The Nazty End?

 

Charlie Blackmon is at an interesting point in his career. He's decidedly past his prime, has played his entire career with one team, is running towards the end of his contract with the Rockies, and is having an alright, slightly-above-average year, even as the team scrounges around in last. His options are to either take the end of the contract as a cue to retire, go out with dignity and end his career as a member of the Rockies, or he could see if anyone wants him in 2024 for a one-year contract and get some legacy numbers with somebody. And honestly, both options have merit.

As this year has shown, guys who spent their entire career with one team can exist elsewhere, provided that elsewhere is someplace like Toronto. Both Brandon Belt and Kevin Kiermaier spent the first 10+ years of their career with one team, namely the Giants and Rays, and still joined up with the Jays. Kiermaier is still pretty much in his prime, but Belt has struggled in the last few years and could have honestly retired if he wanted. Thankfully, Belt's gamble has paid off, and he's been having a nice season as DH in Toronto. Not quite close to his Giants prime, but not terrible either. Similarly, Jason Heyward ran out the last several years of his Cubs deal without really doing much of note, and is having a suitable comeback year with the Dodgers. Maybe a similar late-career renaissance could happen if Blackmon were to carry on.

Or, at the same time, maybe carrying on could lead to a less dignified exit. Elvis Andrus is struggling to do anything at all for the White Sox, a few years after leaving the Rangers. Nelson Cruz stayed on for 2 extra seasons after a finish with the Rays in 2021, and neither of them did anything to help build the legend. Edwin Encarnacion had similar trouble in a 2020 campaign with the White Sox. Sometimes ending on a high note is a good thing, cause you may not get another chance.

Blackmon's 2023 isn't THE highest note, but he's still one of the more consistent pillars of this downtrodden Rockies team. He's hitting .292 with 35 RBIs and 7 homers in 72 games, and leads the team in average [but not OPS, Nolan Jones has got him there]. Keeping him as a DH helps because he's notoriously a subpar fielder, but his contact bat is as good as ever and it's helping this team out in the absence of Kris Bryant. You're seeing Hunter Goodman, Brenton Doyle, Ezequiel Tovar and Nolan Jones inherit this team, and while Blackmon assisting is a decent element, I don't know if this team will eventually need that DH spot for a younger, more compatible option. Blackmon might be similar to Salvador Perez at this point; as cool as it is to have him around, it's also making it harder to completely move on from the previous regime.

Still, I hope that whatever choice Blackmon makes after this season is one he's proud of, and one that gives him the most satisfaction ultimately. He's been a great player, and a team hero for the Rockies without a doubt, and no amount of lesser, post-prime seasons can really touch that.

Coming Tomorrow- Ironically one of Blackmon's former teammates. His team's similarly struggling.