October 16, 2015

Daily Herald like their options at top of rotation By Bruce Miles

The Chicago Cubs figure they can't go wrong either way.

Ten months ago, they signed left-hander to be their ace to start games like the opener of a championship series.

Jake Arrieta, though, wasn't about to give up his title of staff ace, and he won 22 games during the regular season plus 2 more so far in the postseason.

So what's a manager to do?

Enjoy the best of both worlds, that's what.

Cubs manager Joe Maddon announced Thursday that Lester will start Game 1 of the National League championship series Saturday with Arrieta going in Game 2.

Really, it doesn't make all that much difference, as both will get two chances to help get the Cubs to the World Series.

The real benefit may come from getting Arrieta an extra day of rest.

"It kind of played out well," Maddon said. "I'm really comfortable with them both being starters in two games, possibly. That's what we're most comfortable with."

Arrieta is far into uncharted territory as far as pitched goes. Including 2 starts in the postseason, he has thrown 243⅔ innings. His major-league best was 156⅔, set last year when he emerged as the ace of the Cubs' staff.

In the postseason, Arrieta tossed a last week in beating the in the wild-card game. He looked somewhat mortal Monday in Game 3 of the division series, giving up 4 runs over 5⅔ innings.

So although Saturday would be Arrieta's normal day to pitch, he's getting one extra day. Lester, on the other hand, has not pitched since Oct. 9, when he worked 7⅓ innings in a 4-0 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals in Game 1 of the NLDS.

Lester will address the media Friday. Arrieta seemed on board with the idea before the Cubs worked out Thursday at .

"I'm human," Arrieta said. "The tempo and the rhythm wasn't right (in Game 3). Some of the command issues were pretty uncharacteristic. It happens. We were able to get the win. I was able to keep us there and keep us in the game."

Even though Arrieta is one of the best-conditioned athletes in the game, he said the importance of his last 2 starts might have taken an emotional toll and maybe gotten him out of whack mechanically.

"Physically, I'm fine," he said. "I think the playoff atmosphere can drain you of energy mentally, and you spend a lot of brain power throughout the day contemplating things, thinking about different scenarios. And it can be taxing. Sometimes it will translate into some physical fatigue.

"Being able to understand how to handle these playoff atmospheres and situations, especially leading into the game, is going to do me a lot more good going into the series."

Arrieta said preparing for a postseason start begins well before the game starts.

"Early in the day, yes," he said. "You're trying to conserve energy, but almost anytime you start to think about the game, your approach at the way you're going to attack that lineup, you're starting to expend some energy.

"I would catch myself (with) the heart rate starting to go up throughout the day, even when I was kind of hanging out. Those are things you learn how to control. You try to stay calm and try to stay in your pregame routine.

"It's hard to control sometimes, when you're in atmospheres like this. It's a good thing."

Maddon also cited the emotional component with Arrieta.

"I think we've been pushing him pretty hard," the manager said. "His innings are way up compared to what they've been in the past. I've talked this before, primarily with relief . It's beyond the physical drain; it's the emotional drain. He went through a really difficult moment in Pittsburgh that night and set this whole thing up for us.

"Anytime you can give a guy an emotional and physical break, you take advantage of that right now. I would almost bet that he would say that he's fine, and I'm sure he is, but I kind of like it this way."

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Daily Herald Hamstring strain sidelines Russell for NLCS By Bruce Miles

The Chicago Cubs have a roster decision to make after announcing that starting shortstop Addison Russell will miss the National League championship series with a hamstring injury.

Russell suffered the injury in Game 3 of the division series against the St. Louis Cardinals as he strained his left hamstring running out a triple. The Cubs said Thursday the strain was "moderate."

Javier Baez, who a big 3- homer in the clinching fourth game of the series, will replace Russell in the starting lineup in the NLCS.

The question now is who takes the roster spot of Russell. The best guess is that the Cubs will go with speedy outfielder Quintin Berry, who can pinch run in a key spot.

Russell, a rookie who came to the big leagues April 21, has been a big part of the Cubs' success this year.

"We'll continue to work on him," manager Joe Maddon said. "Hopefully if everything plays properly and we have another opportunity to play another round, he might be available at that time. But for sure not this one.

"He's such a mature kid. The conversation was easy. He got it. I think he was a little bit relieved in the sense that he did not have to push it right now."

Putting it on the board:

There was still a lot of talk Thursday about the hit by rookie left fielder Kyle Schwarber in Tuesday's Game 4 of the NLDS against the Cardinals.

The ball landed atop the videoboard in right field. The Cubs encased the ball in glass, and it will stay there, at least for the foreseeable future.

"I'm not focused on the home run ball," Schwarber said. "I'm focused on the next series and getting our bodies right."

Joe Maddon was all for leaving the ball on the board.

"Whoever thought of it, it's pure genius," Maddon said. "I heard about it, and I was like, 'I hope they put casing around it and don't move it.' That's exactly what happened. The way tradition and lore are dealt with around here, that could withstand the test of time.

"Now you have to definitely keep that scoreboard intact, right? If there's any consideration of doing anything differently, you've got to keep it there now."

Not playing favorites:

The Cubs were not scheduled to leave Chicago until Friday morning after finding out late Thursday if they were headed to Los Angeles or New York for the NLCS.

"Of course we had a good record against the Mets this year," manager Joe Maddon said of the Cubs' 7-0 mark against New York. "But they're a pretty different team than we had seen earlier. The Mets have outstanding starting (pitching) and a lot of power pitching across the board.

"The Dodgers have the two-headed monster (pitchers and ), although their other starters are good, too. I don't know what the Mets look like right now. I know what they looked like a couple of months ago.

"The Dodgers present a lot of veterans. I'm talking about experience. If it comes down to which team I prefer, neither. Either one's fine. I've really have learned not to play that game."

Maddon said it all comes down to one thing anyway for his team.

"At the end of the day, play our game," he said. "Regardless who you're playing, the Cubs have to play like the Cubs play. We have to pitch well. We have to catch the ball. We've hit some home runs lately. We've played some other parts of the game better."

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Daily Herald Soler ready to do some damage for Chicago Cubs By Scot Gregor

Jorge Soler is on the move, and the Cubs are moving on in the National League playoffs against the New York Mets.

While he was not solely responsible for the Cubs' success against the St. Louis Cardinals in the NL division series, Soler's potent bat and strong throwing arm were significant factors.

Let's start with the arm.

While the 23-year-old rookie has had his share of misadventures in right field this season, his arm is strong and accurate.

Rallying in Game 4 of the NLDS on Tuesday at Wrigley Field, the Cardinals tied the game at 4-4 with two outs in the sixth on pinch hitter Brandon Moss' RBI single to right.

Catcher Tony Cruz, who cut the Cubs' lead to 4-3 with a run-scoring double earlier in the sixth, also tried to score on Moss' hit.

"We needed to test the outfield," said St. Louis manager Mike Matheny.

Instead of taking a 5-4 lead and possibly sending the series back to Busch Stadium for Game 5, the Cardinals were burned by Soler's perfect one-hop throw to the plate that catcher Miguel Montero gloved to tag out Cruz.

Soler's big defensive play changed the momentum of the game, and solo home runs by Anthony Rizzo in the bottom of the sixth and Kyle Schwarber in the seventh sparked the Cubs to a 6-4 victory.

Earlier in the series, Soler was doing his damage on offense.

The 6-foot-4, 215-pounder set a major-league record by reaching base safely in his first nine postseason plate appearances. Employed as a pinch hitter in Game 1 of the NLDS, Soler drew a walk.

Getting the start in Game 2 and second, Soler was 2-for-2 with a 2-run homer and 2 walks. In Game 3, he was 2-for-2 with another 2-run shot and 2 more walks.

The streak ended in Soler's first at-bat in Game 4 when he struck out swinging.

Soler has immense power, so the 2 home runs in the NLDS are no surprise.

The 6 walks in 13 trips to the plate are a huge surprise. During the regular season, Soler drew only 32 walks in 404 plate appearances.

"I've got tremendous confidence right now," Soler said through a translator. "I'm seeing the ball really well, and I'm just trying to get on base and help our team win."

Like most young power hitters, Soler was guilty of chasing bad pitches and taking big swings. He picked the perfect time to make an adjustment.

"That's what happens with hitters," manager Joe Maddon said. "If they're going through a bad moment, they want to chase things. They want to study more video or they want to do something differently, but it pretty much comes down to stop swinging at balls, organize your strike zone.

"Once you organize your strike zone and you accept walks, then at that point you should be able to hit pretty close to your potential."

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Daily Herald Spiegel: Chicago Cubs make their plan ... and stick to it By Matt Spiegel

It's not supposed to work this quickly. There's no way Theo Epstein expected it to.

But he knew what he wanted to do, and Theo hired lots of really good people. And he trusted them to do their work.

If you were at the ballpark for Game 3 of the divisional series with the St. Louis Cardinals, you saw 125 members of the scouting and development team walking around the outfield before the game. The club had them flown into town, with their wives and families, to take that walk and grab a seat in the bleachers to watch the fruits of their labor.

They saw 6 home runs, 5 of them by players under the age of 26. They saw players whom they had helped research and recommend drive 40,000 people into fanatical frenzy.

Sitting with the "Spiegel and Goff Show" at the ballpark Tuesday, the boss gave voice to the progression from the winter of 2011.

"The first thing we did when we got here, I think it was within the first two weeks of being a Cub, was we had organizational meetings where those 125 people that you saw last night … we brought them to a hotel down in Mesa (Arizona), and we spent four days figuring out what the Cubs Way would be.

"Putting together the collective wisdom of all the people in the room; scouts who've been doing it for 40 years, development guys who've been doing it for 30 years, me and all of the front-office guys."

"We spent a day on hitting, a day on pitching and a day on baserunning and defense. We had to figure out what we were going to stand for, how we were going to teach the game. We didn't all agree, but in the end we figured out what we were going to be as an organization.

"I'm not going to go into too much detail, but a lot of it revolves around controlling the strike zone, on both sides of the ball … we've gone from last in the league in pitches per plate appearance, to now we're first. We've walked a tremendous amount, our on-base percentage is now where it should be.

"On the pitching side, same thing, you know, strike one. Don't let the hitter control the at bat, but get ahead, be able to miss bats and throw strikes. It was a big manual, but it was really cool to see those folks walking around the warning track last night because we all contributed in some way, and it's a big part of why we're here."

The principles were set, and that drove transactions in every area of player acquisition.

Look at how this playoff roster was built.

There are draft-pick sluggers and Kyle Schwarber.

There is the international free agent in Jorge Soler.

There are the holdovers, now developed, such as Starlin Castro and Javier Baez.

There is a Rule-5 draft pick, Hector Rondon, who was injured and left unprotected by the .

The Cubs have more players obtained via trades than any team in the postseason.

Travis Wood was first, from Cincinnati. Anthony Rizzo came from San Diego. and Pedro Strop from Baltimore in a potentially legendary deal.

Dexter Fowler arrived from Houston for Luis Valbuena. Miguel Montero came from Arizona for two prospects. Justin Grimm was in the Matt Garza deal. also came from Texas in a separate trade for .

Addison Russell was stolen from Oakland. Tommy La Stella was an Atlanta Brave. Austin Jackson came for a player to be named from Seattle.

There are low-risk, low-money free agents such as Chris Coghlan, Chris Denorfia, Jonathan Herrera and Jason Hammel.

There is the one very big ticket item in Jon Lester, followed by his catcher, David Ross.

There are multiple midseason bullpen grabs. Clayton Richard was simply purchased from Pittsburgh. Trevor Cahill was signed off of a couch on Aug. 18. Fernando Rodney came in a waiver trade on Aug. 27.

Every one of these men was scouted with the initial strike zone principles in mind, as laid out in 2011. Then they were trained on all levels to adhere to them.

Make a plan, and stick to it. Use all your resources. Coordinate your values and methods.

Who knows what can happen?

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Daily Herald Rested starters should give Cubs advantage in NLCS By Bruce Miles

The Cubs won't have home-field advantage in the National League championship series, but they figure to have one important advantage: setting their rotation.

By eliminating the St. Louis Cardinals Tuesday in Game 4 of the division series, the Cubs did not have to come back with No. 2 Jon Lester for a Game 5.

Now, they are likely to start staff ace Jake Arrieta in Saturday's Game 1 of the NLCS in either New York or Los Angeles. Lester would be ready for Sunday's second game. The Mets and Dodgers will play Game 5 of their NLDS Thursday night.

Arrieta is 2-0 in the postseason, having tossed a complete game last week at Pittsburgh to beat the Pirates in the wild-card game. He proved human in Game 3 of the division series, going 5⅔ innings and giving up 5 hits and 4 runs.

During the regular season, Arrieta was 22-6 with a 1.77 ERA, inserting his name into consideration for the .

