Kris Bryant’s last at-bat in Rockies pinstripes happened a year ago this past Sunday. April 12, 2025. Haven’t seen him since.

“Hey, look, I get it — baseball is a business,” Bryant’s father Mike told me during a short conversation last spring. “They want (Kris) hitting 40 home runs and hitting .300 … you got your Todd Heltons for that, and you’ve got your other guys. Kris is happy. When it’s all said and done, (Denver fans are) going to look back on Kris favorably.”

As a person? Without a doubt.

As a contract? As an investment? No chance.

Which is where the Broncos enter the picture, riding to the rescue on The Penner Sports Group, fronted by Broncos owners Carrie Walton Penner and husband Greg Penner, now possesses a 40% stake in the Rockies. As reported by The Post’s Patrick Saunders last Friday, the Walton-Penners are the largest minority investors for Colorado’s Major League Baseball team, topped only by the Monfort family, who retain team control.

The Broncos needed leadership and money to get out of the darkness and back into the AFC Championship Game. The Rockies need … well, everything. But more money and better leadership would be two welcome steps in the right direction.

Because, lest we forget, the Broncos had to bottom out before starting their three-year climb. The Penners and Waltons went all-in on Russell Wilson. They got a 5-12 train wreck in 2022 to show for it, all while fans counted down the play clock. At home.

Sean Payton wanted to wash his hands of Russ, who was clearly toast. So the Broncos ate $85 million in dead cap money over the ’24 and ’25 seasons for cutting Wilson, the kind of hit that’s supposed to punish a franchise for its free-spending folly.

Only a funny thing happened: The Broncos got better. Much, much, much better. And fast. Bo Nix hit. Nik Bonitto hit. Jonathon Cooper hit. Quinn Meinerz hit. Brandon Jones hit. Talanoa Hufanga hit anything within six feet of him. A lot of shrewd drafting, a pinch of smart free-agent signings and good coaching hoisted the Broncos from outhouse to penthouse.

The road is longer for the Rockies, who’ve lost 100 or more games for three straight seasons and will flirt with a fourth. The NFL is designed for parity, competitive socialism at its finest. Major League Baseball is the last of the major North American sports leagues without a salary cap.

But the Broncos couldn’t move forward until they chucked Wilson’s contract overboard and let Payton build a roster in his image.

And any hope for a new dawn in LoDo, any tailwind that pushes the Rockies forward, starts with getting Bryant’s seven-year, $182-million contract off the stinkin’ books. And as quickly as possible.

Not his fault, mind you. Nice guy. Amazing dude. Bryant’s spirit, like his smile, was always willing. His body, alas, had other ideas.

Since signing with the Rockies in March 2022, KB23 has played in only 170 games over the first four years of his deal. In what’s amounted to basically a full season of stats over the last 48 months, KB’s Colorado line to date is 632 at-bats, 29 doubles, 17 home runs, 61 RBI, a .244 batting average and a .695 OPS.

In other words, for $26 million per season, the Rockies have gotten 42 games a year of (.244 career batting average, .695 career OPS) in the middle of the order.

The surface takeaway from the Walton-Penner family’s investment was that all that sweet Walmart dough would wipe away debt. Most MLB clubs lost some serious change with the collapse of regional sports networks — the Rox reportedly collected at least $57 million from AT&T SportsNet in 2023, the last season of their old TV contract.

Given inflation, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics says that $57 million in March 2023 would’ve been worth $58.98 million in March 2024, $60.39 million in March 2025; and $62.4 million in March 2026.

That’s an estimated $181.7 million shortfall for the Monforts, even before factoring in returns from the direct-to-consumer/subscriber model. You need cash to patch the wound and stop the bleeding.

The other purple elephant in the Monforts’ room, of course, is Bryant, a deal that’s aging the way

A bad idea at the time looks even worse now. Counting this season’s salary, the Rox still owe Bryant, now 34, another $81 million through the end of the 2028 season.

Word leaked that Bryant was signing with Colorado the same day that Wilson was introduced as the new QB savior of the Broncos in Dove Valley — March 16, 2022, a date that will forever live in Front Range infamy.

The Waltons and Penners quickly saw the error of their ways, although it helped that NFL contracts aren’t guaranteed beyond the signing bonus. MLB deals are. Bryant is repped by Scott Boras, and baseball divorces aren’t cheap. An injury settlement feels like the most logical path at this point. Which is why it’s also not hard to picture the Monforts asking Walton-Penner and her husband if they’d like to chip in to help the Rockies get past their version of the Wilson deal.

“It’s just been very frustrating (here),” the elder Bryant told me. “We came in with high expectations for him to really enjoy himself and it was killing him (to not play). Then to listen to the B.S. that goes along, people running their mouths about how he wasn’t worth the contract …

“It’s not like he was trying to play at 80% (health). He was trying to play at 50%. You can’t do that in this game. There’s just too many good pitchers. It’s a brutal game.”

With brutal realities. If the Broncos can make two of the worst deals in Denver sports history go away, that would be almost as impressive as sticking a fork in the Chiefs’ AFC West dynasty.

So let’s get to a few of them:

• Will Broncos owners Greg and Carrie Walton Penner, the husband and wife team that form the Penner Sports Group, eventually become the controlling owners of the Rockies?

Such a deal is not imminent, but it wouldn’t shock me if it eventually happens. I’ve had a source close to the situation tell me there is no timetable for that to occur, but the source also told me it could very well happen down the line.

• Did Paul DePodesta, the Rockies’ new president of baseball operations, know about the deal when he left the Cleveland Browns to join the Rockies in November? Was he aware that the Penners were planning on buying a 40% ownership stake in the Rockies?

