Alex Bregman: 'I want to be the LeBron James of baseball'
There are few similarities between baseball and basketball players. NBA players are actually encouraged to show off their personalities. They do fun things like hold All-Star drafts, wear wacky clothing and call each other out on Twitter constantly.
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Major League Baseball players act as though they are prohibited from showing any emotion on the field. If you flip a bat or cheer after hitting a home run, expect a fastball to the ribs. The next time a baseball player wears an outfit that gets people talking will be the first.
Houston Astros infielder Alex Bregman is looking to change that. He told Joon Lee of Bleacher Report that he wants to be “the LeBron James of baseball.”
That’s a pretty bold claim, but what exactly does it mean? In the profile, Bregman talks about growing up telling people he wanted to be the best baseball player in the world. He stands behind a lot of that, saying he wants to win a World Series MVP, batting title, Triple Crown award and “a bunch of World Series.”
It doesn’t stop there, though. The one area where Bregman separates himself from the typical baseball player is that he wants his personality to shine through. He’s already expressed some of that on Twitter through his feud with Cleveland Indians pitcher Trevor Bauer. Bregman has also been one of the few MLB players to discuss political opinions.
Bregman took that to the next level this offseason by launching a YouTube channel, which he talks about in Lee’s article. Though Bregman’s page has only been up for a few months, there are already plenty of videos on there. Those videos include Bregman addressing issues with the game, explaining his workout routine and pulling pranks on youth baseball teams.
It’s a bold step for Bregman to put himself out there, but it could pay off. We’ve already seen Bregman show more personality than most players, and the market for a likable and relatable baseball player is wide open.
Here’s to hoping Bregman succeeds in his quest to become baseball’s version of LeBron James. We all know a baseball version of “Space Jam” is long overdue.
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Chris Cwik is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at christophercwik@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Follow @Chris_Cwik
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