Chuck Nazty
Chuck Nazty
Charlie Blackmon called it a career this weekend as the Colorado Rockies ended their 2024 season.
I’m the same age as Charlie Blackmon. I knew the day was coming when the longtime Colorado Rockies outfielder would announce his retirement. Even so, I’m feeling a weird mix of emotions now that Blackmon announced his retirement and made it official.
One of the first things I noticed is that Blackmon looks the same now that he has for years. At least to me, it’s the same image of the man known as “Chuck Nazty” that would have come to mind years ago. The same beard, the same mullet, and the same subtle facial expressions that give away his love of baseball.
I look at Charlie, and then I look at my photo when I was writing about Blackmon back in 2011-2013, and boy, things were different then. I had more hair, I didn't have gray hair, and I had the youthful confidence to make bold calls like growing out chopper sideburns.
If our favorite players retiring and getting older sometimes serves as a reminder about our own mortality, this one just hits a little closer to home.
It's safe to say that a lot has changed for both of us the last 14 years. But one thing has remained the same: Blackmon connects with Rockies fans. That part will live on well past Charlie's playing days.
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It's the end of an era in Rockies baseball, and the end of a solid playing career for the rare one-team only player. So today, I'm remembering the good times with Charlie Blackmon, with a dash of grasping for where this leaves the Rockies in terms of any sense of identity.
I'm glad you're here. On we go.
Sweet facial hair and sweet tankers
Hey Charlie what have you been up to? Just growing awesomeness all over my face and wearing sweet tankers.
Charlie Blackmon sent that that tweet on November 1, 2012. At that point, he was 69 games into his Major League career. He would be fighting for a big-league roster spot the following spring, ultimately losing out and starting the 2013 season in the minor leagues.
Blackmon and I were both 26 years old when he sent that tweet. We're 38 now. I think that tweet is just as hilarious now as I did back then. I would like to think Charlie feels the same way.
Over the course of his career, Blackmon endeared himself to fans because of his accomplishments, his work ethic, and his studious approach to hitting. It was fascinating to watch him evolve as a player and adapt his game.
That's the baseball side of it. But he also just made people happy. He was a goofball who liked to joke around, and even if you didn't share the specific sense of humor of a fellow white guy his age, you likely appreciated the joy he brought to playing baseball.
Chuck Nazty was just his own kind of dude.
During Blackmon's time with the Rockies, fans at Coors Field wore big, foam beards - like those oversized foam fingers, but a beard. They sang his walk-up song (“Your Love” by the Outfield). The connection between Rockies fans and Blackmon always felt genuine. As you know by now, his nickname (which he likely gave himself) was Chuck Nazty.
He was a darn good player, and that's a big part of his place in franchise history. But it's the fun stuff, too.
Want to remember some guys?
This section will likely resonate with Rockies fans the most, but any baseball fan might chuckle at a name or two that's about to appear on their screen.
In the process of venturing down memory lane and looking back at some of my writing about Blackmon over the years, I found a blog post where I was pleading the case that Chuck Nazty should be called up from Triple-A. In list form, here's a bunch of boys who I mentioned in that entry:
Tyler Colvin
Chris Nelson
Reid Brignac
Jonathan Herrera
Eric Young, Jr.
Josh Rutledge
Truly, a who's who of mediocre position battles in Rockies history.
Rockies lifer
I feel a little conflicted when it comes to Blackmon spending his entire career with the Rockies.
On the one hand, they're my team. It's cool for a fan favorite to stay with one team for his entire career, especially in an era where that is increasingly rare.
On the other hand, the Rockies are a broken team. Their owner is one of the worst in sports, which is no small feat, and their front office is dysfunctional. Across most coverage of Major League Baseball, the Rockies are a joke, a punchline, a team that is hopeless but funny in their ineptitude.
I wonder if part of the connection between this player and the fans is born out of the way that Blackmon provided a bright spot over the course of those bleak years. In that way, we were glad he was there through it all. Even if we also knew that he deserved better.
What's right about the game
Dave Roberts was the opposing manager for this weekend's series between the Rockies and the Los Angeles Dodgers. He offered some nice quotes about Blackmon (from MLB.com):
He’s one of my favorite players to watch. As a manager, you look at how guys take at-bats. They don’t give away at-bats, they play defense, they run the bases. He’s always in the dugout watching the game.
He’s what’s right about the game.
That's what I'll remember about Charlie Blackmon. He was a grinder. You could see that he was a student of the game, that he took each aspect of the same seriously. At the same time, there was a joy to how he played the game.
Some of that was an extension of his look and his goofball personality, but I also think that you could see it in his day-to-day work. He just loved playing baseball.
Who's the next longtime Rockie?
Reaching back to the most recent teams with Todd Helton, I think we have generally had an idea who the candidates were to be the next long-tenured Rockies. Guys like Carlos González, Nolan Arenado, Troy Tulowitzki, Trevor Story, and Blackmon. I'm sure that isn't a comprehensive list, but the point is that the Rockies had those foundational players.
What does it say about the current state of the Rockies that I'm not sure who that next guy is for the franchise? It feels too early with Ryan McMahon. It's definitely too early with Ezequiel Tovar. There's probably a joke I can make about Kris Bryant here.
Maybe this little exercise is just one more way to examine the sad state of the Rockies, a team wrapping up its second straight 100-loss season.
A fitting ending
Charlie's final at-bat ended with him smacking a single up the middle. It was a solid piece of hitting that matched the quality approach that we saw from Blackmon through his entire career. Blackmon hit for decent power and was a dynamic presence at the top of the Colorado lineup. He was well-rounded that way. For all of his success, the image I carry with me is Blackmon hitting a solid single, often after griding out an at-bat.
In terms of a highlight that captures Blackmon’s career, I think this one is fitting. It shows Blackmon getting 15 hits in a single series.
The compliment from Dave Roberts about never giving away at-bats might read like a cliché from a manager, but it really fits for Blackmon.
It was surprising when Blackmon was pulled from the game in the third inning on Sunday. Sure, it was a nice moment for Blackmon. But it was also kind of quiet. It snuck up on you.
The moment was probably a little odd at first because of the shared surprise among players, the fans, and even the announcers.
But the more I thought about it, the more this felt like a fitting end for Charlie Blackmon. A workman-like single up the middle followed by an understated moment, one that nevertheless reflected genuine appreciation from Rockies fans.
That's Chuck Nazty.
