Atlanta Braves game snowed out in Denver

Friday, January 1, 1904

photo Fredi Gonzalez

DENVER - The game between the Atlanta Braves and Colorado Rockies, the teams with the best record in the major leagues, was delayed a day because of snow.

The Braves and the Rockies entered their three-game series that was set to start Monday with 13-5 records, and they'll remain that way another day because Denver was hit with another snowstorm.

The game was rescheduled as part of a split-doubleheader today, with the first game set for 1:10 p.m. Mountain time and the previously scheduled night game at 6:40.

"It's part of the game," Braves manager Fredi Gonzalez said. "I'll look for a little disruption. We just lost three in a row to the Pirates."

Atlanta's Mike Minor (2-1) is set to pitch the first game against Jeff Francis (1-1), with Julio Teheran (0-0) starting the night game against Colorado's Jon Garland (2-0). They'll likely be pitching in cold weather. Today's forecast called for temperatures in the low 30s with the possibility of snow lasting through the morning and possibly up until game time.

The postponement was the third in eight days at Coors Field because of snow. The Rockies and New York Mets played a split-doubleheader last Tuesday. The other game was rescheduled for June 27.

Colorado enters coming off its first loss in nine home games this season, a 5-4 setback Sunday to Arizona.

Neither Rockies manager Walt Weiss nor Rockies players were made available to reporters Monday.

With the Braves cooling off after a 12-1 start, Gonzalez wasn't all that upset over the postponement, though he didn't relish the notion of playing in cold weather.

The Braves will be getting additional help, though. Freddie Freeman was set to come off the 15-day disabled list after recovering from a strained right oblique. Gonzalez said Freeman will be ready to play today.

"He's good," Gonzalez said. "A couple of guys may not play both games, give somebody a breather, but Free's good."

Gonzalez did say that Dan Uggla, who had to leave the game early Saturday because of a left calf strain, probably would play only one of the two games.

"All of a sudden he comes out of the game because he had a calf thing, and then he plays 18 innings? I don't think that's smart," Gonzalez said.

Freeman, who was 7-for-17 with a home run and seven RBIs before straining his right oblique April 6, said he's eager to get back on the field.

"The last 15 days have been hard watching the team on TV," he said. "I'm off the DL so I'm happy."

Freeman was a little wary of resuming play at Coors Field, however. During a series in Colorado a year ago, a wind storm left him with a dry eye condition that bothered him for weeks.

"I was excited but then I was like, 'Oh, man, that's where my eyes went bad,"' Freeman said. "Hopefully the wind dies down and I can get through the series OK."