Can Schwarber ignite the Cubs?
After up-and-down season, he’s a key for Chicago’s success
A year ago, he was a World Series hero.
Today, he’s merely hoping for a chance to save the Chicago Cubs’ season.
Kyle Schwarber, expected to make his first postseason start at Wrigley Field in two years Monday in Game 3 of the National League Division Series against the Washington Nationals, could be the difference in whether the Cubs stay home for the winter or move one step closer to a return trip to the World Series.
The Cubs were five outs away from being up 2-0 in this bestof-five series Saturday night until Bryce Harper and Ryan Zimmerman smacked eighthinning home runs, turning a 3-1 deficit into a 6-3 victory and perhaps turning the series upside down.
The series is tied at 1-1, with the next two games at Wrigley Field, but the difference is that Washington’s ace, Max Scherzer, is pitching Game 3 and healthy after taking a few extra days to rest his tight hamstring.
“I don’t think it’s going to impact us much,” Schwarber says. “Obviously, it’s Scherzer. We all know he’s got good stuff. But we’re not afraid of the name on the back.”
That’s Schwarber.
It’s not being cocky. Arrogant. Or the slightest bit of
swagger.
This is simply Schwarber’s DNA, which compelled the Cubs to select him with the fourth pick in the 2014 draft, promote him to the big leagues a year later, hang on to him when he was hurt and still believing in him now.
“We feel strongly about him now,” Cubs President Theo Epstein said, “as we ever have.”
It was a year ago at this time Schwarber was rehabbing his surgically repaired left knee while his teammates were knocking off the San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers.
The next thing anyone knew, the Cubs were sending a plane for him in Arizona, watching him morph into Superman as their designated hitter and leading the team to its first World Series title in 108 years.
“He did something no one had ever seen before,” Cubs outfielder-second baseman Ben Zobrist, “and something maybe no one will ever see again.”
Schwarber, who ruptured his ACL and LCL tendons in his left knee just four at-bats into the season, missed 160 regular-season games, the four-game NL Division Series, the six-game NLCS and dramatically returned to hit .412 with a .971 on-base and slugging percentage in the sevengame World Series against the Cleveland Indians.
“Maybe it was the adrenaline,” Schwarber says, “I really can’t explain it.”
Considering his heroics, it was only natural to envision greatness this year.
“He had such a great postseason for us,” Cubs manager Joe Maddon said, “but I think people forgot that he missed the regular season. I think it caught up with him. He just got out of his normal routine.”
Schwarber came out of the gates hitting .204 with seven extra-base hits in April, and the Cubs kept him in the leadoff spot, believing it was just an aberration. He hit .120 in May, and worry started creeping in. He was hitting .196 in June, and re- ality hit, leaving the Cubs no choice but to send him back to the minors.
“He had to reset,” Epstein said, “and get back in touch with his identity as a hitter. He felt bad about letting people down.”
Schwarber could have brooded over his demotion to Class AAA (Des Moines) Iowa. Instead, he showed the maturity of a 20-year veteran, never letting anyone feel his pain.
Says Zobrist: “Even when he got sent down, all he said was, ‘I’ll be back. I’ll see you boys soon.’ ”
Schwarber spent 11 days in the minors, revamped his swing, regained his confidence and subtly let his new minor league teammates know he was here on business.
“Some of them asked if I was going to treat them to dinner,” Schwarber said. “I told them, ‘Hey, I’m not here on some rehab assignment. I’m demoted. I’m no different than you guys.’ ”
Schwarber returned July 6 and never looked back. He hit 18 homers in 65 games, and his .922 OPS after July 26 was second on the Cubs only to that of Kris Bryant.
Now, it’s October, his time of year, where his five postseason homers already are tied for the most by any player in Cubs history.
“This is the fun time of year,” Schwarber said. “I don’t think you’re going to see any kind of worry at all out of your team. You’re not going to see us panic.
“People talk about pressure, but when you’re in the postseason, that’s not pressure, that’s fun.”
Schwarber backed up his words by wearing a stocking cap and flip-flops Sunday, grabbing an omelet on the field, standing in the batter’s cage against 9year-old Colton Hyde, the son of Cubs first-base coach Brandon Hyde, and chasing him around the field after being plunked with a pitch.
“Yeah, I’m getting ready,” Schwarber said, laughing, “just so I can charge the mound and get suspended a couple of days in the playoffs. Makes sense, right?”
Yep, just as much as it does for Schwarber to feel any pressure.
“I went through some tough times this year, but I never lost my love for this game,” he says. “Not once. I know I’ll be better off having gone through this. “It’s got to pay off.” Maybe, right about now. After all, it’s October, Schwarber’s time of year.