I love Greg Maddux.

This won’t be a biographical entry recording all of Maddux’s accomplishments, which there are far too many to fairly give time to; instead this will be an entry just written off the cuff, from the heart of a baseball fan to a baseball player that always remained me of a kid at heart, having all those qualities that we learn to love and cherish with the innocence of children.

He was loyal. Loyal to his fans, loyal to the teams he played on, and perhaps most importantly loyal to the history of the game. In an era marked by steroid abuse where the majority of the memories we have are jaded by the bulging muscles and numbers of some of the elite players. An era where two of the best power pitchers in all the game both lived (Big Unit and Clemens), there was a 6 foot nothing, 170 lb pitcher absolutely dominating hitters with nothing more than a 89-92 mph fastball. The numbers are staggering and just to put in perspective how good Maddux was (because I think we all tend to forget), he had a 7 year period where his ERA never finished above 2.72 and he threw over 200 innings in each of those 7 years. Six of those years his ERA was below 2.40. Just take a stroll through his baseball-reference page, its truly incredible:

http://www.baseball-reference.com/m/maddugr01.shtml

He was humble. Never did you hear Maddux talk about his place in history. Adept at deflecting media questions and responding to questions with his own questions, Maddux toyed with the mainstream media like he did opposing hitters. He didn’t want the attention and the spotlight, he simply wanted to play the game he loved.

He was competitive. In all my years as a Chicago sports fan, Jordan stood alone for his competitiveness. No one could touch the intensity he brought to every game, every single night, but the one guy that came close when he was on the mound was Maddux. It gets lost in all the accolades bestowed upon him, but his nickname “Mad Dog” originated from his toughness on the mound. He attacked hitters relentlessly and worked diligently at perfecting every aspect of his game, taking pride in offense and defense.

He was funny and by all accounts a guy who kept the clubhouse loose. Stories ranging from Maddux’s farting to some of the pranks pulled on other teammates are told with reverence by reporters.

But most of all he was always accountable and responsible. As he got older he continued to mentor younger pitchers wherever he’d go. Sharing with them the knowledge he had picked up along the way. The answers that never seemed to be there for reporters were always seemingly there for the youngsters. He appreciated his game and the legacy he was leaving behind.

I was just 10 years old when the Cubs let you walk away and at the time I was too young to really be hurt by the decision. All those years I watched you in Atlanta (on TBS), it was like watching your best friend who had moved away. I rooted hard for you and loved watching you pitch. As my love for the Cubs and my knowledge of the game continue to develop, I get more and more frustrated by Ed Lynch’s decision in 1992, wondering what could have been. At the same time, somehow happy that you got to fulfill your career and win a ring, driving one of the most underrated dynasties in the history of sports.

This off-season that decision made in 1992 has hit home even harder with the Cubs decision to push Kerry Wood out the door. I haven’t been as frustrated with an organization as I am with the Cubs right now. But every time I question why I continue to root for an organization that doesn’t do anything the way I’d want them too…. I come back to family. I don’t root for the Cubs because of the Tribune Company, Andy McPhail, Ed Lynch, Sam Zell, Jim Hendry, or any of the other front office people/own, I root for the Cubs because of my dad, my grandfather, my uncle and all the other things that symbolize family to me. The relationship with other fans, the life-lessons being a Cubs fan teaches you (patience, you’re not always going to win, how to deal with loss, etc), and the bond that a few of the former players have with the fan base. Ernie Banks, Ryne Sandberg, Billy Williams, Ron Santo, all get it. And from my generation two players got it: Kerry Wood and Greg Maddux. For that Greg, thank you.

Thank you for all the great memories on the mound, I’ll cherish them forever. There are only three other players I’ve ever been as excited to watch pitch in my life: Kerry Wood, Mark Prior and Pedro Martinez.

Thank you