June 10, 2017

 CSNChicago.com, Cubs Entertaining Idea Of Rolling Mike Montgomery Into Six-Man Rotation http://www.csnchicago.com/chicago-cubs/mlb-cubs-entertaining-idea-going-six-man-rotation-mike- montgomery-maddon-kyle-hendricks-eddie-butler

 CSNChicago.com, Cubs' Roller Coaster Season Continues http://www.csnchicago.com/chicago-cubs/cubs-roller-coaster-season-continues

 CSNChicago.com, Why Cubs Think Kyle Hendricks' First Trip To The Disabled List Could Be A Good Thing http://www.csnchicago.com/chicago-cubs/mlb-why-cubs-think-kyle-hendricks-first-trip-disabled-list-could-be- good-thing-mike-montgomery-joe-maddon

 CSNChicago.com, Cubs Attempting To Return To Normalcy With http://www.csnchicago.com/chicago-cubs/mlb-cubs-attempting-return-normalcy-addison-russell-maddon- theo-epstein

 CSNChicago.com, Addison Russell Returns To Wrigley: 'I'm Here To Stay' http://www.csnchicago.com/chicago-cubs/addison-russell-returns-wrigley-im-here-stay

 Chicago Tribune, Cubs walk nine times, leave bases loaded in ninth in 5-3 loss to Rockies http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-cubs-rockies-spt-0610-20170609-story.html

 Chicago Tribune, Kyle Hendricks says injury 'nothing traumatizing' http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-notes-cubs-rockies-spt-0610-20170609-story.html

 Chicago Tribune, Emanuel: If Cubs put skyboxes inside Wrigley, team should improve security outside http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/politics/ct-rahm-emanuel-cubs-security-met-0610-20170609- story.html

 Chicago Tribune, New Bud Black, young have Rockies rocking http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/columnists/ct-sullivan-big-hit-baseball-rockies-rocking-spt-0611- 20170610-column.html

 Chicago Tribune, Indians' struggles mirror those of opponent Cubs http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/columnists/ct-sullivan-around-baseball-indians-struggling-spt-0611- 20170610-story.html

 Chicago Sun-Times, How the Cubs — through 60 games — hold up to playoff teams past http://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/how-the-cubs-through-60-games-hold-up-to-playoff-teams-past/

 Chicago Sun-Times, Addison Russell back with Cubs and talking baseball only … sort of http://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/addison-russell-back-with-cubs-and-talking-baseball-only-sort-of/

 Chicago Sun-Times, We don’t know Addison Russell — or any other pro athlete http://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/we-dont-know-addison-russell-or-any-other-pro-athlete/

 Chicago Sun-Times, Addison Russell returns to Cubs, available to play today http://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/in-midst-of-domestic-violence-claims-russells-focus-is-on-baseball/

 Daily Herald, Third straight loss leaves Cubs back at .500 http://www.dailyherald.com/sports/20170609/third-straight-loss-leaves-cubs-back-at-500

 Daily Herald, Russell returns to Cubs: 'I'm here to stay. This is my job' http://www.dailyherald.com/sports/20170609/russell-returns-to-cubs-im-here-to-stay-this-is-my-job

 Daily Herald, Why it's not a bad time for Hendricks to land on DL http://www.dailyherald.com/sports/20170609/why-its-not-a-bad-time-for-hendricks-to-land-on-dl

 Cubs.com, Butler set to face former team at Wrigley http://atmlb.com/2rc6Ngu

 Cubs.com, Cubs unable to hold early lead vs. Rockies http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/235399992/cubs-unable-to-hold-early-lead-vs-rockies/

 Cubs.com, Montgomery battles, but done in by pitch count http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/235420234/cubs-mike-montgomery-battles-vs-rockies/

 Cubs.com, Ecstatic about promotion, Frankoff debuts http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/235366194/cubs-call-up-seth-frankoff-from-minors/

 Cubs.com, Russell back with Cubs after day away http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/235365468/addison-russell-returns-to-cubs-after-day-away/

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CSNChicago.com Cubs Entertaining Idea Of Rolling Mike Montgomery Into Six-Man Rotation By Tony Andracki

Mike Montgomery will always be known as the guy who got the final out of the greatest baseball game ever played to secure the Cubs' first championship in 108 years.

But now he's moving onto the newest chapter of his life: Starting .

Well, for one day at least.

Montgomery got the call Friday to start in place of the injured Kyle Hendricks and gave up two runs in four innings in the Cubs' 5-3 loss to the .

Montgomery threw 73 pitches in the outing, his most since his final start of the 2016 season on Sept. 15 before moving back into the bullpen.

The Cubs hope Hendricks will only have to miss the one start due to inflammation in his hand and when he returns, left the door open for Montgomery to stay in the rotation.

"[Friday's start] gives him an opportunity to truly get stretched out as a starter with a different routine, a different role, that kinda stuff," Maddon said. "It will definitely give us something more to think about.

"We've been thinking about it anyway, but now this really puts it actually in the front of your mind again."

The Cubs have toyed around with the idea of going six starters for a while to ease some pressure off the rest of the rotation that endured the wear and tear of a long postseason and pitched into November last fall.

They're also in a stretch of 30 games in 31 days, with the only off-day until July 3 coming next Thursday (June 15) in the midst of a road trip out east.

Montgomery's presence makes the idea of the Cubs going with six starters easier.

"I believe in this young man," Maddon said. "I think he's going to be a good major-league starter. ... Now, out of necessity, we're getting a chance to stretch him out more."

The Cubs went with six starters at various points last season, inserting Adam Warren and Montgomery into the rotation to ensure the starting rotation was fresh going into the stretch run and playoffs.

When they acquired Montgomery late last July, the long-term vision for the lanky left-hander was as a starting pitcher.

But it was hard to move him into that role full-time given his success as a multi-inning option out of the bullpen. Entering Friday, Montgomery had posted a 2.52 ERA and 1.28 WHIP in 75 innings for the Cubs to go with a 3.14 ERA in 11 postseason games.

He proved his value Monday, entering the game in the sixth inning and getting the final 10 outs for his second career regular-season .

Starting pitchers are typically extreme creatures of habit, having a specific plan for each day in between taking the ball every fifth game.

Maddon points to Montgomery's mental makeup that makes him uniquely suited to swinging back and forth between everchanging roles.

"He accepts it," Maddon said. "He doesn't fight it. He's a really good team member. I think people that are willing to accept his role like he has and then you go ahead and do it, you're gonna get good results.

"People that fight it are always looking for another method, another way. Sometimes that could impact or get in the way of their own success. He definitely doesn't get in the way of his own success.

"He accepts it, he understands it, he's a great team member and I think he knows deep down that his chance to start is coming. We keep telling him that and it's true.

"But he's so valuable in that other role; it's such a hard thing to run away from. But his future is as a major-league starter, I believe."

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CSNChicago.com Cubs' Roller Coaster Season Continues By Tony Andracki

For all the distractions and potential turning points in their season as defending champions, the Cubs will wake up Saturday morning with a .500 record.

The roller coaster season continues as the Cubs went 7-2 on their last homestand before an 0-6 trip out west and then a 5-0 start to this current homestand.

But with Friday's 5-3 loss to the red-hot Colorado Rockies in front of 41,229 fans at Wrigley Field, the Cubs have now lost three straight and sit at 30-30 overall on the season.

Mike Montgomery finally got his opportunity in the rotation, filling in for the injured Kyle Hendricks and giving up only two runs over four innings, both of which came on a two-run homer by Colorado Ryan Hanigan in the second inning.

Seth Frankoff — the 28-year-old right-hander who was recalled from Triple-A Iowa this week when Hendricks the disabled list — made his MLB debut and gave up a two-run shot to in the fifth inning and the Rockies never looked back from there. They added an insurance run in the seventh on 's two-out RBI hit off Carl Edwards Jr.

Meanwhile, the Cubs offense struggled again, picking up only three hits on the afternoon.

They scored two runs with two outs in the first inning when 's single was bobbled by Blackmon in center, allowing to score from first-base.

But a Heyward RBI ground-out was the only other offense the Cubs could muster up despite nine walks and two hit-by-pitches and the Rockies' starting pitcher (German Marquez) lasting only three innings.

