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As we hit the All Star Break, the Chicago Cubs are nowhere close to where anyone expected them to be. Of course, while nobody truly expected them to mimic last year’s start and roll towards the NL Central title, hitting the .500 mark over 20 times in the first half wasn’t exactly a popular prediction either.
Regardless, the reality of the situation is that the Cubs are going to have to battle and battle hard in the final 2.5 months of the season to get back to where they should belong. Let’s hope the All Star break helps them regroup enough to come back as the Cubs everyone expects.
In the meantime, while the first half hasn’t been spectacular, there are some players worthy of being hardware recipients, both for the right and wrong reasons.
By the way, as I write this, the Cubs are down 10-0 in the first INNING to the Pittsburgh Pirates in the first half finale at Wrigley …
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Anyway, with that, we present our Chicago Cubs 2017 First Half Awards.
MVP of the Half-Year: Anthony Rizzo
The Cubs’ star power hasn’t shined as bright as expected this season, but Rizzo has arguably been the most consistent and reliable across the roster. He leads the team in both homers and RBIs. Oh, and he had a stretch where he proved he could lead off, too.
He recently hit his 20th homer of the season, making him the third Cub in history to have five 20 homer seasons before their 28th birthday. The other two? Ron Santo and Billy Williams. Pretty good company.
Honorable Mention(s): Wade Davis, Ian Happ
LVP of the Half-Year: Kyle Schwarber
I’d be beating a dead horse if I spent too much time explaining this one. Joe Maddon banked on Schwarber excelling in the leadoff spot and he just didn’t cut it. He’s hitting .177 on the year, and things had gotten so bad that he got demoted to Triple-A for a while. For a guy who is considered part of the championship core of this team, he hasn’t helped the team much this year. At all.
Dishonorable Mention(s): Addison Russell
Cy Young of the Half-Year: Wade Davis
The Cubs replaced Aroldis Chapman in the offseason with Davis, acquiring him in a trade with Kansas City for Jorge Soler. And it’s worked out spectacularly. He has yet to blow a save opportunity in 16 opportunities. His ERA and WHIP are 1.80 and 1.00 respectively. And what’s more, is that most of his save chances have been relatively routine. No more Carlos Marmol or even Hector Rondon-like tightrope walks in the ninth inning. A breath of fresh air indeed.
Honorable Mention(s): Carl Edwards Jr.
Cy Yuk of the Half-Year: John Lackey
Brett Anderson could also qualify considering how downright awful he’s been. But Lackey has been consistently subpar most of the year. He’s 5-9 with a 5.20 ERA and 1.33 WHIP this season. He leads (?) the league in homers allowed with 24 … in just 17 starts! That’s unacceptable. If the Cubs happen to make the playoffs this season, Lackey, so far, has pitched himself into position to be left off the roster.
Dishonorable Mention(s): Most of the starting rotation
Rookie of the Half-Year: Ian Happ
Happ burst onto the scene when he was called up, and has found a way to stick with the team by playing some unbelievable baseball while the Cubs have navigated through a tough season. Happ is the second-fastest Cubs rookie to ever reach double digit homers, and has done so, along with knocking in 30 runs, in just 50 games. What’s more, in games that are deemed “late” or “close”, Happ’s slash line is .385 / .429 / .615. That’s insane. And he’s done this while hitting near the top or middle of the order all year. He leads the team with a .906 OPS.
I know he was looked at as possible trade bait for a starting pitcher, but I think the Cubs need him more than they realize. He’s certainly making a damn good case to stay.
Honorable Mention(s): None
Best Moment of the Half-Year: Joe Maddon Puts Anthony Rizzo In The Leadoff Spot
As a caveat, this is the best baseball moment of the year. The move was a “what the hell” moment for Maddon. And it turned out to be a brilliant, albeit short-lived, move. The Cubs were desperate for a spark at the top of the order following Dexter Fowler’s departure and Kyle Schwarber completely flopping his chance. Maddon could’ve chosen anyone, really. But he chose Rizzo. And Anthony rewarded the decision by homering in his first two leadoff at-bats, missing a third consecutive one via a controversial replay decision, yet finally reaching base in seven straight games at the leadoff spot. It was the stuff of legend. And a hell of a lot of fun to watch.
Honorable Mention(s): Cubs Receive Their World Series Rings
