Even as one of the greatest places on the planet to hit, with that wide-open range of outfield in which to plant bloops and grow doubles, there was one spot at Coors Field where righthanded hitters such as Paul Goldschmidt saw singles vanish almost every visit.
Right by third base, there was a gravity well for grounders.
“Man, if I hit the ball to him, I’m out — every time,” Goldschmidt said Wednesday from his home in Jupiter, Fla. “Nolan was one of those players who any time you get the ball down the line to third base you’re automatically out.