He looked slightly off Monday, but he has logged 243⅔ innings this season. His previous career high in the big leagues was 156.2, set last year.

"Physically he was fine," said manager Joe Maddon. "The command was just not typical. That's what I was seeing. I didn't see the same finish on the pitches. Part of it was the fastball command wasn't there, so they're not going to chase the other stuff.

"You've got to be careful with all of that. I think more than anything was the emotional component of pitching and winning the wild-card game. I think that might have taken something out of him a little bit. Not that he can't regain it because I didn't think he was stressed physically (Monday). I just think he was off. I thought he was off mechanically, too."

Waiting on Russell:

Shortstop Addison Russell and the Cubs likely will know more Thursday about his status for the NLCS. Russell felt tightness in his left hamstring in Game 3 of the NLDS while running out a triple. He had to come out of the game, and he missed the Game 4 clincher.

If Russell can't play, the Cubs seem to feel comfortable with Javier Baez at short. Baez hit a 3-run homer in Game 4. The Cubs will hold a Thursday afternoon workout at Wrigley Field.

Invaluable experience:

Joe Maddon has talked repeatedly of how important winning the wild-card game has been because of the one- and-done nature of the game. Maddon says that experience is helping the Cubs as they move on in the playoffs.

"It's invaluable," he said. "It starts with getting into the playoffs like we did and winning 97 games. But having to battle through a wild-card game and getting experience is fabulous. That is probably the most invaluable part of what we've done to this point because you have to get into that one-and-done kind of a mentality.

"We know that we can do that now. We know how to approach it now. When we lined up on the line for the first game of this series, it was an incredibly different feeling emotionally than the wild-card game in Pittsburgh because you're going to either win this game or go home. At least you know coming into this series you have five games to try to get this thing done. It's a totally different mindset. It's like a Super Bowl game. You either win or you don't win."

Record setters:

Cubs batters hit 10 home runs in the NLDS. They had hit 7 in their previous four division series combined, covering 14 games.

Jorge Soler has drawn 6 walks in the postseason, a Cubs rookie franchise record and tied for the most by a Cubs player in a division series. Sammy Sosa had 6 walks in the 2003 NLDS against Atlanta.

Cubs pitchers struck out 15 in Tuesday's clincher, setting a postseason franchise record. The Cubs struck out 14 in game 1 of the 2003 NLDS. The pitching staff struck out 48 in the series against the Cardinals, topping the franchise record of 42, also in 2003.

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Daily Herald Chicago Cubs success story has many chapters By Bruce Miles

Whether they're a year ahead of schedule or right on time, the Chicago Cubs are going to the National League championship series for the right to play in the World Series.

To a person, everybody in the Cubs family says they won't be satisfied until they get to and win the World Series.

To this point, though, there are several winners within the organization, some obvious, some not so obvious. Let's take a look at a few.

The Ricketts family:

Chairman Tom Ricketts and his siblings put their faith in Theo Epstein when they hired him as team president in the fall of 2011. Last fall Epstein told Ricketts that 2015 would not have to be a development year.

"I always believe everything Theo says; that's why you hire him," a champagne-soaked Ricketts said in the Cubs' clubhouse Tuesday after they eliminated the St. Louis Cardinals in the National League division series. "He came to me and said, 'I think we have enough crucial young guys here who are playing well enough and a few pieces or parts here and we've got a real puncher's chance.' "

The legend of the Babe:

Even though Anthony Rizzo hit a home run in Game 4 of the NLDS to put the Cubs ahead 5-4, Kyle Schwarber stole the show by hitting a monster shot in the seventh inning. The ball landed on top of the videoboard in right field.

Schwarber's immense power and stocky build have brought on comparisons to Babe Ruth. The Cubs drafted Schwarber in the first round last year, and he spent 2014 playing in Boise, for the Kane County Cougars and in Daytona.

"It's been a crazy ride, and I'm blessed to be here," he said. "It could have been a totally different story if I was on a different team. Coming into this organization and them believing in me all the way from our front office to our ownership to our coaches and then when I did come up with our players, they made it so easy on me to come up and just do my job, and that's play baseball.

"It could have been, 'Rookie this, rookie that, you do that.' It wasn't any of that. It was, 'You're here to help us win, let's go.' "

Starlin Castro and Travis Wood:

Castro endured trade rumors in late July and then was benched for a bit in early August when he lost his starting- shortstop job to rookie Addison Russell.

The longest-tenured Cub and a three-time all-star, Castro never complained, and he ended up being one of the Cubs' most productive players down the stretch.

When he made his big-league debut in 2010, the Cubs were in the early stages of a steep decline, so getting to the NLCS is doubly sweet for Castro.

"I think I forgot already all those tough times," he said. "Those were the times when I was looking forward, and we keep moving forward. We keep moving forward, play like we are, and something good's going to happen."

Like Castro, Wood lost his job, getting bumped from the starting rotation to the bullpen in May. Wood wound up working in 54 games and picking up 4 saves. He pitched in three of the four games of the NLDS.

Scouting and development:

The Cubs honored their scouting-and-development people before Monday's third game of the series by giving them a victory lap around the Wrigley Field warning track. In that night's game, the Cubs started four rookies: Russell, Schwarber, Kris Bryant and Jorge Soler.

Before his pregame media session, manager Joe Maddon went out of his way to praise the scouting-and- development people.

"I started out as a minor-league scout and manager in 1981 with the Angels, so I'm watching these guys," Maddon said. "I know how important that walk was for them, and I just want to make sure that everybody understands that's where it begins. The life blood of every organization is the scouting department, and it's followed by the minor-league developmental guys.

"They put in so much time that's never recognized, and believe me, I understand that firsthand. So I just want to say a shout-out to our guys, thank you for all you've done because everybody sees the finished product on the field right now, and you're always going to recognize the group that's here."

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Cubs.com Cubs ready for NLCS showdown with Mets By Carrie Muskat

CHICAGO -- The Cubs swept the Mets in the seven games they faced off during the regular season, but that doesn't matter any more. It'll be Chicago vs. New York, Cubs vs. Mets in the National League Championship Series, starting Saturday (7:30 p.m. ET on TBS) at Citi Field.

New York advanced with a 3-2 victory over the Dodgers on Thursday night in Game 5 of the NL Division Series at Dodger Stadium.

The Cubs will travel early Friday for their first postseason meeting with the Mets. The two teams do have a little history, and you'll hear a lot about the 1969 season. Chicago had a 2 1/2-game lead over New York that season after a loss to Pittsburgh on Sept. 7, in which tied the game with two outs in the ninth, hitting a gut- wrenching home run off . The Cubs then faced the Mets at Shea Stadium and lost both of those games, including one in which a black cat ran onto the field as Ron Santo was standing in the on-deck circle. Chicago lost 11 of 12 games in that stretch, from Sept. 3-15, as well as its lead in the NL East, and the Mets went on a run.

The Cubs would finish 1969 in second at 92-70, while the Mets went on to win the World Series, beating the Orioles in five games.

None of the current Cubs players was born yet in 1969, so they'll probably just shrug when stories about that season are rekindled.

Game 1 at Citi Field will feature lefty Jon Lester against New York's . One thing that won't be on the Cubs' minds during the trip will be their season sweep over the Mets. New York didn't have Yoenis Cespedes, acquired later in a non-waiver Trade Deadline deal, in the lineup at that time. Nor did the Mets have third baseman David Wright and catcher Travis d'Arnaud, both out due to injury, or rookie outfielder Michael Conforto, who was still in the Minors.

"That's over with," catcher Miguel Montero said of the regular-season statistics. "You can't rely on that or say, 'We swept this series against them,' or, 'We did this against those two guys.' That's over. I think the Mets are a totally different team. ... The Mets have Yoenis Cespedes -- they're totally different. You know they're all good players." There was no watch party planned for Cubs players Thursday night as they waited for the Mets and Dodgers to finish the NLDS.

Cubs manager Joe Maddon joked that he didn't need another party. The Cubs celebrated following their victory over the Cardinals in Game 4 of the NLDS on Tuesday, and some were still recovering.

"I've got so few brain cells left, I have to protect them," Maddon quipped. "They're on the endangered-species list now."

Maddon and Mets manager Terry Collins do have a connection. When Collins was let go as manager of the 1999 Angels, Maddon, who was his bench coach, took over as interim manager.

The Cubs did work out at Wrigley Field on Thursday in preparation for the NLCS, and all that was certain was Lester will start Game 1, Jake Arrieta will get the nod in Game 2 on Sunday, and rookie shortstop Addison Russell will not be available because of a hamstring strain.

"We'd rather travel to New York than L.A., and that's the extent of who we'd rather play," Cubs catcher David Ross said before the Mets won. "I think New York is a lot like us -- they've grown up over the year. They're a much different team than when we played them early in the year. When you get to this time of year, whoever you play, they're going to be really good and very talented and you have to play good baseball to beat them."

Maddon said he didn't recognize the Mets now. Noah Syndergaard made his Major League debut against the Cubs at Wrigley Field on May 12, and took the loss. Jacob deGrom faced Chicago twice, losing both games while totaling seven over 10 1/3 innings.

"It's an entirely different team," Ross said of the Mets. "Their young pitching has really evolved. Getting to watch some of their games now, you can see how sharp they are."

Since clinching the NLDS, Ross said it's been "exhausting," but in a good sense.

"I'm tired from smiling, if that can ever get old," he said. "It's just been fun, celebrating with these guys who have never done it -- and I'm talking about guys who have never been past the first round."

The Cubs were ready to go.

"There's no 'worn out' this time of year," Ross said. "It's a new season. When the postseason hits, it's like all over again. You get a newfound energy. It's a young group. I don't know how much fatigue will play into it."

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Cubs.com Lester will start NLCS opener for Cubs By Carrie Muskat

CHICAGO -- Jon Lester will start Game 1 of the National League Championship Series on Saturday (6:30 p.m. CT on TBS) vs. the Mets at Citi Field, and he will be followed by Jake Arrieta in Game 2, manager Joe Maddon said Thursday.

"Jon Lester in a big game is always tasty," Maddon said of the left-hander, who has a career 6-5 record and 2.66 ERA in 15 postseason games. "You'll always take that. I have no problem with that. I know he's very confident. I think the extra rest will help, too."

Arrieta threw a shutout against the Pirates in the NL Wild Card Game presented by Budweiser, and started Game 3 of the NL Division Series against the Cardinals on Monday, giving up four runs over 5 2/3 innings. Lester pitched last Friday in Game 1 of the NLDS, and was scheduled to go in Game 5 if necessary. The Cubs beat the Cardinals in four games to advance to the NLCS.

"It's nice giving Jake an extra day," Maddon said of the right-hander. "I'm really comfortable with them being starters in two games [in the series]."

Arrieta posted career highs in this season (229) en route to a 22-6 record and a 1.77 ERA.

"He'll probably tell you he does not [need the rest], but I like the idea he gets it," Maddon said. "I think we've been pushing him pretty hard. His innings are way up compared to what they've been in the past."

Arrieta admitted that his heart rate was pumping at an accelerated pace on Monday, and said he'll adjust his pregame routine accordingly.

"The biggest thing is trying to conserve energy when you can," Arrieta said. "The biggest part of that is early in the day. Try to sleep in as late as you can, try to relax and try to keep your mind off certain things early in the day. Everyone knows once you get to the park, that adrenaline and that energy is just going to continue to flow."

The Cubs are expected to go with four starters in the NLCS, so Jason Hammel and Kyle Hendricks would join Lester and Arrieta, but Maddon wasn't ready to reveal the rotation order.

"We have not finalized anything," Maddon said. "Possibly who we're playing will impact that decision, too."

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Cubs.com Russell to miss NLCS with hamstring injury By Carrie Muskat

CHICAGO -- Cubs rookie Addison Russell will not be available for the National League Championship Series because of a hamstring injury suffered in Game 3 of the NL Division Series. Javier Baez will get the start at shortstop.

Russell injured his left hamstring when he tripled in the fourth inning, and suffered a moderate strain.

"Addy, right now, will not participate in this next round," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said Thursday before a workout at Wrigley Field. "If everything plays properly and we have an opportunity to play another round, he might be available at that time -- but for sure, not this one."

The Cubs did not want Russell to try and rush back and possibly re-injure his leg. In four postseason games, Russell is 3-for-12.

"He's such a mature kid," Maddon said of the 21-year-old. "The conversation was easy -- he understood, he got it. For me, as a manager, to put a guy in a situation where he could get hurt even worse is a bad place to be."

In his first start in Game 4 on Tuesday, Baez hit a three-run home run in the second inning off the Cardinals' John Lackey. He played most of the season at Triple-A Iowa, missing the month of April to be with family after the death of his sister, Noely. He was sidelined with a broken finger after a headfirst slide, and played 70 games at Iowa, batting .324 with 13 home runs, 14 doubles and 61 RBIs. Then as a September callup with the Cubs, he hit .289 with one homer and four RBIs in 28 games.

