Levine: Cubs' Kris Bryant Not Content With Just A Breakout Regular Season

By Bruce Levine--

CHICAGO (CBS) -- As he completes his second season in the big leagues, Cubs third baseman/outfielder Kris Bryant isn't content with the MVP-type season he's registered.

Bryant continues to refine his game, enjoy the winning ways for the Cubs and eye the opportunity to have a big postseason.

"This year has been a completely different attitude for me," said the 25-year-old Bryant, the 2015 NL Rookie of the Year and current MVP front-runner. "To clinch so early, we have had a lot of time to work on stuff. That gives us time to tune up our game for what we hope will be a long playoff run. We are very fortunate for that."

On Wednesday, Bryant equaled his total of 99 RBIs that he had in 2015, and his 38 home runs this season are the most by a Cubs hitter since Derrek Lee hit 46 in 2005.

But all of those personal accolades won't be relevant to Bryant until the postseason is over.

"Right now as we get ready for postseason, I am just trying to stay with a good approach," Bryant said. "I am intent on not letting the numbers on scoreboard get to me."

Bryant had been in a mini-slump prior to Sept. 17, going just 7-for-35 with two runs scored in an eight-game stretch. Those were odd numbers for him, considering Bryant leads the majors with 119 runs scored entering play Sunday.

Bryant's big season was set up by his offseason work. He revamped his swing last winter, focusing on making it more level. His tendency to previously uppercut so often was a primary reason he struggled with strikeouts. In 2015, Bryant set a franchise record with 199 strikeouts, the seventh-biggest total in MLB history.

Despite a great rookie season, Bryant understood he could and should make more contact. The end result will be about a 20-percent cut in strikeouts, as Bryant has 149 this season with eight games left in the regular season.

That's a remarkable cut in the swing-and-miss department. Few free swingers could be expected to whittle down their strikeout rate so much in one season, but Bryant doing so speaks to his ability.

What may be more impressive about Bryant is his all-around play. The speed and base-running of Bryant's game are something you have to watch on a nightly basis to truly appreciate. His all-out hustle combined with an intelligent perception of base-running becomes increasingly evident the more you watch him.

Playing third base, left field and right field seamlessly has also helped the Cubs move other players in and out of the lineup to create favorable matchups.

"You kind of have to find your work in different places, since we don't always take BP," Bryant said. "For me, I take the ground balls in between innings that (Anthony Rizzo) throws us very seriously. That can be an extra 30 ground balls that I can get work on. You just find ways to keep your defense fresh. Heading into the playoffs, I would like to get more work at all the positions."

While he takes ride in being an all-around player, Bryant loves the moment that accompanies the home run blasts he has become famous for. The joy of the game is always apparent when watching him play.

"I really don't watch where the home runs go," Bryant said. "Certainly, this is one of the best parks to hit a home run in. I cannot say enough about playing in this place and the fans always showing up for us. I don't think any home run I hit on Waveland I will ever (take for granted). It is a lot of fun."

Bruce Levine covers the Cubs and White Sox for 670 The Score and CBSChicago.com. Follow him on Twitter @MLBBruceLevine.