MILWAUKEE -- The request earlier this season brought a smile to Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado and sparked a buzz among teammates.
Matthew Holliday, thought by much of the baseball world to be concentrating on a burgeoning broadcasting career, wanted Arenado to look at his hitting in a cage and maybe share it with some of the guys. And let him know if, you know, maybe a comeback was possible.
Holliday would eventually sign a Minor League deal in late July, and since August, he has been a part-time starter for a Rockies club that begins the National League Division Series on Thursday afternoon against the Brewers at Miller Park.
Turns out Holliday had paid Arenado forward.
Arenado was a promising rookie in 2013 when then-Rockies shortstop Troy Tulowitzki took him to dinner with Holliday in St. Louis during a series with the Cardinals. Holliday by then was a distinguished Cardinal, but in earlier days had represented the Rockies in three All-Star Games.
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But by Arenado's first Midsummer Classic in 2016, he felt comfortable enough to ask for Holliday's number so he could text him videos for hitting counsel.
"We sent each other swings," Arenado said. "I send him swings of me and asked him what he thinks and he sent me some of his. We talk all the time. I consider him a pretty darn good friend. I really appreciate watching his swings and talking about the game."
Arenado also shared Holliday's swing videos with Rockies outfielder Carlos Gonzalez, who had never played with Holliday -- they were traded for each other in a deal with the Athletics in November 2008. Gonzalez didn't know who would sign Holliday after an illness- and injury-plagued season with the Yankees last year. But he hoped it would be the Rockies.
"[Holliday] was like, 'Hey, how do I look? Do I look good?'" Gonzalez said. "It was Nolan's video, and we were talking back and forth.
"But he's a hard worker. He loves the game. He wanted this moment. I'm sure he wanted this moment. I'm sure he wanted to be a Rockie and he wanted to be in the postseason. We're glad he's back, and I'm sure he's happy."
Holliday said sometimes it takes a hitter to know one, but it helps if those hitters are friends.
"I've had a relationship with Nolan for a while, and I was just trying to get back into a situation where I could contribute to a team," Holliday said. "Nolan and 'CarGo,' they're just friends of mine -- guys that I look up to and I feel are peers. They're guys that know hitting. That's all there is to it.
"'Tulo' and I are close, and he spoke so highly of Nolan. So you get a chance to get to know young players. Everybody's trying to learn. You get a chance to eat dinner, talk baseball, talk hitting. It's a lot of fun."

A big chance, in perspective
Arenado's five Gold Glove Awards, four All-Star Games and three NL home run titles haven't given him the national recognition that he could receive. The Rockies were eliminated in the NL Wild Card Game last year, but this will be his first full series.
"I won't add that pressure to me," Arenado said. "It's just an opportunity. We get to play in a series. I'm excited for it. The ultimate goal is to win the World Series."
Asked about Arenado's opportunity, Rockies manager Bud Black made sure to disperse the attention.
"Not only Nolan, but everybody, our entire team, I think is on this stage, and hopefully it gets bigger as we go," Black said. "But I do know this means a lot to Nolan. I know that he has said that, obviously."

Someone lights up at the sight of blue and gold
Rockies shortstop Trevor Story is the Rockies' nominee for the Hank Aaron Award, which goes to the best offensive player in each league. And his numbers against the Brewers are great campaign literature. In seven regular-season games, Story had seven homers and 18 RBIs.

Awwwwwwkward
A day later, Arenado was still trying to figure out the awkward hug he received from the Cubs' Javier Baez when Arenado tagged him out between second and third during the 11th of Tuesday night's 2-1, 13-inning victory.
"He stopped and, knowing Baez, I think he'd make a move and try to trick me, so I kinda went at him kinda hard," Arenado said. "Then he hugged me and I kind of like, fell right into his arms. It was a little awkward.
"Then after that he kinda just held me. Then I just tapped him on the shoulder."

The play raised questions as to whether Baez committed obstruction and possibly robbed Arenado of a double play, but he said he never intended a risky throw. But he said, "If I had known, maybe I could have gotten an 'and-one,' like basketball.'