Colorado Rockies manager Bud Black on the possible three-batter minimum rule change for relievers

On Wednesday at the Winter Meetings in San Diego, Colorado Rockies manager Bud Black spoke with the media extensively, including Rox Pile’s Kevin Henry.

Among other things, one of the things that Bud Black was asked about was the proposed three-batter minimum that Commissioner Rob Manfred discussed earlier in the day. He said that he “fully expect[s]” that the three-batter rule and other rule changes will be operational in 2020.

Black was asked about his thoughts on the proposed rule change and he, like many, is not a fan.

“I think the chess game still is going to be in play,” said Black, “but…[our] end-game decisions are going to be drastically different. You’ll see from game number one it’s going to — [all managers are] going to have to learn a different type of strategy…“All the managers got together [earlier today] and we went through a list of things from the Commissioner’s office, and that was one of them. Then, post-meeting, we got together and started talking about it. These are going to be different types of strategies…”

He also gave an example of one of the strategies that could hamstring his managing.

“I bring in [Pitcher X] to pitch the seventh inning…” said Black, “and he throws 35 pitches. And [Pitcher X] comes in the next day and last year I would say, ‘Hey, I can give you one hitter. Get me in and get me out.’ Those days are gone.“Some of the back-to-back days, you might have to use a guy– but then you say ‘Buddy, why don’t you bring him in to get one out?’ What if he doesn’t get that guy out? I bring [Pitcher X] in to get the last out of the 7th inning and he threw 35 pitches last night and I’m crossing my fingers, [Pitcher X], ‘get this guy out’.

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He continued:

“But he might end up throwing another 35 pitches because he has to get three guys out so I might not even use him just for that fact. There are a lot of ramifications, but it’s all going to be strategic.“It’s going to be a different dynamic of how a bullpen is used, for sure. You will see it as we go. It’s going to be, hey, man, you will be witnessing it.”

With the change, overall, Black said that the rule change is “going to change how we use our bullpen, for sure.”

With other team’s having to abide by the new rule as well, though, Black also said that left-right-left lineup construction is of vital importance since relievers will have to face three-batters (barring injury or ending an inning).

That may change the lineup construction of the Rockies since they have plenty of left-handed options, including Charlie Blackmon, Ryan McMahon, Sam Hilliard, David Dahl, Daniel Murphy, and Tony Wolters.

In fact, the Rockies 2020 lineup projection from Roster Resource only has two right-handed hitters in the lineup and they are Nolan Arenado and Trevor Story.

Perhaps that could be a sign that the Rockies will be looking to add some right-handed bats or play their current right-handed bats more often (four of the five players on their projected bench hit right-handed).