"The thing about Addison is he's played enough here to know he belongs here and can do this," Maddon said. "I want to believe that Javy is arriving at that same point. I think the three-run homer in a playoff game like that against one of the best pitchers in the National League should boost your confidence. The big thing out of him, too, is consistency on defense. We have to catch the ball. Pitching and catching is really important to us. I know he can do that."

The Cubs, who will add another player to the NLCS roster, were considering their options on Thursday. One option could be adding Quintin Berry to give them a speedster off the bench. The decision will be influenced by who the Cubs play in the NLCS as well.

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Cubs.com Schwarber's moonshot now a Wrigley artifact By Carrie Muskat

CHICAGO -- Cubs rookie Kyle Schwarber did not climb to the top of the right-field video board to see where his home run ball landed. The ball, now protected by a plexiglass case, has taken on a life of its own.

"I'm not focused on the home run ball," Schwarber said Thursday before a brief workout at Wrigley Field in preparation for the National League Championship Series. "I'm focused on the next series and getting our bodies right."

In case you missed it, Schwarber launched a solo home run to right leading off the seventh inning of Game 4 of the NL Division Series against the Cardinals. It was difficult to tell where the ball landed -- it appeared to be headed toward Lake Michigan.

"At first, none of us knew where it went," Cubs pitcher Jake Arrieta said. "We saw that it landed on top of the scoreboard, and saw the glass case and some of the pictures they took and how they're going to preserve that. I was talking to 'Schwarbs' and said, 'That's amazing, that's history right there.'

"It's the first ball that's ever been up there in the playoffs, and they put a glass case around it," Arrieta said. "Whether they leave it up there or not or put it in the Hall of Fame or wherever, it's a really cool thing for a guy like him to experience and tell people about."

Cubs manager Joe Maddon complimented whoever came up with the idea of boxing the ball with the clear case. "Whoever thought of it, that's pure genius," Maddon said.

Schwarber could probably get permission to see it if he wanted. Any plans to climb to the top?

"No," he said, laughing.

Extra bases

• The Cubs started four rookies in Game 3 of the NLDS in Schwarber, Jorge Soler, Kris Bryant and Addison Russell. Earlier this season, Maddon said the young Cubs were "out-experienced" by some teams. Now, he said the players need to control their emotions, slow down the game mentally, which they've done, and they'll be fine.

"I know if they make a mistake, it'll be, 'Blame the lack of experience,' or, 'Rookie mistake,'" Maddon said. "I always get a kick out of that because I've seen veterans make mistakes, too. It's about being able to stay in the moment and processing that moment and not getting too caught up in planning or overthinking it."

• How popular are the Cubs? The team announced Thursday that more than 1 million fans registered for the chance to purchase single-game postseason tickets. Fans can continue to register for a chance to purchase tickets for potential 2015 World Series games at Wrigley Field. The World Series registration period ends at noon CT on Friday.

For additional information about the 2015 postseason, or to review the complete terms and conditions of the 2015 postseason ticket purchase opportunity, fans should visit www.cubs.com/postseason.

• Bob Gehrke, 78, a popular security guard who manned the Cubs' clubhouse entrance, passed away on Tuesday. He had been an employee at Wrigley Field since 2001, and was on the job Monday for Game 1 of the NLDS. Maddon presented Gehrke with a Cubs jersey that said "Bob" and No. 1 on the back in June.

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Cubs.com Looking back at Cubs' NLCS history By Carrie Muskat

CHICAGO -- On Saturday, the Cubs will play in the National League Championship Series for the fourth time in team history. Here is a look back at the North Siders' past LCS appearances:

The Cubs got a boost from an MVP season by Ryne Sandberg and the acquisition of tall right-hander , who posted a 16-1 record in 20 games after he was acquired from the Indians. Lee Smith totaled 33 saves, and the Cubs won the NL East with a 96-65 record for their first trip to the postseason since 1945. The euphoria over that feat carried into Game 1, a 13-0 romp over the Padres. Ron Cey, Bob Dernier, Gary Matthews and even Sutcliffe homered to power a 16-hit attack. Chicago won Game 2, 4-2, behind lefty Steve Trout, who went 8 1/3 innings before turning the game over to Smith.

The series then headed west, and the Padres rolled, 7-1, in Game 3, and took Game 4, 7-5, behind Steve Garvey's five RBIs -- including a tiebreaking two-run homer in the ninth off Smith. In Game 5, Chicago led, 3-0, after two innings, but the Padres rallied for two runs in the sixth and four in the seventh, including a heartbreaking game- tying run on Leon Durham's fielding error when pinch-hitter Tim Flannery's grounder skipped through the first baseman's legs. Tony Gwynn followed with a two-run double, and then scored on Garvey's double to post a 6-3 win. All of the runs in the fateful inning came off Sutcliffe.

In 1989, only Sandberg, Sutcliffe and Scott Sanderson remained from the '84 team, and Wrigley Field had lights to host night games. Will Clark carried the Giants, batting .650 (13-for-20) while hitting two home runs -- including a grand slam -- with six RBIs in Game 1, an 11-3 San Francisco win at Wrigley. These were the Boys of Zimmer, led by rookies Jerome Walton and Dwight Smith. Mark Grace tried to keep pace with Clark, and batted .647 (11-for-17) with five extra-base hits and eight RBIs.

The Cubs' only win came in Game 2 at Wrigley, as they knocked out in the first inning, scoring six times. In Game 3, Robby Thompson hit a two-run homer in the seventh off Les Lancaster for a 5-4 Giants win. started Game 4, giving up four runs (three earned) over 3 1/3 innings, but Steve Wilson took the loss, giving up Matt Williams' tiebreaking two-run homer in the fifth.

In Game 5, the two teams were tied at 1 heading into the bottom of the eighth, and the Giants had two on and two outs after walked both Brett Butler and Thompson. Mitch Williams relieved Bielecki, and Clark greeted him with a two-run single.

In Dusty Baker's first season as manager, the Cubs won the NL Central, powered by and Mark Prior, and needed five games to beat the Braves in the NL Division Series. The NLCS was tied at 1-1 when it shifted to Miami for Game 3. The Cubs and Marlins were tied at 1 until pinch-hitter Doug Glanville smacked an RBI triple with one out in the 11th for a 5-4 Chicago victory.

Aramis Ramirez hit two home runs and drove in six runs and Matt Clement gave up three runs over 7 2/3 innings for an 8-3 win in Game 4, giving the Cubs a 3-1 lead in the series. But threw a two-hit shutout in Game 5 for a 4-0 Marlins win and the series headed back to Wrigley Field.

In Game 6, the Cubs had a 3-0 lead and were five outs away from their first trip to the World Series since 1945 when the Marlins rallied for eight runs in the eighth. Florida sent 12 batters to the plate that inning, taking advantage of shortstop Alex Gonzalez's error.

The Cubs had a chance in Game 7, tying the game at 3 on Wood's two-run homer in the second. But the Marlins scored three in the fifth off Wood en route to a 9-6 victory. With the win, the Marlins became the fourth team in LCS history to overcome a 3-1 deficit and advance to the World Series.

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Cubs.com Bosio's personal touch resonates with Cubs By Carrie Muskat

CHICAGO -- He's a large man who lumbers, whether it's from the dugout to the pitching mound, through the Cubs clubhouse or on the golf course. He's had his share of glory days, throwing a no-hitter for the Mariners, and winning 14 or more games three times in his 11-year playing career. And of all the pitching coaches that veteran catcher David Ross has been around, Chris Bosio may be the best friend he's ever had.

"I don't know if I've ever been around a pitching coach who has their pitchers' backs more than he does," Ross said of the Cubs' pitching coach. "He stands up for those guys. He's like the 'dad' of the pitching staff.

"You don't want to let him down, because he puts in a lot of one-on-one attention to the pitchers, which I think they like a lot," Ross said. "He knows each guy's strengths and weaknesses. And even when things go wrong, he still stands up for those guys."

Bosio's magic touch has worked and helped catapult the Cubs into the National League Championship Series, which will open Saturday at 7:30 p.m. ET on TBS. The Cubs will face the winner of the Mets vs. Dodgers in their NL Division Series.

Look at the numbers. In 2014, Chicago pitchers compiled a 3.91 ERA, 13th best in the National League, and its starters had a 4.11 ERA, also 13th in the NL.

This year, the Cubs' pitching staff ranked third in the NL with a 3.36 ERA. Those stats were definitely given a boost by Jake Arrieta's stellar season -- a Major League-leading 22 wins and a stellar 1.77 ERA -- and the addition of Jon Lester (11-12, 3.34 ERA). But it's Bosio who is the force behind their success.

"Bos is one of the best ones I've had," Cubs pitcher Kyle Hendricks said. "He really knows each pitcher well and keeps each of us separate. When I go out, he knows exactly what my cues are and what I'm trying to work on. Some pitching coaches try to do the same thing. Obviously, up here, that wouldn't work.

"I think the biggest thing is he has 100 percent confidence in all his guys," said Hendricks, who went 8-7 with a 3.95 ERA in his first full season. "He's always got your back. That's one of the biggest factors -- and that gives us confidence."

Jason Hammel thrived under Bosio's tutelage last season, compiling a 2.98 ERA in 17 starts before he was dealt in July to the Athletics. A free agent heading into last offseason, Hammel told his agent he wanted to come back to the Cubs because of Bosio.

"It wasn't a fluke," Hammel said. "When you have the relationship that we have -- it's open-door policy, you can say what you feel to each person, and we always talk face-to-face about things we're concerned about.

"We have kind of the same mind. Obviously, he has a lot more baseball history than I do, but the way we click and the thought process for us -- I've talked about the golf thing. When you start getting too concerned with the small mechanics of pitching, and you can go to something [like golf] and it still relates for us, that makes it easy for me. It isn't, 'Do this, this and this.'"

Bosio and Hammel spent as many off-days as they could on the golf course, starting in Spring Training. "I know if we were in the middle of our prime in golf, he'd kick my butt," Hammel said.

What was the key in 2014 for Hammel?

"It was the fact that I felt he backed me," Hammel said of Bosio. "I had other pitching coaches who backed me, but last year, I had not only Bos -- but an organization -- behind me and felt they wanted me to be a part of this. Confidence is everything in the big leagues. When you feel confident and you can feel other people's confidence in you, it's a different monster."

This is Lester Strode's 27th season in the Cubs organization, and ninth as the bullpen coach. He's worked with more pitching coaches than he can count. Bosio is different.

"He's very personal with them," Strode said. "He gets to know them and who they are. It's a part of them being relaxed around him and feeling he's a part of their life as opposed to just being a coach. They feel they can lean on him if they have other issues. It can affect how they perform on the mound."

The extra effort helps Bosio gain their trust, and that's more important than getting that just right. "These guys are pros, good athletes, the best in the world," Bosio said. "You've got to find the thing that clicks, the personal stuff, the golf, the thing you can relate to -- playoff talk, big-moment stuff.

"On this team, there are so many people stricken by cancer, it's a common communication point," said Bosio, who has lost family members to the disease and does fundraising in the offseason. "It's important you find out about each other. That's what makes this group so special. They get it, and they know a lot about each other's families and lives."

How dedicated are the Cubs pitchers? When the team had off-days in Detroit and in New York in June, the players could've slept in or taken advantage of a show on Broadway.

"Jon said, 'Hey, man, tomorrow's an off-day -- what do you think?' and I said, 'I think you should throw. What are you going to do?'" Bosio said. "As we pulled into the hotel [in Detroit], [Lester] said, 'We'll just play catch there.'"

So, Lester stayed on schedule by throwing at a park across the street from their hotel. In New York, he did his workout at Central Park.

"They're as regimented a group as I've ever had," Bosio said. "My feeling is the more you can get on the mound, your timing is going to be better. They all get it. They know what they need. We found some key points for these guys, and we're just trying to keep them going and keep them healthy."

Said Ross: "The most positive thing I can say about 'Bos' is that he cares about his pitchers and each individual performance. I think he genuinely cares for each pitcher. I don't think it's a business to him, I think it's personal. That's one of the highest compliments I could ever give."

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ESPNChicago.com Cubs will face the Mets for the National League pennant By Jesse Rogers

CHICAGO – The Chicago Cubs and New York Mets will face off in the National League Championship Series beginning Saturday night at Citi Field in New York after the Mets beat the 3-2 in Game 5 of their division series on Thursday.

Jon Lester will be on the mound for the Cubs against Matt Harvey.

During the regular season the Cubs went a perfect 7-0 against the Mets, outscoring them 27-11 while taking four games at home in May and three in New York in July.

“We had a good record against the Mets this year but they’re a pretty different team than we had seen earlier,” Cubs manager Joe Maddon said on Thursday afternoon.

