Blackmon’s bat riles boo-birds at Petco Park
SAN DIEGO — For two nights, followers at Petco Park have booed Rockies veteran Charlie Blackmon as if he’s nonetheless a feared hitter. They had been onto one thing.
Blackmon struggled late final season, underwent arthroscopic surgical procedure on his left knee in October and entered Friday with a profession worst 47-game homerless streak. But his fifth-inning, two-run shot keyed the Rockies’ 4-1 victory over the Padres.
“Are they booing mostly everybody or just me?” Blackmon requested, earlier than chuckling when listening to that the loudest greeting is for him.
Other Rockies upset a crowd hoping to will the Padres to achieve again for the magic of final 12 months’s National League Championship Series look. Kyle Freeland threw six three-hit innings, and put himself on the spotlight reel with a Derek Jeter-esque (lefty model) spinning leap throw.
But Blackmon, 36, is starting his thirteenth season — all with the Rockies — as the perfect rationalization for him changing into the person within the black hat to Padres followers.
Blackmon’s no-doubt shot into the right-field seats off Padres starter Nick Martinez gave the Rockies a 4-0 lead, and continued a stable begin for Blackmon. He delivered three hits in Thursday night time’s 7-2 victory within the season opener, and he singled and scored throughout Colorado’s two-run first inning on Friday.
Blackmon adopted the trail of fellow veteran C.J. Cron. Both missed time late in Spring Training with again points. But Cron returned for the ultimate three Cactus League video games, which was sufficient to organize him to launch two dwelling runs in Thursday’s Opening Night victory. Blackmon performed the ultimate 4 video games of Spring Training and did nothing significantly particular.
Both additionally spent a day cramming Minor League at-bats (veterans are allowed to guide off each inning of a Minor League sport throughout Spring Training).
But then has nothing to do with now.
“Big league at-bats are hard to get ready for,” Blackmon stated. “You can have a ton of Minor League or Spring Training. But it’s never quite like going outside the wire when it counts in a big league game. It’s hard to say, ‘Yes, for sure I’m ready’ in Spring Training, because the intensity is just a little higher when the season starts.”
“He’s getting his hits in all different ways,” supervisor Bud Black stated. “He’s getting exhausting contact. He’s discovering some holes — that’s what occurs while you’re going properly. Overall, the swings have been nice.
“He obtained the pinnacle [of the bat] out on a pitch elevated slightly bit, and he hit it out. He’s able to that. That was nice to see.
Blackmon exercised his participant choice for this season at $15 million with the goal of returning to the wire-to-wire hitting that made him a four-time All-Star. Blackmon had sturdy stretches in 2020 and ‘22, when his first half might need warranted All-Star consideration had the membership been extra related within the NL West standings. But he labored down the stretch every season.
In 2021, he hit a career-low 13 homers. Last 12 months, Blackmon managed 16 earlier than going dry after July 27.
The 2023 season isn’t far sufficient alongside to think about scorching streaks and downturns. But possibly a primary thought can carry Blackmon by way of all of it.
“I feel like less is more right now,” Blackmon stated. “I’m trying to not do too much. Just trying to swing at good pitches and not overcomplicate things. Just stay relaxed and let my eyes do the work.”
