Chicago Cubs left fielder Ian Happ’s greatest all-around season is punctuated by new {hardware}.
Happ was named the National League Gold Glove Award winner in left area Tuesday. He is the primary Cubs left fielder to win a Gold Glove since Rawlings launched the award in 1957. Only three Cubs outfielders beforehand earned a Gold Glove: heart fielder Bob Dernier (1984), proper fielder Andre Dawson (1987 and 1988) and proper fielder Jason Heyward (2016 and 2017).
The Milwaukee Brewers’ Christian Yelich and Arizona Diamondbacks’ David Peralta had been the opposite finalists.
“It’s been awesome just to be in that one spot and really feel like I’m owning it and taking advantage of the opportunity to go out there every day and get better and better,” Happ stated close to the tip of the season. “I think the metrics support (winning the award). It’s one of those things that you dream of as a kid and a pretty cool trophy.”
Happ graded properly in superior defensive metrics this season. He led NL left fielders in defensive runs saved (13) and supreme zone ranking (8.3). UZR measures a participant’s whole defensive efficiency by weighing errors, vary and outfield arm.
Happ tallied a career-high eight assists, second-most on the place within the league. He additionally logged the second-most innings amongst NL left fielders and simply recorded essentially the most putouts. Happ, coming off his first All-Star honor, will probably be a free agent after the 2023 season.
“Ian created that for himself,” Cubs supervisor David Ross stated final month. “He recognized what he wished to be. Part of that was being constant, a part of that was increasing his sport and being versatile. I do know a whole lot of that has to do with getting at-bats and shifting over to left area and a constant spot.
“He’s getting such a well-rounded game and you’ve seen growth of a young man that’s gone through a lot of adversity and tried to please a lot of different people. And I think he’s learned over time this is when I’m going to be the best version of me and it’s been a really good version.”
The reliability of taking part in one place boosted Happ’s defensive consistency. All however 10 of his 142 begins got here in left area this season; he began as soon as in heart area and 9 instances because the designated hitter.
It was a drastic change from the Cubs’ earlier defensive utilization of Happ since he debuted in 2017. He break up final season predominantly between heart area and left area whereas additionally showing in eight video games at second base and two at third base.
With Happ in left and Seiya Suzuki in proper area, the Cubs head into subsequent season with sturdy nook outfielders.
“It creates confidence,” Ross stated. “It creates belief, it creates a stability.”
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Source: www.bostonherald.com