Kris Bryant Back in Spotlight, Cubs Pushing for Playoff Berth

Kris Bryant the slugger for the Chicago Cubs might not be a repeat MVP this season, due to other players in the National League putting up huge numbers. However, Bryant has played unnoticed most of the season except for a recent tear that brought the spotlight back to him.

His on-base plus slugging for 2017 is now .940 which is quite similar to his 2016 OPS of .939, which helped him win the MVP award a season ago.

Bryant last week said that he believes the Cubs are not only a winning team, but a playoff team and when the end of the regular season arrives, that is where they will be, in the playoffs.

Bryant as superstars are concerned is quite humble, but is not lacking in confidence. No greats of any sports lack in confidence and one important component to the success of Bryant is the confidence he has to work through difficult stretches.

Much of the time, the suggestions made by others helps with the way a player is performing. However, that is not the case with Bryant. He does not require an outside party to voice their opinions on his play. Few players that play the game today are better at mechanically and mentally fixing themselves than Bryant is.

Joe Maddon the Cubs manager says that the return to form of Bryant was due to a physical adjustment.

Maddon said the way Bryant’s bat is now moving through the zone, with it longer and flatter out front and staying longer in the zone, as opposed to entering and leaving quicker.

The time of this current hot streak for Bryant could not have arrived at a better time. His pace increased just when the Cubs lost Willson Contreras their top hitter to an injured hamstring.

Maddon became hopeful that other players would use the Contreras injury as a rally call and some believe that Bryant’s surge was in part influenced by the catcher’s injury.

Sometimes, when players get hurt, it helps others in different ways, said Jason Heyward the right fielder for the Cubs. He believes that Bryant took off once he realized the Cubs would be without Contreras’ bat in the lineup.

Of course, Bryant sees it a bit differently. He has not stepped his game up but made the adjustments he needed to, to produce better at the plate.

Regardless, of what happened, his success of late has helped Chicago remain in first place without Contreras’ bat in the lineup.