The Cubs threatened in the ninth against Rockies Greg Holland for the second straight day, this time by working three walks in a row with one out. But Zobrist popped out to shallow left and Jason Heyward struck out and chucked his bat toward the Cubs dugout in frustration.

"I wish I would've come through in that at-bat right there," Heyward said. "We did a good job against the closer getting the bases loaded. We had a couple shots to get guys in. Wish it would've ended differently.

"You want to have opportunites — we had 'em."

The only three Cubs runs came home on Heyward's at-bats (two RBI plus Blackmon's error fielding Heyward's first- inning hit). and combined to reach base seven times, but scored just twice on the afternoon.

The Cubs forced the Rockies to throw 182 pitches, but weren't able to break through with that big hit.

"We saw 180-something pitches today and scored three runs," Joe Maddon said. "That's nearly impossible with the number of walks, hit batters, etc. That just speaks to we do have to do a better job with hitting with runners on base, runners in scoring position. Make adjustments to move the baseball to the middle and opposite field — been talking about that pretty much for the entire season.

"We made our noise by walking and getting hit by a pitch. At the end of the day, when you see that many pitches — 182 — you should be able to score more than three runs."

Maddon compared this recent three-game losing streak to the Cubs' 0-6 West Coast trip in terms of a punchless offense.

"I can't overemphasize enough — we've seen this happen too often where we've seen a lot of pitches and not made the adjustment with runners in scoring position," Maddon said. "That's the next challenge for us."

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CSNChicago.com Why Cubs Think Kyle Hendricks' First Trip To The Disabled List Could Be A Good Thing By Tony Andracki

Kyle Hendricks is in uncharted waters.

This week, the 27-year-old right-hander was placed on the disabled list for the first time in his professional career with inflammation in his right hand.

Hendricks said he's missed just one start in the minor leagues with an ankle injury but has never been held out due to a physical ailment in the big leagues. The Cubs have skipped his turn in the rotation before in an effort to protect his arm, including last season before the All-Star break.

Hendricks has endured a couple rough starts in a row, allowing nine earned runs on 10 hits and three walks in his last nine innings. But he didn't feel the hand issue crop up until after his last start.

"I just kinda felt it really Tuesday in my bullpen after my start," Hendricks said. "Wednesday, it was worse, so I had to say something. Probably could push through the start if I really, really had to.

"But at this point, the area it's in being the right hand and some of the stuff we saw in the MRI, just figure to let the inflammation get down. Take the week and then come back hopefully for Pittsburgh.

"Obviously as a player, you wanna push through and keep playing and pitch, but you gotta be smart about it, too and I accept that and know that. At this point in the year, the way the team's playing, just take your time now and come back fully healthy and hopefully ready to go and roll through the rest of the year."

At this point, Hendricks doesn't think he'll miss more than one start but when he does return, the Cubs may opt for a six-man rotation to help keep pitchers fresh for the last three-and-a-half months of the season.

The Cubs slid Mike Montgomery into Hendricks' spot Friday against the Colorado Rockies and got an opportunity to see the left-handed swingman in action as a starting pitcher. He gave up two runs in four innings as he attempts to get stretched back out from his role in the bullpen.

Hendricks isn't sure how he hurt his hand, pointing to either wear and tear or even just catching a ball wrong on his bat during batting practice or as a hitter in a game.

Joe Maddon and the Cubs are not opposed to giving Hendricks some extra time off, saving some bullets for later in the season.

After spending the first three years of his career sitting just over 89 mph with his fastball, Hendricks is down to an average of 86 mph this season. He accounted for 190 innings in the regular season last year and added another 25.1 in the postseason as he pitched into November for the first time in his life.

The Cubs just want to be cautious and ensure Hendricks is at his best heading into the stretch run and another potential trip to the postseason.

"It's not the worst thing in the world," Maddon said. "For the most part, the starters have not been pressed numbers-wise or innings-wise to this point. A guy like Kyle, we've talked about maybe the velocity's down a click, this might actually be a good thing for him.

"Just putting him on a different pattern, also. It's not the worst thing in the world. I've always attempted to plan mentally and actually for the latter part of the season, wanting to make sure guys are healthy and rested.

"Our starters have had so many innings piled on the last couple years. I don't think it's a bad thing."

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CSNChicago.com Cubs Attempting To Return To Normalcy With Addison Russell By Tony Andracki

For now at least, the Cubs and Addison Russell are ready to move on.

Social media lit up during the Cubs-Marlins series finale Wednesday night as Russell's estranged wife, Melisa, posted an Instagram photo and called him out for infidelity. The incident took a hard left turn when a commenter claiming to be Melisa's close friend accused Russell of domestic abuse.

The Cubs got out in front of the story and told Russell to stay home from the ballpark Thursday while the 23-year- old shortstop also released a statement calling "any allegation I have abused my wife is false and hurtful."

Russell was back at Wrigley Field Friday and though he was not in the starting lineup against the Colorado Rockies, he was active and available off the bench. The Cubs never ended up getting him in the game during a 5-3 loss.

There has been no indication 's investigation into the matter has concluded, but for now, the Cubs and Russell will try to get back to business as usual.

"We just talked to him about taking [Thursday] off," Joe Maddon said before Friday's game. "We were anticipating he would be back here today. We left it open but, 'yes, if you want to come back today if everything feels good.'

"I talked to him last night — he sounded really good. He sounded very clear, very directed and that's a good thing. He's back. We'll utilize him as normal... We're not gonna run away from the opportunity to play him.

"So again, it's just normal patterns. It's good to have him back. I had a great conversation and it seems to me that maybe mentally, he's in a little bit better place."

Russell was in the Cubs clubhouse Friday morning and met with the media some three hours before first pitch. He refused to discuss the off-field matter, preferring to focus on "baseball questions."

Russell refused to attribute his on-field struggles — .209 average, .626 OPS — to his issues away from the ballpark.

"There's periods of times where you're struggling, you're scuffling and sometimes you stink," Russell said. "I know that being young in the major leagues is gonna come with a lot of adversity. I'm here for a reason — it's because I'm good."

He said he has been working with Cubs hitting on getting his foot down sooner and attempting to simplify things and get back to "ABC baseball."

Russell admitted spending a day away from the field was difficult given that the ballpark is his home and where he feels comfortable.

But he also seemed to welcome the opportunity to recharge mentally and get back on track in what has clearly been one of the toughest years of his life, both on and off the field.

"I think everything is a learning curve and you tackle those adversities day by day and you overcome those and it's only going to make you a better player, a better person at the end of the day," Russell said. "I'm happy that I got that day mentally to just relax.

"You just get back to your inner thoughts. What were you doing whenever you're successful is kinda like what I was thinking. You get back in those positive thoughts and I think positive things start happening."

Before the social media-induced storm Wednesday night, Russell had spent the last week-and-a-half as part of a timeshare with Javy Baez at shortstop.

The two young players were rotating starts at the position, freeing up Russell to do more work with Mallee off to the side while still getting regular game action to try to work through his struggles.

Russell was an All-Star in 2016 and is among the best defenders in baseball at any position (he's currently tied for second in baseball in Defensive Runs Saved behind only Colorado's Nolan Arenado). But he said he is all for sharing the shortstop job with Baez in an effort to help the 30-29 Cubs find their rhythm.

From the Cubs' perspective, Maddon just wants to treat Russell like normal.

"It's all I know how to do, man," Maddon said. "I really have a lot of respect for everybody that I work with. I had a good conversation with him. I don't think we should change anything about how we do interact with him right now."

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CSNChicago.com Addison Russell Returns To Wrigley: 'I'm Here To Stay' By Tony Andracki

Addison Russell returned to Wrigley Field Friday after a day away from the ballpark to deal with the aftermath of domestic abuse allegations that surfaced on social media during Wednesday night's Cubs game.

Russell declined an opportunity to comment further on his off-field issues and stuck to baseball questions.

He did acknowledge it was weird to be away from Wrigley Field Thursday.

"I was watching the game on TV," Russell said. "I felt sad. This is what I do. This is what I love. I love being here in this clubhouse with the boys, having fun. This is my life."

