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NL WILDCARD GAME: ROCKIES VS DIAMONDBACKS

October 3, 2017

Charlie Blackmon

Phoenix, Arizona

Q. Most hitters consider this a good hitting Paul park. Your view of it?
CHARLIE BLACKMON: I think it's a good hitting ballpark. The thing I like about it has a really nice batter's eye, it's big. It's bigger than most parks. It makes for seeing the ball well. It also carries pretty good, the gaps are big, the infield can be fast. There are a lot more factors to it. But I think the biggest factor is seeing the ball well.

Q. Here's the downside, you haven't hit that great here this year. Explanation for that?
CHARLIE BLACKMON: They probably pitch pretty good. I like hitting here. I wouldn't think there is much more to it than that. Yeah. They've pitched well.

Q. What are the challenges of facing a guy like Greinke in the unique way, I guess, he pitches?
CHARLIE BLACKMON: He's very good at executing pitches. He prepares very well, and he's a really good competitor. I really enjoyed facing him. I think it's a real test every time you face a guy that prepares like he does and can execute like he does.

Q. Regarding Greinke and the pitching staff in general, is there a learning curve? Now that you've had to face this team for 19 games, do you approach it differently?
CHARLIE BLACKMON: I plan to approach it much like I would a regular game. But having said that, I'll keep in mind that they mind do something different. There is going to be guys used in different situations. I think we're going to see much more match-up oriented baseball. It's going to be different than a regular season game, but I'll prepare for each of those pitchers very, very close to the same way I would during the regular season.

Q. This is a first for a lot of you guys. How do you keep it from getting too big? Just one game and you go home?
CHARLIE BLACKMON: Yeah, I think the important thing is I'm going to treat it like a baseball game. I'm going to prepare the same way. Just try and stick to my routines. I do think that the playoffs are a time to have fun, enjoy baseball. They sort of closed the stat books on you, and at this point you're kind of playing for your teammates and you're just enjoying the game, trying to win, and that's all there is to it.

So I don't think we'll have any trouble. I think there's a lot of guys that have been around. There's a lot of guys that are going to set the tone for some of the younger guys that have been there before. Even a lot of the guys like Nolan, for example, he may not have played any postseason baseball, but he's been to a couple All-Star Games. He's been on that big stage, and he knows what it's like to play in front of a national audience.

Q. Back in 2012 or so, I'm sure you're pretty focused on trying to get to the Big Leagues at that point, but did you ever recognize maybe between you and Nolan and DJ, that especially the three of you had something going that might work at the next level, and then for several years?
CHARLIE BLACKMON: You know, at that time you look around, and I felt like these guys were good players, but statistically speaking, what are the chances of three good big league players playing together on the same Triple-A team? Statistically speaking, that doesn't happen very often. But I kind of felt like Nolan was really good, DJ was something of a magician with the glove and with the bat and I didn't know what to think about myself at the time, really. I tried hard, but I probably wouldn't have guessed that those three guys would be very important to the Colorado Rockies five years down the road.

Q. Do you find some comfort though in that you're playing next to players that you've played with for so long?
CHARLIE BLACKMON: Oh, absolutely. I really enjoy playing next to those guys. I know them very well. They know me. I know what I'm going to get out of those guys. I don't have to worry about them one bit. It gives me comfort knowing that I'm playing with those guys and that they're leading the rest of the Rockies as we take the field.

I think I feel that way because of where they are now based on where they came from, especially DJ. He turned himself into such a great player defensively. Offensively I've seen Nolan come a long way from -- I remember the first time I saw him in an Instructional League game, his body didn't look like it does now, and his foot work wasn't what it is now. So I've seen him turn himself into an elite third baseman. I've seen him grow in the box to become one of the best RBI guys in baseball.

So I'm proud of how those guys have worked and where they've come from and where they're going. I think that's one of the main reasons we are where we are today.

Q. Can you talk about having fun and playing for your teammates, but you're also kind of soaking in this moment, this postseason moment and enjoying it?
CHARLIE BLACKMON: Yeah, I think this is a time to enjoy baseball. This is what it's about. This is what you dream about when you're a kid. I don't think this is a time to be putting lots of pressure on my self. I imagine, you know, the atmosphere of the game will allow me to lock in and find that next level of focus.

I don't need to outthink myself or anything. I'm just going to do the same thing I've done for the last 162 games. That's the plan.

Q. As far as fun for the fans goes, you guys didn't get to have this one at home, but how much of your motivation is to try to get Denver a home game in the playoffs?
CHARLIE BLACKMON: That would be amazing. I was really happy to finish up the season the last two series at home to be able to clinch this playoff berth at home. I really do think that we have a big home-field advantage, so I would love to bring some postseason baseball back to Denver this year.

Q. Between you and Nolan, even Goldschmidt over there, there's three superstars, at least, playing this game. I'm wondering to what extent you think that as a group the guys in this division receive maybe enough attention for the performances that suggests they should get?
CHARLIE BLACKMON: I think it's hard to say. I will say that I think the teams on the coast, you know, both sides really dominate the media, and I think a lot of times that can shake the perception of the public for what kind of player each guy is. If you're not seeing Nolan Arenado play and make those amazing plays that he makes every night, you may not think he's that good of a player. Just because you don't hear about him as much.

The same with Goldschmidt. Goldschmidt is a very humble player who can literally do everything on the baseball field. He can run the bases, play defense, unbelievable player. But you're not going to see him out there talking about how good Goldschmidt is promoting himself. That's just not the kind of guy he is.

I think that might keep some fans from knowing more about him or seeing him play. I don't want to say that hurts us, but if everybody keeps talking about how good Aaron Judge is, which he is, he's unbelievable, but, you know, that name tends to dominate a lot of the media, for good reason. Maybe you don't hear as much about Goldschmidt or Arenado as you should.

Q. About a month ago or couple weeks ago you guys played a four-game series here Arenado homered, Car-Go homered to win the first two games and then Martinez homered. When those guys won the other two games. How much should tomorrow night come down to whose big guys do what they need to do to win the game?
CHARLIE BLACKMON: I expect the series to be a little bit different than a regular season match-up in the sense that while both teams are very good offensively, I expect it will turn out like most postseason games in the sense that it's going to be whoever comes up with the big hit in the right spot wins the game. I don't expect it to be a shootout, per se, but I think the team that hits the best in scoring position is going to win the game, and it could be a home run. It could be that one leveraged match-up that goes this way or that. So it could very much be like you're describing.

Q. It could be anybody then, not just the big bats?
CHARLIE BLACKMON: I think that's one of the great things about the Rockies lineup, we're very long. We've got guys hitting all throughout the order that have the ability to hit the ball over the fence or have the ability to come up with that clutch hit. So I really think it could be anybody.

Q. Speaking of Martinez, when he came over to the Diamondbacks, what did he do for them? He's hit well against you guys, but he's hit well against everybody.
CHARLIE BLACKMON: What's it done for their team?

Q. Yeah, from your perspective.
CHARLIE BLACKMON: It's made them better. They're a good offense. Since he's come over, I guess he's been the best part of their offense, really. Statistically he's hit the ball over the fence quite a bit. You know, that wears out a pitching staff. That makes a pitching staff have to figure out what they're going to do with him. If you're spending more time on him, you're probably spending less time on Goldschmidt or Pollock.

And I think sometimes, you know, a starter might get away with so many pitches in traffic, but if you're adding another piece to that puzzle and you have to start pitching in traffic earlier on, they're going to wear down quicker or they're going to make more mistakes. I think his addition has definitely made them better.

FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports

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