CINCINNATI — Cubs supervisor David Ross’ ultimate postgame assembly with reporters this week carried a bittersweet tone.
“It’d be good to be popping champagne in some unspecified time in the future — that’s the place we’re attempting to get to,” Ross stated Wednesday after a 15-2 blowout of the Reds to shut the season. “However these guys are true fighters. I informed them that after the sport. They’ve fought a variety of adversity, a variety of change, a variety of up and down, a variety of guys making their debuts, going by way of what it’s prefer to get by way of 162.”
Regardless of being sellers on the commerce deadline for the second straight 12 months, the Cubs ended the season higher than they began, ending with a 74-88 file.
With that in thoughts, it’s time to replicate on their season by handing out these Solar-Occasions end-of-year awards.
Most Useful Participant: Ian Happ
Happ and catcher Willson Contreras have been the clear finalists. Contreras gave the impression to be operating away with it on the midseason mark, however Happ will get the slight edge for his consistency all year long.
In his first All-Star season, Happ completed within the high two in most statistical classes amongst certified Cubs gamers, together with WAR (3.5), batting common (.271), on-base share (.342), wRC+ (120) and wOBA (120), in keeping with FanGraphs. His 158 video games performed have been additionally 23 greater than the next-most on the workforce.
“He’s simply getting such a well-rounded sport,” stated Ross, who referred to as Happ one in every of baseball’s greatest left fielders. “And also you’ve seen the expansion of a younger man that’s gone by way of a variety of adversity and tried to please a variety of completely different folks, tried to maximise what everyone else needed. I believe he’s discovered, ‘That is once I’m going to be one of the best model of me.’ And it’s been a very good model.”
Pitcher of the 12 months: Marcus Stroman
The suitable-hander was restricted by two stints on the injured record – first for COVID-19 after which for shoulder irritation, which he attributed to dashing again from the sickness. However after returning, he gave the rotation an enormous increase.
A mechanical tweak (refining his balance-point posture) and a game-plan adjustment (going again to counting on his sinker) contributed to a 2.56 ERA within the ultimate three months.
“I believed I did a very good job of bouncing again from a tough begin,” Stroman stated. “Lots of people can money it in, mentally, bodily, emotionally, and I had [over] a 6.00 ERA after the primary few begins. It’s only a product of all of the work that goes into it.”
Reliever of the 12 months: Brandon Hughes
The rookie lefty started the season in Double-A, and by mid-Might he was within the main leagues.
After the Cubs traded away their back-end relievers on the deadline, Hughes stepped right into a closer-like function. He completed the season with one of the best ERA (3.12) of any reliever who completed the season with the Cubs.
Most Improved Participant: Christopher Morel
Morel, a utilityman, additionally began the 12 months in Double-A after hitting .220 at that degree in 2021.
“The one factor he did was put himself on the map actually early together with his efficiency,” Ross stated. “And it’s onerous to take them out of the lineup after they do this.”
Morel has proven some inexperience within the discipline whereas additionally enjoying a number of positions. However he balanced these moments with eye-popping highlights. He cooled off on the plate, batting .194 within the second half. However he additionally had a 22-game on-base streak to start out his profession, a franchise file.
Rookie of the 12 months: Seiya Suzuki
The suitable fielder got here to MLB shouldering the excessive expectations that earned him a five-year, $85 million contract this spring. Instantly, he made his mark, profitable Rookie of the Month honors for April.
He hit an adjustment interval after that, extended by a finger harm. However he completed sturdy, posting a decent .770 OPS for the 12 months.
