Chicago Cubs: “C” or not, Anthony Rizzo embodies Cubs captaincy

Anthony Rizzo has grown up within the Chicago Cubs organization, embodying what it means to be a captain — official title or not — on and off the field.

On Jan. 6, 2012, then-22-year-old Florida native Anthony Rizzo got a phone call from Theo Epstein. The latter was just months into his new role – in the early stages of building a championship-caliber Chicago Cubs team.

The two, of course, were intimately familiar from their days with the Boston Red Sox. Epstein drafted Rizzo when he headed up Boston’s baseball operations department with a sixth-round pick in 2007.

It was that January when Rizzo was acquired by Epstein. Epstein was just months into the new job to lead the Chicago Cubs where he led his former club, and Rizzo’s former club, the Boston Red Sox, to the World Series.

Emerging into stardom

Other, more prominent, first basemen were available and stole the headlines as Prince Fielder — now retired for health reasons — inked an eventual $214 million dollar deal with Detroit, and Albert Pujols left the Cardinals and NL Central behind for $254 million in Orange County to play for the Angels.

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Rizzo never played a game in Boston. Instead, starting his career deep within the organization’s farm clubs, and eventually heading to San Diego, by virtue of Epstein and then-Padres GM Jed Hoyer, as Adrian Gonzalez headed east to anchor the lineup and first base for Boston.

Though there was promise in Rizzo, to eventually evolve into that franchise cornerstone player the Cubs envisioned, it’s a tricky business with prospects.

Epstein pulled the trigger to re-acquire him, this time, with the vision that Rizzo would lead and anchor the Cubs lineup and first base position. It was once-promising Cubs hurler, Andrew Cashner, heading the other way to the Padres. Earlier this week, Cashner signed a two-year, $16 million deal with the Orioles.

Who knew, Rizzo, still evolving from potential and promise to All-Star and World Champion, would encapsulate the Cubs organization the way he would. On the field, embodying the type of role model you hope for in athletes. But just as, if not, more importantly, embodying a true role model off the field.

Among Cubs greats

Rizzo is currently the longest-tenured Cub. He struggled like prospects and up-and-comers often do. He flashed brilliance in some areas and refined weaknesses into strengths. The prospect in Rizzo saw the Cubs in some of their worse years. Together, team and prospect blossomed, forming a robust tandem. For both, a promise that turned to stardom.

He was there, in Cincinnati, July 10, 2014, when future World Series teammate — just two years later — Aroldis Chapman, nearly plunked Nate Schierholtz with a 101, and then, 100-mph pitch, and Rizzo was there at the dugout steps visibly displeased.

To put it mildly.

In the moment, benches cleared. But when you look back on that day, more stands out from that moment of hostility. It was the day Rizzo and the Cubs shed their doormat status. Wins and losses are deceiving, but the teams’ heart was there.

Into the offseason, the Cubs made headlines, bringing in another former Boston connection, as Jon Lester latched on for six years. Rizzo boldly predicted a division title for Chicago, and as the Cubs came off a last-place, 73-win season, and the Cardinals were constant favorites, I doubt many people expected the Cubs to win the Wild Card that season with 97 wins.

And knock out those Cardinals come October.

Obviously, we know, the rest is history. Rizzo caught the final out to cement the Cubs in baseball lore one year later. Chapman on the mound for Chicago, just an inning prior.