• Have something to say? Register Now! and be posting in minutes!

Springer or Blackmon

Who's the better leadoff hitter in baseball?

  • George Springer

  • Charlie Blackmon

  • Both equally awesome

  • Both overrated


Results are only viewable after voting.

Mike A. S.

Well-Known Member
1,553
268
83
Joined
Dec 20, 2016
Hoopla Cash
$ 1,000.00
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
Who's the better leadoff hitter in baseball? George Springer or Charlie Blackmon.
 

navamind

Well-Known Member
21,568
4,962
293
Joined
May 15, 2012
Location
NJ
Hoopla Cash
$ 1,000.00
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
Springer. Blackmon's a great hitter at Coors and a pedestrian hitter elsewhere.
 

broncosmitty

Banned in Europe
89,646
23,553
1,033
Joined
Apr 19, 2013
Location
Almost Paradise
Hoopla Cash
$ 16,206.54
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
I don't like either at leadoff personally.


Power should be lower in the order, to me. And Springer does not run like he did when he came up.


Blackmon is a below average player below a mile of elevation.
 

navamind

Well-Known Member
21,568
4,962
293
Joined
May 15, 2012
Location
NJ
Hoopla Cash
$ 1,000.00
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
I don't like either at leadoff personally.


Power should be lower in the order, to me. And Springer does not run like he did when he came up.


Blackmon is a below average player below a mile of elevation.

Springer's baserunning has been a big disappointment at the major league level, but even then you still have a guy with a career .359 OBP and he has a lot of power. He might not be your traditional speedy leadoff guy, but he's easily one of their best hitters (and one of the better hitters in the AL). It would make sense to try to get him as many plate appearances as you can IMO. Altuve probably would make more sense at leadoff or at least in the #2 hole.
 

Mike A. S.

Well-Known Member
1,553
268
83
Joined
Dec 20, 2016
Hoopla Cash
$ 1,000.00
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
Springer could definitely be effective in other spots of the lineup as well. But he's a beast at the top as well. He doesn't steal bases like everyone thought he'd do, but that doesn't mean he doesn't run well.
 

Inquisitor95

Unexpected Member
22,592
8,149
533
Joined
Jul 19, 2013
Location
There
Hoopla Cash
$ 200.00
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
Springer's a good spark plug.

Not going to argue with success so leave him at leadoff.
 

DragonfromTO

Well-Known Member
12,006
2,447
173
Joined
Jul 3, 2013
Hoopla Cash
$ 1,000.00
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
Springer's baserunning has been a big disappointment at the major league level, but even then you still have a guy with a career .359 OBP and he has a lot of power. He might not be your traditional speedy leadoff guy, but he's easily one of their best hitters (and one of the better hitters in the AL). It would make sense to try to get him as many plate appearances as you can IMO. Altuve probably would make more sense at leadoff or at least in the #2 hole.

Has his baserunning been bad or just his basestealing? Because I would imagine that the latter is somewhat easy to fix by sending him less often.
 

navamind

Well-Known Member
21,568
4,962
293
Joined
May 15, 2012
Location
NJ
Hoopla Cash
$ 1,000.00
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
Has his baserunning been bad or just his basestealing? Because I would imagine that the latter is somewhat easy to fix by sending him less often.

Idk what the deal is. He stole 16 on 20 attempts in his 2nd season, but he was 14/31 in 2016-17. He was 88/104 in the minors.
 

DragonfromTO

Well-Known Member
12,006
2,447
173
Joined
Jul 3, 2013
Hoopla Cash
$ 1,000.00
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
Idk what the deal is. He stole 16 on 20 attempts in his 2nd season, but he was 14/31 in 2016-17. He was 88/104 in the minors.

I think he's probably just a poor basestealer who was able to outrun his deficiency in the minors. I didn't send him once last year (2016 season) in Sim league and he's completely turned off again this year (2017 season). Saving myself a handful of outs.
 
7,543
4,093
293
Joined
Aug 23, 2011
Location
ohio
Hoopla Cash
$ 1,000.00
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
IMHO, good hitters should never try to steal bases before the 8th inning. It isnt worth a broken finger or a jammed wrist.

Bad hitters who have alot of their value based on stealing bases is another story.
 

Mebert

Not Mebert's Alt
17,897
9,830
533
Joined
Apr 20, 2013
Location
Salt Lake City
Hoopla Cash
$ 22,700.00
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
I don't like either at leadoff personally.


