META: As you know, BN has an advertising relationship with Amazon, mostly because the site gets a small percentage from things you buy when you go to Amazon via the links on this site, but also because I really do love and use Amazon on a daily basis. To that end, if you’re gonna do lots of holiday shopping on Amazon, please head over via the links on BN when you go (like this link right here!), because you can support BN in the process. It’s so easy. You can always find a link at the top of BN.
Also, I wanted to give you the heads up that I’m going to try and fun way to keep Amazon in your minds from time to time – this is a business, after all – by referencing random Cubs-related stuff I find on Amazon down in the Bullets. Like these socks. It’s probably because my feet are exceptionally cold this morning, but they look mighty cozy to me right about now. I also like that they remind me of my new-ish Cubs-colored shoes, which have already netted me TWO separate compliments this week.
OK. End of advertisement. On to the rest …
Jake Arrieta didn’t win the Gold Glove, but he’ll still have a chance at the Cy Young (and Kris Bryant will get the Rookie of the Year award, and Joe Maddon has a shot at Manager of the Year). Anthony Rizzo, on the other hand, didn’t have a shot at the Gold Glove, because he wasn’t a finalist. He also doesn’t have a shot at the MVP, because he’s not a finalist. I can’t say either of those things is unfair, because, when you really dig into it, Rizzo is probably just barely on the outside of the top three in each of those categories. But he DID win an award last night! Every team has a Heart and Hustle Award winner from the Major League Baseball Players Association, but Rizzo was the top overall winner:
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Among Rizzo’s thoughts as he accepted the award was this so-very-on-point commentary on what baseball is (Cubs.com): “I’m the older one on the team now with a lot of younger players. I tell them every day, there’s some little kid who’s been waiting to come to this game for probably four, five or six months. He got Christmas presents to come to Wrigley Field on July 21, dog days of summer, and [he’s] looking forward to seeing me play, you play, him play, anyone play with a Cubs jersey on.” It’s such an important understanding to keep in mind, and I loved hearing it from Rizzo, who, is right that he’s one of the vets on this Cubs team, but is, himself, still just 26 years old.
A cool softball trick shot, and I’d like to see Jose Bautista do this before hitting a 450-foot bomb and chucking his bat. (Seriously: I really, really want to see that.)
Speaking of which, you must read this article from Bautista at The Players Tribune on his bat-flip-chuck in the playoffs this year. I defy anyone to read that article and feel upset about what Bautista did. It’s one of the best pieces I’ve seen written about the cultural evolution of baseball, and about what the sport is supposed to be.
Brett Taylor is the Lead Cubs Writer at Bleacher Nation, and you can find him on Twitter at @BleacherNation and on LinkedIn here.
Brett is also the founder of Bleacher Nation, which opened up shop in 2008 as an independent blog about the Chicago Cubs. Later growing to incorporate coverage of other Chicago sports, Bleacher Nation is now one of the largest regional sports blogs on the web.
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NEWSLETTER
META: As you know, BN has an advertising relationship with Amazon, mostly because the site gets a small percentage from things you buy when you go to Amazon via the links on this site, but also because I really do love and use Amazon on a daily basis. To that end, if you’re gonna do lots of holiday shopping on Amazon, please head over via the links on BN when you go (like this link right here!), because you can support BN in the process. It’s so easy. You can always find a link at the top of BN.
