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Home , Craig Breslow, David Bote, Jon Lester, Ron Coomer

January 15, 2019

• NBC Sports Chicago, Cubs radio play-by-play announcer Pat Hughes named 2018 Illinois Sportscaster of the Year https://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/cubs/cubs-radio-play-play-announcer-pat-hughes-named- 2018-illinois-sportscaster-year

• NBC Sports Chicago, Cubs hire former MLB as front office strategist https://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/cubs/cubs-hire-former-mlb-pitcher-craig-breslow-front-office- strategist

• , Cubs announcer Pat Hughes named 2018 Illinois Sportscaster of the Year https://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-spt-cubs-pat-hughes-sportscaster-award- 20190114-story.html

• Chicago Tribune, , and are not scheduled to attend Cubs Convention https://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-spt-cubs-convention-anthony-rizzo- 20190114-story.html

• Chicago Tribune, Cubs add former major-league pitcher Craig Breslow to front office https://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-spt-cubs-craig-breslow-20190114- story.html

• Chicago Sun-Times, Addison Russell won’t be at Cubs Convention this weekend https://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/addison-russell-wont-be-at-cubs-convention-this-weekend/

• Chicago Sun-Times, Cubs hire ex-pitcher, Yale grad Craig Breslow as strategist https://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/cubs-hire-ex-pitcher-yale-grad-craig-breslow-strategist/

• Daily Herald, Ex-relief pitcher Breslow joins Cubs operation staff https://www.dailyherald.com/sports/20190114/ex-relief-pitcher-breslow-joins-cubs-operation-staff

• Cubs.com, Bote reflects on rookie season, walk-off slam https://www.mlb.com/cubs/news/david-bote-discusses-rookie-year-grand-slam/c-302688596

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NBC Sports radio play-by-play announcer Pat Hughes named 2018 Illinois Sportscaster of the Yea By Tim Stebbins

Long-time Cubs radio play-by-play announcer Pat Hughes received a contract extension in December. Less than a month later, he has received yet another prestigious honor.

Monday, the National Sports Media Association named Hughes the 2018 Illinois Sportscaster of the Year.

"I'd like to dedicate this award to three special co-workers,” Hughes said in a press release. “The Operations Director of 670 The Score, Mitch Rosen, also the Executive Producer of Cubs Radio. And, to my two very talented and congenial booth partners, Ron Coomer and Zach Zaidman. Those three men have a great deal to do with this award.”

This is the 12th time Hughes has won the Sportscaster of the Year honor and ninth such time in Illinois. He previously received the honor in Illinois in 1996, 1999, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2014, 2015 and 2017. Hughes also was named the Wisconsin Sportscaster of the Year Award from 1990-92.

Hughes, 63, is entering his 24th season as the Cubs radio play-by-play announcer and 37th consecutive season overall.

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NBC Sports Chicago Cubs hire former MLB pitcher Craig Breslow as front office strategist By Tim Stebbins

A fellow Yale graduate has joined Cubs president and Yale product in the team's front office.

Monday, the Cubs announced that they have named former MLB pitcher Craig Breslow as Director of Strategic Initiatives for Baseball Operations. Breslow, 38, is a 2002 Yale graduate with a molecular biophysics and biochemistry degree.

In his role with the Cubs, Breslow will "help to evaluate and implement data-based processes throughout all facets of Baseball Operations. He will also support the organization’s pitching infrastructure in Player Development and the major leagues," according to a press release.

Breslow pitched in parts of 12 major league seasons from 2005-06 and 2008-17. Primarily a reliever, the left-hander finished his career with a 3.45 ERA in 576 career games.

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Chicago Tribune Cubs announcer Pat Hughes named 2018 Illinois Sportscaster of the Year By Mark Gonzales

Cubs play-by-play radio announcer Pat Hughes was named the 2018 Illinois Sportscaster of the Year by the National Sports Media Association.

This marks the 12th time Hughes has won the honor and his ninth in Illinois, previously winning the award in 1996, 1999, 2006-07, 2009, 2014-15 and 2017. Hughes won the Wisconsin Sportscaster of the Year for three consecutive seasons (1990-92).

Hughes tied last year with ABC-7’s Mark Giangreco.

The Sun-Times’ Rick Morrissey was named Illinois Sportswriter of the Year, a first for the former Tribune columnist.