I’m told that DePodesta did not know that a deal was coming, meaning that his oft-quoted statement, “I’m a sucker for a challenge,” still rings true.

• Will Dick Monfort’s role as the owner of the Rockies change?

The short answer is no. He already backed away from his day-to-day involvement in the team when Walker Monfort, his oldest son, became team president. As Walker Monfort told me shortly before the season opened, “I’m more responsible for day-to-day than I have ever been, but I would say my dad is still the ultimate shot-caller, so to speak.”

• Will the Penners reduce their involvement with the Broncos and become hands-on owners at 20th and Blake?

Nope. As Denver Post Broncos beat writer Parker Gabriel put it: “The Penners are not going anywhere with the Broncos and the NFL. They will not have day-to-day roles with the Rockies, sources told The Post, and they are plenty busy with football.”

• The infusion of an estimated $672 million from the Penner Sports Group allows the Rockies to retire all of their outstanding debt. That provides additional capital that, theoretically, could be spent to increase player payroll. So, will the Rockies go on a spending spree this season? Or in the 2026-27 offseason?

That’s highly doubtful, for a couple of reasons. First, the team is still on the bottom floor of its rebuild and still assessing its talent level.

Second, even though the Rockies are playing better baseball than they did last season (how could they not?), it wouldn’t surprise me if the Rockies flirt with another 100-loss season. Spending big bucks now doesn’t make sense.

Third, and most important, it’s highly likely that Major League Baseball owners will shut down business with a lockout when the current collective bargaining expires in December. That’s going to complicate things and cool down any hot stove action.

• Will Dick Monfort abandon his quest for a salary cap and a more equitable financial landscape across MLB?

That’s a tongue-in-cheek question. I raise it because the Twittersphere has been filled with smart-aleck fans tweeting that the “suddenly wealthy” Rockies can now compete with the big boys. That’s not the case.

Plus, Monfort has a close relationship with baseball commissioner Rob Manfred and plans to be heavily involved in labor negotiations between MLB and the MLBPA. Monfort believes that baseball’s economic system is broken, and he wants to help fix it.

• The Dodgers, Yankees and Cubs all have their own lucrative television networks. Could the Rockies, eventually, do something similar?

This is pure speculation on my part, but it wouldn’t surprise me if, somewhere down the line, that happens, especially if the Penner Sports Group ever gains controlling interest in the Rockies.

• How can Broncos ownership invest in the Rockies when they already have a stake in the Arizona Diamondbacks?

This was also out in the Twittersphere. Here’s the deal: Last month, part of the Walton-Penner Family Ownership Group that owns the Broncos, also has a 10% share of the D-backs. However, Greg and Carrie Walton Penner do not have a stake in the D-backs, thus allowing them to buy into the Rockies.

• Will the new ownership dynamic allow the Rockies to find a resolution to Kris Bryant’s contract situation?

It certainly appears that Bryant will never play baseball again because of lumbar degenerative disc disease. But, counting this season, he’s still owed $81 million through the 2028 season. One way or another, Bryant will get his guaranteed money. Can the Rockies work out a deal where Bryant would defer some of those millions of dollars? It’s possible, but I don’t think the infusion of the Penner’s money changes anything.

“I’m listening to things that are happening so that it sounds better,” Greg “Hoffer” Hoffius, hunched over in Section 401, top o’ The Rockpile, told me on Friday while the Phillies were using the right-field scoreboard at Coors Field for target practice. “But I just watched the first half-inning, and I was like, ‘What?'”

Philadelphia 10, Bleak Street Bummers 1. Rockies starter Michael Lorenzen surrendered a touchdown in the top of the first. The Phils tacked one more each in the second and third. The Local 9 didn’t record a scoreless inning until the fourth.

What the heck happened to “our 2-4 start is better than the usual 2-4?”

“That’s narrative every year, right?” Hoffius said. “‘Hey, we killed it in spring training.'”

They spent Friday afternoon crushing souls. The Rockies’ Mickey Moniak lost Bryson Stott’s flyball to short right in the Colorado sunshine, playing it into a double and a 3-0 deficit.

“That was a good start,” Hoffius groused.

Brandon Marsh launched a 454-foot home run into the bullpen trees. 6-0.

“Oh, wow,” Hoffius’ buddy Ryan Masters said.

Double. Ground out to third. Trea Turner, batting for the second time in the half-inning, singled to right. 7-0.

“There ya go,” Hoffius quipped.

“Here we go,” Masters countered.

“No biggie,” Hoffius said.

Philly 7, Colorado 0. Where’s Bo Nix when you need him?

“It was sad,” Hoffer sighed. “It was crazy.”

Hoffius digs his Rockies through thin and thinner. Honest. He’s been coming to Coors for more than two decades, four or five games a year, almost always Opening Day, if he can swing it.

“I don’t pay attention like it used to, to be honest,” Hoffius continued. “And this is not that great. I don’t know. You just quit doing it. You know, after a while, you’re like, ‘Dude, they’re not going to do anything.'”

Except, maybe, break your heart.

“Wouldn’t it be cool to be, like, proud to be a Rockies fan?” Hoffer wondered out loud. “Right?”

Not this month. Not yet. Not when you’re taking your own crowd out of the game from the jump.

“I don’t know that (the Rockies) aren’t not spending money. It just doesn’t seem like it,” Hoffius said. “When you see what the Broncos did, they brought in the Waltons (the Walton-Penner Group) and they went, ‘Bam, bam, let’s fix this (expletive).'”

They also paid Russell Wilson to go the heck away, more or less, nipping a franchise-QB mistake squarely in the bud. Not the Rox. While we’re comparing historically awful 2022 contracts, the Rockies continue to keep a seat warm for Kris Bryant.

“I go to Nuggets games. I got to Avalanche games. It’s awesome to win,” Hoffius continued. “At the end of the day, the (Rockies) ask, ‘What’s our bottom line? ‘We’re still making the money. Are we going to make any more money with a better team?'”

With that, half the crowd went nuts again. The Philly half. 8-0, bad guys.

No baseball community dies harder, without reward, than the Rockies faithful, spring after spring. You feel for those who wear their purple hearts on their sleeves, such as Denver super fan Gregorio Banuelos, better known ’round these parts as “Mexican Elvis.”

About 90 minutes before the first pitch, I watched as a Phillies fan, head-to-toe in red, pinstriped replica garb, ran up to Banuelos on Blake Street and wagged a cocky, condescending finger in his face.

“You are losing!” the interloper shouted. “You’re losing!”

“The Rockies are going to score 22 runs on you, just for that,” Banuelos countered.

Poor Elvis. For most of the last seven years, Coors Field has been Banuelos’ Heartbreak Hotel.

“You know, I couldn’t care less,” Elvis shrugged. “Because I still support my home team. And I’m going to tell you something. I like when somebody says something like that. You know why? It makes them more excited. If everybody goes for the same thing, it’s not going to be any fun.”

9-0.

9-1.

10-1.

This is fun?

“They started slowly, but they’re going to figure it out,” Banuelos said. “I know they’re going to figure it out.”

It’s the hope that kills you. One April at a time. Even random TV shows are taking potshots now. Hoffius was watching the on Hulu recently when two characters, a young man and the title character,

YOUNGSTER: You’re real bad at this, bro.

DECKER: OK.

YOUNGSTER: Seriously, if breaking into cars were baseball, you’d be the Rockies.

DECKER: Well, maybe if I had a better teacher.

Hoffer just shook his head.

“I mean, that’s like, A-B-C, dude. Like, prime time, 7:30 (at night),” he said. “You’re like, ‘Ow. Wow.'”

10-1? Ow. Wow. New year. New players. New front office. New coaches. To Hoffius, Dick Monfort’s world looks just the same.

Pose a Rockies- or MLB-related question for the Rockies Mailbag.

Is Zac Veen going to make the team? If so, will he play?

— Chris Haag, Cincinnati

Chris, you are not the only one asking about Veen. He’s an intriguing player because he was a first-round draft choice (No. 9 overall in 2020), and because he has prodigious power potential.

But Veen, 24, did not make the Opening Day roster for Friday’s game at Miami because he’s dealing with a knee injury that slowed him for much of spring training. Even if Veen had been healthy, I doubt he would have made the team. He has a lot of work to do to become a better outfielder, and he needs work as a hitter, too. There are a lot of holes in his swing. The hope is that he doesn’t turn into a strikeout machine like the departed Michael Toglia.

Like a lot of people, I’m rooting for Veen, who’s had to deal with a lot in his young life, including substance abuse issues.

I have been following the Rockies since their 2007 run to the World Series. What a ride that was. My younger stepson learned baseball at Coors Field. He saw Chris Iannetta hit a ninth-inning grand slam against the Houston Astros and has gone with me since. My question is this: What in the world does everyone see in Jordan Beck? I see a lot of strikeouts. I see an impossibly uncontrollable swing. His head turns completely on his shoulders. He cannot possibly see the ball after he swings. Yes, he has gotten better in the outfield on defense and has a really good, accurate arm. But at the plate? Please help me out here.

— Ari Nixon, Brush

Ari, I think the best word to describe Beck is “streaky.” But when he’s hot, he’s a force, so I understand why so many fans and members of the front office and coaching staff believe he has All-Star potential. Plus, you have to remember that Beck is only 24.

Consider this little statistical nugget: per OptaSTATS, Beck became the second player in major league history to have his first five home runs of a season all come in two days (April 24-25), joining Ty Cobb on May 5-6, 1925. Beck was also the first Rockie in history to have five home runs in any two-day span.

But also consider this: He opened the 2025 season with the Rockies but was quickly optioned to Triple-A Albuquerque on April 7 after starting the season 3 for 20 (.150) over nine games.

And then there are his dramatic home/road splits. He slashed .303/.348/.466 with 18 doubles, three triples, eight home runs, and 36 RBIs in 76 games at home, while slashing .204/.280/.355 with nine doubles, three triples, eight home
runs and 17 RBIs in 72 road games.

Finally, Beck needs to cut down on the K’s. He struck out 80 times in 251 plate appearances in the second half last season, a 31.9 strikeout percentage that was the eighth highest in the majors post All-Star break.

I’m not as critical of Beck’s plate approach as you are. He wouldn’t have gotten this far without a decent approach. He still has a solid chance to be a very good big-league player.

For the first time in years, the Rockies have changed their front office personnel and incorporated new ways to play baseball and win games. Even if the new regime is successful (75-80 wins) and analytics take hold, how many years can we wait to consistently get .500 baseball? How far is the Rockies’ analytics department behind the league? I predict 75-87 (maybe my last prognostication). Cheers!

— Robert Emmerling, Limon

Robert, I salute your optimism. But 75-87 this season?! In the name of the late Harry Caray, “Holy Cow!” I don’t see it.

Like you, I applaud the Rockies’ willingness to change their process. It’s way past time. As far as consistent, .500 baseball? I would think 2028 would be reasonable.

Hi Patrick, I have enjoyed your insights for a long time for both baseball and football. I also enjoyed reading your dad’s articles for many years. The Rockies have historically done well developing Latin American players (Ubaldo Jimenez, German Marquez, Ezequiel Tovar, etc.). Are there any young Latin American players we should be looking for in the near future to make an impact? Why don’t I ever see the Rockies being named as a possible suitor in the Asian market? Both Japan and Korea have produced many quality MLB players in the last few years, but I never see the Rockies as a possible landing spot. Thanks.

— Gene Ryan, Green Valley, Ariz.

Ryan, thanks so much for the compliment and for remembering my dad, Dusty Saunders.

A quick, bittersweet anecdote about my dad, who was a big baseball fan. My dad died at age 90, almost four years ago. I was with him on the day he died, and I was watching a Rockies road game when he passed. In his eulogy, I joked that my dad woke up briefly, saw that the Rockies were getting rocked again, and said, “I can’t take it anymore.” Then he passed away.

OK, on to your question. The Rockies’ best Latin players right now are outfielder/second baseman Roldy Brito (Dominican Republic), outfielder Robert Calaz (Dominican), and third baseman/shortstop Wilder Dalis (Venezuela).  I think 2028 would be the earliest we see any of them in the big leagues.

As for the Rockies’ presence in Asia, they used to simply punt, believing they couldn’t compete. But Paul DePodesta, the new president of baseball operations, plans to change that.

“I absolutely think it’s important,” DePodesta said during baseball’s winter meetings in December. “We’ve talked about a necessity for us to be sort of active in every possible avenue to acquire talent. So whether it’s Latin America, whether it’s Asia, whether it’s the waiver wire, you have Major League free agent [and] trades. I mean all of it. I think we have to be actively involved in all of those to try to find some potential solutions for us. And so I do think that’s an area where we’ll probably ramp up our efforts to some degree.”

At this point, it is pretty obvious to everyone, including Kris Bryant and the bat boy, that he will never play baseball again. With the highest annual player salary on the team, you would think he would be inclined to initiate a contract renegotiation to provide some relief to our current payroll. Seems like I remember Todd Helton doing this, which was a pretty stand-up and classy move to help the team.

Do you think these discussions may be possible at all?

Looking forward to all your 2026 Rockies articles!

— Troy, the biggest Rockies fan in Virginia

Troy, thanks for reading. It’s very much appreciated.

You’re correct, Helton did defer part of his contract. In March 2010, Helton signed a two-year extension ($9.9 million 2012–13) that also reworked his 2011 salary and 2012 buyout, totaling $13.1 million in deferred money.

However, the Bryant situation is much different. Helton was still playing, and he was a Rockies icon, with deep ties to ownership. Bryant is not playing and is still owed $81 million over the next three seasons. Plus, Bryant’s agent is Scott Boras, one of the most powerful men in sports, and he’s going to get all of that money for his client.

At some point, a deal will likely be worked out. This is what I wrote last November:

“Retirement, with a financial agreement worked out with the Rockies, seems like the sensible course of action. It����ap what former Nationals ace Stephen Strasburg eventually did when he finally retired in April 2024. Strasburg, who had not pitched since June 9, 2022, is receiving all the remaining $105 million owed from his original seven-year, $245 million contract.

“His original contract was heavily deferred — $11.4 million annually, according to USA Today — with Strasburg scheduled to receive $26.5 million in 2027, ’28 and ’29. When Strasburg retired, the contract was restructured to spread out the deferrals further into the future.”

Who will be doing the Rockies radio broadcasts in 2026? On the spring training simulcasts, I thought I understood they were auditioning three possible partners with Jack Corrigan. Who employs them? Are the TV broadcasters the same as before? Thank you.

— Steve, Aurora

Steve, funny you should ask. I had just reached out to David Tepper, the program director at 850 KOA. He told me that it has not yet been decided who will work with Corrigan in the radio booth. For now, Corrigan will team with longtime producer Jesse Thomas when the Rockies open their season on Friday in Miami.

During spring training, the Rockies auditioned Zach Goodman (announcer for the Double-A Amarillo Sod Poodles and son of Drew Goodman, the Rockies’ longtime TV play-by-play man), Albuquerque Isotopes announcer Josh Suchon, and Hartford Yard Goats announcer Jeff Dooley. I believe one of those three will join Corrigan.

KOA is looking to replace Jerry Schemmel, the longtime Colorado broadcaster, who was laid off for the second time by iHeartMedia last October. Schemmel now works as an ambassador and chief fundraiser for Best Day Ministries in downtown Longmont.

Do the Rockies have enough to win 50 or 60 games this season?

— Ed Helinski, Auburn, N.Y.

Ed, you’re not a glass-half-full kind of guy, are you? At least not when it comes to the Rockies. They will be improved, so yes, they can win 60 games. In fact, my preseason prediction is a 60-102 record.

Pose a Rockies- or MLB-related question for the Rockies Mailbag.

This is the first time in a long time that I feel good about the future of our team. What do you think is the most optimistic yet realistic expectation we should have? I feel like 70 wins is the ceiling, and a couple of our prospects emerge with solid seasons, like Zac Veen and Chase Dollander. What do you think?

— Marshall, Parker

Marshall, your optimism is refreshing. I do feel like there was a new energy at spring training, and the players have bought into the Rockies’ new direction under Paul Depodesta, the president of baseball operations, and manager Warren Schaeffer.

To reach 70 wins, the Rockies would have to improve by 27 games from their 43-119 record. That would be a quantum leap, and I don’t see it happening. You have to remember that Colorado was outscored by 424 runs last season.

The infamous Chicago White Sox went from 41-214 in 2024 to 60-102 in ’25. If the Rockies lose only 102 games this season, that would be progress.

Renck: What’s new with Rockies pitching staff? Chase Dollander will show you

I think Dollander will improve markedly this season, though he's not a lock to break camp as a member of the starting rotation. I don't believe that Zac Veen will make the 26-man roster out of camp, and I don't know if he'll make a big-league impact this season.

The three young players I'm most intrigued by are third baseman Kyle Karros, first baseman TJ Rumfield, and utility player Ryan Ritter.

And, of course, the Rockies need comeback seasons from shortstop Ezequiel Tovar and center fielder Brenton Doyle, whom I wrote about on Sunday.

Rockies’ rebuild in 2026 depends on Gold Glove performances by Ezequiel Tovar, Brenton Doyle

Great spring training reports and insight into 2026. I was looking over the Rockies' players who made the World Baseball Classic rosters. The only one of note was Ezequiel Tovar playing for Venezuela. Tovar is one of the best-performing Rockies so far. I am not sure who to come to the ballpark to really get a glimpse of stardom (from the home team, of course), who do you see being worthy to pay to see, and who might emerge at this year's Troy Tulowitzki or Nolan Arenado?

— Robert Emmerling, Limon

Thanks for the compliment, Robert; it's appreciated.

I don't see anyone bursting on the scene as Arenado did in 2013 when he won a Gold Glove as a rookie, or as Story did in 2016 when he mashed 27 home runs and hit .273 in 97 games. Story likely would have been the rookie of the year if he hadn't torn ligaments in his left thumb and missed the rest of the season.

But, to answer your question, I'll go with third baseman Kyle Karros. He's capable of Arenado-like plays, and I think he's going to become a force at the plate, too.

I'm kind of blown away that the oldest hitter on the Rockies' roster is 28. That has to be a record for the youngest offense. They know Kris Bryant is not going to be there. It appears to be a poor decision by the GM and the manager not to have a veteran professional hitter mentoring these kids. No team does this. Why didn't they pick up a Randal Grichuk or Justin Turner, Tommy Pham, or Rhys Hoskins, all still available? The Rockies just keep doing things nobody else in MLB does. Why?

— Harvey, Denver

I totally disagree with you, Harvey. The Rockies brought in Willi Castro, 28, to be a veteran catalyst on the team. Given the team's payroll constraints right now (they owe Bryant $27 million this season) and with a labor war looming, it wouldn't have made sense to spend money on an over-the-hill veteran hitter. The Rockies need their young players to play.

I think you're going to see growth from players such as Jordan Beck, Kyle Karros, and TJ Rumfield. Where the Rockies desperately needed some veteran stability was in their starting rotation. They addressed that issue by signing Tomoyuki Sugano, Jose Quintana, and Michael Lorenzen.

Can Rockies fix swing-and-whiff offense from disastrous 2025? New hitting coach keeps it simple

Has covering the Rockies gone from one of the worst beat jobs to one of the most interesting? They've gone from unwilling to change (and change from being horrible) to willing to try anything new with a cutting-edge coaching staff and upper management that went from never doing or saying anything to Moneyball 2.0 at altitude, where moves are frequently made and always explained in depth by Paul Depodesta. It also seems like a much more interesting mix of players this spring than in the past five years. Are you enjoying the switch as a reporter as much as I'm enjoying it as a fan?

— Isaac Bowen, Fort Collins

Holy cow, Isaac! Hold your horses!  I love your enthusiasm and optimism, but I've become much too cynical to jump on your bandwagon (wow, I used three cliches in three sentences).

I will say this: things will be more interesting. I'm thankful for that, and it should be fun to watch this team improve. But it's not one of the most interesting beats in baseball. Covering a team in the thick of the race in August and September is what I hope for before I retire.

If there’s a lesson from Kris Bryant’s time — or lack thereof — with the Rockies, it’s that.

As we celebrate the return of another blessed baseball season, the diamond wonks on the Grading The Week team wanted to clarify a few things to the Cubs fans in the Front Range and all across the world watching the latest in the Bryant saga.

First, the majority of Rockies fans don’t dislike Kris Bryant. Or shouldn’t. Not personally. Not even professionally, really. The man’s a symptom of franchise ineptitude. Not the cause.

He’s done. Nobody wants to say it, because of lawyers and agents and agendas. But everybody’s thinking it. Bryant showed up at Camelback Ranch in pain last week and was put on the 60-day disabled list to open the season, with no clear timetable for a return.

There are no winners here. It’s just … sad. Sad and stupidly expensive. The Rockies’ third baseman/outfielder/DH isn’t dodging If anything, there’s a chance he’s shortened his career by actively trying — and pushing — to come back and justify Colorado’s expense. Especially in 2022 and ’23, the first two seasons of that deal, when the Rox were desperate and the ink had barely dried.

Second, none of this happens without Nolan Arenado. Or rather, none of it happens without the Rockies botching the Arenado thing so badly that CEO Dick Monfort and the family felt obligated to take this massive swing to try and replace him.

In other words, they messed up twice.

Worse yet, they gave in twice to desperation — and set the franchise back about a decade, competitively, in the process.

Kris Bryant saga gets sadder — D

In February 2021, the Rockies slammed shut their own competitive window, one that had peaked too briefly in 2017 and ’18, by trading Arenado and $51 million to the Cardinals for Austin Gomber and four stiffs. By the end of August 2025, none of those five players were on an active MLB roster.

In March 2022, roughly a year after the worst trade in franchise history, they decided to fill the Nolan-sized hole they’d created themselves by giving Bryant a seven-year deal.

Insiders winced. Pundits shrugged. The nicest thing anybody said at the time was that it looked like an overpay for a guy who was about to land on the wrong side of 30.

And as we know now, sadly, he landed with a thud. Bryant’s played just 170 games in purple. He appeared in 48 games over the last two seasons. It’s anybody’s guess whether he’ll suit up ever again.

That’s $233 million in payroll — $51 million to the Cardinals and $182 million to KB23 — that could have been used toward improving the roster while Arenado was still here. And should have, in hindsight.

The Rockies signed Bryant to be their David Wright, and they got it — only it was Wright after the age of 30, when a lower back stress fracture for the ex-Mets star led to spinal stenosis and, eventually, retirement in 2018 at 35 years old.

Bryant turns 35 next January. His $182 million is guaranteed. Super agent Scott Boras got him the money — and made Monfort look like a fool for giving it.  Now they’re among the loudest hawks on opposite sides of a potentially ugly labor impasse that looms once MLB’s collective bargaining agreement ends on Dec. 1.

Monfort is pushing for a salary cap. Boras is drawing a hard line against a hard cap and warning his clients not to cross it.

Bryant, meanwhile, looks trapped in the middle — while the labor tussle to come makes it even less likely that Boras would recommend one of his clients do Monfort a solid and negotiate a more painless settlement. Are you kidding?

If Rox fans want to point fingers, they should point them at the owners and agents who steered this car off a cliff. Don’t hate the player. Hate the guys who broke a franchise’s back in order to make him their poster child.

Re: “City Council chambers’ $1.5 million renovation to address accessibility,” Feb. 17 news story

Denver City Councilman Chris Hinds is absolutely correct that he should have been included more in the committee dedicated to making mobility and access improvements for people with disabilities.

Until I fell several years ago and fractured my left pubic rami in two places in my pelvis, I had thought that accessible stalls in restrooms were fine. Then the accident happened, and I was on a walker for almost a year. Two things I noticed are that the restroom doors are almost always inaccessible to people with disabilities. Likewise, many large businesses, such as car dealerships, do not have accessible doors.

Until someone has truly traveled in the path of a disabled person, they honestly don’t know the trials faced every day by people with disabilities.

Maryann Ray, Centennial

EPA: Repealing scientific ruling endangers us all

Re: “,” Feb. 13 news story

I am outraged that the Trump administration has finalized the repeal of the EPA’s 2009 endangerment finding — the scientific determination that greenhouse gases threaten public health and established the legal foundation for federal climate protections.

The decision strips the EPA of its authority under the Clean Air Act to regulate climate pollution from vehicles, power plants, and other major sources.

At a time when Americans are living through record heat waves, catastrophic wildfires, deadly flooding, and worsening air quality, dismantling climate safeguards is reckless and dangerous.

The endangerment finding reflects overwhelming evidence. Repealing it will not change the reality of climate change — it will only make it harder to protect families and communities from its impacts.

Even though this rollback has been finalized, it must not stand. Courts, lawmakers, and future administrations must act on climate change and reverse this decision and restore strong, science-based climate protections.

Our health, our safety, and our future depend on it.

Alvin L. Beers Jr., Greenwood Village

If the United States wasn’t considered an international pariah yet, it is now after the latest lifting of environmental protection for greenhouse gases, but I digress.

As a youngster in the 1950s, my nextdoor neighbor drove his car into the garage, closed the garage door, and never turned it off, committing suicide. What did he know that the Honorable Lee Zeldin, EPA administrator, does not know?

I don’t want to leave coal out either, but isn’t it a waste of taxpayer money to establish a in 1969 to cope with the high mortality rates of coal miners, but continue to promote coal as an energy source?

I know whoever is reading this may not agree with Zeldin’s decision either, and it’s possible that many other employees disagree. We all have to work, and no one wants a bad mark on their résumé or lose a job. It is my hope that our collective years of American K-12 education have given us the critical thinking skills and citizenship skills to question this policy change.

Jim Rumbold, Fort Collins

Rockies should get Bryant to move on

Re: “Moving on from Bryant is one of many good things,” Feb. 12 sports commentary

Troy Renck got only half of the story right about the Rockies’ Kris Bryant “moving on.” Bryant — like Bill Murray in “What about Bob?” —  is still here. He has been here for 4 years. He is taking up space along with $81 million of still-owed money that could have been used to sign good ballplayers for 2026.

When Ford moved on from the Edsel, they scrapped it. When Coke moved on from “New Coke,” they scrapped it. How much longer are the Monforts going to hang on to this guy for their egos’ sake? Admit the signing disaster, settle with Bryant, and get him “moving on” now.

Curt Anderson, Broomfield

To send a letter to the editor about this article, submit online or check out our guidelines for how to submit by email or mail.

Tuesday, while his teammates went through their first full-squad workouts, Bryant was suited up in Rockies purple, but he was a bystander. He cannot run, let alone compete on the field.

“Any time my feet hit the ground, I feel like I could probably fall over,” Bryant said. “It’s unfortunate and obviously not how I want this to go. I’m here to figure things out and find out if there is a way to get better.”

Bryant, who turned 34 last month, continues struggling with a degenerative back condition that makes everyday life painful and is threatening to end his career. He has still not conceded that retirement is inevitable, saying he “doesn’t want to go there.”

Renck: Kris Bryant looks done in Colorado. That is one of many good things happening for Rockies

But the Rockies have already put Bryant on the 60-day injured list, and there are no plans for him to play this season.

"We've talked a lot," manager Warren Schaeffer said. "There's really not much to say about it other than the guy's back really hurts, and he's having a tough time progressing.

"We have to prepare like he's not going to play. That's just the way we have to go about it, hoping that he has a recovery and a breakthrough. But was of now, his back really, really hurts. It's a real thing. He just can't play baseball."

Bryant has played only 170 games with Colorado since signing a franchise-record seven-year, $182 million free-agent contract before the 2022 season. He’s hit .244 with 17 homers and 61 RBIs. He has three years left on the deal, and the Rockies still owe him $81 million.

The one-time National League MVP and hero of the Cubs’ 2016 World Series championship has been diagnosed with lumbar degenerative disc disease. The condition involves the wear and tear of the spine in his lower back and has required multiple treatments, including an ablation procedure, to manage the pain. He's tried pilates and hours of physical therapy, but nothing has worked.

"It's not easy waking up in pain every day, but now we are here," he said. 'I'm just trying to determine the next step with the training staff and doctors."

Asked about calling it quits, Bryant replied, "I'm not going to dive deep into that. I don't want to misspeak. I haven't read the reports. My focus is just to find stuff that will help me wake up, hopefully, in a little less pain than the day before."

Bryant, clearly emotional about the topic, said he still clings to hope.

"Obviously, I have to," he said. "Because it's not just something I'm going to deal with now, I'm going to deal with this the rest of my life. I've talked to a lot of people about it. I know a ton of people, not just playing baseball, but people who have terrible backs, too.

"I could never have expected this or seen this coming. And now that I'm dealing with it, I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy. It's miserable."

How miserable?

"Some days it's hard to grab the toothpaste in front of me," he said. "It's not like that every day, but those days it's like you just wish you had some type of answer."

What is the pain like?

"There are a lot of different sensations I'm feeling," he said. "It just feels like I'm being electrocuted in my whole body. It's not ideal. It's pretty miserable. Maybe this is part of old age, even though I'm not even old."

Schaeffer said he feels for what Bryant is going through.

"Just as a human being," Schaeffer said. "I'm not even close to being in his shoes, but I can relate. I can see how tough it would be on him, with the high expectations for him. ... It's tough for him and we have to be here to support him. That's all there is to it."

Schaeffer expects Bryant to contribute to the Rockies' rebuild as a mentor to young players.

"K.B has done so much in this game, and he's gone through so many experiences, so of course he can help young players," Schaeffer said. "When he's around, it's to the benefit of the young players, for sure."

The Rockies’ new right-hander should get his wish, now that he’s pitching in the National League West, where the Dodgers’ superstar resides.

“I don’t have a set game plan going in to face Shohei Ohtani yet,” Sugano said Monday through interpreter Yuto Sakarai after throwing his first live batting practice of spring training. “Last year, he hit two home runs off me, so as a Japanese player, I would like to attack him and try to be productive.”

Sugano has faced Ohtani in only one game in the majors. Just two at-bats, in fact, as a starter for Baltimore last season. That was on Sept. 7 when Ohtani connected for his 47th and 48th home runs in his first two at-bats in the Dodgers’  5-2 victory over the Orioles at Camden Yards.

Ohtani and Sugano, shining stars in Japan, were both first-round selections in the 2012 Nippon Professional Baseball draft. Ohtani was selected by the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters, and Sugoan was drafted by the Yomiuri Giants. The pair faced each other only once in Japan, when Ohtani went 2 for 3 with a double on June 10, 2015.

Last week, the Rockies, looking to add a veteran presence to their rotation, signed the 36-year-old Sugano to a one-year, $5.1 million contract. He is scheduled to depart camp on Tuesday to pitch for Team Japan in the World Baseball Classic. It will be his second WBC, following his participation in the 2017 tournament.

The Rockies signed Sugano because of his vast experience, believing he would have a positive impact on Colorado’s stable of young starters.

“I expect the ultimate professional,” manager Warren Schaeffer said. “I expect him to fill up the strike zone. I expect him to take the ball every fifth day, just like he has his entire career.

“I expect him to provide ideas of leadership. I had dinner with him the other night, and he is just a fantastic human being. I’m so excited to have him around. But on the field, I look for consistency in the strike zone.”

Lefty Kyle Freeland, entering his 10th season with the Rockies, welcomes Sugano’s presence.

“I liked that he’s begun to pick my brain early, especially about pitching at Coors Field,” Freeland said. “We will get into some particulars later in camp, but we’ve already talked about fitness, staying hydrated, and the importance of getting enough sleep at altitude, in Colorado.”

Sugano joined the Orioles a year ago after a 12-season career with Yomiuri,  during which he won three Central League MVP awards and two Sawamura Awards (Japan’s equivalent of the Cy Young). But he admittedly struggled with the Orioles in his first season in the majors.

He was a workhorse, as he’s been throughout his career, leading Baltimore in starts (30) and innings pitched (157) while posting a 4.64 ERA. However, he also led the American League in homers allowed (33).

One of the things the Rockies are stressing with all of their pitchers is getting ahead in counts, something the Rockies failed to do much of the time during their 119-loss 2025 season. Sugano should set an example.

“I’m focused on attacking the zone as much as I can,” he said.

That’s worked well for him throughout his career. Last season, he allowed just 2.1 walks per nine innings. However, the right-hander’s 15.1% strikeout rate was among the lowest in the majors. He’s not a flame-thrower — 92.7 mph average four-seamer, 92.9 mph average sinker — so he competes with guile and a versatile arsenal.

Sugano said he understands that for all he accomplished in Japan, he still has a lot to prove in MLB — especially in Colorado.

“All of the accolades I had in Japan, I left in Japan,” he said. “I only think about being successful over here.”

For the record, Sugano’s possible first chance to face Ohtani again will be when the Dodgers come to Colorado for a four-game series, April 17-20.

WBC roster

The Rockies have 12 players scheduled to compete in the World Baseball Classic, which begins March 5. However, no Rockies are playing for Team USA.

The Rockies scheduled to play in the WBC are:

• Right-handed pitchers Antonio Senzatela (Venezuela), Michael Lorenzen (Italy), Victor Vodnik (Mexico), Juan Mejia (Dominican Republic), and Sugano (Japan)
• Left-handed pitchers Jose Quintana (Colombia) and Brennan Bernardino (Mexico)
• Infielders Ezequiel Tovar (Venezuela) and Edouard Julien (Canada)
• Infielder/outfielders Willi Castro (Puerto Rico), Troy Johnston (Israel) and Cole Carrigg (Israel)

Injury news

The Rockies opened camp in relatively good shape. Infielder/outfielder Tyler Freeman has been slowed by back soreness, but he is on the road back. He began running on Feb. 12 and started taking grounders on Feb. 13.

