Blackmon still a student of the game

MILWAUKEE – Charlie Blackmon has won the hearts of his evolving Rockies’ teammates with his willingness to share experience and advice. But they can learn even more from him through the way he plays, rather than what he says.

The lineup is populated with players trying to simply evolve into Major Leaguers. Blackmon’s challenge, however, is higher level. Blackmon made four All-Star Games and was the 2017 National League batting champion as a leadoff hitter. Now he is batting in the middle of the order, which means he is pitched differently, and his responsibilities have changed.

Blackmon has the veteran’s resume and his bewhiskered face gives off a beatnik and professorial aura. But when he picks up a bat, he is a student just like everyone else.

“We do a good job of feeling like we’re all grinding together,” Blackmon said before Saturday’s game against the Brewers at American Family Field. “Everybody wants everybody to do well. There’s information to be shared, just as much from them to me as me to them. We have a really good chemistry, and I like the people in the clubhouse.”

Before dropping to the middle of the order last season, Blackmon was one of baseball’s best leadoff men from 2014-19. But manager Bud Black, noting Blackmon’s power at the leadoff spot, dropped him to the third and fourth spots in the order last season. Since then, Blackmon has noticed a different pitching plan.

“It’s more trying to get hits when guys don’t want you to get hits, instead of worrying about the guy hitting behind you,” Blackmon said. “I feel now they’re trying to get me out. They’re not just trying to keep me from walking because they don’t want Nolan Arenado hitting with a runner on base.

“It’s more or less [No. 2 hitter Yonathan Daza] has done a great job getting himself into scoring position, so they’re going to pitch me really tough.”

This season, the efforts against Blackmon worked – for a month. Blackmon finished April batting just .184. The 11 walks he drew were a good sign, but otherwise it was a struggle. The slow start is the reason for the .262 average he carried into Saturday.

But from May 1 through Friday, Blackmon’s .299 batting average was tied for 10th in the National League, and his .400 on-base percentage was tied for fifth.

Blackmon entered Saturday with just four home runs, which to him is an indication that pitchers are less willing to be hurt by him than ever. But he had taken advantage of top-of-the-order production from Raimel Tapia and Daza to the tune of 37 RBIs, second on the team behind Ryan McMahon’s 44.

Blackmon is trying to squeeze more out of his plate appearances.

“I feel like I'm close,” he said. “There have been times I've been close. I've been really competitive. And I do things right 90 percent of the time. Then the 10 percent I don’t do right, that’s the one pitch I get out on.”

Hitting coach Dave Magadan loves having a hitter who isn’t taking good enough for an answer. A key has been Blackmon’s willingness accept that a walk is good enough to finish a plate appearance in his favor. In Wednesday’s 5-2 win at Seattle, Blackmon went 0-for-1 but drew three walks and scored a run.

“He's done a commendable job, because he's not getting a ton of pitches to hit,” Magadan said. “Instead of trying to take what's not there to be to be taken, he's still trying to get a good pitch to hit, trying to get a good pitch to drive.

“He’s got 34 walks [going into Saturday]. He certainly wouldn’t want to go up there looking for a walk. But he’s got to take what’s given to him. If he can get on base for the guys behind him, that's part of his value.”

It’s a matter of him practicing what Black, Magadan and the club asked Blackmon to preach to his less-experienced teammates. While the Rockies still are searching for an offense that plays well at home and on the road, the team at-bats that can make it happen are starting to show. From May 1 through Friday, Daza’s .326 average was fourth in the NL and Tapia’s .310 was seventh, with Blackmon at .299.

“We are generally doing a good job having the goal of winning the game, and not so much ‘getting my hits’ or individual-type things,” Blackmon said. “Personally, I have been taught to play to win. Playing to win and trying to be a good teammate, individual performance will take care of itself.”