Episode 39 of The Pat McGann Show features Chicago Cubs outfielder Ian Happ — Gold Glover, All-Star, and the longest-tenured player on the North Side. Over the course of their conversation, Happ gets into what it really takes to stick in the big leagues for a decade: the physical grind, the mental reset after getting sent down, the evolution of player prep, and what it actually feels like to be the guy other guys look up to.
What Does "Posting" Mean in Baseball?
Happ credits a lot of his longevity to the veterans he came up with — Jon Lester, Ben Zobrist, Anthony Rizzo, and Javier Báez. One of the concepts he picked up early was posting — a baseball term for suiting up and being in the lineup regardless of how beat up you are.
"It means being out there," Happ says. "You're a little banged up, you're struggling — whatever it is. You're going to be in the lineup and you're going to be out there for your group."
For a guy who's played over a thousand games for one franchise, it's clearly not just a motto.
How Do MLB Players Handle Getting Sent Down to the Minors?
Even the most consistent players hit low points — and Happ's came two days before the 2019 season opener, when Joe Maddon, Theo Epstein, and Jed Hoyer called him in and sent him to Triple-A Iowa with no warning.
"I lost it," Happ says. "I was livid. I felt really blindsided."
After 99 games in the minors, he came back up, locked in, and went on to make the All-Star team a few years later. His honest take: "I didn't learn anything down there. I just learned who to not give Christmas presents to."
What's the Difference Between Triple-A and the Majors?
If you've ever wondered how dramatic the gap is between minor league and big league life, Happ makes it clear. When he was sent down, Triple-A travel meant early-morning Southwest connections through Saint Louis to get to Fresno in time for a night game. Meals were deli meat. Hotels were not the Four Seasons.
Back in the majors, the Cubs fly charter, post-game dinners come from the city's top restaurants, and families can fly home on the team plane after road trips.
The gap, in his words, was "ridiculous."
How Do MLB Players Mentally Handle Failure and Slumps?
Even in a strong season, a .380 on-base percentage still means you're failing six or seven times out of ten. Happ's approach comes from how he was raised: never get too high, never spiral too low.
"You're constantly pissed off," he admits. "To be able to kind of weather the storm and stay as even through the tough moments as you can — that's the job."
It's a mindset he saw modeled by the veterans he played with early, and it's become his identity as a leader in the Cubs clubhouse.
What Have Cubs Veterans Taught Ian Happ About Longevity?
Happ watched Ben Zobrist's entire daily maintenance routine up close toward the end of Zobrist's career — the time before games, the time after, the attention to physical prep. That influenced how he approaches his own body now.
He also points to what Wrigley Field's institutional culture does for young players: keeping Hall of Famers like Billy Williams, Lee Smith, and Fergie Jenkins around the clubhouse so current players can actually sit down and pick their brains.
"When those guys are around and you get to hear stories," Happ says, "that's a really cool part of what the organization does."
What Does Ian Happ Do to Stay Sharp Off the Field?
Golf on off days. Coffee from Connected Roasters, a Chicago-based company he co-owns. Exploring the city with his wife, who's from Chicago and whose family is still here.
And apparently, Ian Happ does not have a skincare routine — yet. Pat's working on it.
Does Ian Happ Like the MLB's New Rules?
He's a fan of the pitch clock. When four-and-a-half hour games were common, even the players were drained by the end. Now games are consistently around three hours, ratings are up, and the product is better for both fans and athletes.
"People know you're going to sit down for a baseball game and it's going to take around three hours," he says. "That's what you need."
The Pat McGann Show is recorded at Tiege Hanley Studios in Chicago. If you want to look as good as the guys Pat has on, check out Tiege Hanley — use tiege.com/pat for 40% off and a free gift. Simple skincare for guys. Two minutes a day.
