Dunston also went to name some of the current members of the Cubs who he believes carried some of Sandberg’s qualities with them.
“There are a lot of Cub players who play like Ryne, and they act like Ryne,” Dunston said. “Nico (Hoerner), he acts like Ryno. He’s quiet and minds his business. Dansby (Swanson), he’s quiet and minds his business. (Matt) Shaw, he’s quiet and minds his business.”
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Dunston, however, couldn’t put current Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong in the category of playing quiet as the 23-year-old certainly has a “flamboyant” side to his game, Dunston said. However, Dunston added there was a quality of Sandberg’s that he could see in PCA as well.
“He plays like Ryno did, hard,” Dunston said. “He’s a little flamboyant, but it’s good.”
Dunston also gave a tip of the cap to newer Cub Kyle Tucker, acquired by Chicago this offseason from the Houston Astros.
“He’s quiet. He’ll go 3-for-4 or 4-for-5 and act like nothing happened,” Dunston said of Tucker.
Tributes poured in from around Major League Baseball after Sandberg’s death was announced on Monday night. Elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 2005, Sandberg battled metastatic prostate cancer for more than a year.
“Ryne Sandberg was a legend of the Chicago Cubs franchise and a beloved figure throughout Major League Baseball. He was a five-tool player who excelled in every facet of the game thanks to his power, speed and work ethic. Ryne earned 10 consecutive All-Star selections, nine straight Gold Gloves, seven Silver Sluggers and 1984 National League MVP honors,” MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said in a statement.
While there were plenty of numbers that indicate Sandberg’s greatness on the field, Dunston said his teammate’s legacy would be carried forward in Chicago by actions on the field.
“A lot of people don’t know about Ryno, but the Cubs players play like Ryno,” Dunston said. “They come to the plate, they battle and they’re out to beat you and they’re quiet. Then they go home and they go about their business, and that’s that. That was Ryno.”
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by PostX News and is published from a syndicated feed.)
