Meet Anthony Rizzo, the recently brought up young first baseman. The young 22 year old has sparked life in a Cubs teams that once held the lowest record in MLB. Since being brought up from the Cubs AAA Iowa team the Cubs are 17-10.

Drafted in the 6th round of the 2007 MLB draft by the Boston Red Sox, Rizzo started his career right out of high school and onto the Red Sox rookie ball team. Rizzo played only 6 games batting .284. Rizzo played in just 21 games in 2008 for the single A team in Greenville, batting .373. Rizzo started the next season with Greenville where in 64 games, Rizzo belted 9 homers, 21 doubles, and batted .298. Rizzo was then called up to the A+ team in Salem, where in 55 games, Rizzo .295 with 15 doubles.

The 2010 year started the 20-year-old in Salem for just 29 games, batting just .248, before being called up to the AA team in Portland. Rizzo would finish the season in Portland playing 107 games stay mediocre behind the plate batting just .268 on the season. In the offseason of 2010 Rizzo would be traded to the San Diego Padres in a deal that would bring Adrian Gonzalez to the Boston Red Sox.

In 2011, the then newly acquired 21-year-old for the San Diego Padres, would start the season in Tuscan playing for the Padres AAA team. Rizzo played in 93 games batting .331 while belting 26 homers, and 34 doubles. Rizzo would make his MLB debut with the San Diego Padres on June 9th, 2011 going 1-2 with his first career hit being a triple. Rizzo would finish the season with the Padres playing in 49 games where he struggled batting just .141 for the season. At the end season Rizzo would again be traded, this time in a deal that would send him to the Cubs.

The 2012 season began with the 22-year-old first baseman in a new home again. The now Chicago Cub began the year with the Cubs AAA team in Iowa. Rizzo played in 72 games for the Iowa Cubs where he batted .342 with 23 homers and 12 doubles. On June 26,2012 Rizzo again got his 2nd chance at the big leagues when he was called up to the Chicago Cubs. Rizzo went 2-4 in his Cubs debut.

Rizzo has now been with the Cubs for a month, and it seems as though his presence is making a change. The Cubs have started to turn things around since Rizzo’s arrival going 17-10 during this current span. Rizzo is batting .333 on the season with 7 homers, the last homer being a 2-run walk-off in the bottom of the 10th inning against the Cardinals today. Rizzo got slotted into the 3 hole in the lineup the day he became a Cub, and after the first month it looks as thought Starling Castro is not the only 22 year star in Chicago. Rizzo looks like he is here to stay, and at the age of 22 this up and coming star could be the face of a new and rebuilding Chicago Cub team.

Extra Fun Stats.

Rizzo’s top batting avg. in the count balls/strike.

.500 when the count is 1-0 .500 when the count is 3-1 .471 on the first pitch thrown .429 when the count is 1-1 .333 when the count is 0-2

Rizzo Avg. by Inning

1st- .400

2nd- no at bats

3rd- .200

4th- .250

5th- .273

6th- .545

7th- .400

8th- .154

9th- .250

Rizzo’s Spray Stats

Right Outfield- 20%

Center Outfield- 9%

Left Outfield- 23%

Right Infield- 35%

Center Infield- 5%

Left Infield- 9%

Coach Tom