March 28, 2016 Daily Herald, Chicago Cubs confident in coaching staff http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20160327/sports/160329036/ Cubs.com, Cubs' Russell takes game to new level http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/169194186/addison-russell-adds-power-to-his-skill-set Cubs.com, Cubs crush 4 HRs; Hammel knocked off course http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/169300906/robinson-cano-mariners-outslug-cubs Cubs.com, Fowler exits with injury after homering http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/169316070/cubs-dexter-fowler-exits-early-with-injury Cubs.com, Arrieta cleared to start on Opening Day http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/169294794/cubs-jake-arrieta-will-start-opening-day Cubs.com, Baez's status to figure into final roster decision http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/169358292/cubs-weigh-javier-baezs-health-as-camp-ends Cubs.com, Bees prompt delay in Mariners-Cubs game http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/169315608/swarm-of-bees-delays-mariners-cubs-game Cubs.com, Maddon willing to use stats, gut with lineup http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/169304384/cubs-joe-maddon-willing-to-experiment ESPNChicago.com, Questions remain for Cubs with one week until Opening Day http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/cubs/post/_/id/37133/questions-remain-for-cubs-with-one-week-until- opening-day ESPNChicago.com, Expectations high for Cubs' second-year players http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/page/seasonpreview_cubssophomores/chicago-cubs-super-sophomore- quintet-ready-encore-amid-high-expectations ESPNChicago.com, Cubs offense responds as Jason Hammel is hit hard in loss to Mariners http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/cubs/post/_/id/37139/cubs-fall-to-mariners-as-jason-hammel-is-hit-hard- but-offense-responds ESPNChicago.com, Javier Baez nears return; rotation set for Cubs http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/cubs/post/_/id/37129/javier-baez-nears-return-rotation-set-for-cubs ESPNChicago.com, Cubs' Jake Arrieta to make Opening Day start after blister issue http://espn.go.com/chicago/mlb/story/_/id/15078243/chicago-cubs-jake-arrieta-make-opening-day-start- blister-issue CSNChicago.com, Jason Heyward survives attack from swarm of bees during Cubs game http://www.csnchicago.com/cubs/jason-heyward-survives-attack-swarm-bees-during-cubs-game CSNChicago.com, Where things stand with Javier Baez and Cubs roster http://www.csnchicago.com/cubs/where-things-stand-javier-baez-and-cubs-roster CSNChicago.com, Cubs say Jake Arrieta is all systems go for Opening Day http://www.csnchicago.com/cubs/cubs-say-jake-arrieta-all-systems-go-opening-day Chicago Tribune, Bee stings aside, Jason Heyward's transition to Cubs has been smooth http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-jason-heyward-bee-stings-spt-0328-20160327- story.html Chicago Tribune, Cubs' Jason Hammel shakes off sting of Robinson Cano's HRs http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-jason-hammel-allows-two-homers-20160327- story.html Chicago Tribune, Trevor Cahill will step in if any Cubs starting pitcher suffers an injury http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-jake-arrieta-trevor-cahill-cubs-bits-spt-0328- 20160327-story.html Chicago Tribune, Sunday's recap: Mariners 12, Cubs 9 http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-gameday-cubs-spring-training-spt-0328-20160327- story.html Chicago Tribune, Cubs building boom: Three structures going up around Wrigley http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-wrigley-field-buildings-construction-20160325- htmlstory.html Chicago Tribune, Jake Arrieta cleared for Cubs opener http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-jake-arrieta-starts-opener-20160327-story.html Chicago Sun-Times, Mariners 12, Cubs 9: Jason Hammel scuffles, Javy Baez almost back http://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/mariners-12-cubs-9-jason-hammel-scuffles-javy-baez-almost-back/ Chicago Sun-Times, Cubs OF Jason Heyward stung more than 10 times by bee swarm http://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/cubs-of-jason-heyward-stung-more-than-10-times-by-bee-swarm/ Chicago Sun-Times, Blister fine, so Cubs’ Jake Arrieta will start Opening Day http://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/blister-fine-so-cubs-jake-arrieta-will-start-opening-day/ -- Daily Herald Chicago Cubs confident in coaching staff By Bruce Miles For the first time in several years, the Cubs made no changes to their coaching staff for an upcoming season. That's remarkable because manager Joe Maddon came