In the last few hours, a lot of people questioned both the Colorado Rockies‘ decision to offer $182 million to Kris Bryant, and the player for taking the money to play with a non-competitive franchise.
Of course, both the franchise and the player can do whatever they please with their money and their future, but fans have a right to form opinions.
MLB insider Ken Rosenthal, who writes for The Athletic, said that “it will be interesting to hear Rockies owner Dick Monfort explain giving Kris Bryant a monster contract and no-trade clause 13 months after trading Nolan Arenado’s monster contract, which also included a no-trade clause. Jeff Bridich no longer is GM; Bill Schmidt is.”
It will be interesting to hear Rockies owner Dick Monfort explain giving Kris Bryant a monster contract and no-trade clause 13 months after trading Nolan Arenado’s monster contract, which also included a no-trade clause. Jeff Bridich no longer is GM; Bill Schmidt is.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) March 16, 2022
Another MLB insider, New York Post’s Joel Sherman, replied by trying to offer some reasoning behind the Rockies’ decision to bring in Bryant.
“Math. Arenado 8-yrs, $260M thru age 35. Col paid $51M to move to StL. Bryant 7 yrs, $182M thru age 36. Plus that $51M in dead money is $233M. Would you rather have Arenado thru 35 at $260M or Bryant and dead money for $233M thru 36? Yes, Col also got some prospects for Arenado,” he wrote.
Math. Arenado 8-yrs, $260M thru age 35. Col paid $51M to move to StL.
Bryant 7 yrs, $182M thru age 36. Plus that $51M in dead money is $233M
Would you rather have Arenado thru 35 at $260M or Bryant and dead money for $233M thru 36? Yes, Col also got some prospects for Arenado. https://t.co/pcBZuqcgWV— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) March 16, 2022
Kris Bryant Drawing Up Major Debate
There are several things to analyze: the players are similarly talented, but Arenado is way more durable than Bryant and has much fewer injury questions and no chronic ailments.
On the other hand, Colorado did net a few prospects in the Arenado deal, but was it all worth the hassle?
The whole situation is certainly worth debating.
In the end, what is really surprising is the timing of the decision to bring in Bryant, as Colorado competes in perhaps the hardest division in baseball (with the AL East) with virtually no chance of making the playoffs in the foreseeable future.
One move wasn’t going to change that.
NEXT: MLB Fans Have A Lot Of Questions For Kris Bryant
