Worth a Thousand Words: Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo

It was November 2, 2016, at Progressive Field in Cleveland. The Cubs led the Indians 8-6 in the tenth inning of Game 7 of the World Series. They were only one out away from that which their fans had dreamed of for so many decades. 

    

KRIS BRYANT (foreground) and ANTHONY RIZZO.

Then Cleveland's Brandon Guyer coaxed a walk from Cubs reliever Carl Edwards and promptly stole second. Rajai Davis, whose two-run homer off Aroldis Chapman had tied the ballgame in the eighth inning, rapped the next pitch over second base to score Guyer. 

     Cubs manager Joe Maddon called on lefty Mike Montgomery to face the next htter, Michael Martinez. Martinez took the first pitch for a called strike. He swung at the next offering and chopped it to the left of the mound. Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant charged in, made a nifty pickup on the run, and fired the ball across the infield as his feet slipped out from under him on the wet grass.

     Despite Bryant's slip, the throw was true. It landed in first baseman Anthony Rizzo's glove with Martinez still about two steps from the bag, and that was that. 

     "The Chicago Cubs are world champions," Rizzo said after the game. "Let that sink in."

 

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Cubs Opening Day Honor Roll

Opening Day is upon us, and so (thank heaven) is the prospect of a full 162-game schedule and in-person attendance by the faithful. The Cubs seem to be in a transitional phase between the would-be dynasty that produced the long-awaited world championship of 2016 and whatever comes next. Their pennant prospects seem a little shaky--but hope springs eternal in the hearts and minds of Cubs fans, and never more so than on Opening Day.

     

ERNIE BANKS

We've taken a look back at season openers of the past to compile the Cubs' All-Opening Day roster. Ernie Banks made 17 consecutive Opening Day starts for the Cubs between 1954 and 1970, eight at shortstop and nine at first base. Anthony Rizzo will tie Mr. Cub at first base during this afternoon's game, while still having a ways to go to catch Charlie Grimm and Mark Grace. 

BILLY WILLIAMS

    
Billy Williams had 14 Opening Day starts at four positions: ten in left field, two in right field, one in center field, and one at first base. Ryne Sandberg also made 14 Opening Day starts, one at third base and 13 at second base. Ron Santo started 13 consecutive Opening Days for the Cubs at third base.
    

RYNE SANDBERG

The lists below reflect Cubs Opening Day lineups from 1901 through 2020. Asterisks indicate consecutive years.

Most Opening Day starts (any position)
  1. Ernie Banks, 17* (1954-1970)
  2. Billy Williams, 14* (1961-1974)
  3. Ryne Sandberg, 14 (1982-1997) 

  4. Ron Santo, 13* (1961-1973)
  5. Five players tied with 12

RON SANTO

Most Opening Day starts by position
  P. Fergie Jenkins, 7 (1967-1983)
  C. Gabby Hartnett, 12 (1922-1938)
1B. Charlie Grimm, 12* (1925-1936)

1B. Mark Grace, 12* (1989-2000)
2B. Ryne Sandberg, 13 (1983-1997)
3B. Ron Santo, 13* (1961-1973) 

SS. Shawon Dunston, 11 (1985-1997)

LF. Billy Williams, 10 (1962-1973)
CF. Andy Pafko, 7 (1944-1951)
RF. Sammy Sosa, 12* (1993-2004)

Second most Opening Day starts by position
  P. Carlos Zambrano, 6* (2005-2010)
  C. Johnny Kling, 7 (1901-1911)
1B. Ernie Banks, 9* (1962-1970) 

2B. Billy Herman, 10* (1932-1941)
3B. Stan Hack, 12 (1932-1947)

SS. Don Kessinger, 10* (1966-1975)
LF. Riggs Stephenson, 6* (1926-1931)

LF. Alfonso Soriano, 6* (2008-2013)

LF. Jimmy Sheckard, 6 (1906-1912)
CF. Hack Wilson, 6* (1926-1931)
RF. Bill Nicholson, 7 (1941-1948)

RF. Frank "Wildfire" Schulte, 7 (1906-1913)

