SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — On one end of the Rockies' clubhouse, pitcher Justin Miller shoots a small basketball through a plastic toy hoop. The channel is set to TruTV to catch Thursday's first round of NCAA Tournament games.
David Hale and Tyler Anderson sit at a table at the opposite end of the room. Their eyes dart between an empty bracket and smartphones, researching teams and looking for the best NCAA Tournament upsets to pick. They talk back and forth about a potential 12 seed who could upset a No. 5.
While the focus remains on hardball, it's clear the Rockies have caught hardwood fever.