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DENVER -- The Colorado Rockies have a little extra buzz around them this year compared to past home openers.
The Rockies outscored the Milwaukee Brewers, 20-6, in a three-game sweep to start the season. The series gave the club a swagger that it hasn't had in a long time. That's a good thing to have going into what should be a tremendous atmosphere at Coors Field on Friday for the team's 2:10 p.m. tilt against the Chicago Cubs.
"It's one of 162, but when you walk out here you know it's different," Walt Weiss said before the game. "It's about the closest thing to a postseason atmosphere that you'll get during the regular season."
Adding to the different feeling is the Rockies' 3-0 start, their first since 2001. The key now is to keep it going.
"We played well in every aspect of the game in Milwaukee," Weiss said. "We attacked from the mound and we attacked from the batters box, and defensively, I thought we had an outstanding series. We don't need to change a thing."
Weiss did change things up a little bit, sitting the struggling Charlie Blackmon (2-for-14, six strikeouts) in favor of Drew Stubbs. Though he didn't have a good spring (25 strikeouts in 60 plate appearances), Stubbs is a good option against Cubs left-hander Travis Wood. Stubbs is 5-for-12 with a triple in his career against Chicago's Friday starter.
Wilin Rosario, fresh off of his game-winning homer on Wednesday, will get his first start of the season -- and will give us our first glimpse at a potential platoon situation.
"I had him starting this game when I looked ahead," Weiss told reporters. "The homer didn't have anything to do with it, but it's a nice way to come into this game."
Here are the lineups, which feature both pitchers batting eighth and Rockies star Troy Tulowitzki moving up to the two-spot: