I will admit, like everyone else I’m enjoying the Cubbie kool-aid. That doesn’t make this next statement any less true, and is certainly high praise for this Chicago Cubs star. Kris Bryant is on the path to become the best player in baseball.
Yeah I said it, but I’m not alone. Recently baseball insider Jon Morosi mentioned how the best in the game conversation will soon include the Houston Astros star Carlos Correa.
Very soon, Carlos Correa will belong in discussion with Mike Trout and Bryce Harper among best players in @MLB, if he isn’t there already.
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) April 7, 2016
He is absolutely correct. Correa, if you haven’t spent time watching him and as a baseball fan you will not be disappointed, is on an arch to be in the conversation. He is one of the biggest reasons the Astros are one of the sexy picks to win the World Series, and the reason there’s hope for a baseball future in Houston.
But Correa isn’t why you clicked on the story. When Jon tweeted that message, a local Chicago scribe replied.
@jonmorosi True, and at some point soon that conversation figures to include Kris Bryant.
— David Haugh (@DavidHaugh) April 7, 2016
Now, my first reaction was… David, what the hell are you smoking!?
I’m a huge Cubs fan, but pride myself on not bring a meathead. I don’t always think the Cubs make the best moves, I believe it’s ok to question certain decisions by Joe Maddon, or scratch my head at signings Theo Epstein has made (ahem, Edwin Jackson, ahem). But the more I thought about this, the more it makes sense.
While its true, Bryant isn’t even the best on his team right now. That title belongs to Anthony Rizzo, then Jake Arrieta after him. But Kris is certainly on the right path to be included in that conversation.
He has the right pedigree, and skill. He has the right manager, and is in the right lineup. I’ve already predicted Bryant to have a huge season, and building off a great rookie campaign where he won Rookie of the Year and expected big 2016, he could earn the “best in the game” nod in 2017.
Now the naysayers will naysay. A guy that strikes out 200 times a season cannot be the best. Well Mike Trout struck out 184 times in 2014, a season he won the AL MVP, and he’s widely considered the best in the game. He’s not consistent enough defensively to be the best. Well Bryce Harper made 7 errors in the outfield in 2015, where he was named NL MVP, and is considered to be 1b in the best in the game conversation.
While it would be tough to beat Mike Trout’s rookie campaign, Bryant was arguably better than Harper in his rookie season, and was on par with Correa’s first season. Couldn’t this be reason enough to add him to the conversation?
Harper – .270/.340/.477 22 HR 59 RBI 5.1 WAR
Correa – .279/.345/.512 22 HR 68 RBI 4.1 WAR
Bryant – .275/.369/.488 26 HR 99 RBI 5.9 WAR
We have yet to see everything Bryant will be able to give to the game of baseball, but Morosi nails my feelings exactly in his reply to David Haugh.
@DavidHaugh Great time to be a baseball fan, really. Amount of young talent in the sport right now is staggering. See you at Wrigley in Oct!
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) April 7, 2016
It certainly is, and an even better time to be a Chicago Cubs fan.
