Rizzo returns to Chicago Cubs, with heavy heart but ready to go
MESA, Ariz. — Anthony Rizzo faced down pitchers Max Scherzer and Clayton Kershaw while standing in the batter's box last fall.
But that was nothing compared to what Rizzo faced over the past few days.
The Chicago Cubs' first baseman and undisputed team leader headed home over the weekend to provide comfort to his high school, Marjory Stoneman Douglas in Parkland, Florida, where 17 people died last week in a mass shooting.
“It was the hardest thing I've ever had to do,” the 28-year-old Rizzo told a media crowd Monday before he took part in the Cubs' first full day of spring-training workouts.
“You don't know what to say, there's nothing you can say. When people get shot, you're grateful they're alive. When they pass away, you're grateful you knew them.
“Just to see how real it is, it's sad and it's why I'm so proud of what they're doing back in Parkland and how everyone is coming together. They're going to turn this tragedy into something positive.”
Rizzo's speaking at a candlelight vigil last week seemed to stem from a sense of duty to his school and to the community.
“You just have to be there for people,” he said. “There's nothing you can say, there's nothing you can do except be there and show that you care and you'll be there for them.
“As much as I want to say I know how it feels, I don't. I didn't lose anyone who was direct family, but I feel like I did.”
One of those people was football coach Aaron Feis, who died trying to shield students from the bullets.
“For him to lay his life down like that and save kids, it just shows the type of person he is,” Rizzo said. “He's a true hero. You have this monster coming in shooting up a school, and he jumps in and saves their lives.
“It's sad. I hope (Feis) continues to be recognized for that.”
Rizzo also is doing his best to avoid politicizing the tragedy. He has called for “change,” but he said he did not use the term “gun control,” a hot-button topic for many.
“Obviously, there needs to be change,” he said. “I don't know what that is. … You just hope that somewhere up the line of command, people are thinking the same things that a lot of innocent kids are thinking: 'Why am I scared to go to school? Why am I scared to say goodbye to my son or daughter?'
“God forbid, someone was in an argument with someone they loved that day. It's a bad time right now in the country with what's going on with all these shootings.
“To be very clear, I did not say 'gun' one time in my message. Anyone who wrote I called for gun control is very irresponsible. I don't know what needs to be done. I don't know enough about it.
“I know there's a lot of shootings. I know they're done with a specific make. I don't know what needs to be done.
“Some type of change needs to happen for the better. I'm sure people in here (have) kids, and no one feels comfortable on a daily basis sending their kids to school.”
Cubs manager Joe Maddon has praised Rizzo since last week. Maddon repeated that praise again Monday.
“He came in, and we spoke a little bit,” Maddon said. “My biggest concern is I want him to take care of himself. That's an emotional moment for any one of us.
“I think people like him tend to be carriers in the sense that they will carry other people's weight of emotion, and that's hard to do. So I really just encouraged him to make sure he takes care of himself while he's coming back, and ease into this situation because he's been through a lot.”
When Rizzo was done speaking, he got back to “normal” by joining his teammates on the field for baseball activities.
At the end of the day, he stopped and signed countless autographs for fans who packed the Sloan Park facility.
“Baseball is another thing that puts life in perspective,” he said. “It's going to get easy. Life's going to go on, the sun's going to rise. It's getting back to the normal routine as fast as you can.
“Don't forget about it, but you have to get back to what you love doing.”
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