The Rockies may have just inked the best contract in the history of the franchise

Colorado Rockies outfielder Charlie Blackmon has hit four home runs in five games so far in 2018 after blasting a ridiculous 37 out of the leadoff spot in 2017.

But the biggest home run of either season is the contract the two parties just agreed to.

This is $108 million deal for a $150 million player.

For countless reasons, this has a chance to be one of the best single transactions in the history of the franchise.

Let’s begin with the process Blackmon has gone through, taking him from a flailing college relief pitcher to a multiple time All-Star and MVP candidate. His workout regimen has become legendary, allowing him to improve every single year he has spent in Major League Baseball.

At age 31, he is showing that he’s as good as ever, and the maniacal nature with which he takes care of his body has long led us to argue he will age as well as anyone in the game. His well-known intense work ethic lends reason to believe he can stave off age-related decline better than the average player.

Anyone who would be utterly shocked at 37-year-old Blackmon still able to hit the ball a country mile hasn’t been paying attention.

In addition to taking care of his body, Blackmon is a cerebral player who often wins battles in the game of baseball before the pitch is even thrown. His ability to outthink the opponent is not something that will dwindle even if we can expect his physical attributes to taper off a bit as he approaches 37. Father time will get us all.

On the field, Blackmon’s hitting ability allows him the flexibility to eventually move to the middle of the order if a new leadoff hitter can emerge, or stay right where he is, anchoring the lineup. The fact that speed is one of the first things to go for athletes as they move into the latter parts of their careers will mean less for him as a natural move to left field would allow him to still provide defensive value, and clearly, the bat can profile in a corner spot.

He can continue to do what he does without blocking any of the Rockies promising young outfielders, most notably David Dahl and Raimel Tapia.

Then, there’s the part where this deal in no way hamstrings Colorado for future negotiations with one Nolan Arenado. The third baseman was always going to be remarkably expensive. But he has also shown that he values loyalty and winning. And the Rockies have just shown that they do too.

With Blackmon now securely in the picture, Arenado can have a little more certainty about what the future in Colorado looks like.

We will have more on the math that could easily keep Nolan around in an upcoming piece.

But if we are talking pure dollars, let’s be completely honest—this deal is going to be worth it in terms of ticket sales and fake beard merchandizing alone.

Charlie Blackmon is an institution in Colorado.

Everything from his unmistakable look, to his work ethic, to his quirky attitude have sunk into the culture of baseball in Denver. He’s been overlooked and underrated throughout his career and never let the lack of personal recognition or team success prevent him from relentlessly pursuing greatness. He is everything we want our pro athletes to be.

No long-term deal worth over $100 million is a guarantee. In fact, no contract anywhere is really a guarantee. It’s a bet, a gamble. It’s two sides coming together and putting faith in each other that mutual risk will reap a mutual reward.

“Team friendly” doesn’t even begin to do this deal justice.