(670 The Score) A change of scenery and the guidance of a new coaching staff appears to have worked wonders for Cubs center fielder Cody Bellinger, but manager David Ross doesn't believe the organization deserves any credit.
Instead, Ross is sending all of that Bellinger's way.
"This has all been Cody and him putting in the work in the offseason and coming in with the right frame of mind," Ross said on the Bernstein & Holmes Show on Tuesday afternoon. "I've never been a big fan of organizations that take credit for a player changing or doing a little bit better. Like, we've come in, we're supporting his plan, we're there for him, we're listening to him. Our hitting department does a really nice job of reiterating things that we see and that he talked about coming in, that he wanted to do in the offseason.
"I thought the front office did a really nice job of (saying), 'This is a perfect fit for us in that he's going to run the bases well, he's going to bring defense every single day and he has the potential to be a phenomenal player, one of the best players in this league if we can just get him back to a version that he's comfortable with in the box.'"
Bellinger, 27, is hitting .295 with seven homers, 18 RBIs and a .962 OPS in 25 games this season while also bringing elite defense to center field on a daily basis. He joined the Cubs on a one-year ,$18-million deal in the offseason after he struggled mightily at the plate for the Dodgers across the past three seasons.
"He's put in the work," Ross said. "We're here supporting him, and it's paid off really good early on. The guy is doing phenomenal work for us. He's a great guy and a proven champion and winner. He's fun to have around."
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