Chicago Cubs: Top things to keep an eye on heading into 2019 season

Chicago Cubs: You can expect the KB of old to return in MVP fashion

Kris Bryant has a chip on his shoulder.

After a less than stellar 2018 campaign that was riddled with injury and even rumors of a trade, the 2016 National League MVP is once again healthy and is determined to re-emerge as one of the top superstars in all of baseball.

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As a Scott Boras client, you almost expected Bryant to turn down a reported $200M extension.  It was a sort of shade to the club that held out calling him up to start his career in order to retain his services under team control for another year, something that has become common in Major League Baseball.

Since then, we feared the ramifications of the day when Bryant becomes a free agent after the 2022 season.  By then, he will be 30 years old and, with Boras, will be looking for the biggest deal possible.

As his offensive stats (and health) have dipped since his MVP season, Bryant has been the subject of being thrown in the category of “overrated” and a player “past his peak.” At just 26 years old, Bryant has been determined to prove that is not the case.

A fire has been lit under Kris Bryant, with already two towering home runs this spring, he’s trying to silence the critics and turn in a monster 2019 season.

Of course, it will be a double-edged sword for the Cubs.  A great offensive year will surely help the Cubs win ballgames, however, may further build a divide between any real chance at signing him after his deal is up.

We will just have to cross that bridge once we get to it in a few years, but fully expect the Kris Bryant to use that fire and have an MVP caliber season this year if he stays healthy. If he does that – we’ll be primed for another postseason on the North Side.