Chicago Cubs showcase this stellar mindset in Wild Card Series win

The mindset involved in quality glove work is the same needed for team cohesion– be aggressive, be mindful of team needs, and work in service to the team as a whole. You don’t see that aspect of the game reflected in the box score, but teams that have it tend to be winners.

On Thursday, shortstop Dansby Swanson exemplified the importance of a strong defense.

“I don’t think they give an MVP for this round, [but] I’d give it to Swanson,” Padres manager Mike Shildt told media after the game. “Dansby played his tail off and almost single-handedly beat us with his glove. We talk in the modern game about pitching and we talk about the offense…and all the things that are appropriate to talk about in our game, but the one thing we don’t talk about as much anymore is your defense…We play great defense, but Dansby Swanson absolutely beat us with his glove this series.”

Swanson may have gone 0-for-3 with the bat, but his work at shortstop helped establish the fact that this Cubs team was focused on winning and would absolutely not be ceding any ground.

Dansby Swanson and the give-no-ground mindset

The Cubs, as a whole, gave off that winning, give-no-ground vibe in the series-deciding game. Whether hitting or not, the defense was beyond rock solid and pushing right past spectacular. Defensive wiz Pete Crow-Armstrong, second baseman Nico Hoerner, first baseman Michael Busch, and others produced highlight-reel glove moments.

“Our defense up the middle, Carson behind the plate, those guys want the plays,” said starting pitcher Jameson Taillon, whose stellar four-inning outing was also recognized by coaches and teammates as a tone-setter. “They want to make the plays. They want the ball. That’s what makes great defenders.”

For Swanson, his kind of ball is just common sense.

“When you can limit their chances because you catch the ball, it makes a difference,” Swanson told reporters, “and I think that that was on display the last three days.”

Built like this…

On a team with as many as eight Gold Glove-caliber defenders taking the field on any given day, the Cubs exemplify this very basic but effective philosophy. They were assembled with this dynamic in mind.

“It’s kind of been a staple of our group all year,” Swanson added. “We have so many talented defenders and guys that can prevent runs being scored. We talk about it all the time. Winning baseball is a race to 27 outs. The quicker you can get there, obviously, the more games that you’re going to win.”

Now, however, things will get harder and harder as postseason rivals share the Cubs’ commitment to defense and all the little things a team needs to win over the long haul. Some big, loud headline-grabbing explosions will be needed.

In the meantime, there’s nothing but good feelings before the hard work renews on Saturday against the Brewers.