This is the thread where we talk about how awesome Kris Bryant is

[Andy]

I think generally it’s definitely Hendricks, but for Cubs fans it may be Pedro Strop.

I think ultimately it's Bryant. People know he's great, but because he's kinda bland and doesn't play with any flair or attitude, he's underrated.

 

Contreras might be second. I don't think it's appreciated nearly enough how much of a stud he is outside of our own fan base.

[Aaron_Kennelly]

I definitely think it's Bryant. He has a chance to go down as the greatest Cub ever, and he's treated like he's just one of the guys.

 

What he's doing is just crazy. I know he technically had a bit of a "down" year last year, because of the high leverage stuff and a drop in power, plus small drops in defense and base running. Taken altogether, it was just a little bit of an off year. But I really thought his improvements in contact and plate discipline would set him up very well for the future. I think he might put up a monster season this year. And so far this season, he's still improving in those same areas he improved upon last year! Contact% still going up. Swinging at even fewer balls out of the zone. There's other good stuff, too. Like, in 2016, he had a 12.6% IFFB%. It was 5.5% last year. He hasn't hit one pop-up yet this year. And his power is back up so far.

 

He's basically completely cut out all of the bad stuff in his game. And now everything he does is great. It's scary to think about.

[Sammy Sofa]

I'm definitely a total meatball when it comes to Bryant; all of the numbers clearly show he's fantastic, yet I am completely nonplussed over him. Like, when he comes to the plate, I am never thinking, "oh boy, I might be about to see something amazing," like I assume I would with someone like Harper or Trout. It's beyond stupid and inexplicable.

[We Got The Whole 9]

For as critical as I have been toward KB, it is only because I hold him to absurd standards. He will absolutely put up a 3/4/6 slash line in his prime, I believe. I will be beside myself if he ever plays for another team.

[Hunter]

I definitely think it's Bryant. He has a chance to go down as the greatest Cub ever, and he's treated like he's just one of the guys.

 

What he's doing is just crazy. I know he technically had a bit of a "down" year last year, because of the high leverage stuff and a drop in power, plus small drops in defense and base running. Taken altogether, it was just a little bit of an off year. But I really thought his improvements in contact and plate discipline would set him up very well for the future. I think he might put up a monster season this year. And so far this season, he's still improving in those same areas he improved upon last year! Contact% still going up. Swinging at even fewer balls out of the zone. There's other good stuff, too. Like, in 2016, he had a 12.6% IFFB%. It was 5.5% last year. He hasn't hit one pop-up yet this year. And his power is back up so far.

 

He's basically completely cut out all of the bad stuff in his game. And now everything he does is great. It's scary to think about.

 

Each season, It has been entertaining to watch how pitchers try to attack him differently. He plugs various holes and makes it harder and harder on opposing pitchers.

[CubinNY]

Bryant’s biggest deficit is that he makes it all look too easy. Easy power, smooth fielder, fluid runner, rocket arm. Even when he hits the ball off the end of the bat he can hit it out. His mild personality also plays a role too. I just love watching him. He’s by far my favorite player

[PackLandVA]

Bryant’s biggest deficit is that he makes it all look too easy. Easy power, smooth fielder, fluid runner, rocket arm. Even when he hits the ball off the end of the bat he can hit it out. His mild personality also plays a role too. I just love watching him. He’s by far my favorite player

 

Remember when the thought was that he would be as good at 3rd base as Braun was, and where in the field will he be able to play. Not only is he an above average 3rd baseman, but he can also play 1st and all three outfield positions at least adequately. The guy is a stud on the baseball field!

[Aaron_Kennelly]

Remember when he didn't make the All-Star team?

[badger]

I know it doesn’t mean horsefeathers right now given the sample but I just checked for shits and giggles bc as I watched him it seems like he has minimal holes this year and his k rate is 13.7% lol. With a 15.7% BB rate.

[We Got The Whole 9]

I know it doesn’t mean horsefeathers right now given the sample but I just checked for horsefeathers and giggles bc as I watched him it seems like he has minimal holes this year and his k rate is 13.7% lol. With a 15.7% BB rate.

K rate went down to 12 tonight lol

[CyHawk_Cub]

Someone in the game thread called it correctly, I think: KB is becoming a RH Joey Votto.

 

When he was a prospect, I just accepted that we had a flawed masher on our hands; a guy who'd hit 35-40 dongs & K 150+ times a year. It's hard to fathom how good this guy is, to improve so much while in the bigs. Amazing.

[Sammy Sofa]

Someone in the game thread called it correctly, I think: KB is becoming a RH Joey Votto.

 

I would endorse Bryant going full heel 100000000000000000000000000000%.

[imb]

Someone in the game thread called it correctly, I think: KB is becoming a RH Joey Votto.

 

When he was a prospect, I just accepted that we had a flawed masher on our hands; a guy who'd hit 35-40 dongs & K 150+ times a year. It's hard to fathom how good this guy is, to improve so much while in the bigs. Amazing.

