Olney: Like Charlie Blackmon, future free agents can capitalize on emotional leverage

Charlie Blackmon concluded a deal with the Colorado Rockies on Wednesday that guarantees him $108 million, or basically the same amount of money slugger J.D. Martinez got from the Boston Red Sox, in spite of a couple of stout industry trends.

First, that teams are more reluctant than ever to invest in long-term contracts for aging players; Blackmon turns 32 in July.

Second, rival evaluators have viewed Rockies hitters warily in the free-agent market because they suspect outsized offensive production is rooted in their hitting at mile-high altitude rather than their skills -- just ask Carlos Gonzalez, who had to settle for a one-year deal to go back to Colorado. Blackmon had home/road OPS…