ESPN’s Doris Burke became the first woman named National Sportscaster of the Year and ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski was named National Sportswriter of the year for a second successive time.

NBC’s Mike “Doc” Emrick and Peter King and ESPN’s Bob Ley and Tony Kornheiser were named to the NSMA Hall of Fame.

Hughes is entering his 37th consecutive season as a major-league broadcaster, having served the last 23 as the radio voice of the Cubs.

“I'd like to dedicate this award to three special co-workers,” Hughes said in a statement. “The operations director of 670 The Score, Mitch Rosen. Also the executive producer of Cubs Radio. And, to my two very talented and congenial booth partners, Ron Coomer and Zach Zaidman. Those three men have a great deal to do with this award.”

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Chicago Tribune Anthony Rizzo, Jon Lester and Addison Russell are not scheduled to attend Cubs Convention By Mark Gonzales

Five Hall of Fame players are scheduled to attend the 34th annual Cubs Convention this weekend but there will be some significant no-shows.

First baseman Anthony Rizzo, shortstop Addison Russell, and Jon Lester and Tyler Chatwood weren’t listed among the 31 active players scheduled to attend the three-day event that starts Friday night at the Sheraton Grand Chicago.

Rizzo was married on Dec. 30 and is on his honeymoon. Russell is currently serving a suspension for violating ’s domestic abuse policy. Lester committed to participating in a golf tournament in Florida.

Newly-elected Lee Smith will join fellow Cubs Hall of Famers Fergie Jenkins, Ryne Sandberg, and Billy Williams in a “Cubs in Cooperstown” panel.

“Cubs in Cooperstown” is one of three new panels. The others are:

—“Cubs Talk”: Jr., Steve Cishek, Daniel Descalso and will tell stories and participate in a question-and-answer session with fans.

—“Off the Field”: Happ, Carl Edwards Jr., and will discuss their off-field interests in a discussion aimed toward younger fans. Topics include music, fashion, art and more.

Opening ceremonies will start Friday at 6 p.m., followed by “Friday Night With ” at 7:30 p.m.

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Chicago Tribune Cubs add former major-league pitcher Craig Breslow to front office By Mark Gonzales

The Cubs will put Craig Breslow’s 12 years as a major-league pitcher and his degrees in molecular biophysics and biochemistry to good use.

Breslow, 38, was hired Monday to become the team’s director of strategic initiatives for baseball operations.

In a statement, the Cubs said Breslow will “help to evaluate and implement data-based processes throughout all facets of Baseball Operations” and help the organization’s pitching infrastructure.

Breslow completed a 12-year career in 2017. Breslow posted a 3.45 career ERA and appeared in all but two of his 576 games as a reliever with seven teams, including the 2013 champion Red Sox.

Breslow graduated from Yale in 2002 — the same year he was drafted by the Brewers in the 26th round.

Breslow pitched for the Padres, Red Sox, Indians, Twins, Athletics, Diamondbacks and Marlins.

Breslow pitched in at least 60 games six times, posting a career-best 5-2 record and 1.81 ERA in 61 games with the Red Sox in 2013.

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Chicago Sun-Times Addison Russell won’t be at Cubs Convention this weekend By Madeline Kenney

As expected, troubled shortstop Addison Russell won’t be at Cubs Convention this weekend.

Other current players that aren’t expected to attend the three-day fan festival at the Sheraton Grand Chicago — which begins Friday at 6 p.m. — include first baseman Anthony Rizzo, right-hander Tyler Chatwood and left-hander Jon Lester.

Russell is currently serving a 40-game suspension stemming from an investigation by Major League Baseball into physical and emotional abuse allegations made by his ex-wife, Melisa Reidy. He’ll serve the final 29 games at the start of the 2019 season.

Team president Theo Epstein said in November that the Cubs promised to hold Russell accountable and are monitoring his off-the-field progress as he attends a league-mandated therapy and education program. Russell, whom the Cubs signed to a one-year, $3.4 million deal with several rare roster bonuses worth as much as $600,000, also apologized for his past behavior.

For a full list of expected attendees and information on this weekend’s event, go here.

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Chicago Sun-Times Cubs hire ex-pitcher, Yale grad Craig Breslow as strategist By Gordon Wittenmyer

The Cubs roster doesn’t look any better than it did when the season ended, but the front office might be a little smarter with the hiring, announced Monday, of former big-league pitcher Craig Breslow.

