Third baseman Kris Bryant is the future of the Chicago Cubs, and now he’s making sure to take care of his own future as well.
The 23-year-old phenom is officially giving up head-first slides after a concussion scare during Sunday’s game against the Milwaukee Brewers. Bryant collided with shortstop Jean Segura on a hard headfirst slide into second base and was removed from the game for precautionary reasons. The University of San Diego product fortunately passed concussion protocols and was cleared to play the very next day. But the incident was more than enough to scare him straight.
“I only have one head,” Bryant told ESPN Chicago’s Jesse Rogers in an interview Monday. “I only have one life so there’s nothing really to joke about. I’ve always slid head first but I’ve made some pretty good strides in sliding feet first. Sometimes it’s hard to think on the run.
“It’s a crazy game, things happen. You always prefer feetfirst sliding,” Bryant continued. “There’s more important things than being safe (at the base).”
Bryant’s “big picture” perspective is commendable. Headfirst slides are already dangerous and unnecessary in certain situations. Just look at guys like Bryce Harper, Josh Hamilton, and Dee Gordon, who broke thumbs recklessly sliding headfirst into first base (not to mention that it slows you down!!!). And do you remember this grotesque dislocation from Mike Napoli? But when a baserunner is putting his noggin at risk on a slide, it becomes a whole ‘nother animal altogether.
Instincts often take over in high-adrenaline situations like a close play at the bag. But if a player can help it, especially in baseball where head injuries are much more preventable than in a sport like football, it can pay huge dividends in terms of long-term health.
With 14 home runs, 61 RBIs, and a .790 OPS in 95 games this season, Bryant’s future is too bright both on and off the diamond for him not to take proper care. I’m sure Cubs fans will gladly trade a couple of outs here and there on the basepaths for 15 years of Bryant launching 450-foot moonshots into the left field bleachers.
H/T Yahoo Sports
