Colorado Rockies: Charlie Blackmon’s role changing in 2020?

Colorado Rockies fans are accustomed to the bottom of the first inning at Coors Field starting off with The Outfield and “Your Love” blaring as Charlie Blackmon steps to the plate. However, they may have to wait a little longer to hear the song in the 2020 season.

After hitting leadoff in 799 of the 967 games he has started in a Colorado Rockies uniform, Charlie Blackmon slid down in the order in late August and September as Trevor Story primarily assumed the leadoff role with Blackmon behind him.

Colorado manager Bud Black felt the shift was a positive in order for the Rockies to take advantage of Story’s speed (the All-Star shortstop led the team with 23 stolen bases in 2019) as well as Blackmon’s ability to move him around the bases.

“Trevor’s base-stealing ability puts the pitcher (and) catcher in a little different spot with a true base-stealer,” Black told Rox Pile and other media members in late August. “Plus, if Trevor’s on, and they have to hold him, Charlie’s ability to pull the ball with certain pitches becomes greater. Charlie might get more fastballs if Trevor’s on base with a threat to steal. All the traditional baseball theories come into play a little bit, and both guys are good with it.”

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In one of his final interviews before the 2019 season concluded, Blackmon admitted that his days as Colorado’s leadoff hitter could be limited in 2020 … and that’s something he’s going to think about and work on this winter.

“Having hit a little further down in the order this year, pitch selection is going to be the key for me,” Blackmon said inside the Colorado clubhouse as he looked ahead to the offseason and 2020. “I’m trying to limit my swings out on the periphery of the strike zone so I’m going to be focusing on that in the offseason, which is hard to do without pitching and feedback but I think I’ll be doing some more drills to help me swing at better pitches.”

Blackmon is a career .307/.364/.523 hitter in the leadoff role and has made a name for himself around Major League Baseball with his historic feats from the top spot in the lineup. This isn’t. however, the first time that the discussion about the 33-year-old Blackmon moving into more of a traditional power lineup spot has occurred. Rockies fans well remember 2018 spring training when talk of DJ LeMahieu in the leadoff slot and Blackmon behind him was a big topic of conversation.

Batting anywhere but first, Blackmon knows the selection of pitches he sees will be different.

“If you’re hitting further down in the order, you’re going to be in situations where guys aren’t going to come right after you with a first-pitch fastball,” Blackmon explained. “They’re going to want to keep that run off the board and they’re going to try to pitch to the edges and mix it up a little more. I think that will help me give away less at-bats.”

So is Blackmon OK with moving out of the leadoff spot? Absolutely, he said.

“I like hitting in other places (in the lineup),” Blackmon said. “I like watching someone else hit leadoff. It’s something I enjoy doing and it’s something I’ve gotten comfortable with.”

While Rockies fans have been warned against the team making “some great big splash” in the offseason, Blackmon expects next year’s lineup to be somewhat different … even if it involves the same players.

“I don’t think it will look exactly like it looked this year,” Blackmon said. “I think we’ll try some new things out and reevaluate the best way to structure our lineup.”