Whether it was before the game, during the game, after the game, on days off or in the offseason, Charlie Blackmon always had a well-planned game plan.

Until now.

With retirement imminent, at 38, the Rockies’ star outfielder and fan favorite finds himself in limbo. He’s not even sure what will happen to the scraggly beard he’s grown for over a decade.

“My wife (Ashley) has actually never seen me without it, so I’m a little worried about how that would go down at home,” he joked. “I think there will come a time – I won’t give you any dates – but I think there will come a time when I’ll have to show my bare face. Clean it up, get a nice haircut or whatever, just to say I did it. But after that, anything is possible.”

During his retirement press conference Tuesday at Coors Field, Blackmon spoke candidly, thoughtfully and wittily about his 14 years in the major leagues. But he’s not quite sure what’s next after he plays his final game against the Dodgers on Sunday.

“I don’t think I’m looking for a nine-to-five job,” he said, balancing his three-year-old daughter Josie and one-year-old son Wyatt on his lap. “I’m probably going to take some time off and get away from the daily grind. I’m looking forward to having some free time, spending more time with my family and doing some things that I can do as a dad.”

“But at the same time, I don’t think you can just take someone who has played at that level, who has reached the highest level in any profession, and then just turn off the competition. I don’t think it works that way. I think it’s kind of your gift and your curse. So I’m wondering what I’m going to do next.”

Blackmon doesn’t like to get caught up in anything, including his passion for fishing and hunting.

“I want to be very, very good at something,” he said.

On the baseball field, he certainly was. Blackmon entered Tuesday night’s game against the Cardinals as Colorado’s career-best in triples with 67. His 1,797 hits, 2,942 total bases, 333 doubles and 1,618 games played are second only to Hall of Famer Todd Helton in team history. He has been nominated for four All-Star games and won two Silver Slugger Awards.

“I feel like I’ve never really worked in my entire life, but I work really hard,” he said. “It’s going to be very different on the other side, I know that. But at the same time, I think this is the right decision.”

Blackmon, who lives permanently near Atlanta, wants to stay connected with Colorado and the Rockies and has already spoken with general manager Bill Schmidt and others about a possible role with the club.

“I definitely plan on getting involved,” he said. “I definitely don’t think I’m going to put on the uniform and be part of the team, a permanent fixture. But I want to come to spring training. I want to come to Coors Field. I want to be around the guys. I want to talk to some hitters and be in the (batting) cage occasionally. I still definitely want to be a part of the Colorado Rockies family. I’m just not sure exactly how yet.”

Tuesday’s press conference certainly felt like a family reunion, with nearly all of the Rockies’ players, staff and executives in attendance, as well as Cardinals star third baseman Nolan Arenado, who was Blackmon’s teammate in Colorado from 2013-2020.

“We had breakfast at the same place on Monday,” Arenado said. “He told me he was (quitting) and I was pretty unsettled. I couldn’t believe it, just because he’s been playing for so long and is so consistent. I thought about it all day yesterday.”

“I’m happy for him. He’s an incredible player. Consistency is what I think of him. He’s the best leadoff hitter I’ve ever had the pleasure of playing with. He’s also one of the smartest players I’ve ever had the pleasure of playing with.”

Rockies manager Bud Black called the press conference a “real Charlie.”

“Charlie was a great Rockie and he will always be one of my favorite players,” Black said. “As an athlete and a professional baseball player, I admire him because I know what he did to become the player he is today.”