23 year-old Chicago Cubs' first baseman, Anthony Rizzo, has not had an easy road to the major leagues.  He was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma in May 2008.  After receiving treatment in the form of chemotherapy, he managed to overcome the disease and return to baseball.  In several years in the minor leagues Rizzo struggled, but Cubs General Manager Theo Epstein had confidence in him.  Epstein drafted Rizzo when he was with the Boston Red Sox and traded for him soon after he took the General Manager position in Chicago.  Rizzo got his shot at the big leagues in 2012 after a mid-season call up from the minors.  He made the most of his chance, hitting .285 with 15 home runs and 48 runs batted in through 87 games.

After a solid half of a season in 2012, Rizzo and the Cubs began contract negotiations during Spring Training this year.  The deal was finalized and signed in early May, which was a huge relief to Rizzo who said, “I feel like I’m playing little league now.  There is nothing else in the way.  It’s about the team and nothing else.”  The deal itself is a seven year, $41 million agreement, with the ability to earn up to $73 million through incentives.  Here’s how it breaks down.  He will receive a $2 million signing bonus this coming up January and a salary this year of $750,000.  He’ll earn $1.25 million in 2014, $5 million in 2015 and 2016, $7 million in 2017 and 2018, and $11 million in 2019.  Lastly, the Cubs will have an option of $14.5 million in 2020, and if that is exercised, the same option will be available in 2021.  Each of the two optional seasons carries a $2 million buyout.

So the million dollar question (quite literally) is will the Cubs get their money’s worth out of Anthony Rizzo.  I think they will, and I think the move is the right one for the Cub’s organization.  So far this season, Rizzo has a batting average of .267 and leads the team in home runs and runs batted in with 10 and 30 respectively.  He looks very comfortable at the plate for a 23 year-old, and uses all parts of the field. 

It seems as if Rizzo is extremely coachable, as it looks like he will improve in every offensive category from last season.  The move to sign Rizzo to a long-term contract makes sense for the Cubs.  They need to build a core squad of young, talented players moving forward.  Last year the Cubs signed prodigy shortstop Starlin Castro to a seven year deal as well.  The average age of the Cub’s active roster is just over 29 years old.  They’re not exactly a young team, but if they want to compete in the future, signing Anthony Rizzo to a long-term contract is a fantastic start.