Matt Mervis acquired a standing ovation Friday afternoon at Wrigley Subject after placing out in his first major-league at-bat.
It was definitely one in every of 4 enormous ovations the Chicago Cubs prospect acquired from the group of 31,181 whereas going 1-for-4 with an RBI single in his debut in a 4-1 win in opposition to the Miami Marlins.
“Wrigley does such job of the followers appreciating these moments,” Ian Happ talked about of Mervis’ debut. “Spectacular. He comes out, a tricky matchup (in opposition to) the starter (Edward Cabrera). For him to get punched out in that first at-bat and the followers nonetheless give him an ovation strolling off, that’s simply cool. That type of assist here’s what makes it a very particular place.”
It was basically essentially the most anticipated debut by a Cubs prospect since Kris Bryant in 2015, though Mervis’ call-up further rigorously resembled that of first baseman Anthony Rizzo 11 years prior to now.
Rizzo’s Cubs debut on June 26, 2012, was one of many essential hyped events in years and the unofficial start of President Theo Epstein’s rebuild.
“I’m right here to remain,” Rizzo talked about sooner than the game. “I’m simply going to work exhausting on daily basis, be taught, get higher, undergo the ups and down of a baseball participant, the nicks and bruises, and that’s about it.”
WGN-Ch. 9 hyped the arrival with a enterprise promoting the printed. Newspapers added o the hysteria, along with a Chicago Tribune graphic — with the headline of “The second coming” — evaluating Rizzo’s arrival on the North Aspect with Babe Ruth going from the Pink Sox to the Yankees.
“Anthony Rizzo hit one dwelling run in 49 video games with the Padres. Babe Ruth had a .981 OPS and a couple of.19 ERA in five-plus seasons with the Pink Sox. Nonetheless, the hype for Rizzo’s first recreation on the North Aspect reached Ruthian ranges. So we’d as properly begin the comparisons. A have a look at the debuts of Ruth and Rizzo with their second groups.”
The Tribune regrets the error.
Rizzo turned out to be a selected participant in Cubs historic previous, nonetheless any resemblance to Ruth was purely coincidental.
The 22-year-old Rizzo went 2-for-4 with an RBI double inside the Cubs’ 5-3 win in opposition to the Mets and bought a standing ovation sooner than his first at-bat.
Ditto Mervis, who talked about after the game he was merely attempting “to not overthink it” and take care of it like one other recreation.
“Clearly the largest crowd I each performed in entrance of, and for folks to cheer for me like that was nothing I’ve skilled earlier than,” he talked about. “It was a whole lot of enjoyable.”
The Cubs shook off the lingering outcomes of a 1-6 journey and returned to .500 at 16-16. Happ hit a two-run residence run and halted a attainable fourth inning rally with a working catch with two males on. Justin Steele pitched seven sturdy innings, allowing one run on six hits whereas bettering to 5-0.
However the day belonged to Mervis, the next enormous issue on a employees that hopes to contend for a division title. Rizzo arrived inside the first yr of the Epstein rebuild and knew that they had been going nowhere.
Mervis arrives as Epstein’s substitute, Jed Hoyer, is in a key yr in his rebuild — one which he steadfastly refused to call a rebuild.
Hoyer talked about Friday that he launched up Mervis on account of the first baseman was ready and the Cubs offense was in a rut. They hit .249 and scored 21 runs on the most recent journey to Miami and Washington, shedding 5 by one run.
“I don’t need to put an excessive amount of stress on him,” Hoyer talked about. “Actually it’s a lever to tug to carry him as much as play loads, however on the similar time we’re not anticipating him to hold the lineup or do something apart from what he can do. We have been actually good on offense at first of the season. Clearly we’re in a little bit of a dip proper now.”
Rizzo had the good thing about collaborating in in San Diego in 2011 sooner than being dealt to the Cubs, the place he was immediately dubbed the savior.
“I used to be the savior final 12 months (in San Diego) too,” Rizzo talked about that day in 2012. “And that’s why I feel it’s simpler this 12 months to come back up. Hopefully that is only a constructing block of what’s to come back right here within the metropolis and the group. Hopefully we are able to look again and this is among the first steps.”
Rizzo turned out to be one in every of many first steps in establishing a championship employees, whereas Mervis strikes proper right into a complementary place behind Cody Bellinger, Dansby Swanson, Happ and Nico Hoerner.
Mervis talked about Friday morning that he “type of blacked out” when he acquired the choice nonetheless he regrouped and known as his mom, who cried. He’s conscious of he’s going to be the principle goal of the lineup for a while to see if his power interprets to the majors nonetheless insisted it wouldn’t affect him.
“I don’t actually take note of it,” Mervis talked about of expectations. “I count on to come back in and assist us win instantly. No matter Twitter or the media is saying about me, I’m positive I’m pondering the identical factor about my very own efficiency.”
Supervisor David Ross inserted Mervis into the No. 7 spot in opposition to Cabrera. Rizzo made his Cubs debut inside the No. 3 hole in opposition to the Mets, the place supervisor Dale Sveum batted him in 82 of his 85 begins in 2012.
After placing out on a changeup inside the first, grounding to second inside the fourth and placing out on three pitches inside the sixth, Mervis acquired right here to the plate inside the eighth in opposition to left-hander Tanner Scott with two on and two out following an intentional stroll to Trey Mancini. Mervis singled sharply to correct, receiving his third standing ovation, and bought one other after the inning ended as he walked to the dugout to get his glove.
“I took a second to lookup within the crowd and take that one in,” Mervis talked about. “I feel I acquired chills. My teammates have been going loopy. The gang was going loopy. That one was particular.”
Mervis talked about he would give the souvenir ball to his dad to “current proudly in his workplace.” Each of his mom and father, along with siblings and several other different associates, had been available for his debut, one they might prolonged keep in mind.
Occasions change and players come and go. Rizzo thought he may very well be a Cub the rest of his career after serving to make them a World Collection title in 2016. However Hoyer dealt him to the New York Yankees on the commerce deadline in July 2021 after the sides couldn’t conform to a contract extension, and Rizzo has embraced his new chapter in New York.
Nobody is conscious of whether or not or not Mervis might make the an identical affect in Chicago as Rizzo did. Few players left their mark on Cubs followers because the favored first baseman. But when first impressions are lasting, this will very properly be the start of a pretty relationship.
“To look at a man understand his dream is a particular factor,” Hoyer talked about. “I really like these moments. My hope is that not quickly after (Mervis), individuals are clamoring for the subsequent man. And that’s once I know we’re good as a company, when there’s all the time a subsequent man.”
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