Getting through the “ok, yes, things are still quite bad” Cubs Bullets this morning has me back in the mood to enjoy the greatest pitcher of all-time striking out the reigning MVP again. If you, however, are not in the mood for more of that fun, look away now!
No pitcher in @MLB history has a lower ERA than @ARizzo44. pic.twitter.com/vDzb7rjP9S
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) April 29, 2021
Turns out, Anthony Rizzo was already mad dogging Freddie Freeman before the bottom of the 7th, knowing that he wanted the ball.
“I was in the on-deck circle and had a straight shot to Freddie and I was kinda loosening my arm up and I go, ‘I want you,’ pointing at him,” Rizzo said after the game, per Marquee. “It was fun. When Rossy asked if I wanted to pitch, obviously I’m not gonna try to blow it out and hurt myself by any means. … It helped lighten the mood here. Obviously we’re not winning but when you can have fun like that and break up kind of the bad feeling, it helps in the long run.”
#Cubs Ross said he was going to have Matt Duffy pitch the 7th but Anthony Rizzo told him he wanted to face Freddie Freeman.
— Taylor McGregor (@Taylor_McGregor) April 29, 2021
For Freeman, the fun was probably a little easier to come by, what with it being a 10-0 game in which he’d raked, but still – he’s right about all of this, including the fact that NO ONE will ever let this go:
"Oh gosh. Ugh that's going to be over me forever… I had such a good night going too."@FreddieFreeman5 laughs about his strikeout to Anthony Rizzo 🤣
(via @BravesOnBally)pic.twitter.com/xCKXJcWMRS
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) April 29, 2021
Including Rizzo: “First career punchout. Probably gonna ask him for his jersey, too. Have him write all his accolades on there, that he was 4-for-5 in the game with 1 punchout, 3 RBI. But yeah, try and have fun as much as you can in this game. You don’t know how long it’s gonna last.”
You knew the Pitching Ninja would have to get in on the fun:
— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) April 29, 2021
Gotta be honest: although Rizzo got good movement on the curve and some decent life on the elevated fastball, he’s gotta work on the tunneling. Release points were a mess and a better hitter would’ve picked up on it. (I kid. About all of it.)
The Cubs Twitter account waited SIX YEARS to bust Jake Arrieta’s chops with this:
New lefty available out of the 'pen? pic.twitter.com/ZpyG0lxhlY
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) July 20, 2015
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) April 29, 2021
Total randomness:
Anthony Rizzo's K of Freddie Freeman was the 3rd time in the Expansion Era (since 1961) that a position player who had already been an All Star struck out another All Star
Others:
9/18/20: Todd Frazier K'ed Adam Duvall
9/29/19: Ben Zobrist K'ed Yadier Molina
h/t @EliasSports
— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) April 29, 2021