Cubs News: Kris Bryant on his 'temper tantrums' with breaking bats |
The Chicago Cubs were shut out in back-to-back games against the first-place Milwaukee Brewers and stand 1.5 games out of first place on Thursday.
Cubs manager Joe Maddon gave standout third baseman Kris Bryant a day off because of a 0-for-15 slump which is his second longest drought since his rookie season. The slugger was not even used as a pinch-hitter in the ninth inning yesterday when the team was down only one run against the Brew Crew. Bryant hasn't homered since May 14 and that is a career-high 24 game homerless streak. Interestingly, during that span, the Cubs have went 17-10 and those 27 games. He told the media that he is just like everyone else and has his moments. "I have my temper tantrums," Bryant said to ESPN's Jesse Rogers. "I go in here [the clubhouse] and break a bat or whatever. I try to do it where no one sees me. Sometimes that's a good thing too ... And this has been 15 at-bats? Sure, before that I wasn't feeling great, but I was hitting .300. If I'm complaining about that, then I have big problems." Bryant tries to be positive and knows that he has accomplished a lot in baseball and plays for one of the best professional teams in the world. It could be a lot worse. "My expectations are really high," Bryant said. "That's the greatest and worst thing in the world. ... Yeah, it stinks to go out there and not get a hit, but I'm playing for one of the best franchises in all sports, and looking back at what I've done, I feel pretty proud. ... I come to the field excited every day that there is a chance I could do something no one has ever done before." For the season, he is batting .281 with eight homers and only 29 RBIs. "He's just been off with his swing a little bit, and he looks fatigued a little bit and I just want to get him off his feet," Maddon said.
