The Athletic Denver Podcast

On the Rockies' over/under for 2019, Jon Gray's outlook and room for team upgrades

A chill fell over Phoenix to start spring training and the rain fell on the Rockies — really, all the Cactus League teams — but the 2019 season is on the horizon. And Colorado's question marks are coming into view. What is the Rockies' expected win total? Can they surpass it? And how might they jump or fall short of those expectations? Jon Gray's season will go a long way to determining those marks. That's why the flame-throwing right-hander came into camp beefed up and "wanting to be a "rubber band." And, while they're at it, Nick Groke and Nate Kreckman compare Nolan Arenado to Manny Machado because we still have a month until the regular season starts and really, why not?

What to expect from the Nuggets during the stretch run to the playoffs

It is time for the stretch run in the NBA. Can the Nuggets turn a surprising season into a memorable finish? Can they lock up a top-two seed in the Western Conference playoff field? Will Michael Malone figure out a way to find minutes for six healthy guards? Nate Kreckman is joined by The Athletic Nuggets reporter Nick Kosmider to break down the team's final 25 games, what rotations could look like, what pitfalls could lay ahead and what playoff matchups the team should hope to avoid. The guys also break down the Nuggets' participation at All-Star Weekend and talk about what comes next for birthday boy Nikola Jokic.