To say Ian Happ was surprised would be an understatement.
“I was flabbergasted,” the Cubs outfielder said on a recent episode of “The Compound,” a podcast he hosts with teammates Nico Hoerner, Dakota Mekkes and Zack Short.
Happ is referring to the moment Kyle Schwarber showed up in Arizona in October 2016 to quickly prepare for the World Series.
Schwarber suffered a nasty knee injury in the third game of 2016 and was expected to miss the entire season. After undergoing surgery in late April, he had checkups in Dallas every two months (the Cowboys’ head doctor conducted the surgery).
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As those checkups came and went, Schwarber’s timetable shifted to 2016-17 winter ball. One visit happened to be between Games 2 and 3 of the NLCS, when Schwarber and then-Cubs assistant athletic trainer Matt Johnson went to Dallas.
Each visit, the Cubs would put together a list of questions for the doctor. They asked Schwarber if he had any to add, and the slugger wrote “World Series?” at the bottom of the paper. The doctor didn’t read the list, but he gave some positive feedback.
“He looks at me and goes ‘You know, your knee looks really great. I’m really surprised at how well this is going,’” Schwarber recalled. “’I know you guys are on a big run here. I wouldn’t be against you pinch hitting or something if you guys make it to the World Series.’”
Schwarber said he jumped off the examination table in excitement, requesting to call Cubs president Theo Epstein to share the news right then and there.
Although he didn’t make the call (Johnson had to run the news through P.J. Mainville, the Cubs head athletic trainer), Schwarber left for Los Angeles that day. He went straight to Dodger Stadium, taking hacks in front of Johnson, Ryan Mertz (a Cubs physical therapist) and Tim Buss (former strength and conditioning coach).
Schwarber eventually played three games in the Arizona Fall League. In between, he took swings for four hours, adding in some half cuts so he wouldn't hurt himself.
“I remember going out to take BP, coming in, changing and going out for the game, and you were still on the field,” Happ said. “I was like ‘Oh my god, this guy’s gonna blow out his back.'”
The work was worth it. Schwarber returned in Game 1 of the Fall Classic and hit .412 (7-for-17) in five games. His single to lead off the 10th inning of Game 7 started the Cubs’ series-winning rally.
“That’s something I’ll never forget,” he said.
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April 28, 2020 at 10:46AM
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