Designated hitter Kris Bryant, diagnosed with lumbar degenerative disk disease last season, was placed on the 60-day injured list on Feb. 10. He’ll miss all of spring training, and there is a chance he will never play baseball again.

And right-hander Jeff Criswell, who underwent Tommy John surgery last spring, remains on the 60-day IL. He began throwing off the mound last Thursday and the Rockies are looking toward mid-April for Crisell to begin pitching in games.

Kris Bryant is not expected to play for the Rockies again. Ever. His aching back won’t not allow it. Nor should the Rockies.

Tuesday, the organization took a step in that direction, placing Bryant on the 60-day disabled list. The strict interpretation means Bryant will miss the first 57 games. Common sense screams that he will miss all of them.

There will be lawyers. But, he is all but done in Colorado.

There should be empathy for his injury, but no sympathy for his lack of production. The Rockies owe Bryant $81 million over the next three seasons. All that is left is to restructure the contract with scheduled payments, buy him out or file a workman’s comp claim.

Regardless, it is time to put Bryant in the rearview after following protocol.

“He’s not ready. He is going to come in and take a physical, and we will get our eyes on him. But talking to his people (The Boras Corporation), his back is not responding,” Rockies general manager Josh Byrnes told The Post. “The 60-day was an easy decision because he’s not ready to play.”

So is his career over with the Rockies?

“It’s really a question at this point,” Byrnes said. “It is ongoing.”

The realization that it is not working, even if it was as simple as following Bryant’s symptoms, is welcomed. At last year’s fan fest 11 months ago, Rockies general manager Bill Schmidt insisted Bryant would contribute. I bit my tongue, resisting the temptation to quip, “As a player?”

Bryant was better cast as Dinger than to hit dingers.

His back has betrayed him. It flares up when he runs, making the 2025 plan to use him in the outfield on the road laughable. And the rotational torque from swinging a bat left him powerless, his cuts a success if they did not produce winces of pain.

Officially he is not gone. But the Rockies are finally, mercifully moving on.

They don’t deserve credit. And they won’t get it from frustrated fans. But they are taking steps in the right direction.

(Pause for eye rolls).

Yes, the Rockies stink like a baby’s diaper. Three straight 100-loss seasons. I get it. They are, however, under new management. President Paul DePodesta and Byrnes have established a vision for success, adding multiple major league players and implementing philosophical changes in the minors.

None of this will be obvious in the standings. But, they are using cellphones, have access to the internet and are embracing technology.

They are not saving baseball on 20th and Blake this season. Or next. Or even in 2028. But when the pitchers and catchers reported to Scottsdale this week, the Rockies sent a clear message:

They don’t see the Dodgers as the Death Star. They see them as the North Star.

What rebuilding looks like for the Rockies, even if they are starting out with Legos, is following the Dodgers blueprint, not their checkbook.

Baseball owners, with Dick Monfort playing a prominent role as a hawk in labor negotiations, are expected to lock out the players after this season, seeking a salary cap, believing that is the only reason the Dodgers win.

Hate to break it to you. It is not.

The Dodgers have aced the developmental piece. Players love getting drafted by them, knowing they will have a plan that gives them the best chance to succeed and reach The Show.

Don’t believe it?

More than a dozen players from their Class-A Great Lake Loons 2022 team have appeared in the big leagues. It is a mixture of arms and bats — Gavin Stone, Emmet Sheehan, Johny DeLuca. It’s a battery of players capable of making an impact, providing depth and creating flexibility in trade talks.

From 2014 to this fall, Byrnes was there for all of it as the senior vice president of baseball operations.

Long before the Dodgers began issuing $100 million contracts, they had their minor league pitchers using data and technology and players playing multiple positions to increase their versatility.

The Rockies are applying these principles. They signed three veteran pitchers who are embracing the concepts — Michael Lorenzen, Tomoyuki Sugano and Jose Quintana —and added super utility player Wil Castro and outfielder Jake McCarthy.

These moves fill holes and buy time for prospects, forcing them to meet certain thresholds before advancing through the minors.

On any given night last season, half of the Rockies’ roster belonged in Triple-A. Or worse.

“We want as much depth as we can create and to stabilize the rotation, which helps everything,” Byrnes said. “We have used the term ‘’Raise the floor’ a lot. That comes from competition.”

The pitching piece remains the Rubik’s Cube at Coors Field. The days of emphasizing sinkers and sliders and leaning too heavily on fastballs — see Dollander, Chase — are over. The Rockies want pitches of all shapes and sizes.

“I think a deep arsenal is that much more important for us. It is hard on hitters because they have to account for it,” Byrnes said. “That should translate at altitude.”

The hitting is going to take time to fix. Reducing the chase rate and strikeout percentage remains a top priority. No place awards contact more than Coors Field. That is often lost in the myth of baseball in Denver.

“The park affects pitch characteristics. It adds to singles, doubles, triples and home runs. The home runs are the least inflated,” Byrnes said. “There are ways we have to make this to our advantage. I have talked to a lot of people, most notably (former Rockies star outfielder) Charlie Blackmon, about how they feel here, how they perceive pitches.”

There is no guarantee it will work. However, the benefits of alignment in player development are proven.

It is up to Byrnes and crew to help Charlie Condon, Ethan Holliday and Brody Brecht reach their potential, along with the top picks over the next few Julys, for that matter.

How did the Avs, Nuggets and Broncos regain traction? They drafted and developed well. The Rockies must follow suit.

“We are not in a state of denial,” Byrnes said.

Not with the challenge. Not with the haters. And definitely not with Bryant.