How the Rockies could reduce strikeouts

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Last year's Rockies led the National League and finished third in the Major Leagues in strikeouts.

They couldn't even rely on the difference between road, where they finished second in the NL, and home, where they were league leaders.

"I was embarrassed to be part of leading the league in strikeouts," said Hensley Meulens, the Rockies' hitting coach, who was with the Giants' World Series-winning teams that limited strikeouts. "We didn't hit homers. If you don't hit homers, it's something different. When you don't hit homers, and you compound it by striking out, something's got to change.

Everybody bought in. Some of the guys were embarrassed with the strikeouts. But every year is a clean slate."

But how do the Rockies wipe out the strikeout?

Address strikeouts throughout the organization.

During the offseason, Meulens convened Zoom calls, which included not only all Minor League hitting coaches but general manager Bill Schmidt and a pair of Schmidt's special assistants – former manager Clint Hurdle and the Rockies' newest Hall of Famer.

"We had Todd Helton on some of the calls, talking about spreading out, choking up, letting the ball get deep and not being afraid to get jammed, cut down on the effort level," Meulens said. "We have a lot of guys with a ton of experience. In my years with the Giants, we were in the bottom five in strikeouts, and those guys hated striking out."

Keep the issue front and center with the players

Veteran Charlie Blackmon echoed the coaches' demands at the first hitters' meeting of camp. Meulens said, "It resonated with the guys."

Brendan Rodgers, who is reducing the effort level to let his short, direct swing work, said the team "has looked a lot better in the past.

In batting practice, we have a two-strike round, which is huge. You're not trying to hit a home run with two strikes – home runs are accidents, anyhow – but for us righties, we're trying to hit the ball over the second baseman, the shortstop for lefties."

Understand that it doesn't happen overnight

Before Wednesday's game against the D-backs, which the Rockies would lose 5-1, Meulens "reaffirmed" the emphasis to the hitters.

This spring, putting balls in play with two strikes is a "work in progress" that will continue through the season, Meulens said.

The club's internal stats in Cactus League play (before Wednesday) showed that after a count reached two strikes, the Rockies were batting .171, slugging .303, striking out 50.9 percent of the time and walking 10.4 percent.

It's hard to compare Spring Training to the regular season because pitchers have gone from working on pitches to competing, and not everyone compiling stats will even be on the team when the season begins. But the Rockies' current two-strike performance is mostly in line with MLB norms from last season (although strikeouts are higher) – .172 batting, .273 slugging, 42.5 percent strikeouts, 8.5 percent walks.

Blackmon had a .333 two-strike average, and three players who are trying to trim strikeouts were notably above last season's MLB norm – Ryan McMahon (.300), Ezequiel Tovar (.263) and Brenton Doyle (.222).

But Tovar and Elehuris Montero struck out during Wednesday's game on low, spinning pitches that dogged them last season and are on every team's scouting report.

Push for the emphasis to carry into the season.

The fatigue of the schedule means players may hit less on the field before games. But the two-strike round of BP will continue, on the field or off.

In the indoor cage, the Rockies use a machine that fires softer baseballs to mimic the game's starting pitcher. The movement of those pitches makes the indoor sessions as good a time as any to devote time to two-strike hitting, Meulens said.

Set the ego aside

Some suggestions to trim strikeouts require a physical change in the box. A debate exists in hitting circles: Should a hitter abandon his "A" swing?

Meulens offers his own question: "Would you rather strike out, then?"

Catcher Elias Díaz, last year's All-Star Game Most Valuable Player, has embraced choking up as his two-strike response of choice. It paid off Wendesday in a controlled swing for a fourth-inning single off Scott McGough.

Any change is a good one for manager Bud Black. Veteran Kris Bryant has had strikeouts in his history, but before two injury-reduced seasons with the Rockies, he had combatted them with a high home run tally and walks. But many Rockies haven't developed other strong enough numbers to counterbalance strikeouts.

"We're hoping for progress – decreased strikeouts, increased walks," Black said. "It has been a talking point."

When the Rockies are talking during the 2024 season, "embarrassed" is not a word they want to use.

Notes:

Righty Peter Lambert, competing for a rotation spot or long man in the bullpen, struck out five and gave up three runs and six hits – including Christian Walker's solo homer – in 4 1/3 innings before being removed after 81 pitches.

"I liked his stuff," Black said. "The fastball was crisp. He showed some good curveballs, good changeups. They put a couple good at-bats against him for a couple runs and there was the breaking ball to Walker. He got to 80 pitches and held his stamina."

Wednesday was a struggle for lefty bullpen competitor Evan Justice, who walked three of the five batters he faced. Justice, a 2021 fifth-round pick out of North Carolina State, made the Majors last year after 41 2/3 Minor League innings. "We like the arm, and there's some deception to the delivery, but today the history of the base-on balls showed up -- and he'll be the first one to tell you that can't show up," Black said.