Shaw's focus on basics -- and the right glove size -- easing move to OF

MESA, Ariz. -- Before Ian Happ developed into a four-time Gold Glove Award winner in left field for the Cubs, he spent years moving around the diamond. He bounced between all three outfield positions in the Minor Leagues, while also getting a lot of time at second base in case that was another path to Chicago.

That experience makes Happ a great resource for Matt Shaw, as he adds the outfield to his list of positions for this season.

“I’m sure he’ll be super helpful,” Shaw said with a slight smirk. “He already has been.”

How so?

“I asked him about a certain glove length that I should get in the outfield,” Shaw said. “I said like 14.5 or something, and he informed me that there’s no such thing as a 14.5-sized glove. So that was helpful.”

Happ got a kick out of the fact that Shaw shared that story with reporters.

“The guy hasn’t played a lot of outfield,” Happ said. “He didn’t even know what size the glove was. So I helped there. It’s the little things, you know?”

The playful ribbing aside, the Cubs are confident that the 24-year-old Shaw will take to the outfield just fine. As a rookie a year ago, he was tasked with learning third base, and by the end of the season Shaw was a Gold Glove finalist in the National League at the position. Throughout his amateur and professional career, Shaw has tackled challenges and met them head on.

This spring is no different in the wake of the North Siders signing veteran third baseman Alex Bregman to a five-year, $175 million contract. That blockbuster addition -- combined with no subsequent trades to shake up the infield picture -- has pushed Shaw into a kind of super-sub role for multiple infield and outfield positions.

“He’s not someone that you need to worry about being professional or motivated or driven or working on his game,” Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner said. “He’s a very driven young player. You look at how many great players at some point earlier in their career were bouncing around between positions, it’s just the reality of being a part of a really strong roster.

“I think this time of year we always try to project the perfect rotation and lineup and things like that, but we all know that’s not the reality of 162, and he’s going to be a very valuable part of our team this year.”

Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer has noted multiple times how Kris Bryant and Javier Báez moved around the field as part of the last core group that won the World Series in 2016. Another valuable piece in that last era on the North Side was Ben Zobrist, who helped Happ along when he went through a similar situation as Shaw.

One of the biggest things Happ learned from Zobrist -- a message he plans on emphasizing now with Shaw -- is to make sure to focus on the fundamentals, while not neglecting regular work at the other positions he will be asked to play. Besides getting time in the outfield, Shaw will be a backup to Bregman, Hoerner and potentially shortstop Dansby Swanson.

“Zobrist was huge for me,” Happ said. “I know how to break down the practice side of it, which can be really challenging. And the experience of being in and out and not knowing when your opportunities are going to come. So it’s just talking about the little things from a work perspective.”

Cubs third-base coach Quintin Berry, who works with the team’s outfield group, has already had one-on-one defensive sessions with Shaw this spring. Angles off the bat are the main focus right now. Berry has also explained to Shaw that he did not need to alter the type of setup he has as an infielder. In fact, Pete Crow-Armstrong adopted an infielder’s “prep step” last year in center.

“You're thinking, ‘I’ve got to be this great outfielder,’ when your job is your job,” Berry said. “That’s his biggest thing -- don’t come out there and feel like you’ve got to go out there and make this huge impact. It’s just: be good at what you need to be good at.

“He’s such a good athlete, and I think he has such great confidence in his athleticism and his ability to play defense. I think the transition is going to be very easy for him.”

Shaw said he has been enjoying his redefined job so far.

“It feels like I’m kind of a kid again,” Shaw said, “running around, catching balls, diving and stuff. It’s a lot of fun.”