NEWSLETTER
The Captain arrived at Cubs Spring Training over the weekend, participating in the first full team workout today, and then sharing some thoughts with the media about the past, present, and future of the team, the game, and his own career.
Starting right at the part that jumps out at most folks: what about an extension for Anthony Rizzo?
Anthony Rizzo remains hopeful about signing a long-term extension with the Cubs at some point: “Everything that I love about this city, I kind of wear on my sleeve. I still love it. I still love our team. I still love what we have going on here.”
— Patrick Mooney (@PJ_Mooney) February 22, 2021
Rizzo agreed with Hoyer's previous comment that ST is good time to discuss contract but isn't sure on timeline. "This city & everything that I love about this city, I kind of wear on my sleeve. And I still love it. I still love our team. I still love what we have going on here."
— Meghan Montemurro (@M_Montemurro) February 22, 2021
Anthony Rizzo:
"I just want to go out and continue to have that big smile and play the game hard. That’s all you can do every day. At the end of this year, I’ll look back with no regrets. Every day, you just enjoy it. Life’s too short; the game’s too short."
— Tony Andracki (@TonyAndracki23) February 22, 2021
Could this be Anthony Rizzo's final year with Cubs? He hopes not, but no guarantees.
"I'll look back with no regrets, because just every day, you just enjoy it. It's too short. Life's too short. The game's too short. All the cliches. But, I really do live my life that way." pic.twitter.com/a953AoWle4
— Jordan Bastian (@MLBastian) February 22, 2021
Have the talks. Make a deal. Anthony Rizzo just should not go anywhere else.
As for whether the Cubs can just keep running it back on offense and expect better results this time around, Rizzo knows there’s not much he can say right now:
Anthony Rizzo on if people should believe in the core again: "I think we got to go out and earn it and prove it. I don't think anyone should [just] believe in it. We haven't done what we were capable of doing the last few years." #Cubs
— Russell Dorsey (@Russ_Dorsey1) February 22, 2021
A freshly-shorn Rizzo also knows that no one guy can move the needle enough on this club:
Which player is the key to success in 2021?@MillerLite | https://t.co/t7BxcZez25 pic.twitter.com/cWFxhkXGyJ
— Marquee Sports Network (@WatchMarquee) February 22, 2021
Rizzo had no problem wading into the ugliness of the day, shortly before Mariners President Kevin Mather resigned:
Anthony Rizzo, not surprised by the cynical, tone-deaf comments from ex-Mariners CEO Kevin Mather about service-time manipulation and the free-agent market: “I’m happy it’s out there in the public now and people are seeing that this is the way it is.”
— Patrick Mooney (@PJ_Mooney) February 22, 2021
A.Rizzo on the Mather comments: "Being in this game, you know what he said is true. There's teams that manipulate service time…It's pretty annoying and frustrating for us players but its not like we don't know anything that he said. I'm happy its out there in the public now."
— Jesse Rogers (@JesseRogersESPN) February 22, 2021
Some love for a guy Rizzo was very close with, and who won’t be his teammate for the first time in seven years:
Anthony Rizzo, on Jon Lester's legacy:
"Jon came over and just basically dusted off everyone's 'W' flag. And basically started waving the 'W' flag single-handedly for this franchise."
— Jordan Bastian (@MLBastian) February 22, 2021
Best Shape Of His Life:
Rizzo says after dropping lot of weight in preparation for last season, he's putting weight back on "the right way" this year.
Also says: "I'll never stop eating pizza."— Gordon Wittenmyer (@GDubCub) February 22, 2021
