Charlie Blackmon, with his gnarly mountain-man beard, sing-along walk-up song, and Chuck Nazty hustle, has become a Rockies icon.
He’s had a remarkable career since making his debut on June 7, 2011, just shy of his 25th birthday. But he’s only been to the playoffs twice, in 2017 and ’18, and another trip to the postseason seems light years away.
The 36-year-old Blackmon has watched some of his closest friends leave Colorado for greener baseball pastures; places where winning is not just a wish, but an expectation. Nolan Arenado is in St. Louis, Trevor Story is in Boston, and D.