June 24, 2017

 Cubs.com, Lester seeks milestone, first win over Marlins http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/238342476/lester-seeks-milestone-first-win-over-marlins

 Cubs.com, Lackey, Cubs fall despite 3-hitting Marlins http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/238367290/jose-urena-marlins-shut-out-cubs/

 Cubs.com, Hendricks could start throwing this weekend http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/238326204/cubs-kyle-hendricks-could-throw-this-weekend/

 Cubs.com, Lackey extends trend; bats can't follow suit http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/238418598/john-lackey-throws-another-strong-cubs-start/

 Cubs.com, 2nd-rounder Abbott latest Cubs pick to sign http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/238334148/cory-abbott-latest-cubs-draft-pick-to-sign/

 Cubs.com, Cubs first-rounder stops No. 1 team in CWS http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/238351690/cubs-1st-rounder-alex-lange-lsu-stops-osu/

 ESPNChicago.com, Cubs continue roller-coaster ride on offense in loss to Marlins http://www.espn.com/blog/chicago/cubs/post/_/id/44676/cubs-continue-their-roller-coaster-ride-on- offense-in-loss-to-marlins

 CSNChicago.com, This Is The Identity Of The 2017 Cubs So Far: 'Up And Down, Up And Down' http://www.csnchicago.com/chicago-cubs/identity-2017-cubs-so-far-and-down-and-down

 CSNChicago.com, On : ‘Pound For Pound, Man, He’s Got As Good A Power As I’ve Seen’ http://www.csnchicago.com/chicago-cubs/joe-maddon-ian-happ-pound-pound-man-hes-got-good-power-ive- seen

 CSNChicago.com, Cubs Hopeful Returns Before All-Star Break http://www.csnchicago.com/chicago-cubs/cubs-hopeful-kyle-hendricks-returns-all-star-break

 Chicago Tribune, Cubs offense lets down in second straight strong start http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-cubs-marlins-spt-0624-20170623-story.html

 Chicago Tribune, hits major road block in his major-league career http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/columnists/ct-sullivan-big-hit--spt-0625-20170624- column.html

 Chicago Tribune, How the invention of smartphones changed baseball's clubhouse camaraderie http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/columnists/ct-sullivan-around-baseball-spt-0625-20170624- story.html

 Chicago Tribune, would love to go home for All-Star festivities in Miami http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-anthony-rizzo-cubs-notes-spt-0624-20170623- story.html

 Chicago Sun-Times, Hitting one day, pitching the next — that’s how erratic Cubs roll http://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/hitting-one-day-pitching-the-next-thats-how-erratic-cubs-roll/

 Chicago Sun-Times, to skip Home Derby but Anthony Rizzo wants back in http://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/kris-bryant-to-skip-home-run-derby-but-anthony-rizzo-wants-back-in/

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Cubs.com Lester seeks milestone, first win over Marlins By Glenn Sattell

Jon Lester looks to continue to pile up the on Saturday afternoon when he takes the mound for the Cubs in the third game of a four-game series with Miami at Marlins Park. The left-hander, who enters with 1,954 career punchouts, is just three away from 500 as a Cub. Lester would be just the eighth lefty in Cubs history to reach that mark.

Lester is among the National League leaders in strikeouts with 93 this season. He has already recorded two 10- games, and in another two games, he fanned nine. The veteran is 4-4 (3.83 ERA) in 15 starts this season, including one complete game.

Justin Nicolino gets the call for the Marlins, facing the Cubs for the first time in his career. Nicolino is making his fifth start this season, looking for his first win (0-1, 5.06 ERA). The left-hander has gone just three innings in each of his last two starts.

Three things to know about this game

• Lester picked up his 150th career win on June 13 at the Mets. It's also his only win on the road this season. He's one of eight active with 150 career wins, joining teammate John Lackey, along with Bartolo Colon, CC Sabathia, , , Felix Hernandez and Jered Weaver.

• Lester is 0-2 lifetime against Miami over four starts, with a 4.91 ERA. He has 18 strikeouts in 22 innings facing the Marlins, but he has given up 29 hits, including seven home runs. He has earned at least one win over the other 28 teams he has faced in his career. The former Red Sox hurler has never faced Boston.

• Among the Cubs' current players, Nicolino has faced only one in his career. Jon Jay is 1-for-3 lifetime against Nicolino.

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Cubs.com Lackey, Cubs fall despite 3-hitting Marlins By Joe Frisaro and Glenn Sattell

MIAMI -- When the season started, the Marlins used Jose Urena in a long-relief role. The 25-year-old has since become a stopper of sorts, especially in recent weeks.

Urena scattered five hits over six shutout innings, and backed by a from , the Marlins edged the Cubs, 2-0, on Friday night at Marlins Park. Urena has now won his last five decisions.

Mixing his pitches, Urena silenced the Cubs the night after the Marlins were routed, 11-1.

"I think you see a guy that is pitching more," Marlins manager Don Mattingly said. "We know the power is there. He's using his changeup. He's using his slider. You still want him to continue to improve, but he's using [offspeed pitches], and it's making you think as a hitter. I think that's the one thing he has been able to do. He will use his change and throw his slider. As a hitter, it's getting to the point you can't always think you're getting a fastball."