Third most Opening Day starts by position
  P. Rick Sutcliffe, 5* (1985-1989)

  P. Grover Alexander, 5 (1918-1925)

  P. Charlie Root, 5 (1927-1932)
  C. Jody Davis, 6* (1983-1988) 

  C. Clyde McCullough, 6 (1941-1954)     
1B. Anthony Rizzo, 8* (2013-2020)

1B. Frank Chance, 8 (1904-1912)
2B. Johnny Evers, 9 (1904-1913)
3B. Aramis Ramirez, 7* (2004-2010)
SS. Joe Tinker, 9 (1902-1912) 

LF. Hack Miller, 4* (1922-1925)

LF. Hank Sauer, 4 (1950-1955)

LF. Kyle Schwarber, 4 (2016-2020)
CF. Rick Monday, 5* (1972-1976)

CF. Jimmy Slagle, 5 (1902-1908)
RF. Andre Dawson, 5 (1987-1992)

RF. Max Flack, 5 (1916-1921)

Check out our book Heydays: Great Stories in Chicago Sports on Amazon. 

El Mago Joins Cubs Gold Glovers

Javier Baez has always said that he is naturally left-handed, which would explain his lightning-fast and acrobatic tags with his glove hand. It doesn't explain the strength of his throwing arm or the quickness of his feet, but maybe some things don't need to be explained. After all, Baez's nickname is "El Mago" (the Magician).

     Baez bounced around at second base, third base, and shortstop for the first few years of his career, became a full-time shortstop in 2019, and now has won his first Gold Glove Award for excellence at that position. 

     Baez is the first Cubs shortstop to win a Gold Glove since Don Kessinger in 1970. He and first baseman Anthony Rizzo are the first Cubs teammates to win Gold Gloves in the same year since Rizzo and Jason Heyward did so in 2016. 

 

JAVIER BAEZ

Below is the complete list of Cubs Gold Glove winners by position.

Pitchers
1990 - Greg Maddux
1991 - Greg Maddux
1992 - Greg Maddux
2004 - Greg Maddux
2005 - Greg Maddux
2006 - Greg Maddux

Catchers
1986 - Jody Davis

First Basemen

1992 - Mark Grace

1993 - Mark Grace

1995 - Mark Grace

1996 - Mark Grace

2005 - Derrek Lee

2007 - Derrek Lee

2016 - Anthony Rizzo

2018 - Anthony Rizzo

2019 - Anthony Rizzo

2020 - Anthony Rizzo

 

 

Second Basemen

1962 - Ken Hubbs

1968 - Glenn Beckert

1983 - Ryne Sandberg

1984 - Ryne Sandberg

1985 - Ryne Sandberg

1986 - Ryne Sandberg

1987 - Ryne Sandberg

1988 - Ryne Sandberg

1989 - Ryne Sandberg

1990 - Ryne Sandberg

1991 - Ryne Sandberg

2012 - Darwin Barney

 

Shortstops

1960 - Ernie Banks

1969 - Don Kessinger

1970 - Don Kessinger

2020 - Javier Baez   

 

Third Basemen
1964 - Ron Santo
1965 - Ron Santo
1966 - Ron Santo
1967 - Ron Santo
1968 - Ron Santo

Outfielders

1984 - Bob Dernier

1987 - Andre Dawson

1988 - Andre Dawson

2016 - Jason Heyward

2017 - Jason Heyward 

Check out our book Heydays: Great Stories in Chicago Sports on Amazon.

Worth a Thousand Words: November 2, 2016

 

It has often been said that a picture is worth a thousand words. We try to prove that from time to time by presenting a compelling image and not beating it to death with too much verbiage.

BRYANT AND RIZZO BEGIN THE CELEBRATION.

     This photograph shows Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo (right) immediately after he caught third baseman Kris Bryant's throw for the final out in the Cubs' 8-7 victory over the Cleveland Indians in Game 7 of the 2016 World Series--giving the North Siders their first world championship since 1908.

 

Check out our book Heydays: Great Stories in Chicago Sports on Amazon.