Trouble With The Curve: Greg Maddux Pranks Cubs' Kris Bryant In New Red Bull Video

Cubs 3B Kris Bryant in a new video for sponsor Red Bull "gets pranked" by Baseball HOFer Greg Maddux, according to Tim Nudd of ADWEEK. Bryant thinks he is "shooting a workout video, and Maddux -- in full disguise, including a beard and a beer belly -- is the sound guy working the shoot." When the person throwing batting practice "leaves unexpectedly, Maddux asks to fill in." Viewers can "imagine what happens next." Nudd: "Very fun stuff from Red Bull, and a great way to kick off spring training" (ADWEEK.com, 2/16). In Chicago, Tony Andracki wrote it is a "marketing gimmick, of course, but it's still legitimately pretty funny." Maddux "gets out there and starts snapping off some curveballs, prompting Bryant to say, 'He might actually be better than the other guy'" (CSNCHICAGO.com, 2/16). Bryant says in the video, "This sound guy's got a good curveball. What is this?" (KCSTAR.com, 2/16). In Chicago, Phil Thompson writes Maddux "let Bryant in on the gag" when he asked him to "autograph his bat for 'Greg Maddux.'" It is "only fair, seeing as last year Bryant pranked a community college team by posing as a transfer student." Previously he "posed as a Lyft driver in Chicago" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE, 2/17).

LIVING THE DREAM: USA TODAY's Bob Nightengale writes Bryant is a "corporate sponsor's dream with his stardom, striking looks and clean-cut image." He is "already a sponsor for Adidas, Red Bull and Rawlings, does magazine-style shoots for [fashion retailer] Express and in November signed the most lucrative Topps baseball cards deal in company history" (USA TODAY, 2/17).