Chicago Cubs: Anthony Rizzo producing year-in, year-out

The Chicago Cubs Anthony Rizzo seems to be one of the most underrated first basemen in the league. But he still puts up consistent numbers every year.

As I say these words, it almost seems ridiculous. But I feel it’s true. The Chicago Cubs Anthony Rizzo has been one of the best first basemen in the league since 2013–his first full season with the Cubs. Two-time All-Star, two-time Glod Glove, a Platinum Glove, a Silver Slugger and he’s finished in the top 20 of the MVP vote the last five years. He could be on the verge of having his best season, yet no one is talking about him outside of Cubs’ circles.

Currently, Rizzo is in the midst of a 21 game on-base streak and a 13 game hitting streak. In those 21 games, he’s slashed .368/.462/.566 with an OPS of 1.027. His power numbers have been down, hitting only one home run during this stretch, but he’s still slugging with 10 doubles and a triple. His BAbip is .435, and he’s accounted for 14 RBI during the streak.

So how does a player like this, playing in one of the biggest markets for one of the top-drawing teams go underrated? Because consistency doesn’t catch the eye of writers. They want the stories like Christian Yelich and Cody Bellinger going toe-to-toe for the HR title this year. The absurd amount of home runs teams have hit this year. But Rizzo? He doesn’t pull numbers like that. He won’t hit 60 home runs, and he’s not going to hit .350. But what he has done in his career has been pretty impressive.

He’s hit at least 20 home runs the past seven years (including 2019.) He’s had at least 100 RBI in the last four years and is likely to surpass that again. Rizzo is a career .272 hitter but is currently batting .293–which would be the best of his career. There ‘s plenty of games left, I know. But he just keeps churning out great–but not fantastic–seasons. At least not the kind that writers look at–except us here at Cubbies Crib. We’re greatly aware of how good Rizzo is.

That’s just at the plate. In the field? Rizzo makes some plays that boggle the mind. A brick wall? Pfft. It won’t stop Rizzo. By the way, I’m glad it happened to Ryan Braun. Just saying.

And then he followed with this almost a year to the date, again, against the Brewers.

These are just two of the great plays he’s made. There’s more. And like Mark Grace with Shawon Dunston, Rizzo is that to Javier Baez. Baez is amazing on his own, but even he’d admit that Rizzo has saved him from several errors with his nimble footwork around the bag. Grace was another that was underrated in his career.

The Chicago Cubs Rizzo is consistently underrated among the other first basemen in the league, and that’s is a massive disservice to him. I realize there are many greats at his position. But he should be mentioned with them, not an afterthought.

But Rizzo doesn’t care. He’ll go about his day, playing the same way he has been for the past several years. You hit the ball. You catch the ball. And you throw the ball. Pretty simple, and he does it as good as any other.