Reflect on the 2016 season with the most-read Cut4 posts of the year
With 2016 coming to a close, it's time to look back on a year of baseball that was filled with laughter, joy and tears. We pulled the most-read Cut4 posts of the year to find the 10 stories that best brought us together in 2016. Here they are, grouped together and listed in no particular order:
A-Rod's daughter Ella writes precious tell-all about him for school assignment
To the baseball world, Alex Rodriguez is one of the most prolific sluggers in history, but to Ella, he's just "Dad". Rodriguez shared a gloriously honest school assignment written by Ella in which she filled out a survey about her pops.
Ben Zobrist lived every 'Sandlot' fan's dream and biked to Wrigley in his uniform
You wear your work clothes when you go to work, right? Well, Ben Zobrist decided to do the same.
The baseball community comes together to mourn the passing of Jose Fernandez
It's impossible to look back on the 2016 season without thinking about the tragedy that ended the life of Marlins pitcher José Fernández at the devastatingly young age of 24. All across Major League Baseball, people paused to remember a man who lit up the baseball field every time he took the mound.
Jean Segura just wanted to give Orlando Arcia the ball from his first hit, and then it all went wrong
Segura found out the hard way that no good deed goes unpunished.
The origin stories behind 11 uniquely strange baseball terms
Ever wonder where baseball terms like "eephus," "can of corn" or, my personal favorite, "duck snort" came from? We tracked down some answers.
Don't be alarmed, Cubs fans, but Jake Arrieta shaved off his beard
Change is good. Or is it? For the second straight offseason, Arrieta has shaved off his signature, luscious chin hairs.
Billy Hamilton recorded the fastest home run trot in Statcast history, because of course he did
When you hit a baseball and it clears the wall, you don't have to run full speed around the bases, but if you've got Billy Hamilton's speed, why not do it anyway? Hamilton's record did not hold up for the full season, however, as current free-agent Adam Rosales surpassed him with a home-run sprint of his own in September.
Kris Bryant went undercover to prank an Arizona junior college team
Would you recognize Kris Bryant if he showed up at your batting practice posing as a transfer student named "Roy"? Members of the Mesa Community College baseball team had an opportunity to find out.
Bill Murray gave a random Cubs fan a ticket to Game 6 and let her sit next to him
Sometimes it really does pay to be in the right place at the right time, as one lucky Cubs fan found out.
The Cubs and superfan Bill Murray appeared on SNL to sing 'Go Cubs Go'
What better way to cap off a World Series victory than appearing on Saturday Night Live? Anthony Rizzo, David Ross and Dexter Fowler brought their A-game to two skits. Oh, and Bill Murray showed up, too.