Cubs' Rizzo ready to look forward, not back
Anthony Rizzo was brutally honest Wednesday when asked if he'd take an extra look around Wrigley Field as the Cubs got set for their home finale.
"No, I'm not going to take an extra look," he said. "I'm sorry to say that, but I think it's great with the renovations. I know that Wrigley is very historic, but it's still going to be historic with the ivy, the bricks everywhere and the seats and the bleachers."
Wrigley Field as we know it will be no more. The Cubs are beginning their massive renovation project that will include a videoboard, expanded bleachers, more advertising signs and, eventually, better facilities for the players.
The old place went out for 2014 with the Cubs beating the St. Louis Cardinals 3-1.
It's best that the Cubs not look around, or back.
The plan is for the ballpark to be a whole lot nicer and more comfortable place in years to come and that the teams on the field will put up some highlights for that big-screen videoboard.
"Next year will be a new group of guys and a new objective, a new goal, as far as our identity," Rizzo said. "I just hope all the guys go into the off-season with a lot to prove and everyone go in with a chip on their shoulder, proving that we can win in this division and be a contending team next year.
"We're going to go into next year, and people are going to like us, but they're going to write us off until the year after that and the year after that. So hopefully everyone goes in with the expectation of winning from the get-go."
Does Rizzo feel optimistic?
"Do I? Yeah. I think everyone does," he said. "Especially come spring-training time, everyone's going to be optimistic, of course, but optimism can only go so far. You've got to do what it takes to be successful and put yourself in position. Hopefully, that's what every guy does."
Manager Rick Renteria seems to share the optimism.
"I always have high expectations," he said. "That's not going to change. My expectations are always to win. But I know that winning is the result. My expectations are that these guys come to the ballpark every single day concerning themselves with doing the task to help them.
"I try to hold myself to a high standard. We all know what this is about. This is about ultimately winning.
"In the end, we know that we have to perform. We know in the end that anybody in my seat, position, is based on, 'Can we win?' My expectation is that we can. I'm not going to shy away from that. Do I expect that we're going to be better next year? Absolutely."
Speaking of Wrigley Field, the Cubs improved their home record, from a woeful 31-50 last year to 41-40 this year. While it's not a great record, Renteria sees it as a start.
"It's not where we want to be," he said. "Obviously, we wanted to be better. Is it a good start? Yeah, I'd say it's a good start. I'll say that these guys have chipped away and have probably been able to give the fans, through the victories, a little better experience this season.
"And it's totally their ability to be able to continue to grind and take advantage of the support that they gain from the fan base, because that does play a big part.
"But I think when you're playing championship-type baseball, you want to be able to use your home as an advantage. I think these guys have started to embrace it."
bmiles@dailyherald.com