Breslow, a Yale graduate with a degree in molecular biophysics and biochemistry, is the Cubs’ new director of strategic initiatives for baseball operations, assuming some duties that had been shared by other front office personnel.

The job entails helping to “evaluate and implement data-based processes throughout all facets of baseball operations” and support the organization’s pitching infrastructure.

Breslow, 38, pitched in the majors for seven teams over a 12-year career that included a World Series championship with the Red Sox in 2013.

The left-hander made 33 minor-league appearances for the Blue Jays last season.

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Daily Herald Ex-relief pitcher Breslow joins Cubs operation staff By Bruce Miles

The Cubs have hired former major-league relief pitcher Craig Breslow as director of strategic initiatives for baseball operations.

Breslow, 38, will help to evaluate and implement data-based processes throughout all facets of baseball operations according to the Cubs. He will also support the organization's pitching infrastructure in player development and the major leagues.

The native of New Haven, Connecticut, pitched in the major leagues from 2005 to 2017 with seven different teams, and he was a member of the Red Sox' world championship team in 2013. Breslow pitched in the minor leagues for Toronto last year.

In 576 major-league games, all but 2 in relief, he had a record of 23-30 with a 3.45 ERA and a WHIP of 1.34

Breslow is a 2002 graduate of with a degree in molecular biophysics and biochemistry.

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Cubs.com Bote reflects on rookie season, walk-off slam By Jordan Bastian

David Bote cracked a smile and laughed, but then the Cubs infielder was rendered speechless for a dozen seconds. The question sent his way during MLB's Rookie Career Development Program earlier this month was simple enough.

Do you get tired ever of watching the video of the ?

The grand slam left everyone inside speechless on Aug. 12, too. Sure, there was the deafening roar, but Cubs fans probably had a hard time forming any discernible words as Bote raised his arms and the baseball soared over the ivy-laced wall in center for a walk-off miracle. It was every kid's backyard dream scenario: Bottom of the ninth, down by three, two outs, two strikes and the bases loaded.

It still feels like a dream for Bote.

"Yeah," Bote said, still smiling, "I don't know how to answer that question."

The RCDP was created in 1992 and is designed to help up-and-coming Major Leaguers be aware of off- field issues and how to deal with them. Bote received a crash course in big league life in 2018, when he bounced between Triple-A Iowa and Chicago, offering an option all over the diamond and throughout the lineup for the Cubs' fourth straight trip to the postseason.

Has Bote allowed himself to sit back and reflect on his rookie taste of The Show?

"I thought I would," Bote said, "because that was kind of the question during the year: Have you been able to step back and appreciate the year that's gone on? I really haven't, and I really don't think I will until all is said and done, just because once the season's over and you get back into the offseason, you're already back into the mindset of, 'What do I need to do to increase my abilities?'"

With shortstop Addison Russell suspended for the first month of the regular season, the 25-year-old Bote has a strong chance of cracking the roster as a pseudo-regular. He can lend a hand at second (where the Cubs also have options in and Daniel Descalso), spell at third on occasion and give the team depth behind shortstop Javier Baez.

An 18th-round pick by the Cubs in 2012, Bote is reaching the nothing-left-to-prove portion of his Minor League career. Now, he is trying to prove that he belongs in the big leagues. On that summer night in August, Bote certainly caught the baseball world by surprise with his pinch-hit, walk-off grand slam against Nationals reliever .

Breslow joins front office The Cubs announced Monday that they have hired former MLB reliever Craig Breslow as the team's director of strategic initiatives for baseball operations. Per the Cubs, Breslow, who has a degree from Yale University in molecular biophysics and biochemistry, will "help to evaluate and implement data- based processes throughout all facets of baseball operations. He will also support the organization's pitching infrastructure in player development and the Major Leagues."

The 38-year-old Breslow recently finished a 12-year big league career, which included 576 appearances between stints with seven teams and a World Series ring with the Red Sox in 2013. The lefty posted a 3.45 ERA in his stops with the Padres, Red Sox, Indians, Twins, A's, D-backs and Marlins, appearing in the Majors for the final time in 2017. Breslow spent last season in the Minors with the Blue Jays.

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