The Rockies have held at least a share of the wild-card lead for 63 days since the all-star break. During that span, they’ve looked west to San Francisco for a glimpse of their chief rival.
Now it’s the Braves who are sneaking up on the Rockies.
The Braves won 4-1 at Washington on Friday night, remaining 3 1/2 games behind the Rockies. The Braves have won 12 of their last 14 games, and six of their remaining nine games are against the Nationals, the worst team in baseball.
But Rockies manager Jim Tracy has adopted FDR’s motto: “We have nothing to fear but fear itself.”
“We don’t have to sit here and say, ‘If we don’t go 9-0 or 8-2, we can’t make it.’ But those other clubs are looking at us and saying, ‘If they win four, we have to go 8-2.’ I like our place a lot better.”
Who’s who on first.
Former Rockies star Matt Holliday knows he’s been blessed to have played alongside two of baseball’s best first basemen.
“Todd Helton is fantastic, as is Albert (Pujols),” Holliday said when asked if the Rockies’ and Cardinals’ first basemen are comparable. “They’re similar. I think they’re the best two first basemen in the game.”
CarGo update.
Outfielder Carlos Gonzalez’s left hamstring is not 100 percent, but he started in left field.
“I’m feeling good enough to play, so it’s good to get out there,” said Gonzalez, who entered Friday with a .611 slugging percentage since the all-star break. “The season is winding down and these are big games. I want to be out there.”
Patrick Saunders and Irv Moss, The Denver Post
