The Chicago Cubs have made some significant moves so far this offseason. It has been a good start to getting back to being a good team which is all fans of this team want at this point. They have a long way to go but they are starting to build the foundation.
With that in mind, Cubs fans will always appreciate those who helped them win it all in 2016. That team ended a 108-year World Series drought so you know that they are always going to be a legendary team in town.
One of the key pieces to that team was Jason Heyward. He signed a large contract to come to the Cubs right before it and it has been met with mixed criticism.
Of course, it is hard to rip on any move that proceeded the World Series victory. That is the ultimate goal and Heyward came in as they achieved it.
The Chicago Cubs had some truly amazing moments with Jason Heyward.
His play was up and down for most of his Cubs career. He played Gold Glove defense for them but his bat was very hot and cold. He came up clutch at times but never really lived up to the contract that he signed as far as his play was concerned.
With that in mind, he did something off the field that people will always consider him a legend for. After the Cleveland Indians came back and tied game seven of the World Series, a rain delay stopped the game as the Cubs had lost all momentum.
Heyward called a team meeting in the clubhouse while they waited for the rain to drop where he gave one of the most legendary speeches in the history of Chicago sports. It is hard to think that this didn’t have anything to do with them winning in the end.
It was a very expensive speech based on his contact but they would do it all again if they could. Winning that championship and ending the drought was their only goal, any way they could do it.
As the team started to fall off, he did even more which led to them letting him go following the 2022 season. It was tough to see that knowing everything that he has done for them but that is the business of the game sometimes.
On Thursday, we found out that Heyward has found his newest baseball home. He is signing a Minor League deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers and will get a big league camp invite in the spring.
It is a good deal for him as one of the best teams in the league is going to give him a look. We will see if he has more to give to the league.
He is an incredibly easy guy to root for because of who he is as a person. With a loaded team like that, he might fit in as a clubhouse guy that can get some playing time every now and then in certain situations. If he can play well enough and earn a big-league contract again, that would be really cool to see.