Rockies splitting time in series with Astros

HOUSTON -- The current Astros-Rockies series isn't notable just for kicking off a new Interleague rivalry. The four-game series is split between Houston and Colorado for two games each, and players have taken notice.

"Obviously, it's different from what we're used to," Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado said. "It's weird to be going back home right after this and immediately facing the same team again. It's pretty cool to get a change of pace, almost like a postseason setup."

First baseman Todd Helton has been with the Rockies since 1997 and said he can't remember a split series like this since "I was a much younger man."

"Early in my career, we would play two-game series to kind of adjust when they had just added a few new teams into the league," Helton said. "They went away from it pretty quick. It's a rarity."

Rockies manager Walt Weiss said the split-venue series -- and the resulting day games in Houston -- caught his attention for the schedule it put his team on.

"Going back to the last two games in San Francisco and now here, we've been on a Spring Training schedule now for the last four days. It'll be nice to get a few night games and get back to normal," Weiss said.