The Mets are different mostly because of the addition of Yoenis Cespedes, who came via trade on July 31. The Mets scored the most runs in the National League in the second half and hit the most home runs. That’s a far cry from the team that scored 11 runs in seven games against the Cubs.

“I think New York is a lot like us,” catcher David Ross said. “They’ve grown up over the year. They’re a much different team than we played them early on in the year.”

Ross isn’t wrong. Both teams have matured, especially on offense, where the Cubs ranked second in home runs and runs scored behind the Mets in the second half. Despite the increased offense, the Mets' biggest assets are still on the mound.

“They have power pitching across the board,” Maddon said.

Some of that pitching was used on Thursday night as Jacob deGrom threw six innings and Noah Syndergaard came on in relief for an inning, but they also feature Matt Harvey and lefty Steven Matz. It’s a deep pitching staff that also looks different now than when the Cubs saw them earlier, when, for example, Jonathon Niese started two games; he’s now in the bullpen.

“I don’t know what the Mets look like,” Maddon said. “I know what they looked like a couple months ago.”

He and the Cubs will find out soon enough.

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ESPNChicago.com Cubs playoff notes: Javier Baez takes over at shortstop By Jesse Rogers

CHICAGO -- Chicago Cubs 2011 first-round pick Javier Baez is in the spotlight as he takes over at shortstop for the injured Addison Russell -- at least in the next round of the playoffs.

The bottom line is Baez can be every bit as effective as Russell but there’s a consistency to Russell’s game which Baez is searching for. It was interesting to hear manager Joe Maddon’s assessment of his new starting shortstop. He likened it to Russell’s progression several months ago as he came on strong, especially when moved from second base to shortstop.

“I want to believe Javy is arriving at the same point,” Maddon said Thursday afternoon. “The big thing with him is the consistency on defense.”

Some might think consistency on offense is just as important for Baez, but his home run in Game 4 of the division series said a lot.

“To hit a three-run home run in a playoff game should boost your confidence,” Maddon said.

Four starters: Maddon said unequivocally the Cubs would use four starters in the NLCS but wouldn’t name anyone past Jon Lester and Jake Arrieta in Games 1 and 2. The obvious choices are Kyle Hendricks for Game 3 and Jason Hammel for Game 4, but after lasting only three innings in Game 4 against the Cardinals, Hammel isn’t guaranteed anything.

If Maddon thinks he’ll need his bullpen more in a Hammel start, that could come in Game 3 since it follows an off- day and the relievers should be rested. Or the Cubs could call on Clayton Richard or Travis Wood to start a game. They’ll wait until they know their opponent before announcing a decision.

“We have not finalized anything,” Maddon said. “We’ll start four starters. I’m not denying that.”

Motte update: Reliever Jason Motte could take the place of Russell on the 25-man roster, giving the Cubs an extra reliever but leaving them with only one true backup infielder in Tommy La Stella. Motte has been rehabbing from shoulder inflammation and Maddon said his recent simulation game was a positive sign.

“Motte is doing well,” Maddon said. “It’s very encouraging. He’s in the conversation.”

The choice to take Russell’s roster spot could come down to Motte or infielder and switch-hitter Jonathan Herrera. Herrera was seen taking ground balls at second base and shortstop during the Cubs' workout Thursday. Chris Coghlan was also taking ground balls at second base, so the Cubs could be preparing for either eventuality -- adding another pitcher or simply adding Herrera. The NLCS roster has to be given to the league Saturday morning.

Odds and ends: Most players prefer playing the New York Mets in the NLCS only due to a shorter flight and one- hour time change. ... Maddon said he isn’t against using a starter like Lester or Arrieta in the bullpen in a Game 7 situation but prefers to use his relievers unless they’re just worn out. ... David Ross was more than happy to have a quiet day or two after the intensity of the wild-card game followed by the short division series.

“It’s nice to have a non-emotional day like yesterday (Wednesday),” Ross said. “Keep your emotions and intensity level low because it’s going to get intense in a day or two.”

And finally, Maddon once again praised former shortstop Starlin Castro, who has thrived at second base.

“I’ve seen the transformation of a young man from a nice major league shortstop to a real winning type of baseball player,” Maddon said.

Other quotables:

“Jon Lester in a big game is always tasty.” -- Jon Maddon, on naming Lester his Game 1 starter

“It’s a good question. Georgie (Soler) can hit the ball really far. I’m willing to say Georgie right there.” -- Kyle Schwarber, on who would win a Cubs home run derby.

“I have so few brain cells left. I have to protect them. They’re on the endangered species list right now.” -- Maddon, on two days of celebrating since the Cubs won the division series.

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ESPNChicago.com Kyle Schwarber on fervor over home run ball: 'It's crazy' By Jesse Rogers

CHICAGO -- Simultaneously calling it an “honor” and not understanding what the big deal is, Chicago Cubs rookie Kyle Schwarber is getting a kick out of all the attention his home run ball from Game 4 of the division series against the St. Louis Cardinals is getting.

“It’s crazy,” Schwarber said before a Thursday workout at Wrigley Field. “I just look at it as it’s a home run. People are taking it to the next step.”

According to ESPN Stats and Information, the ball traveled 438 feet, landing on top of the new video scoreboard beyond the right-field wall. At first, no one knew where the ball landed, but eventually it was found -- by television helicopters and other means. The Cubs encased the ball and are leaving it up there for at least the duration of the playoffs.

“It’s a great honor,” Schwarber said. “Wrigley Field has such great history. For it to stay up there, for however long, it’ll be cool.”

Schwarber’s blast in the seventh inning of the deciding game of the series was only an insurance run as Anthony Rizzo’s home run in the sixth broke a 4-4 tie. But the excitement of the day as well as the massive power display -- it was the first ball to land on the new video scoreboard -- gave it special meaning.

Manager Joe Maddon called whoever came up with the idea to encase the ball in Plexiglass and leave it up there “pure genius.”

“The way tradition and lore are dealt with around here, that could withstand the test of time,” Maddon said. “You have to keep that scoreboard intact now.”

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ESPNChicago.com Cubs rule SS Addison Russell out of NLCS with hamstring strain By Jesse Rogers

CHICAGO -- Cubs shortstop Addison Russell will not play in the National League Championship Series against the New York Mets because of a strained left hamstring.

"He's not going to push it right now," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said Thursday afternoon during a workout at Wrigley Field. "Let's go on a normal pace with the training staff.

"Hopefully, if everything plays properly and we have another opportunity to play in another round, he might be available at that time, but for sure not this one."

Maddon also said Thursday that Jon Lester will start the series opener Saturday night, followed by Jake Arrieta in Game 2 on Sunday. Lester is 6-5 with a 2.66 ERA in 15 career postseason games, including 13 starts.

Russell left Game 3 of the NL Division Series against the Cardinals with tightness in his left hamstring. Maddon said it's a moderate strain and the team will be pragmatic with the injury.

By rule, if a player is on a playoff roster but has to be replaced mid-series because of an injury, he's not allowed back on the roster for the next round. The Cubs didn't want to take a chance of being caught short-handed or losing Russell for the duration of the playoffs, so his "moderate" hamstring injury will keep him from playing in the NLCS.

"This permits us to put it on a more planned situation regarding his rehab, and then we'll work it out from there," Maddon said. "I think he was relieved in a sense so he didn't have to push it right now."

Javier Baez, a 2011 first-round pick, will take Russell's spot in the lineup. Baez took over for Russell in Game 3 against the Cardinals, committing a throwing error, but as a starter in Game 4, he hit a three-run homer to help the Cubs close out the series against St. Louis.

"The big thing with him is the consistency on defense," Maddon said. "We have to catch the ball. I know he can do that. It's a mental thing."

Baez is a huge talent who can play second, shortstop or third base while possessing a big swing that he's refined while spending most of the season in the minors. The drop-off from Russell mostly comes due to lack of experience. Russell has been a starter since being called up in April, while Baez came along in September.

"I want to believe Javy is arriving at the same point," Maddon said of him peaking. "To hit a three-run home run in a playoff game should boost your confidence."

Starting Lester in Game 1 gives Arrieta a much-needed extra day off. The right-hander tossed a shutout against the Pirates in the wild-card game last Wednesday then gave up four runs against the Cardinals in Game 3 of the division series.

"It's nice to give Jake an extra day," Maddon said. "It played out well. ... I'm comfortable they'll both be starters in two games possibly."

Lester would start Games 1 and 5, while Arrieta gets Games 2 and 6. Considering neither is slated to start a third game, it didn't matter who started which game this weekend and Lester has already been off extra time as he last pitched in Game 1 of the division series last Friday.

"Anytime you [can] give a guy an emotional and physical break you take advantage of it," Maddon said of Arrieta. "We've been pushing him pretty hard."

Maddon wasn't sure who would take Russell's place on the 25-man roster. Utility infielder Jonathan Herrera is a possibility, as is adding another pitcher.

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CSNChicago.com Cubs vs. Mets NLCS Preview: Young pitching vs. young hitting By Tony Andracki

Once upon a time, the Chicago Cubs and New York Mets were bitter rivals.

But that was a generation ago. The 1969 season is in the past and so, too, is the dreaded black cat that ran in front of Ron Santo in the on-deck circle at Shea Stadium.

In fact, the Cubs' 7-0 record against the Mets in 2015 even feels like ancient history at this point as the two teams get set to square off in the National League Championship Series.

"I feel like New York is a lot like us," Cubs veteran catcher David Ross said. "They've grown up over the year. They're a much different team than when we played them earlier in the year."

That's something of an understatement.

When the Cubs put the finishing touches on their season sweep of the Mets July 2, the "other" New York baseball team was just 40-40 and managed only one run against the Cubs in the three-game series at Citi Field.

The Mets beat Zack Greinke and the Los Angeles Dodgers, 3-2, Thursday night with a lineup that featured four key players who, combined, did not take one at-bat in any of the seven games against the Cubs this season.

Third baseman David Wright and catcher Travis d'Arnaud were injured and missed both series against the Cubs while rookie left fielder Michael Conforto didn't make his big-league debut until July 24 and centerfielder Yoenis Cespedes wasn't even acquired until right before the trade deadline.

This truly is a different Mets team - one that can put up runs in bunches and a far cry from the squad Cubs pitching limited to just 11 runs in seven games in the regular season.

Add in the Mets' young pitching and this will be quite a tough test for the Cubs.

Young pitchers vs. young hitters

The foundation of the Mets' team is a core of young arms - Jacob deGrom, Matt Harvey, Noah Syndergaard and Steven Matz. All four are 27 or under, with both Syndergaard (23) and Matz (24) making their MLB debuts this season.

Those four guys are making up the Mets' postseason rotation and combined to sport a 2.77 ERA in the regular season, striking out 593 batters in 566 innings. The Mets' pitching staff as a whole struck out 54 batters in 44 innings in the postseason.

The Cubs' young hitters, meanwhile, led all of baseball with 1,518 strikeouts in the regular season, more than 100 above the next team (Houston Astros - 1,392).

So even though the Cubs clubbed 10 homers in the four-game NLDS and have shown off impressive power this postseason, they have their work cut out for them against the Mets pitching staff.

How they got here

The Mets obviously rode their young pitching to the NLCS, but they really took off when they traded for Cespedes. The 29-year-old outfielder didn't even join the NL until late July, but he was so awesome in 57 games with the Mets (.941 OPS, 17 HR, 44 RBI) that some actually believed he should be the league's MVP.

Cespedes gave the Mets lineup a new look, but they also got healthy and hot at the right time, going bold by calling up top prospect Conforto and getting Wright and d'Arnaud back from injury. Add in Lucas Duda's hot second half (.955 OPS), Curtis Granderson's steady veteran presence and Daniel Murphy's underrated skillset and the Mets are a scary team on offense, too.

X-Factor

Speaking of Murphy, he could be the key to the series. Anybody watching Game 5 of the NLDS Thursday night could see the impact Murphy can have on a game. He collected three hits and accounted for all three Mets runs, including arguably the smartest play of the postseason when he took advantage of the Dodgers' shift and stole third to set up d'Arnaud's sacrifice fly in the fourth inning.

Murphy also performed well against the Cubs, hitting .360 with an .865 OPS against them in the regular season, though he didn't score or knock in a run in any of the seven games.

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CSNChicago.com Jorge Soler showing Cubs why he thrives on playoff pressure By Patrick Mooney

Pressure? These Cubs smashed that playoff narrative into pieces, shrugging off the weight of franchise history like it’s nothing.

Pressure? It’s not like these Cubs grew up in the Chicago suburbs, idolizing Ernie Banks and Ron Santo and seeing the 1969 team collapse. They’re not from the generation that sat around college dorm rooms and Lakeview bars watching the 2003 team unravel, only five outs away from the World Series.

