Will Rizzo in leadoff spot help Chicago Cubs rise above mediocrity?
Maybe the insertion of Anthony Rizzo into the leadoff spot will help jump-start the Chicago Cubs.
Manager Joe Maddon has tried just about everything to get his defending world champions to rise above the mediocrity they've achieved. That mediocrity has created a totally different vibe from the electric current running through the clubhouse a year ago.
Rizzo did his part in Monday night's 3-2 victory over the San Diego Padres at Wrigley Field. He hit a bunt single to start the game, hit a sacrifice fly in the third and tripled to lead off the sixth, even though the Cubs failed to score in that inning.
Rizzo was thrown out at the plate by former teammate Matt Szczur as he tried to score on a fly to center by Kris Bryant.
Rizzo crashed into catcher Austin Hedges, knocking Hedges from the game with a bruised thigh but earning praise from everybody on the Cubs.
“Oh, my God,” said manager Joe Maddon, whose team improved to 35-34. “His at-bats, the triple, the play at the plate, his defense, everything he's doing. He's not the fastest guy out there, but he's one of the best baserunners out there. He's definitely set the tone for our entire team, actually.”
The play at the plate drew the ire of Padres manager Andy Green, even though Rizzo had nowhere to go but to run into the catcher, making the play legal.
“I think you look at that play, and it's a fairly egregious violation of the rule,” Green said. “The rule exists to protect that catcher … I think it's a cheap shot. I'm not saying he's a dirty player at all. No one is saying that. He clearly deviated from his path to hit our catcher and took our catcher out.”
Not according to the Cubs.
“I loved it,” said pitcher Jon Lester, who worked 6 innings of 5-hit, 2-run ball. “That's part of baseball.”
Rizzo wasn't buying Green's after-the-fact complaint.
“For a hard play, no,” he said. “By no means do I think that's a dirty play at all. I went pretty much straight in. He caught the ball toward the plate. I slid in there. It was a hard slide. I play this game hard for 162 games-plus. I pride myself on it.”
The Cubs erased a 2-1 deficit in the seventh against Clayton Richard and the Padres' bullpen by scoring twice. Willson Contreras led off with a home run, and the Cubs went ahead later on a double by Albert Almora Jr. and a fielding error by left fielder Jose Pirela that allowed Javier Baez to score from first base.
The Cubs have been trying to recreate a vibe from last year that so far hasn't existed this season.
“A lot different than last year, a completely different dynamic,” third baseman Kris Bryant said. “But I think we're all pretty confident we can get this done.
“I felt like everything was going right for us last year. I'm just comparing to last year. Even the year before that, it just kind of felt like everyone was hitting, more guys on base, obviously more runs. It was a pretty easy environment.
“But now with some struggles and Kyle (pitcher and ERA champion Hendricks) getting hurt, he was a such a huge part of last year. Just new faces and getting to know each other and hopefully this next half it'll be — hopefully — a little like last year.”