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The Chicago Cubs are getting a steal of a deal, signing star first baseman Anthony Rizzo to a seven-year deal at just under $6 million a season.
Sources: #Cubs agree with Rizzo on 7-year, $41 million contract. Deal runs from 2013 through ’19. Story coming on Foxsports.com.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) May 13, 2013
Rizzo has one of the sweetest swings in the MLB. His recent hot streak may have helped sparked his team to giving him a long-term deal, and a deal is exactly what they got. Rizzo is hitting just under .500 over the past week, and is one of the most daunting figures in the whole league when he is standing in the batter’s box.
At 23-years old, Rizzo has his whole career ahead of him, and I expect it to be a good one. That said, $41 million over seven years for a player with his upside seems almost unfair to Rizzo. The Cubs now have a player to build around for the foreseeable future. He may have had a slow start while with the San Diego Padres, but all signs look good for Rizzo to continue to improve over the next few years.
Rizzo hit 15 home runs in 87 games played last season as a 22-year-old. He is currently on pace to hit 43 dingers this season. Eventually, I see him hitting even more than that. Rizzo has the type of swing that makes you want to show up for batting practice. He’ll sell jerseys and tickets, and he’s exactly the type of player the Cubs need to build around.
David Fouty is a writer for www.RantSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @davefouty, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google.
