How Ian Happ emerged as key to Cubs lineup

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MIAMI — The Cubs are not surprised by anything Ian Happ does...including knocking the first pitch of the 2018 MLB season into the right field bleachers.

In fact, Kyle Schwarber said there was a feeling in the Cubs dugout that something special was going to happen with Happ leading off the season in Miami.

It was special, alright. 

The last time a player hit the first pitch of the MLB season out for a homer was 1986 when Dwight Evans did it for the Boston Red Sox. Among current Cubs position players, only Ben Zobrist was alive when Evans turned that feat.

When it came time for Schwarber to launch a ball high into the Miami orbit, Happ responded in kind with an epic dugout reaction:

"I love watching him hit," Happ said. "I love watching him up there. He's a special hitter."

And of course, Happ also had some fun at the "expense" of Bleacher Nation's Michael Cerami:

But Happ's big day was not just the product of one good swing that happened to work out. He spent much of spring in the leadoff spot, getting used to a new role. 

That prepartion helped him feel comfortable stepping up to the plate under the South Florida sun Thursday.

"Definitely helped me get used to it, especially having that first at-bat of the game," Happ said. "It's gonna be a process. I felt great out there.

"Just gave away a few of those at-bats later. I think I learned more from the other four at-bats than I did that first one."

That last sentence right there is exactly why the Cubs are so high on Happ.

Instead of talking up his homer, he chose to focus on the four at-bats where he failed to reach base, including three strikeouts.

The Cubs bet big on Happ in 2015, making him the 9th overall pick in the MLB Draft. At the time, that was seen as a bit of a reach for a player without a set position. There was also a perceived body language problem — the dude hardly ever smiles on the field — and the state of the Cincinnati baseball program was in turmoil, Theo Epstein said.

"There was kind of a false narrative about Ian Happ out there, so our scouts did a great job of digging deeper," Epstein said. "Daniel Carte, the area scout, really got to know him well, really saw through some of the labels that were floating around about him. We got to meet him personally at Wrigley when he worked out for us.

"Give credit to Daniel Carte and [amateur scouting director] Matt Dorey for really going to bat for him. Actually, I knew Sean Casey really well, so I was able to talk to him, who had a personal relationship with [Happ]. He swore by the kid as well.

"I think he surprised a lot of people who just went by what they heard about him in college. He's definitely someone who's mature beyond his years in terms of doing what is necessary to get better and being really honest with himself and self-aware, making intelligent adjustments and working hard to put them into play. His makeup is a big plus for him."

When the offseason began shortly after the Cubs were knocked out of the postseason by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Championship Series, Happ was a popular choice among pundits and fans alike to be traded for pitching.

Fast forward six months and it was Happ that became the hottest name in Cubs camp, overshadowing Schwarber's body transformation and Willson Contreras' ascension into superstardom.

That progression for Happ came as a result of a conversation with Epstein shortly after the season ended, where he was asked to get in the best shape possible — something that was already on his list of offseason goals.

Happ was already in very good shape in 2017, but the 23-year-old spent the winter making sure he could handle a full big-league season...in center field.

"I just recommended that he get into the most athletic shape that he could be and to get as quick as he could possibly be, as twitchy," Epstein said. "Because there could be a real opportunity for him in center field.

"And once you're in that shape, you can move all over [the field]. And of course, he took it to heart. He already had a plan; that's already what he was planning on doing and he ran with it and had a great offseason."

Against right-handers now, it seems Happ is the Cubs' clear choice at leadoff and in center field. That may switch against lefties, when Albert Almora Jr. may man center and set the table in the lineup, but Happ's ability to switch-hit is a point in his favor, as well.

Plus, when Almora was brought in for a defensive replacement for Schwarber in Thursday's season opener, he went to left field while Happ stayed in center. Last year when Almora and Happ played the outfield together, Almora was almost always the one roaming center field.

"You saw him coming to camp in great shape," Joe Maddon said. "That was obvious. You saw him really want to become a better centerfielder. We've seen that.

"He likes the idea of leading off. That's also a condition of him doing well. I think I'm seeing him make better adjustments with two strikes. He doesn't take that big old hack — all or nothing — with two strikes.

"This is his first full year. I mean, this is Opening Day. The guy had a great year last year, [hitting 24 homers] in 300-something plate apperances. Give him a chance to get his feet on the ground. Regardless of how this turns out right now, it doesn't matter. This guy's gonna be great for many years to come."

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