Rizzo Pitching, Just What this Team was Missing
In the eighth inning of Monday night’s Cubs game, coach Joe Maddon teased Anthony Rizzo with the thought of pitching. With two outs in the ninth Joe allowed Tony’s dream to come true.
LOL: Maddon gives the ball to Rizzo, who's always wanted to pitch, and then takes it away, and gives it to Caratini, smiling as he walks off the mound. Rizzo was like "WTF I gotta do, man?" pic.twitter.com/HpQVo53w7g
— Bleacher Nation (@BleacherNation) July 24, 2018
Greatest Leadoff Hitter of All Time is now the Greatest Reliever of All Time. Can't argue with a 0.00 ERA. pic.twitter.com/q4Qku7hQz6
— Cubs Talk (@NBCSCubs) July 24, 2018
The Cubs would end up losing the game 7-1 to the Arizona Diamondbacks, but what was an otherwise miserable game to watch, Rizzo pitching made it fun.
This was just what the doctor ordered for this team. A big dosage of fun. Sure the team has the signals to the dugout when they get a hit, or the bullpen dances, and even this moment.
https://twitter.com/drunkrizz44/status/1010337546495315968?s=21
But outside of these moments, this team has felt like something was missing. That little spark that has drawn so many to these players in the first place – fun.
Watching from afar this team has had a very businesslike mentality and persona. They go out there, play the game, go home. I’m not certain what has changed, and maybe the fun moments aren’t getting captured by a nearby camera, but that fun metric isn’t leaping off the page.
I’m certain some of it comes with maturity, expectation, monotony of season-after-season and day-after-day of a baseball season.
Whatever the reason, I’m glad the fun is back with this team.
