Jason Heyward’s profession with the Chicago Cubs is coming to a detailed, ending with one 12 months and $22 million remaining on his eight-year, $184 million contract.
It didn’t pan out the way in which former President Theo Epstein envisioned in 2015 when he gave Heyward the long-term deal, and present President Jed Hoyer determined in August to chop the wire after this season and transfer in one other course.
It was one other instance of acutely aware uncoupling through which either side half amicably like a no-fault divorce, very like the way in which Epstein stated goodbye to supervisor Joe Maddon in 2019.
Only fairy tales at all times have a contented ending, as lots of the 2016 Cubs found on their approach out of city.
Heyward will get an opportunity to wave farewell to Cubs followers Saturday at Wrigley Field when a tribute video is proven throughout the recreation towards the Cincinnati Reds. On Thursday he met with the media and didn’t shrink back from the elephant within the room — failing to dwell as much as expectations after signing the most important contract in franchise historical past.
The offensive numbers Heyward compiled in Chicago converse for themselves, and the three Gold Gloves he earned right here couldn’t make up for the notion it was a foul contract.
“I feel like I’m a very fortunate person to be in a select group of players that earned bad contracts, because there are a lot of bad contracts out there, if that’s how we’re looking at it, right?” he stated.
“But to have the ability to present the worth of myself as an individual in most likely one of many hardest instances I’ve had on and off the sector in 2016, however to nonetheless present I’m right here for the workforce, to nonetheless play protection the way in which I performed protection, run the bases and simply to step in and step up in a number of instances once I was wanted, to be who I’m and to be Jason Heyward. …
“We still got a ring. And it took every bit of that from me and from that group. There was no other group that was going to get that done. That (perception is) fine. I understand. People can say ‘bad contract,’ this and that. But I know I also had my hand in a lot of winning baseball on the North Side of Chicago.”
Heyward’s contributions included his rain-delay speech throughout Game 7 of the 2016 World Series, a second that may’t be overstated within the Cubs’ 10-inning win over Cleveland after Aroldis Chapman served up a tying dwelling run within the eighth inning.
Maybe the Cubs would have received anyway. But the gamers have been adamant afterward that Heyward’s choice to name them collectively within the weight room and remind them who they have been was a decisive issue within the historic win.
“I know it had an effect on the group that was together,” Heyward stated. “The proper individuals have been within the room. That workforce was actually, actually proficient. That workforce was actually, actually poised, and it doesn’t occur with out all these guys collectively.
“So it most definitely had an effect on the outcome of that game, just because we were all reminded of who we were and how we got to that point. Once again, one more time, ‘Go finish the way we’ve played, no matter what the result is.’”
The players-only assembly took place as a result of Heyward sensed the workforce had misplaced its mojo. Chapman was crying, and nobody was speaking. The Cubs had heard all 12 months concerning the “curse” that at all times vexed the workforce in large moments, and Heyward was decided to not let it get into their heads.
“I felt like that was probably the first time I’d seen everyone not having much to say,” he stated. “Everyone type of being dumbfounded just a little, being banged down, and rightfully so, due to all the burden of the curse, as a result of it was Game 7, as a result of we’re not at Wrigley, as a result of (Cleveland) had a whole lot of momentum.
“A number of issues didn’t go our approach at one time, and it could’ve been very straightforward to go, ‘Well, we gave it a hell of a run.’ Now let’s go see what occurs. To me we had a second. I didn’t know the way lengthy (the delay) was going to be.
“But I saw it was raining, and I was like, ‘Man, I’ve got to say something. I’ve got to remind these dudes of how I see them.’ They’re amazing. They’re gladiators. And through every up and every down through that season, it didn’t matter. We always had an answer — to laugh at it, to have fun with it, to talk (trash) to each other, see who would come out on top and praise the people that came through. … It was someone different every night. Just needed a reminder.”
Hoyer, then the final supervisor, referred to as the 17-minute rain delay “divine intervention.” It gave the workforce an opportunity to regroup, and Heyward was the correct particular person to steer the cost.
“J-Hey called a meeting, and we just let it all out,” Anthony Rizzo stated afterward. “And we’re world champions.”
The Cubs by no means received all of it once more, after all, and final 12 months’s sell-off spelled the start of the tip of Heyward’s profession on the North Side. When Heyward and free agent Willson Contreras depart after the season, Kyle Hendricks would be the solely participant remaining from the 2016 champs, together with supervisor David Ross.
Heyward fell in love with Chicago and plans to maintain his dwelling and stay concerned locally. He additionally thanked homeowners Tom and Laura Ricketts for giving him the chance to expertise the Cubs life.
“I understand a lot of people have (gripes), and I respect their opinions, and they have a lot of reasons to not be happy with them,” Heyward stated. “But ups, downs, nice days, dangerous days, Tom at all times got here and spoke to me, made certain to shake my hand and look me within the eye, be sure that I’m good and had all the things I would like.
“They also broke the curse that was here for 108 years. That’s not an easy thing to do, so a lot of respect for them.”
Heyward ought to get a pleasant send-off Saturday, as he deserves.
Numbers don’t outline a participant as a lot as his character, and Heyward’s legacy was sealed on a wet Wednesday evening in Cleveland.
()
Source: www.bostonherald.com