If you are familiar with the sports world then you have probably heard the rumors swirling above the Cubs and the fate of their third baseman Kris Bryant. Bryant, former MLB Rookie of the Year and National League MVP, has been a shining star for the Chicago Cubs since 2015. Cubs fans have been dazzled by Bryant for the last 5 years and with trade rumors around every corner these fans now want answers.
One of David Ross’ biggest issues to face yet after becoming the new manager is flaming the fire that has started from the Bryan trade rumors. Between the issue of Bryant wanting to test free agency, filing a grievance against the cubs, the fans do not know who to turn to for answers.
I came across an article from sportswriter Jeff Arnold who writes for Sportsmoney, a part of the Forbes website. This article was written before Bryant lost his grievance, which now means he is not eligible for free agency until 2021 and is one of the biggest stories that new manager David Ross has had to deal with. Even though we now know at least some sort of answer with Bryant’s future, I still wanted to share, and analyze this article.
In this article, titled “David Ross Expects Kris Bryant To Be Part Of Cubs’ Opening Day Lineup”, Arnold uses direct quotes from Ross to reassure Cubs fans that Bryant is not going anywhere. Direct quotes from the source itself is what I look for in sports related articles to build upon the credibility of the article. Arnold himself is an award-winning writer who has covered many major events within the Chicago sports scene and beyond. He has written for the NCAA March Madness tournament, the Stanley Cup, the Super Bowl, and more. This is also a nod to credibility, someone who has covered other major events in sports should be trusted with this news as well.
This article also uses sources in the form of various reporters that the team has talked to. They are not named within the article which causes it to lose some credibility in my eyes. I came across this piece after looking under the news tab on Google. I had not read much from Forbes when it comes to sports topics, but after looking through the tabs I can see it being a new source of information in the future.
While it is filled with valuable information, this analysis does not contain any separate links or other forms of media that can lead a reader to another source to future deepen their knowledge over the topic. While it is not crucial to the piece, I do feel like it could use a video or even an image of the players and David Ross talking to the reporters, that way us readers know the exact source that this information is coming from.
One aspect of this piece I enjoy is that it is free of any crazy biases. Yes the author throws in an opinion here or there, but it is not enough to make this an anti David Ross or anti Kris Bryant article. Arnold does a good job of cluing fans in on what exactly is happening with the situation, and how Ross feels about it. He also uses some persuasive tactics to make the fans believe that Ross is correct and that Bryant will be a part of the opening day lineup. He does this by mentioning that Bryant was a part of the annual Cubs Convention and will still talk and meet with fans. The author also uses his best friend and teammate Anthony Rizzo when asked about the subject. While the tactics are not as presentable as others, as an avid fan myself I can see that the author is trying to persuade you to think everything is going to be okay by mentioning the convention and using quotes from Rizzo.
If I had to give out a letter grade to this article it would be a C+. It looses points with the lack of credited sources and other forms of media. I would have preferred to see names of the reporters mentioned and where the teammates were when they were interviewed. Also, if a video of David Ross was included or a video that quickly debriefs the subject at hand the reader would have an easier time fully understanding the subject. With those included I do think we are looking at a B+. I also took into account that the article was found on the Forbes website and not a more sport central website like ESPN or MLB.
