Alex Bregman: The Last Piece of the Puzzle
The Chicago Cubs finished second in their division and had the fourth-best record in the National League a season ago.
With the Cubs being on the cusp of returning to the glory days of 2016, many fans wondered what the team would do to get over the hump.
The front office answered that question on January 14th by bringing in Alex Bregman. Bregman has had a strong career and the hardware to prove it.
Over the ten years that he has been in the Majors, he has been a three-time All-Star, Silver Slugger, and a Gold Glove Award recipient. Oh, and he has won two World Series! Bregman is exactly what the Cubs need. He has the skills and intangibles to bring them to the promised land.
Alex Bregman has been a household name in the Major Leagues for quite some time. The reason for that? His production! Bregman has put up staggering numbers during his tenure in the MLB. With a total of 209 home runs, a .272 batting average, and a .846 OPS over his career, any team would welcome Alex Bregman with open arms. He is the model of consistency, and that is why the Cubs paid $175 million to acquire him. With the accolades that Bregman has and the numbers to back it up, he is truly one of the world’s best players. That can be seen as recently as this past week. During the two exhibition games that Team USA has played in preparation for the World Baseball Classic, Bregman has hit a home run in each game! Even while playing on what many baseball fans are labeling “The Dream Team”, Bregman continues to shine as one of the elite players in the game. It is as clear as the sky during a day game at Wrigley Field that Alex Bregman is an extremely skilled baseball player, but his statistics are not the only aspect of his greatness. He can elevate a team in several ways that will not show up in the box score.
When respected voices in the baseball world speak highly of a player, it’s usually a strong indicator of their value off the field. This has been a frequent occurrence after Alex Bregman officially joined the Cubs this winter.
On Marquee Sports Network, Craig Counsell talked about Bregman at the Cubs Convention:
“When you watch the press conference, just the number of times he said winning, I think, is just a pretty good example of kind of what he’s about. It’s at the forefront of who he is and what he cares about.”
The Chicago Cubs manager alluded to Alex Bregman’s main goal: he wants to win! For a team that is trying to win a World Series after coming so close the year before, he is the perfect fit for this team. With that in mind, Craig Counsell isn’t the only person who holds Bregman in high regard.
Shortly after Team USA came together to get ready for the World Baseball Classic, Team USA Manager Mark DeRosa had this to say about the Cubs infielder on MLB Network:
“I’ve heard Alex Bregman say multiple times, trying to get one percent better.”
This perfectly captures who Alex Bregman is as a person and player. He wants to constantly improve to achieve the ultimate goal……. Winning a Championship! Listening to Craig Counsell and Mark DeRosa talk about Alex Bregman in this manner solidifies my opinion that the Cubs made the perfect addition to their roster this offseason.
The Chicago Cubs were one win away from advancing to the National League Championship Series last year. To advance further this year, the front office made many notable additions to the roster during the offseason. While every team in the league makes additions to improve its roster, the value that Alex Bregman brings to a franchise is truly invaluable.
For a club that is trying to elevate into one of the elite teams in the league, this signing certainly pushes them closer. I am extremely confident that Bregman will be fantastic in his time in a Cubs uniform and will also enhance the performance of others around him.
When the dust settles, I think there is a good chance that Alex Bregman is the main reason that the Cubs win their second World Series in franchise history.
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Categorized:Cubs