Inside the spring training gym with Kyle Schwarber
Before MLB’s shutdown happened, Kyle Schwarber took Marquee Sports Network inside the Cubs spring training gym for a glimpse at his workout.
Schwarber chatted with Cole Wright on getting in shape and the difference between preparing physically as a catcher and an outfielder.
He also detailed his mental adjustments as he gets ready for a season.
“When you’re going up, you gotta be able to stay right here,” Schwarber said. “When you’re 0-for-20, you gotta stay right here. You gotta be the same guy every day. The more you dig yourself, it can only go down.”
Schwarber put it all together for a career season in 2019, hitting 38 homers, driving in 92 runs and posting an .871 OPS.
Much of that was courtesy of a huge second half in which he sported a .997 OPS and hit 20 homers in 70 games (60 starts).
Now, he’s out to prove he can carry that second-half production over a full season and will do so under a new manager whenever baseball resumes.
“He’s a guy who’s passionate about winning,” Schwarber said of David Ross. “He’s passionate about giving 100 percent effort. If he thinks you’re loafing it or whatever it is, he’s gonna let know. I know when he was a player, he required a lot of respect out of us and now that he’s in that title as manager, we’re still gonna respect the hell out of him.”