Pressure? Try playing for the Cuban junior national team, understanding that you had to produce to keep your spot for the next high-profile tournament, not knowing if you would ever get another chance to make an impression on the scouts in the stands. And then making the life-changing decision that would impact your entire family.

That’s a window into Jorge Soler’s world, the nerves it took to get to this point, the Cubs riding a wave of momentum into the National League Championship Series that begins Saturday night against the Mets at Citi Field.

Theo Epstein’s front office couldn’t have predicted Soler beginning his postseason career by getting on base in each of his first nine plate appearances, because no one in major-league history had ever done that before.

But the Cubs always believed an outfielder built more like an NFL linebacker possessed the unique combination of power (two homers), patience (six walks) and presence (that Game 4 throw to home plate) you saw against the St. Louis Cardinals.

“This is why we do what we do,” said Louie Eljaua, the team’s director of international operations. “Our scouts are out there beating the bushes, in the trenches, to find guys that are going to help us win championships.

“He’s really come to life here and performed in a big way on the biggest stage possible.”

Eljaua watched it up close this week at Wrigley Field as the Cubs invited scouts and player-development staffers from around the world – including the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, Mexico, Panama and Colombia – to see the payoff for all their hard work behind the scenes.

Soler, 23, is part of a larger story about The Cubs Way and how this franchise is positioned to be a perennial playoff contender. (The hunt never stops: CBS Sports reported the Cubs and are waiting for to decide which team has an agreement with Cuban outfielder Eddy Julio Martinez.)

Remember, Soler missed roughly two years of game action during the odyssey that saw him defect from Cuba, train in the Dominican Republic, establish residency in Haiti and finally gain clearance to sign in the United States.

Soler still hasn’t played a full season of professional baseball yet and had only 151 minor-league games on his resume heading into this year.

“There’s been some bumps along the way with injuries and whatnot,” Eljaua said. “But he’s resilient enough to make adjustments, learn, continue to put together good at-bats and grow from that.

“The ceiling is still very high. He’s scratching the surface right now with what we expect him to do. It’s really scary to think that there’s more room and there’s more upside.”

Eljaua grew up in Miami, the son of Cuban parents, breaking into the business with the Florida Marlins, where he worked with future Cubs general manager and helped find a future World Series MVP (Livan Hernandez) and Triple Crown winner (Miguel Cabrera).

While working for the , Eljaua and Epstein had once put the full-court press on another Cuban pitcher at a hotel in Nicaragua, thinking they had Jose Contreras locked up until the swooped in with a bigger offer to join the Evil Empire.

Signing Soler became a priority within the first months of the Epstein administration in Chicago, the Cubs looking for long-term building blocks and a new labor deal changing the rules of engagement on the international market.

Chairman Tom Ricketts even took time to meet with Soler’s camp during a trip to the Dominican Republic, the Cubs guaranteeing $30 million in the summer of 2012.

“When we go out there and identify players and sign the guys we sign, we do it with the intent of them coming to Chicago and helping us win,” Eljaua said. “We try to identify specific guys and scout not just ability – but makeup and talent and fortitude and all that – because it takes a different cat to play here.

“It’s kind of like Boston, New York. To be able to handle the grind, to be able to perform on this stage, to be able to deal with what they deal with on a daily basis playing here – and then to enjoy it and continue to do it and be disciplined enough to do it is (difficult).

“You have to tip your cap to a lot of different people that had a hand in this, from Tom Ricketts to our scouts to Theo.”

Eljaua remembered Soler standing out as a teenager at an international tournament in Venezuela – where Bryce Harper and Manny Machado played for Team USA – and looking like he belonged with those future All-Stars.

Soler opened eyes again in 2010 with his performance at the World Junior Baseball Championship in Canada, perhaps a preview for how he would respond in October.

“He was always about baseball,” Eljaua said. “He wasn’t really distracted with other things as far as like what kind of car he was going to buy or how big a house he was going to get.

“I always try to get in their heads: What do you want to do when you sign? What’s your first objective?

“He was always about family. He was always about baseball. He was always about getting to the States. And from the time we’ve signed him, he’s been appreciative of that.”

To be honest, Soler probably had a disappointing regular season (10 homers, 47 RBI), at least compared to Kris Bryant’s Rookie of the Year campaign and Anthony Rizzo’s MVP-level performance.

Soler missed time with a sprained ankle and a strained oblique, playing in 101 games and getting 400-plus plate appearances, leading to more questions about his ability to stay healthy and whether or not he’d be ready in time for the playoffs.

But Soler already answered that question in October: Pressure? What pressure?

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CSNChicago.com Cubs: Schwarber more excited by Bautista's bat flip than own HR By Dan Hayes

Kyle Schwarber seemed more impressed Thursday with Jose Bautista’s bat flip than he is with the uproar caused by the search for his celebrated homerun ball.

A day after news cameras discovered the Cubs rookie’s prodigious homer, which led to its temporary enshrinement atop the right field scoreboard at 101-year-old Wrigley Field, Schwarber admitted he enjoyed it to have his moment recognized.

But Schwarber -- who for most of his media session before Thursday’s workout answered questions about the legendary blast -- seemed much more comfortable discussing the legendary bat flip by Bautista, whose three-run homer Wednesday helped the advance to the Championship Series.

“I thought it was awesome,” Schwarber said. “That was one of the best games I’ve seen in a while. It shows you crazy how baseball is and how in the playoffs little mistakes can come back to haunt you. The Blue Jays did a good job taking advantage of what they got from Texas and Bautista put a good swing on the ball.”

Schwarber’s teammates displayed as much reverence for the entire saga surrounding his towering homer to start the seventh inning of Tuesday’s victory over the St. Louis Cardinals.

For starters, Dexter Fowler and Starlin Castro both said Schwarber called his shot in the half inning before he hit it off left-hander Kevin Siegrist. Secondly, television footage from the TBS game broadcast never determined where the 438-foot drive landed.

It wasn’t until Wednesday that a news crew in a helicopter discovered the ball that the Cubs finally located Schwarber’s third postseason homer. The team then had the ball authenticated and returned to the location, determining to encase it where it had been found for the rest of the postseason.

“At first none of us really knew where the hell the thing went,” pitcher Jake Arrieta said. “But we saw that it landed on top of the scoreboard, saw the glass case and some of the pictures that they did and how they were going to kind of preserve that. I think that’s unique. I started talking to Schwarbs and saying: ‘That’s amazing. That’s history right there.’

“Whether they leave it up there long-term or not, or they put it in the Hall of Fame or wherever, it’s just a really cool thing for a guy like him to be able to experience and tell people about. That’s something he’ll remember forever.”

Much like Schwarber called his shot, Cubs manager Joe Maddon suggested the team did exactly as he would have in how they handled the ball. He’s excited the ball will remain atop the brand new scoreboard for the rest of October and perhaps early November, too.

“It’s pure genius,” Maddon said. “The way the tradition and lore are dealt with around here, that could withstand the test of time. Now they definitely have to keep that scoreboard intact, right? If there’s any consideration to do anything differently, you’ve got to keep it there now.”

Asked repeatedly about the topic, Schwarber admitted the club’s gesture is “cool” and he’s honored to be part of Wrigley Field’s history. But Schwarber was far more eager to discuss Bautista’s feat, which perhaps traveled even farther in bat flip inches.

“If it’s probably the middle of the season, you probably say ‘Calm down,’ ” Schwarber said. “But for him to do that right there in that spot, you’re in a state of awe.”

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CSNChicago.com With Addison Russell out for NLCS, Cubs will rely on Javier Baez By Patrick Mooney

The trade rumors started from the moment the Cubs acquired Addison Russell, a guessing game of what happens next with Javier Baez and Starlin Castro after last year’s Fourth of July blockbuster.

The New York Mets looked like a match on paper with their stable of young power pitchers. Now four wins away from the World Series, the Cubs will use that shortstop surplus to fill what might have been a huge hole in their middle infield.

Manager Joe Maddon definitively ruled Russell out of the National League Championship Series, a strained left hamstring making Baez and Castro the new double-play combination starting with Saturday’s Game 1 against the Mets at Citi Field.

“Addie right now will not participate in this next round,” Maddon said Thursday at Wrigley Field. “We’re not going to utilize him. We’ll continue to work on him.

“Hopefully, if everything plays properly, and we have another opportunity to play another round, he might be available at that time. But for sure not this one.”

Maddon didn’t know who would take Russell’s roster spot or if the Cubs would prefer to add another arm to the pitching staff for a seven-game series. But the team has no plans to move Castro – a three-time All-Star shortstop – off second base and back to his old position.

“Baez is our other shortstop,” Maddon said. “We set it up that way.”

Russell leapfrogged Baez this year and stabilized the team’s up-the-middle defense in early August when he moved from second base to shortstop. But the Cubs still have the luxury of swapping one first-round talent out for another.

Russell had been coming off a strained right hamstring when the Cubs made him the centerpiece to the trade with the Oakland A’s. Russell said this issue – which became too much when he hustled for a triple during Monday’s Game 3 win over the St. Louis Cardinals – didn’t feel nearly as serious as that injury.

“The big thing was to ameliorate his mind in a sense that he knows what’s happening next,” Maddon said. “He’s not going to necessarily push it right now. Let’s go on a more normal pace with the training staff, not test it to the point that you injure it again by trying to be too aggressive.

“This permits us to (make) it more of a planned situation regarding his rehab. And then we’ll work it out from there. He’s such a mature kid, man. The conversation was easy. He understood everything. He got it. I think he was a little bit relieved in a sense that he did not have to push it right now.”

Maddon is a big fan of Russell, who put up 13 homers, 29 doubles and 54 RBI during his rookie season. But the manager has also raved about Baez and his ability to impact games with his speed, defense and instincts.

Baez waited for a September call-up after a difficult season from a personal and professional standpoint. But he helped end the division series, sending the Cardinals home for the winter with a huge swing in Game 4.

“Addison has played enough here this year to know that he belongs here and he can do this,” Maddon said. “I want to believe that Javy’s arriving at that same point. To hit a three-run homer in a playoff game like that against one of the best pitchers in the National League should boost your confidence.

“The big thing primarily is the consistency on defense. We have to catch the ball. I talked about that the whole time – pitching it and catching it is really important to us. And I know he can do that.

“But it’s a mental thing. It’s a confidence issue. And when you’re able to get a hit like that under those circumstances, I want to believe it does help.”

The Cubs kept saying you can never have too many shortstops – while also exploring deals that would have involved Baez or Castro – and they will need both to win their first pennant since 1945.

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CSNChicago.com Cubs lining up Jon Lester, Jake Arrieta for first two games of NLCS By Tony Andracki

The Cubs announced their rotation for the first two games of the National League Championship Series Thursday, lining up Jon Lester for Game 1 and Jake Arrieta for Game 2.

With the NLCS opener on Saturday in New York, it would be exactly five days in between starts for Arrieta, who started Monday against the Cardinals at Wrigley Field.

But the Cubs aren't going to push their ace, instead opting to keep Lester's turn in the rotation as is.

"It's nice giving Jake an extra day," manager Joe Maddon said. "Really, part of the strategy was to not pitch Jon [in Game 4 of the NLDS] so he was ready for the fifth game or to come into the first game of the next round.

"It kind of played out well, so that's how we're going to set it up in the beginning. I'm really comfortable. They'll both be starters in two games [this series], possibly. That's what we're most comfortable with."

By the time Game 1 comes around, Lester will have had seven days off in between starts after he got the ball in the NLDS opener in St. Louis last Friday.

Arrieta is in prime physical shape and even though he actually looked human against the Cardinals, he's still been the best pitcher on the planet for the last few months.

So does Arrieta really need the extra day of rest?

"He'll probably tell you he would not, but I like the idea that he has it," Maddon said. "We've been pushing him pretty hard. His innings are way up compared to where they've been in the past.

"This postseason, I've talked about it before - it's beyond the physical drain, it's the emotional drain. He went through a really difficult moment [in the wild-card game] in Pittsburgh that night and he set this whole thing up for us.

"Any time you can give a guy both an emotional and a physical break, you take advantage of that right now."

Maddon didn't release the rest of the rotation beyond Game 2, but he did admit the Cubs would probably use four starters, meaning Kyle Hendricks could be in line for Game 3 back at Wrigley Field and Jason Hammel (who lasted just three innings in Game 4 of the NLDS Tuesday) could get the ball in Game 4 of the NLCS.

Beyond that, Maddon also admitted they have had discussions about how the entire NLCS plays out. If the series goes to seven games, the Cubs hope Lester and Arrieta would be able to take the ball once more each (think Games 5 and 6) as a starter, and Maddon didn't rule out either being available out of the bullpen if necessary.

"Of course they would be, but if your regular relief pitchers are ready, I'm good with those guys," Maddon said. "Our relief pitchers have pitched really well. I'm not opposed to using a starter in that moment. Not at all.

