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This title, like all the great titles in the world, is misleading.
You can’t possibly forget about the absolute stud that Kris Bryant is. What you may have forgotten, however, is that Bryant was very nearly a Houston Astro.
An infield with Jose Altuve, Carlos Correa and Bryant is pretty terrifying. But so is an infield with Altuve, Correa and Alex Bregman.
Back in the 2013 MLB Draft, Mark Appel was a no-doubter to be selected first. If you had to do it over again, you’re probably taking Appel over and over. Picking second, the Chicago Cubs gladly accepted Kris Bryant into their lap after Houston nabbed Appel.
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Given their recent draft history, the Cubbies were more than happy to take a bat over an arm.
Unfortunately for Appel and the Astros, it didn’t work out and he was shipped off to Philadelphia in the Ken Giles trade in 2015.
Bryant has since become a World Series champion and MVP but thankfully for Houston, they managed to find a third baseman star of their own.
Picked two years later in the same number two overall spot, Alex Bregman out of LSU joined the Astros organization. Fellow highly touted shortstops Dansby Swanson and Brendan Rodgers sandwiched Bregman at first and third overall.
With Correa and Altuve on board, Bregman has seamlessly transitioned to third base and helped form one of baseball’s very best infields. Yuli Gurriel, now the first baseman, also switched positions to accommodate the talented roster.
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Fantasizing the ‘Stros lineup with Bryant had been a common routine up until Bregman made his debut and put all of that to rest. A compensation pick due to the failed signing of 2014 first overall pick Brady Aiken, that situation has become a ginormous victory in an era full of them for Houston.
This postseason, Bregman has gone from key player to hero. In his first postseason game, he homered off Chris Sale. He took one of baseball’s best pitchers deep again in the ALDS clinching game four at Fenway.
In the ALCS against the Yankees, the 23-year old (who I interviewed last year) had a pair of runs and RBI in game six but will have people remembering his epic, pinpoint throw home to nab Greg Bird and the Yankees of tying game seven at one.
Now in the World Series —which the Astros lead three games to two after a decent game five, Bregman has hits in four of five games including multi-hit outings in games two and five. He has driven in a run in each game.
Of course, he drove in the deciding run in game five and has spearheaded the charge to bring Houston its very first World Series crown in franchise history.
Kris Bryant is damn good, but so is Alex Bregman. We’re all winners here.
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