Former MVP Kris Bryant says he wants to help Rockies win a World Series
Mar 18, 2022, 1:12 PM | Updated: 1:22 pm
The newest member of the Colorado Rockies has lofty goals.
In an introduction press conference on Friday at the team’s spring training facility in Arizona, Kris Bryant opened up about why he picked the Rockies and what he wants to achieve. Bryant signed a massive seven-year, $182M deal with Colorado on Wednesday.
“I feel like this team is so often overlooked,” Bryant said. “Finally getting a chance to choose where I want to play. It’s really hard to put into words. The stress, the happiness, all the emotions the past few years. I couldn’t be more grateful for the opportunity.”
Bryant, who won the 2016 MVP with the Chicago Cubs, was traded to the San Francisco Giants last season. In 884 career games he’s hitting .278 with 167 home runs and 487 RBI. He’s played in a lot of big games in his career and wants to help the younger Rockies along the way.
“I see this as me being here for seven years and a lot of growth and opportunity to help a team get there and win a World Series,” Bryant said. “I take a lot of pride in the fact I’ve never played on a losing team in the big leagues and don’t plan on doing that.”
Bryant has made four All-Star games in his career, including in 2021. He won the World Series with the Cubs in 2016, the same year he won the MVP. Bryant said it’s been a long time coming for him to play in Colorado.
“I originally thought when I was getting drafted I was going to the Rockies. This has been a long thing brewing. I’ve always said I love Denver, I love the city. I always saw myself living there. I was thrilled to hear the Rockies were looking to do a deal with a bat,” Bryant said.
The Rockies obviously needed a big name and a big bat after trading Nolan Arenado before last season and letting Trevor Story walk this offseason. As of Friday afternoon, Story had still not signed a deal with a new team, but the Rockies inked shortstop Jose Iglesias last weekend, assuring Story’s departure.
There’s been some questions whether or not Arenado and Story wanted to stay in Denver, but Bryant made it clear he wanted to be on this team. His manager Bud Black noticed.
“I really like the fact he wanted to be here,” Black said. “We need guys like this.”
Meanwhile, Bryant will get to play 81 games a year at Coors Field — and he’s pretty darn excited about it.
“Coors Field, I love hitting there. Who doesn’t? It’s definitely a hitter’s park,” Bryant said.
The Rockies are projected to be fairly awful in 2022, but at least Bryant wants to be in Colorado and has lofty goals. It’s easy to be hard on the Rockies (and for good reason), but Bryant said the right things on Friday. It’s a nice start to what’s hopefully a long career in Colorado.
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