NEWSLETTER
Anthony Rizzo finished his 2014 campaign with three hits, including a monster bomb to center field. He even stole a base because, hey, this is Rizzo’s world.
Not only did Rizzo emerge as something of a go-to “face” of the Chicago Cubs this year, the big first baseman emerged as something of a legit MVP candidate in the coming years (and was right on the cusp this year). I’d call Rizzo the Cubs’ MVP – he was – but that doesn’t seem to do justice to just how good he’s become. This is an elite player.
Don’t believe me? Consider the following:
I don’t know where he’ll actually land on ballots, given the Cubs’ struggles and the lack of national hype, but Anthony Rizzo should absolutely be in the top 10 in the NL MVP voting this year. From there, the sky’s the limit, especially when the Cubs’ lineup feature a number of offensive forces surrounding Rizzo.* It seems unfair to expect a repeat of this level of dominance from Rizzo next year, but it’s impossible not to be excited about that possibility. Hell, at 25, and given his drive, Rizzo could be even better next year.
Congrats to the Cubs’ MVP on a great season.
*(That’s not a lineup protection thing, it’s just a comment on the exponential nature of offense (which is a real thing).)
