.

"I really believe Shawn is going to be very good in that role," O'Dowd said. "I think we're going to have to be patient, but I think Shawn is going to outstanding."

This story is from ESPN.com's automated news wire. Wire index