Chicago Cubs’ third baseman Kris Bryant an incredible four years since his senior year of college. He received 29 of 30 possible first-place votes to win his first MVP award.
The Chicago Cubs came up short in the individual hardware department over the last few days. Not that they didn’t have deserving candidates. But Kris Bryant not only won his first MVP Award but did it in landslide fashion–but not unanimously. Since his senior season of college, Bryant has walked away with an individual award at the end of each year.
In 2015, he was College Player of the Year. He then won the MiLB Player of the Year in 2015. Last season he snagged the NL Rookie of the Year. So it just seemed right to add the NL MVP to the list. What’s next for Bryant? When you’re the MVP of the Cubs–the team that just won the World Series and broke a 108-year drought? Is there anywhere else to go? Oh, absolutely there is.
Bryant became the fourth player in MLB history to win the Rookie of the Year and MVP in consecutive seasons. The others–Cal Ripken, Jr., Ryan Howard, and Dustin Pedroia. Not bad company to be in.
Bryant received all but one first-place vote. That went to the second-place finisher in Daniel Murphy of the Washington Nationals. The final tally–415-245. Anthony Rizzo finished fourth with 202 points. Addison Russel received one sixth-place vote, while Kyle Hendricks picked up one ninth-place vote.
Bryant batted .292 while hitting 39 home runs and driving in 102 runs. He played multiple positions in the field–and played them all well. He’s a heads-up baserunner and has above average speed for a tall guy. In other words, Bryant earned the award because he did everything at the plate and in the field better than anyone else.
It’s been an impressive start to Bryant’s career. And those few days at the beginning of last season that allowed the Cubs to have an extra year of control? That just looks like more genius from Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer. This is unlikely to be the last time we’re having this conversation. Even if he doesn’t win, he’ll be part of the conversation for years to come.
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