Levine: Kris Bryant, Joe Maddon Talk It Out

By Bruce Levine--

GLENDALE, Ariz. (CBS) -- An early Wednesday morning meeting between Cubs manager Joe Maddon and Kris Bryant culminated in the skipper assuring his future superstar of what's to come and to not to sweat the little things. In this case, the conversation revolved around Bryant's present status with the team and the posturing of his accomplished agent, Scott Boras.

Bryant told the media Wednesday that he loved the support he has gotten from everyone but added he was hearing some mixed messages that had confused him in reference to his present and future major league status. Meanwhile, Boras was on a full-blown campaign to put pressure on Cubs ownership to put Bryant on the Opening Day roster. Boras' posturing portrayed the Cubs as not wanting to win now.

So it fell to Maddon to take an impossible situation such as this one and try to make sense out of it. Complicating matters is that Bryant has a fatigued shoulder that's kept him from playing in the field, so he has plenty to juggle. The Cubs also plan to give Bryant playing time in the outfield, which may be his future position.

"I had him in the office to handle all the concerns he possibly had," Maddon said about confusion of Bryant playing in the field or as a DH Thursday. "That was my fault. Initially he was in the lineup -- then as DH. I told him to be a little more patient with it (sore right shoulder). We had no intentions of playing him in the game. I told him to stay with the (plan) of the training staff, and we will get you out there at an appropriate time."

Questions were than redirected to Maddon about the power play that Boras was making and the trappings of baseball politics for young players like the 23-year-old Bryant.

"For me you must reverse roles, understand him being this age and all the publicity that is going on," Maddon said. "How do you react to the moment? That is being over 40 with all the experience you have. It is tough, and you don't ever want him to feel trapped. He is going to throw some things out there because he thinks he has to."

Like Bryant, Maddon is caught in the political crossfire. Both the team and the Boras must defend a position that nobody really feels good about. Bryant will almost assuredly go to the minor leagues in order to give the Cubs service control of his contract through 2021 instead of 2020. Earning $5 million per season, Maddon is finding out what he is being paid for.

"He is fine," Maddon said of Bryant. "He will be a Cub for many years. He will impact our season, and I hope to be shaking hands with him at our post-World Series this year."

Bryant will DH in a B game Thursday and also test the strength in the shoulder and pain tolerance. Maddon insisted the team's plan to try Bryant in the outfield at some point this spring is still in place.

"That is not off the table," Maddon said. "It would have been right about now. We don't want him doing it with the arm situation at this time."

With years of player development experience to offer, Maddon laid out a bit of his mantra for the Bryant's coming of age.

"It is my job to sit them down and be very honest with them," Maddon said. "I tell them what I am seeing and how this is going to work. At that point you move on. I really believe if I am honest, you might not like me for a day or two, but if I lie to you, you will hate me forever."

The conversation with Bryant ended well.

"I just told him that if this was the middle of June, he would be playing," Maddon said in reference to the sore shoulder. "If this was push time for the playoffs, he would be playing. This is not the time you work through stuff like that. This is the time you get well so it doesn't become a chronic problem the rest of the season."

Maddon added he knows and likes Boras, so there won't be hard feelings.

"That is what agents are supposed to do," Maddon said about Boras' media barrage. "Why that would surprise anybody would be a surprise to me."

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