Bud Black plans to get creative with his bullpen

SCOTTSDALE – Far too much has been made about the environment in which the Colorado Rockies play.

Sure, Coors Field inflates offensive numbers, but the way the ballpark is given as much lip service and any individual player, it can be easy to think that every single thing that happens on the diamond in Denver is dramatically different to everywhere else.

It isn’t.

Round ball, round bat. Ninety feet to first. And, good execution usually wins out.

But the marathon nature of a baseball season does present some unique challenges for a team that plays in a place where cheaper offense is easier find.

Bud Black has been reticent to accept any premise regarding anything unusual that needs to be done in order to combat some of the negatives that can come with his home park. But in his second year at altitude, he is admitting to one major change that must be kept in mind.

Managing the bullpen over the course of a long homestand—or a long season—is going to take some added creativity.

This begins by understanding, no matter how much cash was spent, that other people are going to have to get the final three outs.

“Out of the gate, we ran into that last year with Greg [Holland],” says Black. “Used him the first two days, and he was not going to pitch the third day. He was not going to pitch three days to start the season. So you can probably suspect similar plans.”

That’s not too unusual, it’s just more common for Colorado.

“Just from the physical nature of altitude,” Black said.. “But that’s where the players, our discussions daily about, ‘How you feeling? How you doing? How’s the arm?’ and their honest feedback to us is so critical and important to our decision making. All these factors go into it. Last year, as an example, with opening series, I just don’t think it’s the right place to throw a closer, or any pitcher, three days in a row. Doesn’t necessarily need to be the closer.”

That’s why Jake McGee had to close out the home opener, by striking out the side no less.

“We had a save situation against the Dodgers. 2-1, Freeland’s game. And McGee got the save, as opposed to Greg throwing five out of six days. So, a lot of it is straightforward, common sense how to use guys. But there’s other times we like to think, even though it’s three in a row it’s still common sense, it isn’t a big stretch. It isn’t like a, ‘Whoa, you’re using him three days in a row?” Black said.

Black was asked if McGee was the go-to guy again in 2018.

“Or Shaw. Or Ottavino. Or Dunn. Or Rusin.”

He’s not short on options.

“Your eyes sort of tell you certain things about how they’re throwing, the pitcher’s conversations with us about how they’re feeling. These are all daily discussions, where based on the physical, is probably the thing that stands out the most. Mentally, most pitchers are really pretty good. Most players are. So, it’s the physical part. This is a conversation where I have to trust the player, know the player that, ‘Hey, going three days in a row today is fine. He feels good. His pitch count’s been down the last week.’

We will likely see some starters come out of the ‘pen and lots of different guys get shots in different roles based on everything from general health to who has the hot hand. Some players prefer hard, defined roles, but this Rockies team knows that anyone could be called upon at any time.

On one hand, Black has a lot of information to keep in the matrix of his mind. On the other hand, the comfort he feels with the depth that is available takes a lot of the pressure off to make a “right” decision.

He may have to walk out to the mound and take the baseball from one pitcher in preparation to hand it to another more than most managers, but at least he feels fully confident every time.