Colorado Rockies news and links for Thursday, December 19, 2024
Oh boy, another article on Kris Bryant!
I know, he’s been discussed at length since he signed his gargantuan deal, but it’s kind of necessary when he’s the beneficiary of literally the largest free agent deal in franchise history. Having just finished our annual Ranking the Rockies series, it’s tough to once again see him near the bottom of the list, but with the team’s seeming commitment to keeping him in their lineup, it’s clear that he ain’t goin’ anywhere.
We know how bad things have been – there’s a multitude of articles and hundreds of comments on message boards about it – but I like to look ahead. Since we’re about to hit the halfway mark on his contract, let’s consider what we may have to look forward to for the remainder of Bryant’s deal.
As mentioned, it’s a near-certainty that a healthy KB slots in as Colorado’s designated hitter on Opening Day. If he’s going to be in the lineup, it should probably exclusively be in this capacity. Playing the field – especially the outfield – is downright dangerous to his health at this juncture, and has been the main driving force behind his injuries.
It seems the club agrees, though they haven’t fully ruled out utilizing him at first base and in right field. This would be… ill-advised, for the aforementioned potential for harm but also because it would ostensibly block one of Colorado’s young talents from receiving playing time.
While I don’t suspect the Rockies will consider Bryant a primary member of their defense at any point this season, there’s virtually no reason that he should ever be in the lineup over players such as Michael Toglia, Jordan Beck, or Zac Veen. His albatross of a contract is what it is and I understand Colorado’s want to get their money’s worth, but the prioritization must still be firmly placed on the development of their stars of the future.
So, okay, Bryant’s the DH. What kind of offensive productivity can we reasonably expect?
Well, I don’t have to tell you that KB wasn’t terribly efficient when he was able to play last year. Is that the fault of the injuries that plagued him? It’s possible, and that’s certainly what the front office is hoping as Bryant focuses on health and recovery this offseason.
Even so, he’s got a tremendous hill to climb. Last season he struck out more, walked less, and barreled the ball up at career-low percentages, all of which paint a picture of another tough year coming for the former MVP. If there’s any positives to look forward to from a plate perspective, it’s that Bryant recorded a career-best 39.5 launch angle sweet-spot percentage last season, so hopefully he can turn the bat on more fastballs his next time out.
Why fastballs? That’s the pitch that Bryant handles the best, hitting .260 on heaters. That’s not amazing, but it’s miles better than the results he garnered on breaking and offspeed pitches. Opposing pitchers know that, though, so expect KB to see plenty of low curveballs coming his way next season. Laying off of those will be imperative to his success, but that’s a task much easier said than done.
Respectfully, unless he somehow goes through a Herculean career resurgence and mashes 50 home runs over the next few season, Bryant isn’t likely to live up to the expectations fans and analysts placed on him when he signed his mega-contract. Maybe his value won’t come from his on-field play though – perhaps he can fill a role that the Rockies have been without for a while.
Much has been said about Colorado’s locker room leadership – or lack thereof. With the retirement of Charlie Blackmon, Bryant is tied with the newly-signed Kyle Farmer as the second-longest tenured member of the team, behind only Jacob Stallings. They’re a young team, and they’re only getting younger as they expect some of their top prospects to begin to break into the major leagues. I feel like I make a statement like this every few weeks on this site, but these youngsters could probably use a veteran presence to help them navigate their first foray into the Show.
Players such as Toglia and Veen, in particular, could benefit from sitting under the learning tree of a player that was once considered one of the game’s premier sluggers. While it’s true that he’s likely entering the twilight of his career, Bryant still has a great deal of baseball knowledge that he could impart onto these budding stars to help them as their careers begin.
That’s a wish more than an expectation, though. Bryant is certainly a nice person, but it’s a tall task to take on the role of a leader of men in the clubhouse (just ask the Bears). He may choose to leave that to other members of the Rockies, for a variety of reasons. His presence in the clubhouse is of course tied to his health status as well, giving him yet another reason to try to stay as close to 100% as humanly possible.
So what’s a realistic expectation of KB in 2025? For me, it starts and ends simply with games played. 100 games is a ground floor, bare minimum of games that he must take part in for Colorado to even remotely consider his season successful. He’s yet to approach that mark in purple pinstripes, so that requirement must be met before we even begin to discuss expectations for stats.
Assuming he does play in those 100 contests, I think a .228 average, 12 home runs, and 48 RBIs is reasonable. That’s a bit more conservative than his RotoChamp projections, so I’m hoping that he can eclipse that without too much trouble.
Is that too little production for a contract such as this? Sure, but at this point I’m simply looking for modest steps in the right direction. Of course I’d love to see Bryant return to his once-stellar form, but for now it’s important to start small and work upwards.
If Bryant goes through similar struggles again this year, Colorado’s front office may feel their hands forced to make a move. Hopefully he can begin the long road to relevance again, but it must start in 2025.
What do you think? What are your expectations of Bryant next season? Let me know in the comments below!
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