Russell is not in Friday's lineup against the Colorado Rockies, but he did say he is available off the bench. He did not know if he would return to the starting lineup Saturday.

"I'm here to stay," Russell said. "This is my job. This is what I love doing."

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Chicago Tribune Cubs walk nine times, leave bases loaded in ninth in 5-3 loss to Rockies By Paul Skrbina

The Cubs walked nine times Friday, and saw 182 pitches.

But Jason Heyward's walk, head-down toward the dugout post- after Rockies closer Greg Holland walked the bases loaded in the ninth inning, proved to be the most pivotal during the Cubs' 5-3 loss at Wrigley Field.

The right fielder had been credited with driving in two of the team's runs and had a hand in all three before he flung his helmet toward the dugout after flinging his bat at strike three to end the game and extend the team's losing streak to three.

Heyward's was one of 12 by the Cubs, and his first in 35 plate appearances, ending the second-longest active streak in baseball.

The Cubs managed just three hits, including two in the first, and had one batter hit after posting just five hits in their loss Thursday.

"We saw 180-some pitches today and scored three runs," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. "That's nearly impossible.

"We have to do a better job hitting with runners on base and runners in scoring position. We've been talking about that the entire season."

The Cubs (30-30) had a couple of ducks on the pond — and on their field — when Heyward dug into the left- handed batter's box during the first inning.

The birds landed in shallow left field during Kris Bryant's at-bat earlier in the inning and didn't flinch when Bryant hit a sharp grounder in their direction.

After Anthony Rizzo walked, Ben Zobrist zipped a single to center field, where the ducks had migrated, and again they were undisturbed.

They had moved to shallow right-center with Heyward up. He lined a single over their heads that, coupled with an error by Charlie Blackmon, allowed Rizzo and Zobrist to score for a 2-0 lead.

But the ducks proved to be not so lucky for the Cubs in the ninth, when they returned to right field by the time Heyward stepped to the plate with two out after walks by , Bryant and Rizzo.

"I wish I would have come through," Heyward said. "Did a good job against the closer getting the bases loaded, got a couple shots to get something in. Wish it would have ended different."

It looked like it might in the third inning, but Javier Baez's hopes of a landed too far left of the yellow foul pole in left field on an 0-2 pitch. Baez struck out and flew out to leave the score tied 2-2.

Three fielder's choices told the story of the Cubs' half of the fifth. Heyward's, on a groundout, accounted for the team's third run just after Bryant was tagged out at home on a play scored 5-2-5-1 on Ben Zobrist's ground ball.

But Cubs pitcher Seth Frankoff, who spent eight seasons in the minor leagues, had a rocky major-league debut in the top of the inning, allowing an infield hit to the first batter he faced, relief pitcher Chris Rusin, and then a the next, Charlie Blackmon.

Mike Montgomery, making his first start of the season in place of the injured Kyle Hendricks, allowed a two-run home run to Rockies catcher Ryan Hanigan in the second and exited after allowing those runs, three hits, three walks and striking out five on 73 pitches spanning four innings.

Maddon said Montgomery's future is as a big-league starter but added that he was uncomfortable with his pitch count Friday. Montgomery threw 51 pitches in relief Monday.

"That was not a good number," Maddon said. "I took it as far as we could. Take the one pitch away from Hanigan, he did a good job."

While the Cubs showed Friday they know how to walk, the whole scoring runs thing proved a different story.

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Chicago Tribune Kyle Hendricks says injury 'nothing traumatizing' By Paul Skrbina

Kyle Hendricks is out, but he's not down.

The Cubs right-hander said Friday he expects to miss one start after he was put on the 10-day disabled list Thursday with tendinitis in his right middle finger.

He added he could have started Friday against the Rockies, "if we really, really had to," but said he likely will return for next weekend's series in Pittsburgh.

He attributed the injury to normal "wear and tear" and said it kind of came out of nowhere.

"Nothing traumatizing," he said. "I really felt it Tuesday in my bullpen. Wednesday it was worse, so I had to say something.

"It could have been from hitting (or) catching a ball wrong or something, even in (batting practice)."

Hendricks said he expects to start throwing again within a few days, once the inflammation subsides.

Cubs manager Joe Maddon said the added rest could be a benefit.

"Maybe the velocity's been down a click," Maddon said. "This may actually be a good thing, just putting him on a different pattern."

Hendricks, who led baseball with a 2.13 ERA and a 192 ERA-plus last season, is 4-3 with a 4.09 ERA and a 102 ERA- plus in 61 2/3 innings spanning 11 starts this year.

Homer away from home: Rockies second baseman DJ LeMahieu had never hit a home run at Wrigley Field until his three-run shot against Thursday. The former Cub had gone 72 at-bats at there without long ball, tied for second-most with the Cardinals' among active position players behind the Marlins' Martin Prado, who has no home runs in 95 at-bats there, according to Elias.

Stop, thief! When Rockies left fielder stole second base in the second inning Friday, he became the 22nd consecutive runner to do so against Cubs catcher Miguel Montero this season.

Montero hasn't caught a runner trying to steal since last season, when he nabbed just seven of 66, or 11 percent.

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Chicago Tribune Addison Russell back at Wrigley Field: 'This is my home' By Paul Skrbina

Addison Russell returned to Wrigley Field on Friday but was the only Cubs position player not to appear in the 5-3 loss to the Rockies, a day after the shortstop stayed away in the wake of allegations by a third party on social media that he committed domestic violence against his wife, Melisa.

Russell, who the Cubs termed "available to play" Friday, walked into the clubhouse around 10:10 a.m. and sat in front of his locker a few minutes before addressing reporters. He did not answer questions about the allegations.

Russell said he's "here to stay" and the Cubs have "been there for me every step of the way." He said he watched Thursday's game on TV after the team suggested he take the day off.

"I felt sad, man," Russell said. "This is what I do; this is what I love. … This is my home."

When asked whether the team had learned anything new about the allegations, Cubs manager Joe Maddon didn't say yes or no but said Russell's return Friday was planned.

Maddon said he talked to Russell on Thursday night and it seemed "maybe mentally he's in a little bit better place."

"We left it open, but, yes, if you want to, come back today," Maddon said. "We'll utilize him as normal. … I want to get a feel for his temperature at some point. Just normal patterns. It's good to have him back."

In a statement the team released Thursday, Russell, 23, called the allegations, made on social media by a friend of his wife, "false and hurtful."

In a since-deleted Instagram post Wednesday night, Melisa Russell suggested her husband had been unfaithful. A comment by a third party on that post accused Addison Russell of also physically and mentally abusing Melisa.

"Being free to be able to make your own choices for your own happiness beats being cheated on, lied to, & disrespected any day," Melisa Russell posted.

Addison Russell said Friday he did not want to talk about his personal life.

"Social media … brought out some personal stuff," said Russell, who hasn't played since Tuesday. "I'm not here to talk about the personal stuff. I want to talk about baseball."

The Cubs said they contacted Major League Baseball upon learning of the accusation and "will fully cooperate with the commissioner's office" with any investigation.

An MLB source said Friday no progress had been made in the investigation.

Maddon said Thursday he recently noticed something different about Russell. He has given Javier Baez the majority of playing time at shortstop lately.

"Something was not quite right in his game, and sometimes when that occurs, there are other things that bother you," Maddon said.

Russell is batting .209 with three home runs, 19 RBIs and a .626 OPS in 54 games this season but said the allegations have nothing to do with his performance.

"There's periods of time where you're struggling, you're scuffling," Russell said. "Sometimes you stink. I know that being young in the major leagues is going to come with a lot of adversity. But I'm here for a reason. It's because I'm good."

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Chicago Tribune Emanuel: If Cubs put skyboxes inside Wrigley, team should improve security outside By John Byrne

Mayor Rahm Emanuel upped the ante Friday in his beef with the Cubs about security around Wrigley Field, calling the team out for making further investments inside the park while leaving some safety responsibilities unmet.

Emanuel wasn't asked at a brief news conference about the latest episode in the increasingly acrimonious public tiff over security near the historic ballpark. But he brought it up unprompted, saying city Office of Emergency Management and Communications chief Alicia Tate-Nadeau has requested a meeting with team officials "in short order" to talk about the lack of an updated safety plan.

