Cubs' Ian Happ: Christopher Morel's emotion is 'genuine'

(670 The Score) Cubs slugger Christopher Morel had a big Sunday in St. Louis, as he hit two home runs in his team’s 8-3 win over the rival Cardinals.

After connecting on each home run, Morel let loose in a celebration around the basepaths that didn't sit well in St. Louis. Cardinals television analyst Jim Edmonds, a former player with the team and also a onetime Cubs outfielder, referred to Morel’s celebration as a “joke,” drawing headlines and scrutiny for his harsh comments.

Cubs left fielder Ian Happ doesn't believe that Morel’s excitement should be called into question, as he explained on the Bernstein & Holmes Show on Monday.

“It’s genuine,” Happ said of Morel's emotion. “He genuinely loves being out there playing the game. His emotion and his smile comes from just a grateful place to be out there and genuinely happy for what he’s doing. The two homers that he hit, all of the celebration was directed to our dugout. I do think that makes a difference. It’s never in the face of somebody else. It’s never yelling at somebody else. It’s never looking at an opponent. It's always genuinely directed to his teammates, the bullpen and the guys he’s playing with every day.

“It's genuine emotion. He just loves playing baseball, and I hope he never loses that.”

Morel leads the Cubs with 18 homers, though he’s hitting just .202 with a .690 OPS at the All-Star break.

The Cubs return to action Friday, when they open a three-game series against the Diamondbacks at Wrigley Field.