Albert Almora's 2019 season was both the worst of his life and equally necessary

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MESA, Ariz. – Sure, 2019 was a bad year for the Cubs. Things went sideways fast, and all the season ended up amounting to was another wasted year with the most talented core in team history (but otherwise!). 

That said, 2019 was a BAD year for Albert Almora. For starters, his offensive production continued to decline, dramatically, for the third straight season; it was the first time he finished the year with below replacement-level numbers (-0.7 fWAR). Speaking of firsts, 2019 was also the first time in his professional career that Almora missed the playoffs. On top of all that, while playing a series in Houston, a foul ball off Almora’s bat tragically struck a small girl, sending her to the hospital. It was a trying summer for the Cubs’ center fielder, and yet, according to him, it was a necessary one.

“Yeah I wasn’t in a good place mentally,” Almora said. “The team wasn’t going where it needed to be, and that obviously sucks. And then, my performance wasn’t where I wanted it to be as well. I didn’t think the way I was going about the day was the correct way, in regards to getting prepared for the game. Little things like that.

"It’s really difficult ... I don’t know – I needed to disconnect for a little bit. It was an important year in my life that I needed to go through and experience." 

Almora was pressed, multiple times, on whether the heartbreaking incident in Houston affected his play down the stretch. He was visibly overcome with emotion in the immediate moments after, and has reportedly kept in touch with the family ever since. Still – that’s no excuse, according to him, for his lack of production. 

“Yeah, I mean it definitely impacted me,” he said. “But I’m not going to sit here and say that was the reason why I didn’t perform the way I wanted to. No.” 

Many players talk about how they spent their offseason training twice a day, every day, despite what their public Instagrams may say otherwise. Almora certainly put in the physical work – he told reporters that he spent the winter re-tooling his swing, and that the difference will be plain as day once he starts playing games – but the most important offseason growth came off the practice fields. 

“I have my circle that I trust,” he said. “There’s people that have always been there, it’s just about me listening and me actually opening up to new advice that I really opened up to this year.” 

For what it’s worth, Almora echoed many of the same sentiments regarding the managerial switch that have been commonplace through the clubhouse in these early days. Not only is there a renewed sense of energy, but as it turns out, a little more structure in the right places isn’t always a bad thing. 

“I feel a lot more upbeat. I feel like this is all I know, and I feel like every year we’re super excited to get going and super happy to be here,” he added. “This year there’s a little bit more of that. There's a little bit more. For myself, at least, I feel a little bit more organized. I feel like I know what I have to do for myself to get ready."

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