Lincicome: A Rizzo return to the Cubs would be theater, and a great show indeed

The nobility of Anthony Rizzo has never been an issue, but even with all the synthetic statistics of modern baseball there is no measurement for class. Thus does Rizzo find himself unwanted because of age, injury and salary, while all agree it couldn’t happen to a nicer guy.

The Yankees were no more heartless discarding Rizzo than were the Cubs in doing it earlier, the reasons clear in each case if more unforgivable to Cubs fans still warmed by World Series afterglow.

The magic of 2016 was not going to last forever, of course, and all those meshing parts — Rizzo, Kris Bryant, Kyle Schwarber, Javier Baez, David Ross — would predictably scatter, leaving the lonely prize behind. That’s baseball, that’s life and not always easy to tell apart.

All the aforementioned ex-Cubs have not fared as well separately as they did together, Rizzo being semi-notable as a Yankee and Schwarber having moments with the Phillies, Bryant faltering in other time zones, Baez hanging on in Detroit, Ross humored temporarily as manager but coldly shucked by the Cubs.

There will be a reunion eventually, of all of them, as there are with the ’85 Bears, those perpetual poster boys of wonder, keepsakes of what was and reminders of what should have been, greater in recall than in reality.

Chicago sports live on with assorted yesterdays, sturdy statues and sparse trophies, abandoned by the greatest — Michael Jordan — and reminded by the cheeriest — Ozzie Guillen — that gratitude should not be taken for granted.

Rizzo may yet find a place in baseball, although nostalgia seems his best chance for a job, meaning the Cubs, of course.

There seems no great impulse on either side for such a thing to happen. While spring is busy making other promises, Rizzo waits, the Cubs congeal, and memories sustain wishes.

History is mixed on this sort of thing, recalling the literary warning that you can’t go home again.

We have the return of Ryne Sandberg to the Cubs, for instance. After a year without baseball Sandberg came back for two seasons and did nothing to retard his eventual election to the Hall of Fame.

One might debate Sandberg’s Hall credentials, but no one will deny that while the Cubs were finishing last it was great to see him again.

And there was, of course, Greg Maddux, twice returned to the Cubs, effective enough but mostly a reminder of the idiocy of the Cubs to let him spend the bulk of his Hall of Fame career in Atlanta.

Scottie Pippen was tempted back to the Bulls for what would be his final year in the NBA, barely detected before his jersey was retired, a kindness by the Bulls that he was not in it.

A more recent and lamentable example has to be Tony La Russa, brought back for no good reason other than regret that he had been allowed to build a Hall of Fame career elsewhere. Not saying that he would have done the same with the White Sox, but chances were greater when was an energetic 42-year-old rather than a nap-taking 78.

The return of Sammy Sosa to the Cubs family has been nice and entirely harmless. The celebrated summer of ’98 has been permitted a place back in baseball lore, its taint fading, however much residual bitterness may remain.

The chance to be reminded of happier times at Wrigley Field is worth taking and likely at a discounted price. Rizzo has resisted any offer that might require a minimum salary ($760,000), not that it is clear that any has been offered.

Rizzo waits out whatever happens next as a sacrifice for whomever happens next, a martyr to engorged salaries. Strange logic but his own.

Whether Rizzo would be of any help to the Cubs other than to be a friend to all is not clear. He should be worth the chance, when the Cubs are willing to pay 40-year-old Justin Turner $6 million to be a utility something or other.

So, then, it seems unnatural to ignore the theater of a Rizzo return, if not production or repetition. Little is asked and little is expected, except to bask in yesterday. Chicago is very good at that.