The mayor referenced the team's recent announcement that it plans to build high-end clubs for season ticket holders inside the stadium, contending the Cubs first need to come up with a security framework in the tight neighborhood adjacent to it.

"If we're going to invest in skyboxes and the enhancements around skyboxes, we need to make sure that we have the enhancements around the security around Wrigley Field," he said after cutting the ribbon for an expansion at an addiction treatment center on the West Side.

"You have a new plaza, you need a new plan for security," Emanuel added. "And it's time now, with all the type of economic development that's happening, we need a comprehensive, thorough security plan and all the infrastructure investments along with that security plan, to meet a new facility that you've invested in."

In a statement Friday, Cubs spokesman Julian Green said the city approved the team's "security plan and plan of operations" for the plaza in April. "We're happy to provide another copy if they lost it," he said. "We've been raising security concerns well before the Ricketts family privately invested $850 million into the project. We're happy the city is hyper interested in the subject now and look forward to the meeting instead of responding through the media."

But Green also wondered about the extent of the security plan the city seems to be requesting from the Cubs.

"We would question why the team would be responsible for securing the public way, given that is the role of the police department and all the public agencies whose mission is to keep these venues safe which we would expect in return for being the highest taxed team in baseball," he said.

Mayoral spokesman Adam Collins countered that the team has submitted a business plan for the plaza, not security standards. And he said the city's plan for the streets around the park allows for various traffic restrictions and for Clark and Addison to be closed if police deem it necessary.

The latest chapter in the ongoing security dispute began Thursday, when the Emanuel administration announced Tate-Nadeau had sent the team a letter criticizing various security shortcomings.

Tate-Nadeau said the team needs to install permanent security barriers on sidewalks along Addison Street next to the park and adjacent to a new public plaza on Clark Street. She also criticized the team for what she said was their failure to immediately inform police when a man fell to his death inside the park after a game this year.

The team and the city have been publicly at odds over the security strategy, with the Cubs calling for Clark and Addison to be closed on game days, and Emanuel and Wrigleyville Ald. Tom Tunney opposing that move on the grounds it would further snarl the already ugly traffic in the area.

Last month, aldermen approved a plan for the Cubs to pay $1 million for additional security cameras outside Wrigley Field.

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Chicago Tribune New manager Bud Black, young pitchers have Rockies rocking By Paul Sullivan

Back in Black" should be the theme song for the resurgent Rockies, a raucous team of misfits that's gotten off to its best start in history under new manager Bud Black.

The Rockies, who took the first two games from the Cubs in this weekend's series at Wrigley Field, are the surprise leaders of the West with a lethal lineup and the kind of young starting pitching talent the Cubs can only dream they had.

"I'm sure a lot of people looked at us as a team that was just hot at the time," third baseman Nolan Arenado said. "But I think we're showing people we can play, and we can play with anybody. We're pitching well and our pitchers are giving us a chance to win ballgames."

Antonio Senzatela (8-2), who faces on Sunday, and (7-3) are first and second in the major categories for rookie starters, with Senzatela leading in wins and Freeland leading in ERA (3.34).

Closer Greg Holland, considered a risky signing over the winter, is perfect in save opportunities (23-for-23) and only the second closer to reach 20 saves with a franchise in 22 or fewer appearances, joining (20 in 21) with the 1994 Orioles.

Leadoff man Charlie Blackmon was the NL Player of the Month in May, and Arenado may be the best all-around third baseman in the game. Through Wednesday, Arenado had 15 defensive runs saved at third, joining the Cubs shortstop Addison Russell (10), Red Sox right fielder Mookie Betts (10) and Twins center fielder (10) as the only players with double-digits totals in that category.

Arenado doesn't get the recognition of the Cubs' Kris Bryant, but only because he plays in Colorado.

"Nolan is a top-five player in the league, if not higher," second baseman DJ LeMahieu said. "But we haven't won. We haven't been in the playoffs, so the national audience doesn't see Nolan as much as they see Bryant, so that's understandable."

Arenado said he doesn't know Bryant well, but called himself "a fan of his game." The two figure to battle it out for All-Star votes and NL MVP awards for the next several years, but Arenado doesn't mind being in Bryant's shadow.

"It is what it is," Arenado said. "At the end of the day we're just focused on doing our jobs. I like him. I like the way he's humble and plays the game the right way. He's exuberant, but not really cocky. I enjoy watching him."

The man who makes it all happen is Black, who was the Angels pitching coach alongside Joe Maddon on 's staff when they won the .

The Rockies have averaged 92 losses per year since 2011, leading to the exit of and the hiring of Black. He was the perfect choice to develop the young pitchers, and knows the NL West like the back of his hand.

Black was the 2010 NL Manager of the Year with the Padres, leading them to 90 wins but losing to the Giants on the final day of the regular season to lose the division title. He was fired two years ago this month by general manager A.J. Preller, who has since turned the Padres into a laughingstock.

"I don't know how anyone would get rid of him," Arenado said. "He's a good dude, a good coach and he knows the game. He's all about winning, and that's nice."

The other big offseason move was the signing of Holland to improve the league's worst bullpen. Holland, the former Royals closer, was coming off surgery, and inked a one-year, $7 million deal with incentives that could raise it to $14 million. So far, Holland is hands-down the Comeback Player of the Year.

"Lockdown," Arenado said. "He seems in so much control. Closers here since I've been here, they've haven't been very, uh, you know, you've been kind of nervous when they come in. When he comes in the game, it feels really good."

Players who've been through the dark days, like LeMahieu, Arenado and Carlos Gonzalez, are now finding out what life is like on the other side.

Denver, always a great baseball town, is beginning to believe this could be a special season. The Rockies' only World Series appearance was in 2007, when they were swept by the Red Sox, and they've made only two other trips to the playoffs, for NLDS losses in 1995 and 2009.

"We've been around some losing seasons," LeMahieu said. "So playing the way we are this year, it's been a lot of fun. I really think we're going to continue that in the later part of the year."

Maybe ESPN will even start to take notice. "Sunday Night Baseball" already has featured the Cubs four times and the Yankees, Mets and Cardinals three. LeMahieu couldn't even remember the last time the Rockies were featured.

"Not since I've been around," he said.

There's a first for everything.

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Chicago Tribune Indians' struggles mirror those of World Series opponent Cubs By Paul Sullivan

The Cubs and Indians battled it out for seven games in a classic World Series last fall, and both were prohibitive favorites to at the very least run away with their respective divisions.

But the Cubs were at .500 after Friday's loss to the Rockies, and the Indians were two games over .500 after Friday night's victory over the White Sox.

Has there been a residual effect on the two teams after such a grueling postseason run and short offseason?

"I have not paid much attention to what they've done because we don't play them," Indians manager said Friday night at Progressive Field. "I think every team is different. I will say if there is a residual effect, and I'm not talking physical, then shame on us, because we're better than that, and I know that we have guys in there that care.

"I've seen it. I've lived it with these guys now for five years. We've had very little turnover, compared to most teams, and that should be an advantage for us. So I think when you find times that you're frustrated, fortunately I can sit and talk to them. I feel like I can, because that's important."

Francona said he looked at notes on Thursday of what he's said to players during tough moments in the past.

"And why it was said," he continued. "Because I never want to tell them something that I don't believe, or it's something you just read on a wall."

So Francona write down everything he says to players?

Yes, he confirmed, adding: "Because I'm not that smart."

"Like Comey?" a local reporter asked, referring to the memos former FBI director James Comey wrote during his meetings with President Trump.

"That's not where I was going," Francona said, laughing. "But I'll take that as a compliment, and I do have a recorder under my couch in there."

The Indians ranked 23rd in the majors in runs scored entering the weekend, and free-agent slugger Edwin Encarnacion has been somewhat of a bust with a .230 average, 10 home runs and 22 RBI with a major-league worst .118 average with runners in scoring position through Thursday. The sterling rotation ranked 26th with a 4.87 earned-run average.

But, like the Cubs, the Indians are in a division that's so mediocre no one can be counted out yet, and most seem to believe the two still will wind up winning their divisions when all is said and done.

