Today was going to be an Andrew Chafin post, and maybe I’ll have one down the line (I’m reserving that right), but to squirt out some thoughts quick: We knew it was coming, he helps the Cubs even as he leaves, everyone saying goodbye to him was wonderful and touching, he was funny even on his way out, I’m glad he got traded this early so he could have a moment of attention instead of being overshadowed by other deals, I love him, I’ll miss him, he’s going to look so good in that A’s home uniform, I love him, I cherish him, I would love to even just have a vague dream in which he’s teaching me to fish on a pontoon boat in the Ozarks. Godspeed, Sheriff.
More pressingly, Javy Báez has been scratched from tonight’s lineup so the Cubs can use my idea and just have him come pinch hit if the Reds go to Amir Garrett. That does not, however, mean there won’t be a fight. And if there is a fight, you know who I’m keeping my eye on?
Kris Bryant.
I know, I know. There are angrier Cubs (see: Rizzo, Anthony). I know, I know. There are Cubs more prone to losing their everloving shit (see: Contreras, Willson). I know, I know. There are Cubs who seem to possess a greater degree of fearless love and loyalty that could combine to make them a wildcard in an altercation (see: Alzolay, Adbert). This is why I have my eye on Bryant in the first place. He fits none of the bills. The expectation for him in a fight is that he’ll play peacemaker.
But what if he doesn’t?
When you think about it, Kris Bryant should be furious right now. The Cubs took him, one of the greatest talents with a bat in his generation, and subjected him to hitting coach after hitting coach after hitting coach (one of whom he had to lobby to fire), mishandled minor injuries of his, and left him a shell of the numerical beast he was over the first three years of his career. Kris Bryant should be furious at the Cubs. Meanwhile, Scott Boras took him, a guy who could’ve signed a team-friendly deal for multiple hundreds of millions of dollars four years ago and had nine figures in his bank account for the rest of his time on Earth and then hit free agency later down the line and still pull in some great cash, and instead set him up for what will be still a nine-figure deal but one magnitude less of a nine-figure deal all because he, Scott Boras, likes setting records and Kris Bryant was another lottery ticket he could afford to play. Kris Bryant should be furious at Scott Boras. The Cubs are trying to trade him, and might well have to package him with Craig Kimbrel to get the prospects they want so they can save face because Kris Bryant is not worth the prospects the Cubs are asking for, and he doesn’t get any say in where he goes and he made a family in Chicago and he was supposed to be the face of the Cubs and THE CUBS AND SCOTT BORAS BOTH SCREWED KRIS BRYANT AND HE SHOULD BE ANGRY, DAMMIT.
And the fact that he doesn’t seem angry? That makes it all the more intriguing. If there’s any anger in there that Kris Bryant is not releasing, a fight would, of every possible occurrence, seem among the most likely to uncork the bottle. The most likely to light the fuse. The most likely to get Kris Bryant, a six-foot-five-inch physical specimen with some of the strongest hands and wrists in the world, to end poor Ryan Hendrix’s face’s life with punches.
I don’t think it will happen.
But man…if it does.
If it does.
Oh also the Cubs are gonna miss Chafin if there’s a fight that guy has experience.