Power should be lower in the order, to me. And Springer does not run like he did when he came up.


Blackmon is a below average player below a mile of elevation.

I think Blackmon is better than he gets credit for away from Coors. If you take his numbers for just away games he is still 31st in BA, 41st OBP, and 38th in SLG. Not elite, but those are still solid numbers.

As a leadoff he is not my favorite, I always felt he would add more value hitting 3 with Arenado 4. Get a good lead off and LaMahieu at the 2 and Blackmon would add a lot of RBI's and have more value I think. Who else will the Rockies lead off with though?

Long story short Springer is better as a leadoff, but he is a similar type of leadoff as Blackmon and it is close.
 

broncosmitty

Banned in Europe
89,646
23,553
1,033
Joined
Apr 19, 2013
Location
Almost Paradise
Hoopla Cash
$ 16,206.54
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
I think Blackmon is better than he gets credit for away from Coors. If you take his numbers for just away games he is still 31st in BA, 41st OBP, and 38th in SLG. Not elite, but those are still solid numbers.

As a leadoff he is not my favorite, I always felt he would add more value hitting 3 with Arenado 4. Get a good lead off and LaMahieu at the 2 and Blackmon would add a lot of RBI's and have more value I think. Who else will the Rockies lead off with though?

Long story short Springer is better as a leadoff, but he is a similar type of leadoff as Blackmon and it is close.
His career OBP is .314 on the road. It's .406 at home. .566 to .436 Slugging.


I don't like OPS+, but Charlie Blackmon really can't like his road number. It's well below average.
 

broncosmitty

Banned in Europe
89,646
23,553
1,033
Joined
Apr 19, 2013
Location
Almost Paradise
Hoopla Cash
$ 16,206.54
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
Springer's baserunning has been a big disappointment at the major league level, but even then you still have a guy with a career .359 OBP and he has a lot of power. He might not be your traditional speedy leadoff guy, but he's easily one of their best hitters (and one of the better hitters in the AL). It would make sense to try to get him as many plate appearances as you can IMO. Altuve probably would make more sense at leadoff or at least in the #2 hole.
Springer hits leadoff because Altuve doesn't like to, right?


I get best hitter getting the most ABs. But it's 162 ABs, Atleast, without a base runner.


It's a great lineup, so Power without base runners isn't killing them
Or anything. But it isn't ideal to me.
 

Duffman

Well-Known Member
12,170
3,433
293
Joined
Sep 8, 2014
Location
Denver, Colorado
Hoopla Cash
$ 1,535.51
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
Well Blackman is killing it this year so far, and the Rockies haven't even played 1 home game. In fact the Rockies already lead the Majors in HR's and yet haven't even played a game at Coors, so much for them only being good at home.
 

Mebert

Not Mebert's Alt
17,897
9,830
533
Joined
Apr 20, 2013
Location
Salt Lake City
Hoopla Cash
$ 22,700.00
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
His career OBP is .314 on the road. It's .406 at home. .566 to .436 Slugging.


I don't like OPS+, but Charlie Blackmon really can't like his road number. It's well below average.

Blackmon was also late bloomer. Looking at the last 2 years, which are the years he started getting recognition as good he has been around .345 obp away from Coors. Not elite, but still good.

I agree with Springer, I just think Blackmon is better than people think on away games.
 

Mebert

Not Mebert's Alt
17,897
9,830
533
Joined
Apr 20, 2013
Location
Salt Lake City
Hoopla Cash
$ 22,700.00
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
Well Blackman is killing it this year so far, and the Rockies haven't even played 1 home game. In fact the Rockies already lead the Majors in HR's and yet haven't even played a game at Coors, so much for them only being good at home.

That is a very small sample size to make big claims on.
 

Duffman

Well-Known Member
12,170
3,433
293
Joined
Sep 8, 2014
Location
Denver, Colorado
Hoopla Cash
$ 1,535.51
Fav. Team #1
Fav. Team #2
Fav. Team #3
That is a very small sample size to make big claims on.

I'm just pointing that the notion that the Rockies can't hit away from Coors field isn't as true as people think it is. The knock on them has always been "who cares about what they hit at home they can't hit on the road" and that just isn't the case. Of course they'll slump here and there but going off last year and yes even the small sample size this year that statement has been shown to be false.
 
Top