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Chicago Cubs Defensive Highlights From 2021

 


The Cubs were not the best defensively this past season, ranking no. 20 with defense (I mean, at least they weren't no. 30!), but that doesn't mean they didn't make any good plays. I found this pretty awesome video on the Cubs defense highlights from 2021, so take ten minutes and watch this neat compilation. 



I just want to make a few comments about the video and the great defensive plays:
  • Notice how many times Alcantara got featured? I mean, I didn't think he was an awful defensive player, but after watching the video and seeing his great range and arm, I think he was one of the Cubs better shortstops in 2021.
  • Wisdom had a few nice plays at third, and I liked his arm in throwing to first. One kind of funny moment is when he had a sweet play at third and threw Bryant out at first. I still like Bryant, just thought that was kind of ironic.
  • Schwindel really showed he could be a solid first baseman, and in that video, you see him stretching up and down and making some dandy plays of his own. (The finger guns always get me.)
  • Hoerner, who missed a lot of the season with injuries, made a lot of good plays at second, although he's only on the video a couple times. His defense is so valuable I would really hate for him to get a bench role, but...
  • Outfield had some nice plays with Happ, Ortega, and Heyward all getting their fair share of solid defensive plays. Hermosillo made that one homerun robbing catch which really shows some of his crazy defensive abilities.
  • And did you happen to notice Hendricks' nice leaping grab? The Professor can still be just as athletic as some of the other guys.
The Cubs will be adding another shortstop/third baseman/first baseman/pitcher with amazing defensive abilities in 2022: Marcus Stroman. I'll add a short clip of some of his defensive highlights in 2021:

Just some fun little flashbacks of some of the 2021 Cubs memories.

 

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