"But that would be the fact that the other guys are unavailable or maybe overworked, something to that extent. It's different to come out of the bullpen. I've done it before; I'm not afraid to do it. But I'd rather use the other guys first."

The Mets (Jacob deGrom) were forced to use their top starter for Game 5 of the NLDS, meaning he would probably not be available until Game 3 of the NLCS.

The Cubs, meanwhile, have plenty of time to rest and are grateful they didn't have to make the trip to St. Louis or use Lester in a Game 5.

After all, giving him the ball in Game 1 of a crucial playoff series is what they signed him for.

"Jon Lester in a big game is always tasty," Maddon said. "You'll always take that. I have no problem with any of that.

"I really expect well. I know he's very confident. I think this little extra rest is going to help, too."

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CSNChicago.com Cubs return to work after celebrating NLDS victory By Dan Hayes

Perhaps a little groggy and gruff after a 42-hour celebration complete with rock star sing-alongs, the discovery and retrieval of Kyle Schwarber’s legendary homerun ball and a baseball watch party, the Cubs returned to work on Thursday.

As he stepped to the podium before an afternoon workout at Wrigley Field, Cubs manager Joe Maddon bore the spoils of Tuesday’s victory to advance to the National League Championship Series in the form of a cold and an extra gravely voice.

Much like his players, Maddon relished the rare chance to enjoy a few days off in a city famished for a winner after the Cubs punched their ticket to the NLCS early with a Game 4 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals. With Game 1 of the NLCS not until Saturday night, the veteran manager thinks celebrating success is a perfect way for Cubs players to maintain a loose attitude that already has helped them advance through two postseason rounds.

“I’m hanging in there,” Maddon said. “It’s not easy having a good time.”

“I like the idea that they’re able to blow it off a little bit and then come back and refocus. I don’t want them grinding it too hard because that’s definitely going to get in the way.”

“I don’t want it misconstrued either -- it’s not like everybody’s a big party animal. “It’s just a matter of we have celebrated success.”

Have they ever.

The Chicago Tribune reported that Theo Epstein, the club’s president of baseball operations, took his scouting staff out to celebrate Tuesday’s win alongside ex-pitcher Kerry Wood, Pearl Jam frontman Eddie Vedder and actor Joel Murray.

First baseman Anthony Rizzo, outfielder Dexter Fowler and catcher David Ross reportedly were seen clubbing on Tuesday. Footage of Vedder playing his Cubs tribute song “All The Way” at Jon Lester’s house early Wednesday morning also surfaced on the Internet.

Those events preceded Wednesday’s baseball watch party, where players convened to watch both American League playoff games and play video games.

“It’s nice to be able to celebrate without any consequences the next day,” Ross said. “(It’s) exhausting. Is that a good word? I’m tired of smiling if that can get ever old. It’s just been fun, the emotion and the celebrating with these guys that have never done it.”

Part of the fun adding to the fervor was the discovery of Schwarber’s homerun ball atop the right field scoreboard, a no-doubter ESPN.com lists as having traveled 438 feet at a velocity of 112.3 miles per hour.

After the ball was sighted, the Cubs had it authenticated, returned it to where it was found and determined it would remain encased there for the rest of the postseason.

“Pure genius,” Maddon said of the idea.

Starlin Castro has been here six seasons and he can’t quite wrap his head around what he has seen.

Whether it was the thousands of fans who stayed inside Wrigley Field and clogged the streets afterward or the many well-wishers who have congratulated him since,

Castro hasn’t experienced anything like this and hopes for more.

“It’s been unbelievable,” Castro said. “I just walked in the streets yesterday and it’s unbelievable. Everybody recognizes you even more now and everybody’s crazy, everybody’s happy.

“In all the years I have been here I’ve never seen the city like that and I think it’s going to be more fun if we keep playing like that.”

Outfielder Quintin Berry experienced Boston during a Red Sox World Series-title run in 2013. Berry gives the edge to Chicago when he compared the two.

The scene Tuesday -- with fans closing down Clark Street and helicopters hovering overhead after the Cubs clinched a postseason series at home for the first time in franchise history -- is one Berry won’t soon forget.

“This city might be a little hungrier,” Berry said. “Boston had won a couple of championships and they were still alive -- it’s one of the livest cities I’ve ever been in. But I think the fact it’s been 107 years since they’ve won a World Series and they feel like this the team, it definitely seems like this is a special team that’s capable of doing that, I think they’re feeding off of that and it’s getting really wild out here.

“It was amazing.

“The streets are packed and everybody’s live. It’s fun to be a part of something like that.”

While Maddon’s voice wasn’t as scratchy as Steven Tyler’s on ‘Sweet Emotion,’ the song that greeted the Cubs back to work on Thursday, it had the sound of a man who enjoyed the moment. Maddon said his normal routine had been disrupted and he felt it. He sounded ready for a quiet evening Thursday before his team boards a plane for Los Angeles or New York on Friday morning.

While he reportedly celebrated on Tuesday, Maddon didn’t make his way to Lester’s house for Vedder Jam -- “Not having the manager around is cool -- it’s cooler than if dad’s there,” he said.

He isn’t concerned that his players and coaching staff are having too much fun. This is a team that has enjoyed many victories this season with a smoke machine and disco lights. He knows they’ll be prepared when the time comes, citing he likes the way his team separates the two.

Maddon had no plans to attend a watch party Thursday and said he looked forward to some much-needed relaxation and a return to normalcy.

“I’ve got so little, few brain cells left,” Maddon said. “They’re on the endangered species list right now.

“I gotta catch up on some rest, man. I’m serious. I haven’t had a chance to ride my bike and do the whole routine, which is just kicking my butt a little bit right now. Any way I can get back into that routine I’m going to try to do that.”

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Chicago Tribune Cubs dodge L.A., better off facing Mets By David Haugh

Diplomatically, Cubs catcher David Ross refrained Thursday from choosing a preferred National League Championship Series opponent before the Mets eliminated the Dodgers a few hours later in Los Angeles.

But carefully steering clear of stating a preference, Ross did allow that playing the Mets would mean a quicker flight.

"You never mind that," Ross said smiling.

Especially if it also results in an easier trip to the World Series. The Cubs never would say that but you can.

Everything in October keeps coming up Cubs.

With due respect to the terrific Mets team they will oppose in the NLCS, the Cubs should have wanted no part of the Dodgers. The Mets boast superior starting pitching depth but Clayton Kershaw and Zach Greinke possess the ability to take over a postseason a la Randy Johnson and did for the Diamondbacks in 2001. Kershaw and Greinke were the most dangerous NL pitchers this season not named Arrieta. Now, they have gone home for the offseason.

Which increases the Cubs' chances of going to the World Series for the first time in 70 years.

The Mets returned to New York early Friday morning after making a cross-country flight and having burned their top two pitchers in Game 5. The Cubs just enjoyed two days off, a physical and mental break manager Joe Maddon believes refreshed his team.

They will get Matt Harvey in Game 1 and, unless Harvey is running late, he will pose a formidable threat. But so did aces of the Pirates and John Lackey of the Cardinals. The Cubs arrive at Citi Field with the hottest batting order among the final four teams.

Forget the Cubs' 7-0 record against the Mets in the regular season. That was before the Mets changed their season with trade-deadline deals. But that also was before Kyle Schwarber had become a Cubs' folk hero.

The Mets have young flamethrowers Jacob deGrom, Noah Syndergaard and Harvey. The Cubs counter with big hitters Anthony Rizzo, Kris Bryant and Schwarber. And Javier Baez. And Jorge Soler. Lest anybody forget Starlin Castro or Dexter Fowler. Yikes.

Unlike many postseasons,this one looks like it could be the year of the bat.

It already is starting to feel like the year of the Cub.

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Chicago Tribune Sammy Sosa hopes to throw out first pitch at a Cubs World Series game By Paul Sullivan

Sammy Sosa endorsed ’s idea that Sosa should be asked to throw out a first pitch in the World Series if the Cubs make it that far.

Before Game 4 of the NLDS on Tuesday, I asked Ramirez, now a Cubs’ hitting consultant, if he thought Sosa would return to Wrigley Field one day.

“Why not?” Ramirez replied. “Sammy is a great person, an awesome guy. Why not just give him a chance to come. I was talking to (Jonathan) Herrera and I told him, ‘Man, how sweet it would be if Sammy comes and throws the first pitch in the World Series. I think it would be awesome.”

Sosa and the Cubs have been estranged since he left on bad terms after the 2004 season, and was traded to Baltimore that winter.

The Cubs have talked about a reunion over the years, but nothing has ever come of it. The Cubs reportedly want Sosa to apologize before allowing him to return.

Sosa, through a spokesperson, sent an e-mail to the Tribune Thursday night saying he likes Ramirez’s idea.

“I want to thank Manny for thinking of me and I would be honored in throwing out the first pitch at Wrigley for a Cubs World Series,” he wrote. “I want to send my best wishes to Manager Joe Madden (sic), the coaches and all the players on their win (Tuesday) night! I am very excited for the current team members to experience this journey!

“I remember how exciting it was for the 2003 team. Now it’s YOUR TURN and you are making us all proud. This is YOUR TIME. Enjoy it and take us all the way to the World Series. GO CUBS.”

Kerry Wood, Sosa’s old teammate, has said he thinks it’s time for the Cubs to welcome him back to the organization with no conditions.

First baseman Anthony Rizzo met Sosa last winter at a restaurant in Miami and also believes he should be able to return.

“I just went over and said hello,” Rizzo said. “I introduced myself and tried to campaign for him to come back. I just said ‘We’d love to have you.’ Nothing crazy. He was really, really nice. It was really cool. He knew who I was, which was surprising. But he still follows us.”

Is it time for Sosa to return to the fold?

“Of course,” Rizzo said. “One of the best hitters who ever lived.”

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Chicago Tribune Who has the edge: Cubs vs. Mets By Mark Gonzales

It lines up well for the Cubs to have left-hander Jon Lester and Jake Arrieta starting the first two games of the National League Championship Series on Saturday and Sunday. Though he was charged with the Cubs' only loss in their last 13 games, Lester has a 2.35 ERA over his last two starts and he struck out nine Friday in his loss to the Cardinals. An extra day of rest won't hurt Arrieta. Potential Game 3 starter Kyle Hendricks has a 3.38 ERA at Wrigley Field, compared to a 4.47 road ERA. Whoever starts Game 4 — Jason Hammel or Dan Haren — won't be asked to pitch deep.

Mets starter Jacob deGrom won't be ready to start until Game 3, at the earliest. Nevertheless, the Mets' rotation is the deepest of the four remaining teams in the playoffs. The Mets will gladly accept five quality innings from Matt Harvey after his innings controversy. The Cubs should be prepared for Noah Syndergaard after they reached him for three runs on six hits in beating him in his major-league debut on May 12.

Edge: Mets

Bullpen

In a best-of-seven series, the Cubs could add another reliever and opt for one fewer position player. The Cubs may need more contributions from the bullpen than they did in Games 2 and 4 of the NL Division Series because of the likelihood Hendricks, Hammel or Haren will start Games 3 and 4. Clayton Richard and Travis Wood will split the late-inning assignments against the formidable left-handed hitters.

The Mets don't have a firm bridge to closer Jeurys Familia, who throws in the high 90s and tied the Mets' all-time record with 43. Setup reliever Tyler Clippard struggled late in the regular season, and Addison Reed has been inconsistent. Former starter Bartolo Colon could be the most valuable addition to the bullpen. Left-handers batted .301 against left-hander Jonathan Niese, who was switched from the rotation.

Edge: Cubs

Hitting

Power carried the Cubs past the Cardinals in the division series, but the offense also drew 17 walks and executed three sacrifice bunts against a tough pitching staff. Patience will be a key factor as the Cubs try to jack up the starters' pitch counts and get into a vulnerable bullpen soon. The ascent of Jorge Soler makes the Cubs' lineup more dangerous than at any time during the regular season.

The Mets' offense has improved greatly since the Cubs swept them in their three-game series June 30-July 2. The addition of Yoenis Cespedes and return of David Wright stretched a once-feeble lineup. One scout said Curtis Granderson was one of the Mets' more underrated players, citing his 26 home runs and .364 on-base percentage. But the key may be streaky left-handed hitter Lucas Duda. Rookie Michael Conforto is nearly as polished as the Cubs' Kyle Schwarber.

Edge: Cubs

Fielding

The left hamstring of shortstop Addison Russell will focus attention on Javier Baez. Baez possesses more range and has a stronger arm, but Russell is more dependable. Jorge Soler displayed his powerful arm in Game 4 of the NLDS, but look for the Cubs to continue to make late-inning defensive changes in right field with a lead.

