Kris Bryant vows to turn Rockies into a winner

Kris Bryant, the Rockies’ new $182 million man, set his own expectations Friday. And he set the bar a mile high.

“I take a lot of pride in the fact that I have never played on a losing team in the big leagues and I don’t plan on doing that here,” Bryant said during his introductory news conference at Salt River Fields in Scottsdale, Ariz.

Rockies owner Dick Monfort, who negotiated the seven-year deal with agent Scott Boras, upped the ante.

“This is a great day for us,” Monfort said in his brief introductory remarks. “Just so many things make this feel really, really right. We’re extremely excited to have Kris with us for the next seven years, and to help us win that elusive World Series that we are all looking for.”

Bryant or no Bryant, that’s going to be a mighty challenge.

The Rockies are coming off three consecutive losing seasons, during which time they had a .446 winning percentage (171-212). FanGraphs, the analytic website, lists Colorado’s chance of making the playoff this season at 0.4%, even after the club signed Bryant.

Technically, Bryant did have a losing season last year when the rebuilding Cubs finished 71-91. Bryant, however, was traded to San Francisco at the trade deadline on July 30 and helped lead the Giants to a 107-win season and the NL West title.

There was no denying the celebratory mood at the Rockies’ spring training headquarters.

“I worked my whole career to be here, to get to choose where I want to play,” said Bryant, 30, who won the National League rookie of the year in 2015 with the Cubs and the NL MVP the following year as the Cubs won their first World Series title since 1908.

“Colorado definitely fits my personality,” Bryant continued “It’s always been a favorite of me and my family. I’m looking forward to raising my family there and winning a lot of games with the Rockies.”

Manager Bud Black, who pushed hard for Colorado to sign an impact slugger to pair with a solid starting rotation, was thrilled to add Bryant to the middle of the batting order. Black said Thursday that Bryant will play mostly left field. Bryant can also play third base and first base.

“I think Kris said it perfectly. He chose us. Which is a great thing,” Black said. “He wanted to be a Rockie. I’m sure he had multiple, multiple offers. I really liked the fact that he wanted to be here.

“Seeing him from the other side, he’s a ballplayer. He’s a player, and we need guys like this.”

The Giants and Philadelphia were two teams that showed strong interest in Bryant, though Boras declined to discuss the other teams in the running.

“When I go to a wedding, I don’t talk about the bridesmaids,” Boras quipped.

Bryant, the second overall pick in the 2013 draft, looked to be headed toward superstardom after his first two seasons in the majors. Since 2017, however, Bryant’s overall production and power have been limited due to shoulder, knee, ankle and hand injuries. Still, he’s been a solid player throughout his seven-year career, hitting .278, with 167 homers, 487 RBIs and an OPS+ of 132.

Bryant got off to a sizzling start last year with Chicago, hitting .322 in April and .327 in May. He slumped badly in June, batting just .114, and was then traded to San Francisco.

He slashed .265/.353/.481 with 25 homers, 73 RBIs and a .835 OPS between the two teams. In the Giants’ five-game playoff loss to the Dodgers in the National League division series, he hit .471 (5-for-18) with one home run and two RBIs.

At Coors Field, Bryant hasn’t exactly raked, hitting .263 (15-for-57) with two homers, nine RBIs, and a .757 OPS. But his ability to launch the ball should serve him well at altitude.

“I love hitting there, who doesn’t?” Bryant said. “It’s definitely a hitter’s park and that’s definitely attractive.”

He added that he was “blown away” by the home clubhouse and players’ amenities at Coors Field. He also said he was eager to play for Black.

“He’s a guy I have a lot of respect for,” Bryant said. “Our Zoom call was really awesome. He’s really a baseball guy. I’m really excited for our relationship here.”

In 2014, the year before Bryant debuted, the Cubs finished 73-89. In Bryant’s 2015 rookie season, under new manager Joe Maddon, the Cubs finished 97-65 and earned a wild-card berth. They advanced to the NLCS before getting swept by the Mets. They beat Cleveland in the World Series the next season.

“In Chicago, we brought a championship there,” Bryant said. “They lost for a long time and now it’s a winning culture and I really hope to bring that here, too.”

Bryant’s Contract

Details of Kris Bryant’s seven-year, $182 million contract, which averages out to be $26 million per season, making him the highest-paid player on the Rockies. The deal includes a full no-trade clause. It does not include an opt-out clause.

Signing bonus: $7 million
2022: $17 million
2023: $27 million
2024: $27 million
2025: $26 million
2026: $26 million
2027: $26 million
2028: $26 million
— Patrick Saunders, The Denver Post

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