Kris Bryant Accepts N.L. MVP Award At BBWAA Annual Dinner

The Baseball Writers Association of America had its annual awards dinner in New York City Saturday night and Kris Bryant, accepting his National League MVP award, had these comments:

Three other Cubs received awards Saturday night. Aroldis Chapman was one of three recipients of an award presented for:

The Willie, Mickey and the Duke Award is presented annually by the New York Baseball Writers Association to a person judged to baseball personalities forever linked in history.

Chapman, Dellin Betances and Andrew Miller were recipients of this award for their time together with the Yankees during 2016.

Jon Lester was given the BBWAA’s Postseason MVP award. It was presented by his former manager, Terry Francona:

"When you get the opportunity to watch a young Major League player achieve all their firsts, it can be pretty special," Francona said of Lester, who survived anaplastic large cell lymphoma in 2006. "Watching a young pitcher get his first hitter out, get his first Major League win, start and be the winning pitcher in his first time ever Game 4-clinching World Series, start out the next year with a no-hitter."

And Kyle Schwarber was given the “You Gotta Have Heart” award, and I can’t think of a better recipient.

Bryant looks pretty slick in a tuxedo, I’d say. The 2017 Cubs will begin to gather in Mesa, Arizona, to defend their World Series title in just 23 days, when pitchers and catchers report February 14.

Can’t wait.