aboard in the fall of 2014, with a staff already in place for 2015. Many times, a manager will overhaul a staff to his liking, but Maddon added only bench coach Dave Martinez, his trusted hand from Tampa Bay. He left the rest of the staff intact. Although some may have expected a change or two for 2016, Maddon and his front-office bosses repeatedly praised the work of the coaches during and after last year's 97-win season. The jobs of the coaches have become more involved over the years, and one man simply cannot do it all in each facet of the game. Let's break down the Cubs' coaching staff down by department: Pitching and catching: Chris Bosio is so highly regarded as a pitching coach that he is working under his third manager of the Cubs. Bosio came aboard for the 2012 season under Dale Sveum and also has worked for Rick Renteria and Maddon. Bosio, a former major-league pitcher, looks the part of a throwback, but he provides thoughtful responses in interviews and seems to maintain a good rapport with his pitchers, even as their roles may change and as bodies come and go during the season. The biggest feather in Bosio's cap is his guidance of Jake Arrieta, who won the Cy Young Award last year. Bosio also took a Rule 5 pick in Hector Rondon and coached him into a 30-save closer. Bosio gets help from bullpen coach Lester Strode, who enters his 28th year in the Cubs organization. Mike Borzello, the catching and strategy coach, prepares game plans and scouting reports. The Cubs also have one of their former catchers, Henry Blanco, who came aboard last year as quality assurance coach. Hitting: Team president Theo Epstein once likened the hitting-coach position on the Cubs to that of the drummer's spot in Spinal Tap. The Cubs under Epstein couldn't settle in a hitting coach for more than a year after he took over. That has changed, as Chicago native John Mallee goes into his second season with the Cubs. Mallee's biggest challenge is coaching a bunch of young hitters who hit for power and strike out a lot. Last season, Cubs batters led the National League by striking out 1,518 times. The debate over how "bad" strikeouts are as opposed to other kinds of outs will continue. As the Cubs' young batters mature and they learn better approaches at the plate, the strikeouts should come down, which will be important when situations call for putting the ball into play to advance a runner. The Cubs were sixth in runs scored last year, fifth in home runs, fifth in on-base percentage and seventh in slugging. Mallee is assisted by former big-league hitter Eric Hinske. The bases: If you can't name the Cubs' third-base coach off the top of your head, that's probably a good thing because it means he wasn't getting a whole bunch of runners thrown out at the plate. Gary Jones, who came to the Cubs with Renteria in 2014, does a quiet, solid job at third. He also works with the infielders. Brandon Hyde came to the organization after Epstein and general manager Jed Hoyer took over in the fall of 2011. Hyde has moved from minor-league field coordinator to bench coach to first-base coach. The bench: Sooner or later, Martinez will leave Maddon, only because some other team will make him their major-league manager. A former Cubs and White Sox player, Martinez is a detail-oriented coach, and working under the innovated Maddon, both in Tampa Bay (2008-14) and Chicago, should only help his managerial chances in the future. Rounding out the coaching staff is Franklin Font, a former Cubs farmhand who enters his 22nd year in the organization. He serves as a staff assistant. -- Cubs.com Cubs' Russell takes game to new level By Carrie Muskat MESA, Ariz. -- Joe Maddon learned last season that Addison Russell was a solid defender, a good kid and the "shortstop of the future," but the Cubs manager wasn't prepared for the power. Russell didn't waste any time this spring flexing his muscles. In the Cubs' second spring game, Russell smacked a two-run home run, the first by anyone on the team in Cactus League play. After hitting 13 home runs last season, Russell could be poised for a breakout season in 2016. "It's something I wanted to show last year, but the style I played, I was a little more timid coming into the season," Russell said of his power. "It was harder for me to let it fly, especially making that move to second. It was a hard transition. At the end of last year, I felt that grip-and-rip type feel, and that's the point I want to get at early on in the season." When Russell was promoted to the big leagues last April 21, he was inserted as the starting second baseman. Starlin Castro was the Opening Day shortstop, and the team had been rotating second basemen, starting Tommy La Stella, Arismendy Alcantara and Jonathan Herrera. On Aug.