 

It was funny, in that red bull fantasy draft video, the guy was like "bryant is humble! he works on his weaknesses every offseason!" and bryant was right there putting his hands in the air and going "exactly!" and i was at home with my hands in the air going "exactly!"

[David]

Someone in the game thread called it correctly, I think: KB is becoming a RH Joey Votto.

 

When he was a prospect, I just accepted that we had a flawed masher on our hands; a guy who'd hit 35-40 dongs & K 150+ times a year. It's hard to fathom how good this guy is, to improve so much while in the bigs. Amazing.

 

the crazy thing is rizzo also drastically improved in these areas and became another votto like 4 years ago.

 

like we already had one guy decide to become joey votto while in the big leagues and now we have two

[Sammy Sofa]

Someone in the game thread called it correctly, I think: KB is becoming a RH Joey Votto.

 

When he was a prospect, I just accepted that we had a flawed masher on our hands; a guy who'd hit 35-40 dongs & K 150+ times a year. It's hard to fathom how good this guy is, to improve so much while in the bigs. Amazing.

 

the crazy thing is rizzo also drastically improved in these areas and became another votto like 4 years ago.

 

like we already had one guy decide to become joey votto while in the big leagues and now we have two

 

Well....nu-Votto and Votto-ish.

[CyHawk_Cub]

Someone in the game thread called it correctly, I think: KB is becoming a RH Joey Votto.

 

When he was a prospect, I just accepted that we had a flawed masher on our hands; a guy who'd hit 35-40 dongs & K 150+ times a year. It's hard to fathom how good this guy is, to improve so much while in the bigs. Amazing.

 

the crazy thing is rizzo also drastically improved in these areas and became another votto like 4 years ago.

 

like we already had one guy decide to become joey votto while in the big leagues and now we have two

 

Well yeah, that's true, but this is the thread where we talk about how awesome Kris Bryant is.

[treebird]

Someone in the game thread called it correctly, I think: KB is becoming a RH Joey Votto.

 

When he was a prospect, I just accepted that we had a flawed masher on our hands; a guy who'd hit 35-40 dongs & K 150+ times a year. It's hard to fathom how good this guy is, to improve so much while in the bigs. Amazing.

 

the crazy thing is rizzo also drastically improved in these areas and became another votto like 4 years ago.

 

like we already had one guy decide to become joey votto while in the big leagues and now we have two

 

rizzo is like votto in that he got his strikeouts to match his walks, but votto does that while walking way more and hitting well over .300. last year with the k and bb matching rizzo had a 133 wrc+. votto has eight seasons with a wrc+ of 155 or better.

 

i love tony but he isn't votto.

[David]

Yes jeez I'm well aware of all that. Votto is clearly better. Sometimes I forget how careful I have to be with my words with you jamokes.

[Sammy Sofa]

Yes jeez I'm well aware of all that. Votto is clearly better. Sometimes I forget how careful I have to be with my words with you jamokes.

 

Bruh. Come on. You, like the rest of us, jump on people all the time to correct for being just a little off with their baseball flimflammery. Along those lines, tossing it out there like Rizzo has been Votto 2.0 is pretty goofy.

[Derwood]

It's a shame he'll never stick at 3B

 

/obligatory

[David]

Yes jeez I'm well aware of all that. Votto is clearly better. Sometimes I forget how careful I have to be with my words with you jamokes.

 

Bruh. Come on. You, like the rest of us, jump on people all the time to correct for being just a little off with their baseball flimflammery. Along those lines, tossing it out there like Rizzo has been Votto 2.0 is pretty goofy.

Yeah I know we're all pretty terrible huge dorks

[imb]

It's a shame he'll never stick at 3B

 

/obligatory

 

oh man this was me. I was convinced there was no way he could do it. I watched him one game in AAA (i am a scout) and he looked so bad so I just wrote him off, because i am a scout

[David]

It's a shame he'll never stick at 3B

 

/obligatory

 

oh man this was me. I was convinced there was no way he could do it. I watched him one game in AAA (i am a scout) and he looked so bad so I just wrote him off, because i am a scout

 

I decided off of one AFL play from some game that was on mlbn that he was a future left fielder. For once I was wrong and CubinNY was absolutely right.

 

Also he was obviously not going to make enough contact in the big leagues bc Brett Jackson

[Brian]

Someone in the game thread called it correctly, I think: KB is becoming a RH Joey Votto.

 

When he was a prospect, I just accepted that we had a flawed masher on our hands; a guy who'd hit 35-40 dongs & K 150+ times a year. It's hard to fathom how good this guy is, to improve so much while in the bigs. Amazing.

 

It was funny, in that red bull fantasy draft video, the guy was like "bryant is humble! he works on his weaknesses every offseason!" and bryant was right there putting his hands in the air and going "exactly!" and i was at home with my hands in the air going "exactly!"

 

One of the highlights of the World Series Parade, they were interviewing him and his dad on one of the buses and his dad was talking about what they needed to work on that offseason and Kris was like 'come on dad'.

[Cubswin11]

For as annoying as the start has been at least we have one of the best 3-5 players in MLB

 

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