The Mets are hoping that shortstop Wilmer Flores can make the routine play as Russell has for the Cubs. Cespedes has a powerful arm. Look for the Cubs to test the arm of center fielder Juan Lagares, who still covers a lot of ground. Daniel Murphy is versatile but can't match the defense of injured second baseman Ruben Tejada. The return of third baseman David Wright stabilizes the infield defense.

Edge: Cubs

Manager

Joe Maddon possessed the right moves in the wild-card game and NLDS, and he will treat the NLCS as seven one- game series. Maddon also will exploit a weakness, as he did in calling for the consecutive squeeze bunts that changed the course of Game 2 in the NLDS.

Terry Collins has done a magnificent job coping with a lineup that was power-starved until the final two months of the season. Collins is aware of Maddon's tendencies dating back to their days as coaches in the Angels' system. But Collins' biggest challenge will be handling a shaky bullpen at the first sign of trouble.

Edge: Cubs

Mark Gonzales' pick: Cubs in six.

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Chicago Tribune Mets' Matt Harvey on facing Cubs in NLCS: 'We're ready for them' By Paul Sullivan

Can the Cubs avenge the horror of 1969 once and for all?

The Dodgers and Mets played Game 5 of their National League Division Series Thursday night at Dodger Stadium because of some crazy Major League Baseball rule that prevents the Cubs from getting a bye into the World Series.

Though everyone knows by now the Cubs' World Series appearance seemingly has been preordained, thanks to a brief scene from the time-travel movie "Back to the Future, Part II," for contractual reasons they still played the game.

The Mets advanced on Thursday with a 3-2 victory in the do-or-die affair before a frenzied crowd of 54,602 and now take on the Cubs in the NL Championship Series, which begins Saturday night in New York, the site of some traumatic Cubs moments from the distant past.

Can the Cubs avenge the horror of 1969 once and for all?

"They've had our number for the last two years I've been here with the Mets," outfielder Curtis Granderson said. "They swing the bats very well, they pitch good and play defense and they do a lot of great things to be successful."

The NLCS will pit the Mets' talented young starters, Matt Harvey, Jacob deGrom and Noah Syndergaard, against the Cubs young sluggers — Anthony Rizzo, Kris Bryant and Kyle Schwarber.

The Cubs went 7-0 against the Mets this season, but no one in the celebratory Mets' clubhouse was worried.

"The Cubs got to 97 (wins) and we won 90," general manager Sandy Alderson said. "And the difference was 0-7. … But (we're) a different team (now). The young pitching we have is a little more experienced. The offense is better.

"But (the Cubs) are a very good team, have great pitching. It's going to be a great series."

Mets ace Matt Harvey is expected to get the call in Game 1 on Saturday, facing the Cubs' Jon Lester.

"Going to Wrigley Field is always fun, and this is going to make it more fun," Harvey said. "Citi Field is going to be rocking, and it's going to step their game up even more. We're ready for them."

Game 5 was expected to be a pitching duel between the Dodgers' Zack Greinke and deGrom, and after a shaky first inning both starters settled into a groove.

The Mets took advantage of some Dodgers sleepwalking to tie the game in the fourth and snatched a 3-2 lead on Daniel Murphy's home run off Greinke in the sixth.

As the Dodgers frittered away scoring chances, the Mets tied it at 2-2 in the fourth when the Dodgers suffered a collective brain cramp. After a walk to Lucas Duda sent Murphy to second, Greinke put his head down and third baseman Justin Turner still was hanging around second after an infield shift.

Both watched helplessly as Murphy noticed third was uncovered and easily stole the base.

Mets manager Terry Collins called Murphy "invisible." Murphy said he hoped no one would call time because "I'd look like an idiot."

Travis d'Arnaud's sacrifice fly tied the game 2-2 and muted the raucous crowd. Then Murphy drilled a 3-2 pitch into the short porch in far right field to give the Mets the victory.

Now comes the Cubs-Mets showdown that many were hoping for.

"Anytime I get to go back home and play against any one of the Chicago team it's obviously a great experience," said Granderson, who hails from the south suburbs and attended UIC. "It's obviously the biggest stage I have a chance to go on. A lot of fans and friends. Cubs fans, I have a lot of 'em, but I also have Mets fans, so it's going to be a lot of fun."

The Cubs will go into the NLCS with a head of steam, having beaten the teams with the two best records in baseball, the Pirates and Cardinals, in the wild-card game and NLDS, respectively.

They will have their top two starters, Lester and Jake Arrieta, rested and ready for Games 1 and 2.

So look for another wild week of October baseball with some things you probably never have seen before.

Why should anything change now?

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Chicago Tribune Cubs' late additions help them cross the latest finish line By Mark Gonzales

When manager Joe Maddon delivers his final speeches next spring, he can thank Javier Baez, Trevor Cahill, Clayton Richard and others for helping his message resonate with any discouraged players

"I'll emphasize 25 are going to leave here, but I promise you it's not going to be the same 25 at the end of the year," Maddon said.

For the Cubs to vault from a National League wild-card contender to the NL Championship Series, they needed an infusion of help from players such as Baez, Cahill and Richard, who started the 2015 season either in the minors or struggling with other teams or other organizations.

"Amazing," general manager Jed Hoyer said summing it up.

With appearances piling up for valuable late-inning relievers Pedro Strop and Justin Grimm and closer Hector Rondon, and late-August injuries to reliever Jason Motte and outfielder Jorge Soler, the Cubs gradually added reinforcements.

The Braves released Cahill, 27, June 19 and he signed a minor-league contract with the Dodgers, only to opt out of his deal Aug. 14 and sign with the Cubs on Aug. 18.

Cahill didn't join the Cubs until 25-man rosters were expanded on Sept. 1, but he played an instrumental role thanks to the revival of his that helped him become an 18-game winner with the Athletics in 2010.

The Cubs didn't seem concerned when Fernando Rodney arrived with a 5.68 ERA in 54 appearances with the Mariners because he had posted an 0.60 ERA in 76 appearances with the Rays under Maddon in 2012.

So they acquired Rodney four days before the Aug. 31 waiver trade deadline, and Rodney posted an 0.75 ERA in 14 appearances with the Cubs in the final month and got the first two outs in the seventh inning of Tuesday's NLDS- clinching victory.

Perhaps the most impressive adjustments have come from Richard, 31, and Baez, 22.

Richard, who was acquired from the Pirates for cash considerations in July, had been a starter throughout his professional career but became a full-time reliever after he threw six-innings of one-run ball in a victory over the Brewers on Aug. 2 following the acquisition of Dan Haren from the Marlins.

As left-hander James Russell began to struggle, Richard's workload increased in a variety of roles that took a load off the pitching staff. Richard retired Kolten Wong on a grounder and struck out to preserve leads in Games 3 and 4 of the NLDS.

"That's such a big part of this part of the year, when you augment this group with maybe this fresher group," Maddon said. "You start out one way, you never finish the year with the same 25. That's pretty much what you say every spring training. Our front office and scouting staff did a wonderful job of augmenting, as well as player development."

Baez, who was sent to Triple-A Iowa to cut down on his strikeouts and display better plate coverage, showed his improvement in Game 4 against the Cardinals when he cranked a three-run, opposite-field homer in place of injured Addison Russell that transformed the Cubs' fortunes.

"Those guys we called up, we knew eventually they were going to play here," bench coach Dave Martinez said. "And for them to do the things they've been doing to get us to this point, they're a big part of why we're here."

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Chicago Tribune Forget the past, it isn't prologue for these young Cubs By David Haugh

Asked about October history at Wrigley Field, a familiar name popped into Cubs catcher Miguel Montero's head.

No, thankfully, it wasn't Steve Bartman.

"Babe Ruth played in this stadium,'' Montero said Thursday, referencing Ruth's called shot in the 1932 World Series. "A lot of history here.''

A lot of bad history, Montero was told.

"Players don't care about that stuff,'' Montero said. "I don't know about any of that and don't really want to know. I don't believe in any of that anyway. We believe in what we're building here, and that's all I worry about. I'm not a superstitious guy. When we play good, we win. When we play bad, we lose.''

Remember Montero's wise words, Chicago, as America begins paying closer attention to the story of the 2015 Cubs in the National League Championship Series and possibly — gulp — the World Series. No matter how many times media members missing the point mention billy goats, Bartman or 1969, resist the urge to fall for the tired, lazy narrative.

It's not cute, not in the proper context and no longer applicable for this Cubs team. Most Cubs fans realize that after spending the past year listening to manager Joe Maddon and watching his young players joyfully live in the moment. This is about those guys, not a supposed curse cast on the Cubs before their parents were born or an NLCS game blown when they were in middle school. This is about a new winning tradition taking hold, not a lovable losers lament that blames futility on bad luck. That defeatist culture no longer exists at Clark and Addison.

An extraordinary Joe changed all that.

Pre-Maddon, people had every right to expect the worst from the Cubs, especially in the playoffs. Post-Maddon, the prevailing thought is the best is yet to come. Attach no relevance to anything that happened to the Cubs organization before Theo Epstein became team president in 2011. Make no connection between this Cubs team and any franchise history recorded before Nov. 3, 2014 — the day Maddon started talking playoffs at the Cubby Bear.

Granted, that is easier said than done given the constant reminders. A GoFundMe page attempted last week to raise money to pay Bartman's way to the wild-card game in Pittsburgh. Two minutes into Wednesday's "Outside The Lines" program on ESPN, host Bob Ley addressed the Cubs' "lurking dread'' and asked: "Aisle 4, Row 8, Seat 113. … Do I have to tell you that's where Steve Bartman was sitting (Oct. 14, 2003)?'' The network already has replayed a documentary on the NLCS Game 6 foul-ball incident. Expect more reflections from more outlets once the series actually starts.

Some people have suggested the Cubs should honor Bartman by inviting him to the ballpark — a good intention but bad idea. That's like a newly married couple showing a video of past breakups at the reception. It's not fitting for the occasion. What Bartman deserves most is the maintenance of the privacy he cherishes. Save any such goodwill gestures toward Bartman for the Cubs Convention, only if he's amenable. The Cubs owe Bartman, and the rest of their fans, everybody's full attention on winning it all.

Leave Bartman alone, wherever he is, to enjoy the playoffs in peace. Simon the magician would be a more appropriate Cubs guest. Or bring back a pink flamingo. Ask Maddon's mom, Beanie, to throw out the first pitch. Even Eddie Vedder is a harmless prop. Keep any external images fun and current, not dated.

Avoid thinking about the past. These Cubs, all about the future, are thriving in the present. Enjoy it. Savor it as much as they clearly are. This could mark the beginning of the golden age of Cubdom. Don't miss it dwelling on quirky Cubbie occurrences that always sounded more like excuses than explanations, on things that have no bearing on the outcome.

It's all about the process anyway, as Maddon likes to say. The process of working out Thursday at Wrigley as "Quiet Riot" and Miranda Lambert blared from the speakers. The process of winning 97 regular-season games and eliminating baseball's two best teams is all these Cubs know. The process of meeting goals develops good habits for a team with five rookies.

Their idea of a tortured past is a slump at Triple-A Iowa. Their memories only go back to spring training. May that be every Cubs fan's frame of reference when watching the NLCS. Don't get sucked in by incessant attempts to connect eras. The only similarity is the logo. The players remain happily oblivious and immune to talk of a heavy history.

If the Cubs win the pennant, it will be because of superior pitching and a potent offense that can play small ball or go deep. If they lose, it will be because of bad execution, not karma.

These Cubs don't care about that stuff, as Montero said. Why should we?

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Chicago Tribune Cubs shortstop Addison Russell out for NLCS By Mark Gonzales

The Cubs announced Thursday that Addison Russell will miss all of the National League Championship Series.

Russell injured his hamstring stretching a double into a triple in the bottom of the fourth inning Monday night in Game 3 of the NLDS.

Cubs manager Joe Maddon said they haven't decided whether to add a pitcher or player to the roster to take Russell's spot.

"We'll continue to work on him," Maddon said. Hopefully if everything plays properly, we have another opportunity for him to play in another round.

“He knows what’s happening next. He’s not going to necessarily push it right now. Let’s go on more of a normal pace with the training staff and not test it to the point where he could reinjure it again too soon by trying to be too aggressive."

Javier Baez, who filled in for Russell after his injury, will start at shortstop, Maddon said. Baez hit a three-run home run in Game 4 of the NL Division Series against John Lackey of St. Louis on Tuesday.

"The thing about Addison is he’s played enough here this year to know he belongs here and he can do this," Maddon said. "I want to believe Javy is arriving at that same point. To hit a three-run home run in that playoff game against one of the best pitchers in the National League should boost your confidence.

"The big thing is the consistency on defense."

The team also said that Jon Lester will start Game 1 Saturday night and Jake Arrieta will start Sunday's Game 2.

The Cubs will either play the Mets or the Dodgers.

