So, following up on my previous comments on Heyward earlier today, fangraphs has a new article about Bryant here
https://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/kris-bryant-is-now-a-contact-hitterx/
What's interesting to me about this is they also recently had an article about Schwarber as seen here
https://www.fangraphs.com/blogs/launch-angle-isnt-for-everyone/
The link between these two is that in both articles they mention both having rather dramatically reduced their launch angle. With Schwarber he's down nearly 10 degrees. With Bryant he's down 7 from his peak. In their case that's probably not that surprising given Maddon specifically has said he doesn't believe in that as he thinks it makes people susceptible to high fastballs. In fact, I think that might be why Mallee got fired because I seem to recall him being in favor of launch angle.
That is interesting to me because Heyward appears to be the only cub going up in launch angle. Him and Rizzo are the only two that are above 15 degrees who appear to be doing that on purpose. I say that because Happ is high but based on far better performance last year at a lower degree mark he probably isn't where he is on purpose.
I'm no hitting coach as I often say but what I make of this is essentially most of the cubs are lowering their launch angle to fight k's. That's never been Heyward's issue. Also never really been an issue with Rizzo. So, I'm wondering if that may be something we see going forward. That is to say your more slugger Bryant/Schwarber types who come up with k rate questions lowering and more contact oriented players raising their launch angle to give them a bit more pop.
