The mere thought of Jason Heyward, Anthony Rizzo and Kris Bryant together has been enough to warm the hearts of Cubs fans throughout the winter.
An actual photo of them waiting to field baseballs at the team’s spring training facility is a completely different matter, a combination of mystical experience and Cubs porn for a certain kind of fan.
This particular photo shows Heyward, arms crossed, standing with Rizzo and Bryant in Mesa, Ariz. Three blue-clad baseball players, each with a mitt on his hand, talking in the outfield. So what’s the big deal?
It’s the first time the three have been seen together in a baseball setting.
It’s no longer the idea of them. It’s the reality of them.
When Heyward retweeted the photo, taken by a Sun-Times photographer on Tuesday, it went viral. That tends to happen when A) the Cubs are picked to win the World Series B) spring training is only days away and C) did I mention spring training is only days away?
To say there is excitement surrounding the Cubs would be like saying there are rings surrounding Saturn. But Planet Cub is bigger than that and has been sustaining life (and death) for more than a century.
The Cubs signed Heyward away from the Cardinals in the offseason, giving them a stellar outfielder and a hitter who is the apple of the eye of many an analytics aficionado. It strengthened a team that made it to the National League Championship Series last season.
Having Heyward, Rizzo and Bryant, the NL Rookie of the Year last season, in the same lineup will be no fun at all for opposing pitchers. You’ve known that for several months now. Seeing them in the same Arizona sun finally brings home the truth of it.
Picture this: Pitchers and catchers report Friday, with the first official workout starting Saturday.
Be still your heart.