Chicago Cubs: Game of Thrones and the Cubs’ Long Winter (Part 2)

If you loved the first installment of our Game of Thrones-Chicago Cubs feature, then you’re going to love what we’ve got headed your way in this segment.

Chicago Cubs star Javier Baez is one of the most exuberant and dynamic players in all of baseball.  He is daring, a bit flamboyant at times, confident, exciting, and always seems to be having fun on the baseball field.  He also has the ability to play just about anywhere on the diamond and wear many hats.

And, while he is just one of the many in a young core of Cubs’ position players, he always seems younger because he plays with the passion and joy of a kid. This past year, he came into his own, matured with the bat, and really took over the mantle of most complete all-around Cubs’ player in Kris Bryant‘s absence.

Should we start calling his bat “needle?” Who better to play the diminutive yet always shifty and dangerous youngest Stark daughter, Arya? Arya has been trained by the Faceless Men and is a stealthy assassin who can hurt you in any number of different ways from any number of different positions, wearing any number of faces.

She is also smart, confident, and fearless.  Sounds like a perfect fit for Javy Baez, the emotional leader of this young Cubs’ core. As Arya Stark seems to be the heart and soul of the proud Stark family, Baez has taken up that same mantle with the Chicago Cubs.

Now, of course, we are just looking to see what both Javy and Arya do for an “encore” after coming into their own as players in their respective games. Will Arya play a role in defeating the Night King and helping to restore some semblance of peace and prosperity to the realm? Will Baez help the Cubs bring back some hardware to the Windy City? As the prog-rock super group Asia once crooned, “Only Time Will Tell.”

Chicago Cubs: Does this guy’s facial expression or body language ever change?

Kyle Hendricks is affectionately known as “The Professor.”  He is constantly under-appreciated, underrated, undervalued, and somewhat forgotten as a main cog in this Cubs’ staff. He’s the guy who just continues to quietly do his work, not looking for thanks or glory, but putting in the work, using his head, and just figuring out how to get guys out.

He’s not necessarily going to strike everyone out, and he’s certainly not going to start throwing BBs at 95 by guys, but he will figure out what he needs to do and quietly go about his work keeping the Cubs afloat while other more spectacular guys get the credit.

Could there be anyone more appropriate to choose for Samwell Tarley? Minus the difference in body types, these guys could probably swap brains and do just fine as the other. Samwell, while he isn’t as dashing or obvious as Jon Snow, allows Jon to bounce ideas off of him, gives him other ideas, and acts as a confidant and great teammate to Jon.  His mopey mug, while different than Hendricks’ usual blank, unaffected stare, is also pretty stagnant throughout his scenes.  You rarely see The Professor change expression when he is on a baseball field.  You also rarely see Sam stop worrying about everything, and he’s almost always mopey about everything.

Just think, we haven’t even compared the way they attack their crafts. While Sam is keen on reading and studying, so is Hendricks, who is noted for his film study and attention to detail. The one guy lives in a place called the Citadel, pouring over books.  The other does his work from the mound, after countless hours of video preparation and notes. As George R.R. Martin once said, “I’d be Samwell Tarly… the fat kid who reads lots of books and doesn’t like to go up a lot of stairs.” 

Hendricks certainly does prepare and pay attention to his research, and that preparation and attention to detail enables him to become one of the most consistent and important players on the Cubs.  And, unfortunately, despite being consistently awesome, neither one of them gets the credit they deserve from the media, fans, or outside observers because of the way they go about their business. Maybe, just maybe, 2019 is a huge breakout in terms of appreciation for both men.

Chicago Cubs: Using that icy stare to get you $200 million cold hard cash

If there is one character who is both reviled and misunderstood in Game of Thrones, it is the Night King.  He kills lots of people.  But, why does he do it? He has lots of power, but sometimes that power is questioned or used in a way others would not use it. He leads an army of undead monsters looking for blood, and getting rid of anyone standing in his way.

He is pretty much hated, yet feared and respected by all.  We respect his power, but that doesn’t mean we have to like it when he appears. In fact, in most cases, it is a terrible sign for the team and ownership when he rears his ugly head (or opens his mouth to the media).

Think we could get Scott Boras to wear some blue face paint for our little mash-up? How about just endure some blisteringly cold days outside?  While Boras doesn’t seem to have a lot of direct impact on the Cubs, his looming shadow and presence seems to be hanging over the Cubs more and more of late.

Whether its Jake Arrieta’s departure after the 2017 season or rumors and speculation about Kris Bryant’s contract situation and status with the Cubs long-term, Boras has found a way to be present and instill a sense of impending dread with many fans.  On the other hand, some fans don’t even acknowledge his presence, nor do they care which agent represents which player. Sounds a lot like many in Westeros who refuse to admit that there is a problem and that the White Walkers actually exist.