"Normally a team will step up and separate themselves as you go," Francona said. "We need that to be us. On one hand we're very fortunate somebody hasn't run away and hid. But I don't think it's real healthy to look up every day and think 'Well, the other teams lost.'

"I'm glad they did, but we need to pick up the pace. And I think there's a way to do that."

Numbers game: Scooter Gennett, the Reds player who tied a record with four home runs in a game Tuesday against the Cardinals, was tied with Mark Whiten for the second-fewest career homers (38) entering his big game. The lowest pre-milestone total of any member of the four-homer club was 28, by Bobby Lowe in 1894. The two highest were Carlos Delgado (299 in 2003) and Willie Mays (281 in 1961). ... Brewers closer Corey Knebel had at least one strikeout in each of his first 31 appearances through Thursday. The record since 1900 is 37 games, set by in 2014 with the Reds.

The quote: Mets pitcher Noah Syndergaard, to Yahoo.com, on the psyche of Mr. Met after being caught on video flipping off a fan: "I think he's going through an emotional breakdown right now. The whole middle finger thing … I don't know. ... He's got to turn himself around."

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Chicago Sun-Times How the Cubs — through 60 games — hold up to playoff teams past By Steve Greenberg

The Cubs drew nine walks in their 5-3 loss Friday. The Cubs’ disciplined plate approach allowed them to see a whopping 183 pitches. That’s far too many to score only three measly runs.

But such is life for an offense that produced one hit in 11 chances with runners in scoring position. Jason Heyward, who had that lonely hit in the first inning, threw his bat in disgust after striking out with the bases loaded to end the game.

“I wish I had come through right there,” he said.

Maybe if he had, it wouldn’t have been so odd to hear manager Joe Maddon speaking of the team improving its record in “five-game increments” from here on out. Maddon mentioned going five games over .500 . . . and 10 games . . . and even 15 games. Yes, he said all that.

But the Cubs are 30-30. Where we come from, that’s zero games over .500. In nearly all ways, this has been a mediocre team.

Here’s one way to look at it. A total of 18 Cubs teams have reached the postseason. Their average number of wins through 60 games: 36.2. And how many of those teams had records worse than 30-30? Only one.

The 2007 Cubs — ’s first of two consecutive division winners — were an ugly 27-33 at this point. They weren’t exactly sitting pretty 102 games later when they finished 85-77. Coincidentally, the 2006 champion Cardinals won only 83 games (not to mention the World Series). Yet it should surprise no one that no Central champ since the ’07 Cubs has failed to reach at least 90 victories.

But back to the main point: If this year’s Cubs are going to reach the playoffs, they’re not just going to have to outperform the unimposing teams in their really bad division, they’re also going to have to go from 30-30 to . . . where, exactly?

Even if Maddon is correct about the whole 15-games-over-.500 thing, that won’t get the Cubs to 90 wins. Maybe they ought to add another five-game increment to the equation just to be on the safe side.

In the meantime, there has been nothing special about this team. Even the 1906 Cubs, who were 41-19, would have to agree with that. You know who else would? The old gang that started 42-18 way back in 2016. Any chance you remember them?

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Chicago Sun-Times Addison Russell back with Cubs and talking baseball only … sort of By Steve Greenberg

Addison Russell was back at Wrigley Field on Friday after spending a day away from the team in the face of a domestic-abuse allegation posted on Instagram by a friend of Russell’s wife.

Russell’s presence was not an indication that the club had made any determinations about the veracity of the post. The 23-year-old shortstop issued a statement Thursday in which he denied having abused his wife, Melisa. Major League Baseball was still investigating the matter, which by rule only it — and not the team — is empowered to do.

“I think the social media, they brought up some personal stuff,” he said at his locker before the Cubs’ 5-3 defeat against the Rockies. “I’m not here to talk about the personal stuff. I’m here to talk about baseball.”

Yet some of the things Russell said seemed to blur the line separating the two.

Russell — who hit .162 in May and is at .091 in June — is off to a disastrous start at the plate in his third big-league season. His defense has been subpar by his standards, too. Even before this week’s controversy, Javy Baez had started multiple games at shortstop so manager Joe Maddon could “rest” Russell. Maddon explained to reporters that he’d “looked into his eyes and determined something wasn’t right.”

Russell referred to it as a “mental break.”

“I’m handling it well,” he said. “Obviously, we have to do what’s best for the team in the long run.”

He also said he was glad to get Thursday off “mentally just to relax.”

“Just get back to your inner thoughts,” he said. “ ‘What were you doing whenever you were successful?’ mainly is kind of like what I was thinking. But you get back in those thoughts, those positive thoughts, and I think positive things start happening.”

Thursday was filled with tension for the Cubs as they game-planned how to handle the Russell situation and fielded more questions than they were fully prepared to answer. One thing neither president of baseball operations Theo Epstein nor any of Russell’s teammates has done is explicitly defend him.

Russell — talking only about baseball? — said the team has taken good care of him.

“They’ve been there for me every step of the way,” he said. “They’ve given me the chance to sort out things I need to sort out. And all the things I need as far as stabilization, I think it’s right here.”

When and how Russell will be worked back into the lineup remains to be seen. He was available to play Friday, but was the team’s only position player who didn’t get into the game. The Cubs have lagged well behind expectations offensively as a team, but Russell has been next-level bad — his last multihit game came on April 28, and he hasn’t driven in a run since May 21.

“There’s periods of time where you’re struggling, you’re scuffling and sometimes you stink,” he said. “I know that being young and in the major leagues is going to come with a lot of adversity, but I’m here for a reason. It’s because I’m good.”

But there certainly has been a comedown on the field this season for a player who was an All-Star in 2016 with 21 home runs and 95 RBI.

“I think every day brings a new learning curve,” he said. “You tackle those adversities day by day and you overcome those, and it makes you a better player and a better person at the end of the day.”

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Chicago Sun-Times We don’t know Addison Russell — or any other pro athlete By Rick Morrissey

We have no idea if Addison Russell did what he has been accused of doing. But there’s something else that we, the viewing audience, don’t know:

Who he really is.

How could we? The extent of what we do know about him, and what we base our opinion of him on, comes from how he plays for the Cubs, what the team tells us about him and whatever interviews with him we have seen, heard or read.

Aside from the first 10 weeks of this season, he has been a good shortstop, one of the talented young players around whom the Cubs have staked their future. In interviews, he seems earnest, sincere and polite. His answers are usually concise but without a whole lot of substance. But even if there were substance, even if he bared his soul or saved baby seals or danced with the stars, does that mean we can say what kind of person we’re watching on our TVs?

A friend of Russell’s wife has accused him of being physically abusive to Melisa Russell, who also has accused him of being unfaithful. Major League Baseball is investigating the abuse accusations, which were made on Instagram.

I would guess that 99 percent of the people on social media who are defending Russell as a good person are doing so based on a perception of him acquired from what they’ve seen presented in interviews, from his bright-eyed appearance and through the saintly traits the Cubs have publicly heaped on him the last three years. If there were a Good Guy Draft, the Cubs would have taken Russell over Pope Francis and the Dalai Lama. That’s how they have sold him to us, possibly because they believed it. They still might.

But why do we feel the need to assign other attributes besides “excellent hand-eye coordination’’ to a popular athlete? Why isn’t being good at sports enough for us? Whenever a fan favorite gets in trouble or is accused of something ugly, it’s that much more stunning. The fall seems so much farther when teams, fans and media have built up a player to be a Superman at anything he puts his mind to, whether that be power-hitting, parenting, cooking, Ping-Pong, philanthropy, the art of conversation or knitting. Have you seen his herringbone stitch? Sublime!

Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo recently proposed to his girlfriend, and you would have thought it was one of the British royals by the response to his Twitter post announcing it. No one in the world has ever been more romantic, apparently. Well, maybe you have, but nobody cares about you. And that’s it, isn’t it? Our existence is mundane, and we’re looking for someone else’s larger existence to save us from our boring lives and the boring lives of those around us.

