Trading Kris Bryant.

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(Disclaimer: This is a rewrite of the blog I wrote yesterday where I became irrationally triggered hearing the words "KB" and "trade" in the same sentence and unintentionally included undeserving individuals in the panic twitter crowd. I fired from the hip and missed.)


 A podcast I listen to featuring a bunch of guys that are Cubs fans were discussing Kris Bryant today. The discussion eventually moved to the possibility of trading KB before the end of next season. There are two schools of thought regarding a KB trade. The first is mainly centered around front office/money concerns. I don't like this conversation because in my heart I want KB to get a bag and stay in Chicago for the next decade. However, in my head, I realize it is a conversation that needs to happen because the luxury tax and budgets are real. The second school of thought is Cubs panic twitter screaming "Trade KB now because he is batting .180"!!! These people are wrong. Look at these stats. For his career, KB has a WAR of 23.8, Fielding percentage of .951, and a total of only 79 errors vs 95 DP's turned. Batting line is .282/.382/.512 for his career. You don't get rid of this kind of production. Is he slumping right now? Yes. Does he need to figure it out quickly due to this being a 60 game season? Yes. Does he need to be traded because he's in a slump? Hell no. Who you going to put in his spot? Bote? Bote is good, but not KB good. KB also makes the foul catch in front the dugout 15 times out of 10 chances instead of tripping over the wall and missing the easy catch to get out of a jam. This is just what Cubs fans do every year and it's getting old. It's the same four step cycle every time. 

Step 1: (insert player name here) struggles at the plate or has a couple bad outings as a pitcher. (Examples are Kimbrel, KB this season although Javy is surprisingly untouchable no matter what he does)

Step 2: Cubs internet gets angry. Either calling for said player to be traded or complaining about how they got paid too much money for this level of production. (Great case in point for step 2 is every time J-Hey grounds out to 2nd 3 times a game)

Step 3: Said player turns it around. (Example for step 3 is Kimbrel being filthy again after a rough start to the season)

Step 4: The internet shuts up and moves on the next struggling player. (Example is the transition from the Send Kimbrel to South Bend narrative to the Trade KB narrative.)

Examples of panic twitter vs positive fans.

1. Heyward hits three groundballs to 2nd in a row

Panic: Heyward can't hit. We never should of paid him. Fire him.

Reasonable fans: Heyward has been a defensive anchor, but maybe we could move his contract for some prospects this off season.

2. Kimbrel looks like hot garbage through first 4 appearances.

Panic: Why did we pay this guy after he was off for half the season? He's worthless and needs to be sent to South Bend for the rest of the season.

Reasonable fans: Kimbrel has had a terrible start to the season. He needs to figure out his mechanics, maybe go to South Bend for a 5 day strech and work it out.


Also need to point out that the Cubs consistently win games throughout steps 1 to 4. The Cubs are 3 games up in the NL Central and have won all but 2 of the series this year. If we were 6 games behind first and consistently losing, this is a different discussion. To even suggest trading KB right now when we are in control of the Central is ludicrous. Let's break the cycle of panic Twitter and have positive thoughts only. KB will bounce back and Cubs in 4. Go Cubs Go. 

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