Cubs get grilled by young fans at Convention

CHICAGO -- Kids ask the darnedest things, like who's your favorite superhero, or whether you have superstitions, or how it feels to be World Series champions.
Pint-sized interrogators had the chance to ask Kyle Schwarber, Albert Almora Jr., Javier Báez and Willson Contreras about a variety of topics during a "Kids Only" question and answer session on Saturday at the Cubs Convention.
Who taught them the most about baseball? All credited their parents. Said Almora Jr.: "To call my dad after winning the World Series was the best feeling."
Any superstitions? The players have special handshakes they do in the dugout before a game. Skittles won over M&M's, and chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream was the most popular among the four.
Six-year-old Ryne wanted to know what Kris Bryant's favorite scary movie was. Bryant wasn't part of the panel, but Schwarber called his teammate and put him on speaker phone so everyone could hear his answer.
"I don't watch scary movies," Bryant said. "I'm too much of a wimp to watch scary movies."
Bryant is a fan of "Frozen."

Someone asked Contreras how difficult it was to catch Aroldis Chapman's 105-mph fastballs, and the young catcher called it "fun."
An 8-year-old girl wanted to know if they had any advice for her as she pursued her dream of playing in the Majors.
"You can do whatever you want in life," Almora Jr. said.
"Don't let anyone tell you that you can't do it," Schwarber said.
A young Wisconsin-based Cubs fan asked the players for their favorite defensive play by a teammate, and Schwarber picked all of Baez's plays.
Schwarber's remarkable comeback in the World Series after tearing two ligaments in his left knee in the third regular-season game was noted by one young fan. He asked if the slugger would skip the 2017 regular season and wait for the World Series again. Schwarber laughed before saying he hoped to play more.
By the way, Schwarber picked Superman as his favorite superhero "because he's made of steel," and then he gave young Benjamin, who asked the question, a high five.
What's their favorite pitch? That's easy -- fastball.
"If you throw it, we crush it," Baez said.

Josh asked the players if they would sing "Happy Birthday" to his mother to celebrate her 40th, and they did, joined by the crowd in the packed ballroom at the Sheraton Grand Chicago.
The Cubs players confessed they weren't allowed to take the World Series trophy home, and all of them avoided picking a favorite teammate to avoid hurting anyone's feelings.
"We're a big family. We're brothers," Almora Jr. said.
Ryan of Vernon Hills, Ill., wanted to know how it felt to be World Series champions?
"It's the best feeling in the world," Schwarber said. "It's what we dreamed of as little kids. Hopefully, we can keep it going."
And that got the biggest cheer.