04/14 -- Pregame stuff

DENVER -- Greetings from the Mile High City.

It's about four hours before tonight's first pitch, and Phillies have arrived here at Coors Field. It's my first trip to Coors (or Denver, for that matter), and so far, I really like the city. The view driving into downtown from the airport is interesting. There are a few skyscraper-type structures, but they're dwarfed by snow-capped mountains. There's nothing resembling snow on the ground, though. It's about 70 degrees, zero humidity. Beautiful weather.

The ballpark is gorgeous. I'm looking out at the field from the press box, and there's an unusual second deck above the batter's eye in center field. It's got to be hard to watch a game from there. Think of Bob Uecker talking about being in the "front row," and you get the idea.

So, the Phillies go for three in a row here tonight. Colorado is fresh off a 5-1 road trip and playing really well.

A few notes from last night's game in Atlanta:

* I'm wondering why Charlie Manuel went to Ryan Franklin instead of Arthur Rhodes in the eighth inning. Rhodes, of course, is the setup man. He was well-rested, and Franklin had pitched in four of the last five games. I'll ask Charlie before the game and let you know what I find.

* I didn't write much about Gavin Floyd in today's paper, but that doesn't diminish his performance. Floyd looked good. Much better, certainly, than his debut last week in Philly. After the game, Aaron Rowand wandered by as Floyd was talking to us and said, "Tell them how nasty your curveball was." That's an apt description. Floyd got Andruw Jones waving at a curve in the sixth inning. It's not often Andruw looks that bad.

More after the game.