As some of you might know, the phenomenon has been beyond my comprehension, but it’s real and it’s massive. People can’t get enough of a backup catcher who played two seasons for the Cubs, and he has parlayed that into a book, a proposed movie, a highly watched stint on “Dancing With the Stars’’ and a broadcasting career. He could end up being the first pro athlete to un-retire to spend more time with his family. Fans see an accessibility in him that they don’t see in many professional athletes. But do we really know him?

After 35 years of doing this, I’m not sure I have any idea of what’s real and what isn’t. In 1999, hours after Falcons defensive back Eugene Robinson had accepted an Athletes in Action award given to the NFL player who best exemplifies outstanding character, he was arrested for soliciting a prostitute. The next day, he played in the Super Bowl. How could so many people have been so wrong about him?

I once wrote an in-depth story about an NFL player who had found Jesus, only to be told the next day that he had recently been seen stuffing money into a stripper’s G-string. How could I have been so wrong?

That athlete you think you know because he has a charitable foundation? He might not be the joy he seems to be.

It can’t be emphasized enough that we don’t know what has gone on behind closed doors between Russell and his wife. It’s probably fair to say that their home life has been rocky, but most of us had no idea that there was trouble in the paradise we had built for him, his wife and two children.

He looks like a nice guy. He seems like a nice guy. He might even be a nice guy. But we don’t really know if he is. Just like we don’t truly know every other professional athlete. Worship them at your own risk.

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Chicago Sun-Times Addison Russell returns to Cubs, available to play today By Madeline Kenney

One day after Major League Baseball announced its investigation into domestic-violence allegations made against Addison Russell, the Cubs shortstop made one thing clear: he’s here to focus on baseball.

A day after not suiting up, Russell is available to play in this afternoon’s game against the Colorado Rockies at Wrigley Field.

“I think the social media, they brought up some personal stuff,” Russell said Friday morning. “I’m not here to talk about the personal stuff. I’m here to talk about baseball.”

Russell’s wife, Melisa, suggested in multiple posts late Wednesday the couple was breaking up after one year of marriage.

In one deleted Instagram post Melisa wrote: “Being free to be able to make your own choices for your own happiness beats being cheated on, lied to, & disrespected any day.”

In a subsequent comment related to one of the posts, a woman Russell’s wife referred to as a close friend, accused him of “mentally and physically abusing her.”

Russell released a statement Thursday, denying domestic-violence allegations made against him by a third party on social media. He called the claims “false and hurtful” and said he had “no further comment” on the matter.

After the allegations surfaced, Russell was not listed in the starting lineup for the Cubs’ game Thursday night against the Colorado Rockies at Wrigley Field, and was not even in uniform.

Russell said Thursday’s rest was good for him to refocus.

“I’m happy that I got that day mentally just to relax,” Russell said. “I’m handling it well. Obviously we have to do what’s best for the team in the long run. Joe also has given me a mental break as well. He knows that I’m not swinging it as great as I normally do. He’s given me that time to work on my swing.”

Russell has been in offensive slump as of late. Javy Baez has shared starting duties with Russell the last two weeks. Russell is only batting .209 this season with three home runs, compared to last season when he finished with a .238 batting average with 21 home runs.

“Just get back to your inner thoughts — ‘What were you doing whenever you were successful?’ — mainly is kind of like what I was thinking,” Russell said. “But you get back in those thoughts, those positive thoughts, and I think positive things start happening.”

Although he’s not in Friday’s lineup against the Rockies, Russell is available off the bench.

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Daily Herald Third straight loss leaves Cubs back at .500 By Bruce Miles

Just a few days ago, it looked like the might be ready to leave the .500 mark in the rearview mirror.

If they had merely spun their wheels, they'd have done that, but once again, they hit the reverse gear.

The Cubs lost their third straight game Friday, 5-3 to the Colorado Rockies at Wrigley Field. The game was maddening for the Cubs, who picked up only 3 hits and went 1-for-11 with runners in scoring position.

Rockies pitchers served up 182 pitches in a game that was totally devoid of any pace or rhythm. While the Cubs were falling back to a record of 30-30, the Rockies were winning their sixth in a row to move to 40-23, good for first place in the .

"I've always talked about working in increments of five," said Cubs manager Joe Maddon, referring to five games over .500 at a time. "We get close to that, and I think we've been there maybe once. Then you go from 5 to 10, etc. Primarily, this is not unlike the (0-6) West Coast trip, where we were just unable to get hits."

For the season, the Cubs are batting .216 (106-for-491) with runners in scoring position. They had plenty of chances Friday, drawing 9 walks and getting hit by 2 pitches.

They managed a first-inning 2-0 lead on an RBI single by Jason Heyward, with another run coming home on an error by Rockies center fielder Charlie Blackmon.

The Cubs loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the ninth as Rockies closer Greg Holland walked three straight batters with one out. Ben Zobrist popped out on a first pitch, and Heyward struck out to end the game.

"I wish I had come through with that one right there," said Heyward, who seemed frustrated with himself. "I wish I'd have come through in that at-bat right there."

As far as the defending world champions not being able to shake loose of .500, Heyward didn't seem as concerned about that. The Cubs entered the game just a game behind Milwaukee in the NL Central.

"I don't care what the record is," he said. "We got to worry about the standings in our division. That's that. We've got to keep pushing. We've got to try to win. We've got to try not to lose series. This is a four-game set. That starts tomorrow.

"Again, I don't care what the record is, where it is. You've got to be in it to win it. And if we can win this division, we've got a chance after that in October. We got to get there."

To get there, the Cubs also will have to get their starting pitching sorted out. Lefty Mike Montgomery became the seventh Cub to start a game this year, as he took the spot of injured righty Kyle Hendricks.

The pitch count caught up to Montgomery, as he threw 73 in 4 innings.

Montgomery gave up a game-tying 2-run homer to Ryan Hanigan in the second, but deep counts were his undoing.

"I thought they did a good job working at-bats," Montgomery said. "They had a good lineup, and I just wasn't able to get those quick outs. I knew how to battle. Pitch count got up a little bit but they got a good team. Credit to them."

The non-quality start by Montgomery was the Cubs' 37th of the season compared with only 23 quality starts. The Cubs are 17-6 when they get a quality start, and 13-24 when they don't.

But the Cubs have plenty of issues on both sides of the ball if they want to shake the .500 mark for good

"At the end of the day, man, again, I can't overemphasize enough: We've seen this happen too often where we've seen a lot of pitches and not made the adjustment with runners in scoring position," Maddon said. "That's the next challenge for us. That will be 5 over, then 10 over and 15 over .500."

Right now, that looks a long way off on the horizon.

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Daily Herald Russell returns to Cubs: 'I'm here to stay. This is my job' By Bruce Miles

Addison Russell was glad to be back at Wrigley Field Friday, one day after the team asked him to stay away.

"Absolutely," he said. "I didn't show up yesterday. I was watching the game on TV. Felt sad, man. This is what I do. This is what I love. I love being here in this clubhouse with the boys, having fun. This is my home."

Major League baseball is "looking into" a situation in which Russell was accused of domestic abuse on social media by someone claiming to be a friend of his wife. Russell's wife, Melisa, made a prior post indicating the couple will split up.

Russell asked reporters not to ask him personal questions. On Thursday, he issued a statement calling the allegations "false and hurtful."

It has been a poor start to the season for Russell at the plate, and he was asked if off-the-field problems have affected his play.

"No, there are periods of times where you're struggling, you're scuffling," he said. "Sometimes you stink. I know being young in the major leagues is going to come with a lot of adversity. I'm here for a reason. It's because I'm good."

Manager Joe Maddon did not play Russell in Friday's game against the Colorado Rockies but did say he would evaluate the situation daily and that it's possible Russell could start over the weekend.

"Check him out today and talk to him specifically," Maddon said. "I just talked to (hitting coach) Johnny Mallee, and he said he looked really good in the batting cage. I talked to (Russell) a little bit last night. He sounded like he was in a good place. So we wanted to continue that. I heard he met with you guys. I heard he handled himself extremely well. We'll just treat him normally and get him back on the field."

As it was, Russell already had lost his full-time starting job. He had been sharing time at shortstop with Javier Baez.

