At the retirement press conference, Charlie Blackmon explains why he never left

Colorado Rockies legend Charlie Blackmon announced his retirement Monday night and held a press conference Tuesday afternoon to discuss the decision.

Blackmon spoke on a variety of topics, including his desire to play a role with the Rockies after his playing days.

Perhaps the most interesting question, however, came from a reporter who asked Blackmon why he never left Colorado. He played 14 years in Denver, and only two of those ended with a postseason berth. It would have been easy to ask him out of town, especially the last six years when the team was well under a .500 record.

Blackmon gave a detailed and thoughtful response on this topic.

“So baseball is super tough. Careers are fragile. Bodies are fragile. There's a lot that goes into playing the game, and I think a big part of that is being in a good situation that you want to be in and being in a situation that you're supposed to be in,” Blackmon said.

Blackmon said it was a two-way street. He wanted to be a Rockie and the organization wanted him. That was very important to never try to play anywhere else.

“This is where I wanted to play. This is all I know. I think going somewhere else and hoping for the best, I didn't see any benefit in leaving and ultimately I want this franchise to be successful, play well and win. And it would mean a lot more to me to have been successful here and made the playoffs and have guys that I watched grow up in this locker room being successful,” Blackmon said.

Blackmon basically wanted to make it happen. He was on two very good teams that made the playoffs in 2017 and 2018, but unfortunately only managed one win in the postseason.

And ironically, Nolan Arenado was present at the retirement press conference. The St. Louis Cardinals are in Denver for a series, so Arenado wanted to support his buddy. Of course, Arenado is one of those who forced his way out of the club.

“I mean, at the end of the day, it's a lot more rewarding for me than jumping around. I don't want to disparage anyone who's decided to leave, but it's one of the few options you have in the game, which is where you want to play, and I've chosen to stay here in Colorado,” Blackmon said.

Rockies fans can appreciate this attitude from one of their all-time favorite players. And this week, before he officially plays his final game on Sunday, it's all about honoring Charlie Blackmon.