The little things: Cubs appreciate all that Nico Hoerner provides

When Dansby Swanson connected on a game-winning, 2-run shot in the bottom of the 8th inning Saturday night, the most excited person at Wrigley Field might have been Nico Hoerner.
Hoerner was on base for Swanson’s home run after drawing a 1-out walk. As he rounded second base and the ball landed in the left-center field bleachers, Hoerner turned around and let out a primal yell while flexing at Swanson.
It was a unique show of emotion from a player who is traditionally even-keeled but is also extremely competitive.
“I told him when I got in, I was like, ‘dude, when you looked at me, it got me even more fired up,'” Swanson said after the Cubs’ win over the Reds last Saturday night. “His competitive spirit is so fun to be around and just his ability to want to compete every day.
“It got the juices flowing for sure.”
Hoerner’s manager noticed the show of emotion, too.
“That was a cool reaction,” Craig Counsell said.
It came in the middle of a tough stretch for the Cubs. Swanson’s hit was a huge one for the team and for the All-Star shortstop that had endured a prolonged slump at the plate.
It was also a unique situation, as Swanson’s blast came around midnight following a 3-hour, 20-minute rain delay on what was already a rare Saturday evening game at Wrigley Field.
“We obviously bring it and play the game hard every day but there are some games and moments that do stand out,” Hoerner said. “I felt like that was a unique atmosphere with us obviously having been through a challenging stretch lately.
“And a unique game – playing in the rain, late at night. The crowd was awesome – everyone who stayed. … It felt significant for our group and a really exciting day at the ballpark. Just a big moment; I was excited.”
Hoerner’s competitive spirit was certainly on display Wednesday night as he tallied his first career ejection arguing balls and strikes. But he said he doesn’t plan on making that a habit mainly because he doesn’t like sitting and watching.
When he has been sidelined due to hamstring injuries over the past couple seasons, he has been restless, champing at the bit to return to the lineup.
Even when he’s healthy, Hoerner is always doing his best Ricky Bobby impression.

“Nico is going fast all the time,” Counsell said. “He walks fast in the clubhouse, even. But that’s not an anxiousness. It’s just an attention to detail. He’s got an incredible attention to detail.
“That’s probably the biggest thing I like about him the most. He’s very locked in at all times of the day and trying to figure out the next thing he can be better at or the next thing coming at him.
“And it’s fun to watch. He’s never not locked in. That’s hard to do in this sport. It’s really hard to do. [People ask] why doesn’t everybody do it? Because it’s really hard to do and that’s a cool thing.”
Hoerner believes that sense of purpose just comes from a passion for his craft.
“I love playing baseball,” Hoerner said. “I think that’s at the heart of it in a lot of ways. This game is incredibly hard and humbling but I really do appreciate the opportunity both individually and as a group that we have here.
“Playing here in Chicago is incredibly special. We all think it’s a great group that we have. Obviously, you have to put it all together at a certain point and I believe that we will. There’s a lot of excitement and motivation toward making that happen.”
Hoerner will be a big part of whether the Cubs put it all together and get where they want to go this season.
He is a catalyst for the team — on the bases, in the field and at the plate. He and Mike Tauchman split the leadoff duties in the lineup and even when Hoerner has an 0-for day on offense, he can help his team win in a variety of different ways.
Like Tuesday night’s comeback against the White Sox. Hoerner went 0-for-4 out of the leadoff spot but helped his team win on defense, including a great tag on Héctor Neris’ pickoff in the 9th inning.
“It’s what he does,” Ian Happ said. “He plays in the middle of the field, he’s a Gold Glove defender and he makes an impact every day — whether that’s with his legs, whether that’s hitting, whether that’s defensively. He’s such a well-rounded baseball player and has such an impact.
“Having him out there is so important. Those little things don’t get talked about enough. You see the highlight plays, you see the big hits and sometimes the stolen bases but just doing the fundamental things right and having an understanding for all those little things he does is super important. That’s what makes him such a talented baseball player.”
Hoerner is a humble player, preferring to talk about his teammates and his team and not about himself.
He is driven by the motivation and desire to win and help bring another championship to the Cubs — not by any individual success.
He is a big part of the team’s culture and is very optimistic the Cubs will reach their goals this season.
“Whenever you have a team that’s coming together — I think we’re still in that process some,” he said. “Last year was a big step in the right direction but I think we’re still figuring out our identity as a group and ways we can improve.
“I think a big part of that is expecting success, talking about it and obviously wanting to win the World Series. That stuff goes without saying but there is value in that being part of the daily language and how we talk to each other.
“Everything works backwards from there. I think we’re doing a good job of that and continuing to learn what that looks like for this group.”