"I'm handling it well," he said. "Obviously you have to do what's best for the team. In the long run, Joe also has given me a mental break as well. He knows that I'm not swinging as great as I normally do. He's given me that time to work on my swing.

"I'm here to stay. This is my job. This is what I love doing."

There has been no word about how long MLB will take in its investigation. Russell could face a suspension if MLB finds wrongdoing.

In the meantime, Russell said he is happy to have the support of the Cubs.

"I think every day brings a new learning curve," he said. "You tackle those adversities day by day. If you overcome those, it's only going to make you a better player, a better person, at the end of the day.

"They've been there for me every step of the way. They've given me the chance to sort out the things I need to sort out and all the things I need as far as stabilization. They've handled it great."

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Daily Herald Why it's not a bad time for Hendricks to land on DL By Bruce Miles

If there's ever a good time to go on the disabled list, that time might be now for Cubs right-hander Kyle Hendricks.

The Cubs placed Hendricks on the 10-day DL Thursday with tendinitis in his right middle finger. The injury affects Hendricks in the back of his hand.

The DL stint may enable last year's ERA champ (2.13) to catch a bit of a breather. He is 4-3 with a 4.09 ERA.

"It's not the worst thing in the world," manager Joe Maddon said Friday. "I think for the most part the starters have not been pressed numbers wise or innings wise to this point. A guy like Kyle, we've talked about maybe the velocity's been down a tick. This might actually be a good thing for him, just putting him on a different pattern, also.

"I've always attempted to plan for the latter part of the season. I want to make sure that guys are healthy and rested. Our starters have had so many innings piled on them the last couple of years, I don't think it's a bad thing."

Hendricks said he is optimistic he'll need only the minimum stay on the DL and that he'll be ready to pitch next weekend in Pittsburgh. The DL move is retroactive to June 5.

"It kind of came up quick," Hendricks said. "Nothing traumatizing. I just kind of felt it Tuesday, starting in my bullpen after my start. Wednesday it was worse so I had to say something. I could probably push through a start if we really, really had to.

"But at this point, the area it's in, in my right hand, and with some of the stuff we saw in the MRI, just let the inflammation get down, take the week, take a few of those extra days and then come back for the Pittsburgh series."

Welcome to the show:

After seven-plus seasons in the minor leagues, right-hander Seth Frankoff made his major-league debut Friday in the Cubs' 5-3 loss to the Colorado Rockies.

He worked 2 innings in relief of starting pitcher Mike Montgomery and gave up 4 hits and 2 runs, both coming on Charlie Blackmon's homer in the fifth. Frankoff was tagged with the losing decision.

The 28-year-old right-hander was drafted in 2010 by Oakland in the 27th round. He signed a minor-league deal with the Cubs last November and went to as a nonroster invitee. He got "the call" Thursday afternoon.

"I was supposed to start in Des Moines," he said. "I got a call from the manager (Marty Pevey) around 1:45 saying, 'Congratulations, you're going to the big leagues.' Obviously you envision the day coming up quite a bit. It kind of didn't turn out the way I thought it was going to be. I really didn't get to really experience it because it happened so fast. I don't think you should ever complain about getting called up to the big leagues."

There was one more nice twist.

"I got drafted seven years ago to the day," he said. "Hopefully I can do what it takes to stay."

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Cubs.com Butler set to face former team at Wrigley By Thomas Harding

Cubs right-hander Eddie Butler has a chance to show the Rockies just how fine he is doing when the two teams continue their series on Saturday at Wrigley Field.

Chosen by the Rockies 46th overall in the 2012 Draft, Butler had a number of fits and starts over the past three seasons while going 6-16 with a 6.50 ERA. The club took him off the roster when it needed a spot for closer Greg Holland in January, and later traded him to the Cubs for righty relief prospect James Farris. Since being called up from Triple-A Iowa, Butler has been solid in five starts, going 3-1 with a 3.75 ERA.

Butler was part of a cadre of young arms the Rockies drafted, signed or acquired in recent years. And he'll be facing one of them. Righty Jeff Hoffman, acquired in the trade that sent shortstop to the Blue Jays in 2015, will make his fourth start after three stellar outings.

Three things to watch

• In his brief Major League time, Hoffman has shown no fear of throwing his offspeed pitches with runners on base. In fact, he throws his fastball 67 percent of the time with the bases empty, but with a runner on, he drops that figure to 56 percent. Hoffman's curveball usage rises from 14 percent to 19 percent, and his slider rises from 12 percent to 21 percent.

• One key improvement for Butler has been his performance with two outs. Last season, he yielded a .310 batting average and a .348 on-base percentage -- plus three homers -- in 89 two-out plate appearances. This year, in 32 two-out plate appearances, opponents are hitting just .115 with a .281 OBP and no homers.

• Hoffman has faced the Cubs, briefly, this season. Called up for the second game of a May 9 doubleheader, Hoffman threw the final 1 1/3 innings of the Rockies' 8-1 loss and yielded one hit -- Kris Bryant's solo homer -- and one walk, striking out two.

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Cubs.com Cubs unable to hold early lead vs. Rockies By Scott Chasen and Thomas Harding

CHICAGO -- Rockies center fielder Charlie Blackmon didn't have the friendliest of welcomes lined up for Cubs rookie Seth Frankoff. Rather, he introduced himself to the right-hander with a go-ahead two-run homer to right to lift the Rockies to a 5-3 win over the Cubs on Friday afternoon at Wrigley Field and move them 17 games above .500.

Blackmon, whose fifth-inning homer gave Colorado a 4-2 lead, wasn't the only Rox slugger to go yard on Friday. Facing an early 2-0 deficit, Ryan Hanigan hit a two-run shot of his own to the bleachers in left for just his second home run of the year. The blast traveled an estimated 378 feet and left the bat with an exit velocity of 98 mph, according to Statcast™.

"Charlie's been playing great, so when he does something like that, it doesn't surprise me," Rockies manager Bud Black said of Blackmon, who moved into the team RBI lead with 52 -- one more than Mark Reynolds. "He's got the ability to homer. He's got the ability to drive in runs. He uses the whole field."

The Cubs' offense came to life in the first inning, plating two runs after a questionable call on a walk to Anthony Rizzo extended the inning. However, filling in for the injured Kyle Hendricks, starter Mike Montgomery lasted only four innings and gave up two runs on three hits and three walks, while Frankoff and Carl Edwards Jr. allowed three more runners to score. The run surrendered by Edwards was the first he had allowed since May 12.

Cubs manager Joe Maddon said he was generally OK with his pitching staff, but he was less pleased with the team's situational hitting. The Cubs tallied nine walks and were hit by a pitch twice, yet managed only three hits and left a total of 11 runners on base.

"I thought it was a very interesting game from our perspective," Maddon said. "They hit some homers, again, and they got around 10 hits or so. We made our noise by walking and getting hit by a pitch."

Colorado's bullpen, conversely, was sensational, allowing just one hit over six innings of one-run ball. Greg Holland capped the effort -- after walking the bases loaded in the ninth -- with his 23rd save in as many chances, just three shy of Huston Street's club record established in 2009.

"I wish I would've came through in that at-bat right there," said Jason Heyward, who struck out to end the game. "Did a good job against the closer with the bases loaded. Got a couple shots to get something in. Wish it would've ended different."

The Rockies, who are 40-23, finished 2009 at 92-70, when they won the NL Wild Card spot. They also finished 17 games over .500 in 2007 -- when they defeated the Padres in the 163rd game of that season to finish 90-73 and qualify for a postseason that saw them advance to the World Series.

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED

No harm, no foul: The Cubs had a chance to break open the game in the third after Kris Bryant and Rizzo led off the inning with walks and Heyward reached on catcher's interference to load the bases. However, Rockies starter German Marquez buckled down, striking out Javier Baez and forcing Miguel Montero to fly out deep to left. Of the eight Cubs to reach base off Marquez, only two did so by getting a hit.

"We saw 180-and-some pitches today and scored three runs. That's nearly impossible," Maddon said. "That just speaks to that we do have to do a better job with hitting with runners on base and runners in scoring position." Marquez left after 80 pitches in three innings. At times, he bristled at plate umpire Dan Bellino's strike zone, but escaped with two runs (one earned). He said his right thumb, suffered when hit by a batted ball in his last start, didn't give him trouble.