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Chicago Tribune Javier Baez gets chance to shine with Addison Russell out for NLCS By Mark Gonzales

It's a good thing the Cubs developed a deep inventory of shortstops while they were trying to supplement their starting pitching.

Now they must hope Javier Baez can provide the consistency Addison Russell provided at shortstop for the last 21/2 months.

Baez will take over at shortstop after manager Joe Maddon announced Thursday that Russell, their most dependable fielder, will be out for at least the best-of-seven the National League Championship Series starting Saturday night.

An MRI revealed Russell, 21, suffered a moderate strain of his left hamstring while stretching a double into a triple during Monday's 8-6 victory over the Cardinals in the third game of the NL Division Series.

Russell, who batted .242 with 13 home runs and 54 RBIs, was receiving treatment and was unavailable for comment during the Cubs' workout at Wrigley Field.

"He's not going to necessarily push it right now," Maddon said. "Let's go on more of a normal pace with the training staff and not test it to the point where he could re-injure it again too soon by trying to be too aggressive.

"This permits us to put it on more of a planned situation regarding his rehab, and then we'll work it out from there. He's such a mature kid. The conversation was so easy. He got it. He was relieved in a sense (because he won't) have to push it right now.

"For me, as a manager, to put a guy in a situation where he could hurt himself worse is a bad place to be."

This marks the second significant hamstring injury in the last two seasons for Russell, who missed more than two months because of a Grade 3 tear of his right hamstring while playing for Double-A Midland and returning four weeks before the Athletics traded him to the Cubs in a five-player deal July 5, 2014.

For Baez, this gives him another opportunity to show that he has become a more polished hitter. But the Cubs are more concerned with whether he will be able to provide the same reliable defense as Russell, who had a 42-game errorless streak at shortstop and committed only four errors in 61 games there.

"Addison has played enough here this year to know he belongs and he can do this," Maddon said. "I want to believe Javy is arriving at that same point. He hit a three-run home run (in Game 4 of the NLDS off John Lackey of the Cardinals) and that should boost your confidence.

"The big thing is consistency on defense. We have to catch the ball. We talked about it the whole time, and pitching and catching are very important to us. I know (Baez) can do it. It's a mental thing, a confidence issue. And when you're able to get a hit like (he did) under those circumstances, it does help."

Baez committed a throwing error in Game 3 of the NLDS on a grounder from slow-footed Cardinal Matt Holliday after he pinch ran for Russell. But at the plate, Baez has displayed better plate discipline as his three-run homer showed.

Starlin Castro, a three-time All-Star who lost his starting shortstop job to Russell on Aug. 7, will remain at second base but could move to short as part of a late-inning move if needed.

Russell's injury opens up a spot on the 25-man roster. Maddon and team officials will continue to discuss their options, which include reliever Jason Motte, who hasn't pitched since Aug. 23 because of a right shoulder strain.

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Chicago Tribune Jon Lester will start Game 1, but extra rest may be best for Jake Arrieta By Mark Gonzales

Jake Arrieta's powerful right arm continues to push boundaries, but the Cubs ace has no qualms about Jon Lester starting the first game of the National League Championship Series.

"It's Jon's turn," Arrieta said of Lester, who will be opening the NLCS for the Cubs on seven days' rest Saturday night. "It will be good for him to get out there in Game 1 and probably be ready for Game 5. We both plan to get a couple of starts in this series if needed. We're eager to go out and win games."

Arrieta has thrown a career high 243 2/3 innings in the regular season and postseason, and he admittedly was out of rhythm Monday when he allowed four runs in 5 2/3 innings to beat the Cardinals in the NL Division Series.

But Arrieta said he felt fine during a 35-pitch bullpen session before Thursday's workout in which he worked on several "fastball-changeup" combinations.

Lester would have pitched the fifth and deciding game of the NLDS at St. Louis if the Cubs had not wrapped up the series Tuesday. Manager Joe Maddon said it lined up well for Lester to open the NLCS and for Arrieta to get an extra day of rest.

"We've been pushing him very hard," Maddon said. "His innings are way up compared to where they have been in the past (156 2/3 in 2014)."

Maddon said it was unlikely he would start Lester or Arrieta on short rest in the NLCS, adding he probably would use four starters in the series.

"Jon Lester in a big game is always tasty," Maddon said.

Recovery time: From Maddon, who is nursing a cold, to the players, the three-day break between series was welcomed.

“I have so few brain cells left I have to protect them,” quipped Maddon, who didn’t attend a gathering for the American League Division Series with his players Wednesday night.

The players celebrated Tuesday's NLDS victory later that night at Lester's home, where musician Eddie Vedder performed.

"It's good for us to decompress and reserve some of the adrenaline and energy for the days ahead," Arrieta said. "Where we're at now, this team hasn't been here for a long time. We know how to approach it right."

Movie time: A fan gave Arrieta a replica Marty McFly cap from the 1989 movie "Back to the Future" that predicted the Cubs would win the 2015 World Series. That prompted Arrieta to watch the movie for the first time.

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Chicago Sun-Times Cubs-Mets NLCS set after Dodgers fall in Game 5 By Gordon Wittenmyer

Abracadabra, witches and demons.

The Cubs are headed back to where the magic began this season, trying to take this enchanted playoff ride to places the franchise hasn’t seen in 70 years.

When the New York Mets eliminated the Los Angeles Dodgers with a 3-2 victory Thursday, it assured a National League Championship Series matchup between the Cubs and the franchise that ended their fabled 1969 team’s pennant run in the final month of the season.

It also set up a Game 1 appointment Saturday in the same Citi Field clubhouse in which a magician named Simon greeted the Cubs on the heels of a five-game losing streak and sent them on to a three-game sweep of the Mets and the hottest finish in the majors.

‘‘I want to say I don’t believe in magic,’’ rookie Kris Bryant said as recently as a few weeks ago, recalling the moment. ‘‘I don’t believe in it until it affects us like that.’’

The Cubs will take their own magic to New York this time around, sending fresh starters Jon Lester and Jake Arrieta to the mound for the first two games. They also will bring a rookie-centered lineup that has slugged 12 home runs in the Cubs’ five playoff games.

The Lester-Arrieta order wasn’t immediately popular among fans on social media, but it was set long before the Cubs knew whom they would be facing because manager Joe Maddon wanted to keep his starters in line.

When Lester wasn’t needed for Game 5 against the St. Louis Cardinals in the NL Division Series, it pushed him back to Game 1 against the Mets, whom he beat at Wrigley Field in May and shut down for seven innings in an extra- inning victory in New York.

Lester will pitch on three days of extra rest and Arrieta on two, a major advantage over a Mets staff that needed ace Jacob deGrom in the elimination game against the Dodgers and No. 2 starter Noah Syndergaard in relief.

The Cubs went 7-0 against the Mets this season, holding them to an average of 1.6 runs.

‘‘Of course, we had a good record against the Mets this year, but they’re a pretty different team than we had seen earlier,’’ Maddon said. ‘‘The Mets have a lot of power pitching across the board. . . . On the field, I don’t know what the Mets look like right now. I know what they looked like a couple of months ago.’’

The Mets’ lineup is unrecognizable to anyone who hasn’t seen it in the last three months. Since the Cubs allowed them only one run during the three-game sweep in New York on June 30-July 2, the Mets:

• Acquired hitting depth in Kelly Johnson and postseason veteran Juan Uribe in a trade July 24 with the .

• Promoted outfielder Michael Conforto to the majors on the same day. Conforto, who was drafted six spots behind Kyle Schwarber last year, hit .270 with an .841 OPS down the stretch.

• Acquired season-changer Yoenis Cespedes, who hit 17 home runs with a .942 OPS in the final two months, in a deadline deal with the Detroit Tigers.

• Got face-of-the-franchise third baseman David Wright back from the disabled list Aug. 24, then got a .277 batting average and an .818 OPS from him in the final 30 games.

The Mets were 53-50 and averaging 3.5 runs before trading for Cespedes. They went 37-22 and averaged 5.4 runs after his arrival.

‘‘I don’t even look at those wins as even being relevant, other than getting us in the position that we’re in now — to put us in the postseason,’’ catcher David Ross said. ‘‘That’s an entirely different team with an entirely different roster and probably entirely different confidence and set of circumstances they’re dealing with.’’

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Chicago Sun-Times Young Cubs laugh off, recreate bat flip 'controversy' in Toronto By Gordon Wittenmyer

As controversial as it might have been in some circles – especially in Texas – the extreme bat flip Wednesday by a potential World Series opponent had the Cubs laughing more than preaching about protocol.

Toronto slugger Jose Bautista hit the three-run homer that proved the game-winner in the Blue Jays’ division series clincher off Texas Rangers’ reliever Sam Dyson, then threw his bat as much as he flipped it, contributing to a bench-clearing incident.

By Thursday’s workout at Wrigley Field, first baseman Anthony Rizzo was laughing and entertaining teammates by recreating the flip while taking batting practice.

Cubs pitcher Jake Arrieta, who got into his own faceoff with the Pirates in Pittsburgh last week, said as a pitcher he didn’t have any problem with Bautista’s flip, especially after hearing Bautista say, “It’s the most emotionally charged game that I’ve ever played.”

“You saw his comments,” Arrieta said. “Sometimes it’s OK to let that kind of stuff out. You might not like it on the other side, but he won a huge game for Toronto with that swing of the bat. Tempers run hot, but that’s part of baseball.”

Second baseman Starlin Castro, who has been known to occasionally flip a bat, called Bautista’s home run “unbelievable” and didn’t look at it as Bautista showing up Dyson (despite a lengthy staredown).

“It’s a really exciting moment,” Castro said. “When you hit the ball hard and far, the emotion makes you do something that sometimes you don’t even understand.”

Arrieta: “It doesn’t bother me at all. He’s had a tremendous year as well as their entire club has.

“And maybe we’ll see them in the World Series.”

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Chicago Sun-Times Cubs hopeful Addison Russell could return for possible World Series By Gordon Wittenmyer

Cubs shortstop Addison Russell’s hamstring injury is serious enough that the Cubs will leave the rookie off the roster for the National League Championship Series, manager Joe Maddon said Thursday.

Maddon said the club is hopeful Russell can return if the Cubs reach the World Series.

Javy Baez becomes the starting shortstop for the NLCS, with former All-Star shortstop Starlin Castro staying at second base.

Russell hurt the left hamstring legging a triple in the fourth inning of Monday’s Game 3 division series victory over the Cardinals.

“It’s considered a moderate strain,” Maddon said. “Not mild, a little more on the moderate side. I just spoke with him, and the big thing there was to ameliorate his mind in the sense that he knows what’s happening next.

“He’s not going to necessarily push it right now. Let’s go on a more normal pace with the training staff, not test it to the point where you injure it again by trying to be too aggressive.”

Even if the Cubs get to their first World Series since 1945, Russell’s status is at least doubtful, considering the demands of the position he plays.

“There’s so much going on out there movement-wise that can’t be controlled necessarily,” Maddon said. “You have to react and play.

“We’ll be very pragmatic about it. We’ll just play it all the way through and see how it plays.”

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Chicago Sun-Times Lester gets Game 1 call for Cubs in NLCS regardless of foe By Gordon Wittenmyer

The Cubs didn’t have to wait to find out who they’ll play in the National League Championship Series to know how they want the top of their rotation to open the series – with Jon Lester going in Game 1 on Saturday and Cy Young candidate Jake Arrieta scheduled for Game 2 Sunday.

As the Cubs awaited the outcome of Thursday night’s game between the Dodgers and Mets to determine their NLCS opponent, the only thing certain was that those two games will be played on the road.

Manager Joe Maddon said the rotation was set up in the first playoff series, against the Cardinals, to line up this way if Lester wasn’t needed for a Game 5.

“Of course, it’s nice giving Jake an extra day,” Maddon said. “It kind of played out well.”

Lester, who pitched well in a Game 1 division-series loss in St. Louis, would be pitching with four days’ extra rest. Arrieta, who struggled with command in a Game 3 win, will have two extra days.

If the Cubs face the Dodgers, the Los Angeles rotation presumably lines up to create a Game 2 matchup between two of the most dominant pitchers in the game, with three-time Cy Young winner Clayton Kershaw’s natural fifth day falling on Sunday, opposite Arrieta.

Dodgers co-ace Zack Greinke (19-3, 1.66 during the regular season) wouldn’t be available until the series moves to Wrigley Field on Tuesday.

If the Cubs face the Mets, they will miss Jacob deGrom, the top performer this season from New York’s power rotation, in Games 1 and 2. DeGrom was to face Greinke Thursday night.

Maddon said he hadn’t made his decision for Games 3 and 4, suggesting the opponent might factor into the decision.

Asked if he was considering using a “surprise” starter in the NLCS, Maddon on Thursday said, “As of right now, no.”

The Cubs don’t have to officially set their roster for the NLCS until Saturday morning.

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