What actual impact will Scott Boras have on the Chicago Cubs? Well, he had some kind of impact in the offseason, as he held court for superstar Bryce Harper, fielding offers and hyping the uber-talented 26-year-old as he enjoyed his first foray into free agency.  He also holds the cards in what happens with the Cubs and Kris Bryant in a possible standoff and contract battle looming in the not-so-distant-future (not to mention, we probably pissed him off at the beginning of Bryant’s career by holding him in Triple-A despite a studly spring-training to preserve an extra year of team control).

While Boras has already had an impact on the world around our beloved Cubs, let’s hope (for the sake of both Cubs’ fans and Westerosi citizens) both Boras and the Night King have minimal impact on the landscape and direction of their respective worlds going forward. They’ve probably caused enough anguish and damage in the recent past.

Chicago Cubs: “Yes, this is my family.  And you’re not going to mess with them.”

Anthony Rizzo is now the leader of his family.  He has had to take up the mantle of “captain” and he’s the undisputed leader of the Cubs’ clubhouse.  He is consistent, smart, makes adjustments well, and willing to step up and go to bat for his family whenever there is a disturbance. He can be fiery, he can manipulate the ball the other way when he so pleases, and he has also endured some rough and even disastrous times before he was able to taste sweet success.

Rizzo was also traded and tossed around organizations before settling and gaining his footing with the Cubs. In addition, he has grown into his leadership role in part because of necessity, as he is one of the only original Cubs’ family members left standing from a time when things weren’t so good and the situation looked pretty dire for our Cubbie Bears.  He has had to mature into his role while others around him have seen their careers expire or been sent to far off places.

More from Chicago Cubs News

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• Make no mistake: the Cubs are very much about power hitters
• Cubs: It’s time to start thinking about potential September call-ups
• Cubs: P.J. Higgins deserves to be in the lineup on a daily basis
• Cubs might start to limit Justin Steele’s workload soon

While it’s sometimes hard to have a male character stand in for or replace a female character, the parallels between the eldest Stark daughter and the eldest statesman on the Cubs (at least in terms of time with the team) are too close and prevalent to ignore.

Sansa Stark has had to endure a ton of bad to get to something good, dealing at different times with three of the most unsavory characters in all of television in the forms of Joffrey Baratheon, Ramsey Bolton, and Littlefinger before becoming the Lady of Winterfell.

While both have had to endure much to get to their current positions, it appears they have taken the proverbial lemons and made lemonade.  Going forward, it’s not hard to believe that both have bright futures and will continue to enjoy some modicum of happiness and success.  And, thank goodness it seems like Anthony Rizzo’s recent wedding went a little bit better than most of the weddings in Westeros.

Chicago Cubs: I wasn’t teasing anything or anyone with this picture…

No show would be complete without the debonair leading man.  (Sorry Prince Charm… er, I mean, Jaime Lannister) That leading man for Game of Thrones is the once dead, but since-resurrected leader of the Night’s Watch and favorite Stark/Targaryen bastard child.  Let’s just hope Kris Bryant has a Jon Snow-type season in 2019 (he’s off to a “wintery” start so far) shrugging off the shoulder injury which basically killed his 2018 season (and maybe the Cubs’ chances with it).

Bryant is the dark-haired, modelesque third baseman for the Cubs who women swoon over and men begrudgingly admit has it all.  Not only has he let his bat, baserunning and defensive work do most of his talking, he has signed deals with Express and Adidas to be the face for each respective company.

He is admired by many around him, even sparking jealousy amongst those outside his Cubbie family for being a pretty boy. Make no mistake though; just like his bastard counterpart in Game of Thrones, Kris Bryant is an absolute stud who should never be underestimated on or off the field (even in injury, or death for Jon Snow).

Kris Bryant is an MVP.  He is the man when healthy on this Chicago Cubs team until someone else proves they can consistently be the threat that he is every time he steps to the plate. He has worked on and changed his game, honing perceived issues and shortcomings each and every year, working to become the best possible version of himself. He will no doubt continue to do so.  And, despite others being jealous of his success and power, he will continue to work hard to be the best man and teammate possible.

Was I writing about Bryant or Snow there? I sorta forgot…  Jon Snow and Kris Bryant are indubitably the leading men in each of their family’s respective sagas and their teams and fanbases are buoyed by their presence, production, and charm.  Let’s hope the 2019 season sees both of them make it through healthy and with a happy ending.

Hope you enjoyed Part 2 in the Cubs-Game of Thrones mash-up; be sure to catch the third and final installment next week where the Mother of Dragons will be unveiled.