Take one last walk through the year that was with the very best photos from the 2016 season
It's been more than two weeks since the Cubs set off a party for the ages in Chicago. But we're still not ready to say goodbye to the 2016 season just yet: the dingers, the drama, the outfield dance parties -- it was all just so much fun. So, before we turn our attention to free agency and Winter Meetings, let's take one last walk through the year that was -- as told by its very best photos.
And there's no better way to start, of course, than Photo Day -- signaling the return of baseball and creating fantastically awkward moments since time immemorial. The Padres brought some puppies:
Meanwhile, Royals starter Ian Kennedy wanted to show off his new and improved game face. Teammate Luke Hochevar, however, had other ideas:
Elsewhere in Royals shenanigans, the 2015 World Series champions took a moment to celebrate ... and promote their upcoming 1994 R&B album:
Once the games actually began, fans across the league looked to enhance the ballpark experience. One intrepid Marlins fan caught a quick midgame selfie with Brandon Drury:
While an Indians fan managed to create scoreboard selfie inception:
Some players even got into the act themselves, like Yasiel Puig:
And noted selfie expert Bryce Harper:
Some photos even transcended the very game of baseball: They became memes. Like this photo of Anthony Rizzo scaling the walls of Wrigley to make a remarkable catch -- or showcasing his skills on the balance beam.
And who can forget the Giants' bullpen storming the field against the Dodgers and/or capturing the precise moment when mom tells you the pizza rolls are ready:
Not to be outdone, Mother Nature set out to prove that nobody is more photogenic than she is:
Alas, things can't always be literal sunshine and rainbows. The 2016 season also saw its fair share of goodbyes -- luckily, though, we were able to chronicle Vin Scully's final season from Opening Day ...
... to the scorebook from his final home game:
And while we also had to bid farewell to the baseball career of David Ortiz, Fenway Park made sure that Big Papi would never be forgotten:
Cubs catcher and Official Team Grandpa David Ross also called it a career, although he got a pretty nice retirement gift: a World Series ring and a parade photo he'll cherish forever.
Speaking of the Cubs, it's been said that a picture is worth a thousand words. In the case of the photos below, those words are simply "GO CUBS GO" 333 times.
Of course, it wasn't all smooth sailing for the Cubs on the way to their championship. They had to sweat for it -- in large part thanks to Rajai Davis and one of the most iconic homers in World Series history.
LeBron was understandably pumped:
Alas, Opening Day 2017 is still months away. In the meantime, we got a brief taste with the Arizona Fall League, featuring one Tim Tebow -- a man so dedicated to the game that he's willing to try to run through a wall to chase down a fly ball.