"It was kind of a tough day; a battle all day," Marquez said. "Sometimes I got frustrated because a couple pitches could have been strikes, but I just resolved myself and kept myself in the game."

How about one more? While the Rockies' bullpen has been stellar protecting leads in late innings this year, the offense still went ahead and tacked on an insurance run against Edwards. After was hit by a pitch on his foot to lead off the seventh, he stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error by Cubs catcher . Down to the final out of the inning, Nolan Arenado came through with a big RBI single, knocking the ball over the head of Baez at shortstop and into left field to give the Rockies a 5-3 lead.

"Another big run was the add-on they made with the stolen base, ball in the outfield," Maddon said. "A good piece of hitting by Arenado, but at the end of the day … we've seen this happen too often where we've seen a lot of pitches and not make the adjustment with runners in scoring position. That's the next challenge for us."

UPON FURTHER REVIEW

With one on and nobody out and Colorado ahead, 4-3, in the top of the sixth, Rockies slugger smoked a low 86-mph changeup off Frankoff deep to left, but the ball hooked foul. Colorado manager Bud Black would talk to the umpires, eventually leading to a crew-chief review of the play, but the call on the field was confirmed.

The crew would also review a play in the eighth inning, as Contreras appeared to catch Ian Desmond stealing with two out to end the frame. After a quick review, the call was upheld and the inning was over.

WHAT'S NEXT

Rockies: Right-hander Jeff Hoffman (3-0, 2.61 ERA) has made three spot starts. After the first two, he was optioned back to Triple-A Albuquerque. But after his last one, a win at San Diego on Sunday, Hoffman got to stay around. He'll face the Cubs on Saturday at 12:20 p.m. MT at Wrigley Field.

Cubs: Right-hander Eddie Butler will get the ball for Game 3 of the series, with first pitch at Wrigley Field slated for 1:20 p.m. CT. Butler, who pitched for the Rockies from 2014-16, has fared well at Wrigley Field this season, going 2-0 with a 2.63 ERA in three starts.

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Cubs.com Montgomery battles, but done in by pitch count By Scott Chasen

CHICAGO -- Mike Montgomery wanted to battle, but he could only carry on for so long.

Making his first start of the year in place of the injured Kyle Hendricks, Montgomery worked through the Rockies' lineup with really only one mistake Friday. But by the time the left-hander had made it through four innings, his pitch count was already at 73.

"They've got a good lineup, and I just wasn't able to get those quick outs," Montgomery said after the Cubs' 5-3 loss. "I didn't want to give in to some of their big guys."

Montgomery's start lasted four innings, tying it for his longest outing of his season. He gave up three hits, three walks and two runs with five strikeouts, working around runners on base in three of the four innings. He almost got out of the outing unscathed, but a mistake pitch in the second cost him.

Montgomery allowed Ian Desmond to reach on a single to start the second. Trevor Story struck out, which brought Ryan Hanigan to the plate. With the count at 1-1, Montgomery threw him a low fastball, but it was right over the middle. Hanigan smashed it into the bleachers in left for his second homer of the season.

"I think [there was] just one pitch I'd like to have back to Hanigan there," Montgomery said. "He put a good swing on it, but you know I had to battle."

From then on Montgomery took care of business, but it was how he did so that led to his early exit. Montgomery threw six balls to the next two batters he faced in the second inning. He had a 1-2-3 third, but again allowed all three batters to reach three-ball counts.

Then in the fourth inning, Montgomery had an eight-pitch battle with Story before eventually walking him. "That was not a good number," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said of Montgomery's pitch count. "Coming off of 51 [pitches] his last time, I thought I took it as far as we possibly could.

"Part of that high number was a lot of three-ball counts, and that's where the fastball command comes into play," Maddon said. "As he gets better fastball command, he will be able to pitch more deeply into that game."

Overall, Maddon said he thought Montgomery was fine outside of the pitch to Hanigan. As for Montgomery, he took the outing in stride, giving credit to a Rockies lineup that ranks in the top two in the National League in runs and saying he hoped to learn from different aspects of the outing.

Montgomery will likely get at least one more turn in the rotation to showcase that growth, as Hendricks will remain on the DL through the team's next five games. There is, however, one thing he said he won't adjust: his mentality.

"No matter what happens, no matter what role you're in, you've just got to go out there and keep making good pitches," Montgomery said. "That was the focus today -- and whether it's late in the game or starting the game, its the same mentality."

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Cubs.com Ecstatic about promotion, Frankoff debuts By Scott Chasen

CHICAGO -- While Seth Frankoff was eager to make his Major League debut after being summoned to the Cubs on Thursday -- seven years to the day he was drafted, no less -- his wife wasn't quite ready for him to throw a pitch.

"Seth just got there so I'm praying he doesn't pitch tonight!" tweeted Bess Frankoff, who was still about 100 miles away when her husband arrived at Wrigley Field on Thursday. "I can't miss it!!!"

Slated to start on Thursday for Triple-A Iowa in Des Moines, Frankoff got a call around 1:45 p.m. CT telling him he had been called up to the Cubs. He didn't have much time to react to the news, as he was told he had to get to the field and get his stuff together as quickly as possible.

As it happened, Frankoff got the last seat on the plane. He arrived at Wrigley Field in the seventh inning, though much to his wife's relief, he was never called upon.

On Friday, it was completely different story, as Frankoff was summoned by manager Joe Maddon in the Cubs' eventual 5-3 loss to the Rockies to begin the fifth inning of a 2-2 game. Frankoff's debut didn't get off to the smoothest start, as he gave up a leadoff infield single to Rox pitcher Chris Rusin before allowing a two-run homer to Charlie Blackmon. He settled down after that, though, pitching two innings and allowing just the two runs while striking out two in the losing effort.

"We misplay a slow roller by their pitcher, and then all of a sudden that turns into a home run," Maddon said. "Actually Frankoff didn't do a bad job. It's a slow roller and then a homer that after that he was fine."

Maddon envisions Frankoff filling in -- at least in the short term -- in the same long-relief role he was used on Friday. That job was previously held by Mike Montgomery, who started Friday's game after Kyle Hendricks was placed on the 10-day disabled because of inflammation in a tendon on the back of the middle finger on his throwing hand.

"We liked him in Spring Training. I really watched him closely in camp. He's got a very good arm," Maddon said. Frankoff appeared in 11 games this season for Iowa, starting nine while posting a 2.77 ERA. He's averaged more than five innings per outing, making him a prime candidate for the long-relief role.

Before the game, Frankoff said he was excited to pitch, especially in front of his parents, brother and wife. There's also one other thing he said he's looking forward to: Having grown up a die-hard Red Sox fan, Frankoff recalled the team's 2004 World Series run that snapped an 86-year championship drought. As luck would have it, the general manager of that team is also the Cubs' current president of baseball operations -- Theo Epstein.

"That team was very special," Frankoff said. "I'd certainly look forward to talking to him about those teams, because they were a big part of my childhood."

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Cubs.com Russell back with Cubs after day away By Scott Chasen

CHICAGO -- Addison Russell was back in the Cubs' clubhouse on Friday after spending Thursday away from the team for the series opener against the Rockies.

Major League Baseball is currently looking into allegations of domestic violence made against the shortstop via social media on Wednesday. In a statement, Russell refuted those allegations.

"I didn't show up yesterday. I was watching the game on TV. I felt sad," Russell said. "This is what I do, this is what I love. I love being here in this clubhouse with the boys, having fun. This is my home."

While Russell did not start, he said Friday he was available to play moving forward. He also said he would let his previous statement stand. Russell also denied that his struggles this season -- he's hitting .153 since the start of May -- are related to anything happening off the field.

"No, no. There's periods of times where if you're struggling, you're scuffling. And sometimes you'll stink," Russell said. "I know that being young in the Major Leagues is going to come with a lot of adversity, but you know I'm here for a reason. It's because I'm good."

Cubs manager Joe Maddon said he would check in with Russell later, noting he heard he had a good session in the cages, and he said he will likely use Russell if the situation calls for him. In the meantime, Javier Baez started at shortstop against the Rockies.

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