Chicago Cubs: Does Anthony Rizzo need to do more for the club?

Every clubhouse in the league needs a leader. For the Chicago Cubs, that leader just so happens to be Anthony Rizzo. A young, unselfish man who is the obvious life force of this franchise.

Back when then-newly signed Chicago Cubs’ President Theo Epstein rolled out a blueprint, we knew something special was going to happen. What we didn’t know, at the time, is that he would soon acquire someone who was more than a ballplayer.

An individual who set the bar at an all-time high almost immediately.

Each year, Anthony Rizzo and his foundation bring smiles to those who are currently walking a path he once walked himself. Following a diagnosis of Hodgkin’s lymphoma in April 2008, Rizzo underwent treatment.

Not only did Anthony overcome this obstacle, he used it as motivation to become an even better player than he was before.

Cornerstone

Driven by will and determination, Anthony quickly became one of the most beloved members of the Chicago Cubs.

Oh, and his work both with his glove and bat helped make him a fan favorite. Leading into the 2018 campaign, Rizzo has a total of 165 home runs, 525 RBI and 876 hits as a Cub.

His 165 homer mark pushed him ahead of Mark Grace for 14th all-time in franchise history. Now, he will easily surpass Derrek Lee who hit 179 before traded to Atlanta in 2010. Still, a difficult trade to deal with considering Atlanta was in town when the deal occurred.

Aside from his charity work and helping the Cubs win a World Series title, Rizzo has some hardware under his belt. To add to the resume, the soon-to-be 29-year-old slugger earned himself a handful of awards including Robert Clemente, Gold Glove and Silver Slugger honors.

Now, this guy couldn’t possibly want to do more for his team, right? Wrong. According to Mark Gonzales of the Chicago Tribune, Rizzo wishes he could ‘play more defense elsewhere’. A statement that proves he’s willing to give more than what this team is asking.

Why are we not surprised?

Last year, during a 13-9 win over the Cincinnati Reds, Chicago Cubs’ skipper Joe Maddon made an unexpected move in the ninth inning. A move in which dragged Rizzo from first base all the way to Kris Bryant‘s spot at third.

“But Rizzo is a terrific defensive player, a solid, above-average defender. The fact that Joe put him at third base against us last year, I didn’t think that’s necessarily a testament to his defensive prowess. But he’s a superb defensive player.” — Reds skipper Bryce Pryce via Chicago Tribune.

One of a few Maddon moves that caught everyone’s attention. In the end, everything worked out and Rizzo proved he was and is willing to do whatever the club asks of him. Could we possibly see that again this year?

More than enough

Honestly, he shouldn’t have to even if he wants to. Don’t get me wrong, having someone willing to move around the diamond is helpful but this club has more than enough pieces to step up and fill in when needed.

It’s not like the Cubs are coming into the new campaign with the roster it had when Anthony first showed up. Nope. Not even remotely close when you compare the two.

A roster full of young stars who have already conquered the baseball world. That does not include other hopefuls growing within the farm system despite it being overhauled by pitching arms.

So, should Anthony Rizzo feel like he should be doing more for the Chicago Cubs? As a leader, it is respectable. But as a fan, he is doing more than his fair share and then some. If anything, he put this team on his back and carried it through tough times.

Next: 5 baseball nuances to watch this year

Relax, Anthony. Pick up a controller, play some Fortnite: Battle Royale and relax.

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Every clubhouse in the league needs a leader. For the Chicago Cubs, that leader just so happens to be Anthony Rizzo. A young, unselfish man who is the obvious life force of this franchise.

Cornerstone

Why are we not surprised?

More than enough

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