Arenado keeps faith in his teammates
Nolan Arenado got back to baseball Monday, joining his Rockies teammates for their first full-squad workout of spring training.
But the star third baseman also took time to once again emphasize that his offseason displeasure with Colorado’s front office should not be viewed as lack of faith in his teammates.
“I reiterated to my teammates that’s not where I’m coming from — it’s just wanting to win,” Arenado said. “As a team, things happen, moves happen and it gives you a little bit of energy and it feels good when you win.”
Arenado noted that the 2018 postseason, when the Rockies beat the Cubs in the National League wild-card game before getting swept by Milwaukee in a NL division series, were “some of the best times in my life, and I want to experience it again and again and again, like some of these teams get to.”
Bridich on deck. General manager Jeff Bridich, who has yet to publicly comment on the Arenado situation, will get another chance to talk about the subject Tuesday at the annual Cactus League media day. The GMs and managers from the 15 teams that hold spring training in Arizona are scheduled to attend.
Bridich talked to Rockies media last week when pitchers and catchers reported to camp but he declined to respond to Arenado’s comment in which the third baseman said he felt “disrespected” by Bridich.
“Nothing. There is no comment,” Bridich said. “I haven’t had any comment to this point, so we’ll move past that. Next question.”
Leading man. Early indications are that Charlie Blackmon will be the leadoff hitter again this season, even though manager Bud
Black said the club will do some experimenting the spring.
In 2017, Blackmon won the NL batting title with a .331 average and drove in 103 runs from the top of the order, setting a bigleague record for RBIs from the leadoff position.
“That’s why it’s a good situation, because Charlie had a monster year,” Black said. “It’s nice to know late in the game when that extra at-bat comes around, he’s getting it.”
Blackmon likes hitting leadoff, but he has value in the heart of the order, too. Last season, he hit .273 with four home runs, nine RBIs and a 1.017 OPS in 42 cleanup plate appearances.
“I identify more as a baseball player,” Blackmon said. “I will adjust and figure it out wherever I hit in the order. I have the most experience from the leadoff role, so I’m comfortable there. I’ve said it before: It’s harder for someone else to transition into a leadoff role than it is for me to transition out of it.”