It’s hard to know where to begin. I guess we’ll start in the Progressive Field press box.

It was going to be a few minutes before reporters were allowed into the Indians’ clubhouse. The Cubs were partying on the infield, and there was the whole matter of ripping down the plastic sheeting that was supposed to protect the room from a Cleveland celebration nearly seven decades in the making. I stood and watched and allowed myself to think back to my late Grandpa Bastian.

Gramps was a diehard Cubs fan. He was born in 1909 — one year after their last World Series triumph — and died without witnessing another championship. When I was a young boy, I’d lay on the ground in his living room, chin in my hands and feet in the air, while he sat in his recliner, and we’d watch games together on WGN. It’s the only strong memory I have of my grandfather.

As the mob scene continued on the diamond, I thought about how happy he’d be to see what my eyes were seeing. The Chicago Cubs were the World Series champions. That sentence seemed unfathomable in my youth. And then, with that fresh in my mind, I took a deep breath and got ready to head down to the stadium tunnel to get to work. That’s when my phone buzzed. I looked down and there was a text message on my lock screen.

“Dad, I am so upset.”

My son was seven at the time and the Indians are his team. The seeds for my passion for the game of baseball were planted by watching Cubs games with my grandpa. Now, it was the Cubs that had broken the heart of his great grandson, who stayed up late to watch Game 7 and went to bed with puffy red cheeks and tears in his eyes. Man, life can be cruel.

There were a lot of mixed emotions that night. There are even more for our family right now.

After eight years in Ohio, which quickly felt like home for my wife, me and our three kids, I am moving back to Chicago as MLB.com’s new Cubs beat reporter. It was not an easy decision. There were more tears shed in our house this week, but some were out of sadness over what we will leave behind, and others were due to excitement for what lies ahead.

I guess I could’ve started this news inside the Cubs’ clubhouse in 2004.

Back then, I was studying Journalism at Michigan State University. It was a balancing act between a full load of classes, waiting tables, working in the warehouse at the student book store and serving as a stringer for the Lansing State Journal’s sports department. That included covering the Lansing Lugnuts, a Class A affiliate of the Cubs at the time. When Mark Prior came through on a rehab assignment, that was a big deal for our sports section.

That spring, I convinced my editor to secure credentials to cover some Cubs Spring Training games in Mesa, Ariz. I’d drive out there on my own dime over spring break, write some stories on a handful of prospects and the experience would help get my foot in the door. He made it happen and I was a deer in the headlights during my first day in the Chicago clubhouse.

At one point, a dirty undershirt landed on my feet — a couple feet from a laundry basket. When I looked up from my blank notepad, Greg Maddux was standing there with a smirk. He apologized and I quipped that the toss was “just a bit outside.” To this day, I’m convinced that Maddux — known for his historic precision on the mound — did not miss.

While I struggled to calm the nerves any college kid with zero experience would feel in that situation, only one reporter walked over and introduced themself. She kept me updated on clubhouse hours and called me over when Dusty Baker was ready for the media. I never forgot the kindness that Carrie Muskat showed me in that locker room 14 years ago, and I know I have huge shoes to fill as her replacement on the Cubs beat now.

Over the years, I got to know Carrie well as one of her MLB.com teammates. The kindness and professionalism displayed in our first meeting never disappeared. It was an honor to work alongside Carrie these past several seasons, and especially so during the 2016 World Series. I hope Cubs fans get to continue to read her work. There’s a copy of her book, “Banks to Sandberg to Grace,” on the bookshelf in my home office.

In the Wrigley Field press box with long-time Cubs reporter Carrie Muskat during the 2016 World Series.

I carved out the start of my career on a beat with MLB.com in Toronto, where I covered the Blue Jays from 2005–10. When a spot opened up back in the Midwest — reporting on the Cleveland Indians — my growing family jumped at the opportunity to get closer to home. It did not take long for us to fall in love with the area and to begin meeting people who will be lifelong friends.

And, man, what a ride this has been as a reporter.

The overhaul after 2012. Terry Francona’s arrival in Cleveland. Three division crowns. Four postseason berths. One of the wildest World Series in history. A 22-game winning streak. Corey Kluber’s rise from obscurity to multiple Cy Youngs. Francisco Lindor’s ascension to stardom. His home run in Puerto Rico. Jose Ramirez’s heroics. Trevor Bauer. Drones. A chicken in the outfield. Two baseballs on the field. That 19-inning game. Tyler Naquin’s walk-off inside-the-park sprint. Jason Giambi’s blast. Fenway chanting Josh Tomlin’s name. Ryan Merritt and his boots. Rajai Davis’ stadium-shaking home run.

Holy cow.

We were convinced that Ohio would be our home from here on out and we were completely fine with that. There was only one job in the world that could change that, and I’m ecstatic to have the opportunity to embrace that role now.

When I was growing up in South Holland, Ill., my dad was one of the pastor’s at Moody Church in downtown Chicago. When you’re a preacher’s kid, Sundays are more than a morning service and a trip back home. If my father had to work in the evening, sometimes I would kill time by hopping on the 22 Clark St. bus and heading north. I’d buy an obstructed-view seat at Wrigley Field and then wander around, sitting where I pleased. After the final out, I would make the trek back to Moody.

From the Wrigley Field press box, you can see the tower at 3600 Lake Shore Drive in the distance far beyond the right-field ivy. That is where my sister lived a couple decades ago. If you pressed your cheek against the large front-room windows — the chill of Lake Michigan stinging for a moment — you could see the ballpark. Back then, I thought I’d eventually be playing second base in that ballpark. But, when genes got the best of me, I was determined to find another way in.

Now, I’m not that kid any longer. I’m a reporter with a wealth of experience under my belt. I only root for no rain delays and great stories to tell. I have a passion for baseball history and enjoy the evolution of advanced numbers to help us better understand aspects of this beautiful game. As I’ve strived to do over my many years with MLB.com, I will blend the old with the new, while trying to provide realistic analysis, diving deep into features and being an interactive voice for fans.

All of this is just to say that Cubs fans will be getting someone who grew up in the area, understands the DNA of Chicagoans, knows the dynamics of this franchise’s long, storied history and doesn’t plan on taking the job for granted. When my son was little, he joked that all I do is “type baseball” all day long. Well, that’s what I was built to do and I am absolutely thrilled to do that from Chicago’s North Side for the foreseeable future.

Thank you for everything, Cleveland. It’s time to head back home.

— JB