Reflecting on title, Rizzo hungry for another

PARKLAND, Fla. — When Anthony Rizzo watched the documentary of the World Series, he was struck by something Cubs teammate Ben Zobrist said about the seven-game battle against the Indians.

“Zobrist’s line stuck out — ‘We knew it was going to be hard, but we didn’t think it was going to be this hard,'” Rizzo said of an interview in the Major League Baseball-produced film. “We knew with the so-called curse and against all odds, everything that’s happened to the Cubs, that it wasn’t going to be easy, but we didn’t think it would be that close.”

Naturally, if the Cubs were going to end the longest championship drought in professional sports and win their first World Series since 1908, it wasn’t going to be a cakewalk. The Cubs rallied from a 3-1 deficit in the best-of-seven series to beat the Indians, winning Game 7, 8-7, in 10 innings and start a party that is still being celebrated around Wrigleyville.

More than a month after third baseman Kris Bryant threw across the diamond to the first baseman for the final out of Game 7 at Progressive Field, Rizzo said Cubs fans he encounters still can’t believe what happened.

“It’s awesome — it’s been fun,” said Rizzo, who took time off to explore Thailand and Vietnam before returning home to host his fifth Walk-Off for Cancer charity event. “Going on this vacation really helped get away from everything. Now I’m more focused on getting ready for next year.”

He delayed his offseason workout program because the season went an extra month, and says he’ll be ready for Opening Day on April 2, when the Cubs face the Cardinals.

“I wanted to start working out earlier, but you have to let …

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