Chicago Cubs: An outspoken Kris Bryant is good for the Cubs

After a disappointing 2018 season, the Chicago Cubs are in need of a fiery vocal leader, and they may be getting just that from Kris Bryant.

Kris Bryant started the Chicago Cubs‘ 2019 spring training with a bang, sending a ball over the left field fence during his first at bat, but that wasn’t the only thing he’s done to make headlines so far this spring.

The seemingly softspoken Bryant has been very upfront with the media so far this year. Things got started after Bryant kicked off spring training with a two-run homer and followed that up with a hard hit single pulled to left. After the game, reporters talked to Bryant about criticism he received after his rough 2018 campaign:

"This game is all about, ‘What have you done for me lately, and boy did I get to experience that last year. That’s all I have to say about that."

That’s a pretty typical Bryant response – only brushing the surface of something that he certainly has stronger feelings about. However, this time, when asked if he heard the criticism, he was much more outspoken:

"Definitely, a little bit, but, boy, it was great. When you’re not playing, you have a whole lot of time to just sit there and either go through a Twitter rabbit hole and start seeing things about yourself, or seeing things about ‘trade him’ and this and that. And I’m like, ‘All right, I’m motivated. Keep ’em coming. Bring it."

Bryant didn’t keep the comments to just his own performance either. He talked about recent PECOTA projections that currently have the Cubs pegged to finish last place in the division:

"We see some of these projections. They are selling us totally short. That’s not a good thing to do, because when our backs are against the wall, we turn it on. It’s going to be an exciting season."

He may even be stepping into a more vocal role not just for the Cubs, but for the players as a whole. After lambasting his and the team’s critics last weekend, Bryant let everyone know his disdain for service time manipulation on Monday:

"It’s awful, so awful. It’s going to happen this year and it happens every year. I could understand it if you go out and have a rough spring training where you don’t look ready. But there’s certain people who put the time and the effort into the offseason so that they do show up to spring training and they prove that they’re ready to go. I feel like you should be rewarded for that… They’re finding a loophole in the system. It doesn’t make it right."

Since their 2016 World Series win, the Cubs have seemed to lack motivation. Sometimes, they appeared mentally checked out of games. Granted, I’m sure it’s not always fun to play a 7 p.m. game in Cincinnati on a Tuesday night against a team that’s 20 games below .500, but playing with a sense of urgency is a must.

Part of that lack of urgency has been pinned on the need for vocal leaders in the clubhouse — a hole that fiery veterans John Lackey and David Ross once filled.

The Cubs’ lackluster offseason was highlighted by signing Daniel Descalso. He wasn’t brought in just to serve as a solid multi-positional bat but also because he’s well known for being a leader in the clubhouse.

Aside from Descalso, Jon Lester and Anthony Rizzo seem like they should be calling out the team when a lack of urgency creeps into the locker room, but the team’s best player on the field should also be doing that.

A few comments in late February don’t guarantee that the former NL MVP is going to continue his newfound vocal attitude throughout the season, but an outspoken leader is just what this Cubs team needs and Bryant may be stepping up to fill that role.