"I didn't do as much research into the prospects as I could" - Former NL MVP Kris Bryant regrets not waiting it out before Rockies move in 2022

Former Chicago Cubs All-Star Kris Bryant has lost his shine from his days as the billboard boy outside Wrigley Field. In a report by Sam Blum in The Athletic, Bryant opened up about his downfall from being an MVP to not being invited to the All-Star for three years in a row.

He expressed deep regret over how things have gone south for him since leaving Chicago.

“Looking back on it — honestly I wish things went a little differently,” Bryant said

“I didn’t know that (billboard) was going to be up there. But if I did, I probably would have been like, ‘Let’s not do that. Let me just go out there and play ball and let me be who I am.’”

Bryant is referring to the "Worth the Wait" billboard in 2015 that was erected outside Wrigley Field, setting up the then-rookie as the face and savior of a struggling franchise.

He helped the Cubs end their World Series drought in 2016. After seven seasons with Chicago and a brief stint with the San Francisco Giants, he then signed a $182 million contract for seven years with the Colorado Rockies in 2022, hoping to return to the World Series. Unfortunately, things didn't go as planned, and Bryant is still waiting for his first postseason appearance with the Rockies.

In an attempt to regain his former glory, Bryant decided to join Colorado, despite having interests from multiple teams. After two years of playing with the Rockies, he now regrets not doing a pre-check that could have changed his decision.

“It’s like, ‘Oh shoot, I need to get there,’” Bryant told the Athletic. “There were other teams interested, but I didn’t want to wait around. … It was a completely different situation for a lot of free agents at the time. I guess I didn’t do as much research into the prospects as I could.”

He never became fully fit to complete a whole season. In his first two years with the Rockies, Bryant only played 112 games, had 45 RBIs, and hit 15 home runs. Although his slash line was .259/.335/.404 during that period, it was not enough to carry the whole team in October.

Kris Bryant is ready for 2024

Kris Bryant seems to be in good health and is eager to return to the game in 2024. He spoke about being fully committed to performing well this season, neglecting all the criticism he has received.

“What people say, what people do, what people write, what people tweet, it doesn’t matter. It really doesn’t matter. … I’m out there giving it all I got. I want to be on the field, I want to play, I want to do well. And that’s really all I can ask out of myself,” Bryant said.

Bryant has already started his season with a home run in spring training against the Los Angeles Dodgers and has performed well in recent games against the LA Angels and the Mariners.

The Rockies are set to face off against the Cincinnati Reds on Saturday, and it will be interesting to see if they can maintain their three-game winning streak tomorrow as well.