According to ™, Urena's 93 pitches broke down into 19 four-seam fastballs, 20 two-seam fastballs, 29 sliders and 25 changeups. The right-hander got nine swinging strikes.

"The difference 24 hours can make," said Cubs manager Joe Maddon.

The strong showing by Urena, who has an ERA of 3.62 in five June starts, allowed Miami to shake off Thursday night's loss and even the four-game series.

"Just go out there, be patient and try to get an out pitch-by-pitch," Urena said.

Urena and Cubs right-hander John Lackey set the tone, making quick work for most of the night. Lackey allowed two runs (one earned) in six innings.

"I felt really good," Lackey said. "I had a good thing going. [Catcher ] called a good game. We were executing a lot of pitches. Their guy pitched a little bit better."

The Marlins got on the board in the third inning on Stanton's latest thunderous home run. The 27-year-old launched a laser shot off the batter's eye in center. Per Statcast™, it traveled a projected 458 feet, making it his third-longest homer this year. The exit velocity was 112.4 mph, and the ball had a 20-degree launch angle. Of his 19 home runs, 12 have been with exit speeds of at least 110 mph. Only Aaron Judge (15) has more.

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED

Slamming the door: Closing out narrow leads has been a struggle for the Marlins' bullpen, and the Cubs had a chance to threaten in the eighth inning. With Chicago trailing by two, David Phelps entered for Miami and walked Kris Bryant on five pitches. The Cubs were in business with a leadoff baserunner, and Phelps fell behind in the count, 2-0, to Ian Happ, who had two hits earlier in the game. But Phelps induced a 4-6-3 play out of Happ and fanned looking to escape any potential jam.

"I've got a lot of faith in my defense behind me," Phelps said. "I've been getting some ground balls lately. I figured, if I make a good pitch, I might get them to roll over."

A run in a Flash: The speed of Dee Gordon helped the Marlins manufacture their second run, which was unearned, in the sixth inning. Gordon singled to left on a ball that dropped just in front of Jon Jay. Gordon swiped second and advanced to third on Montero's throwing error. Stanton, who had homered in his previous at-bat off Lackey, was hit by a 91.2-mph fastball, putting runners on the corners. Christian Yelich's sacrifice fly to center made it 2-0.

QUOTABLE

"They changed their tack tonight. Their guy threw a lot more breaking balls than he did the last time, and he was good with it. He's got very good stuff." -- Maddon, on Urena

"We need him at the hot corner. They're going to test him a little bit like Jay did. Once he gets his midseason form back, he will be really good." -- Stanton, on third baseman Martin Prado returning from the DL. Jay was thrown out by Prado on a bunt attempt in the seventh inning.

WHAT'S NEXT

Cubs: gets the nod for the Cubs on Saturday in a 3:10 p.m. CT start. The left-hander has turned in back- to-back quality starts, going seven innings and striking out 10 in a win over the Mets and working six innings (seven strikeouts) in a no-decision against San Diego.

Marlins: Justin Nicolino (0-1, 5.06) gets the start on Saturday in the 4:10 p.m. ET contest at Marlins Park. The left- hander will be making his fifth start since joining the rotation. He has never faced the Cubs.

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Cubs.com Hendricks could start throwing this weekend By Glenn Sattell

MIAMI -- As the Cubs begin to put together a couple of good series, they remain hopeful that right-handed Kyle Hendricks can rejoin the team prior to the All-Star break and help continue that trend.

Hendricks is eligible to come off the disabled list from right hand tendinitis, but he isn't quite ready just yet.

"He's feeling good," manager Joe Maddon said prior to Friday's game with Miami at Marlins Park. "He's going to throw any moment now, tomorrow or the next day possibly."

Madden added that trainer PJ Mainville and Hendricks himself remain optimistic for a return sooner rather than later. But a firm date has yet to be determined.

"If he's ready to go, go ahead," Maddon said of a possible appearance prior to the All-Star break. "This is one of those things, in the finger you've got to throw the ball and just feel the baseball. If he's doing that, there's no reason to hold him back, I don't think."

Hendricks (4-3) struggled through 11 starts this season, posting a 4.09 ERA after coming off a career year in which he won 16 games (16-8) with a 2.13 ERA. He had begun to turn things around in May, however, posting a 3.34 ERA over five starts last month.

"Whatever that pinching feeling he has or had, as long as he's good to go, I think it's wise to just let him go," Maddon said of Hendricks' return.

Jason Heyward went on the 10-day DL Thursday, retroactive to Monday, with a left hand abrasion, and he is eligible to come off next Thursday.

"He keeps getting better," Maddon said. "He's also progressing. I talked to him. You could see the look in his eyes, he's feeling better. He has the right attitude about it like he normally does. He's starting to feel better, but he's not quite ready yet."

The Cubs entered Friday having won five of seven, and seven of their last 11 games, even without some of their frontline players, and Maddon said he likes the direction the team is headed.

"I like to believe that we're trending in the right direction," he said. "We had a good series in Pittsburgh, a good series at home, a nice game last night. And we started doing this without our full complement, and that's a good thing to be able to do that.

"The depth has been tested and I think it's answered pretty well."

Ben Zobrist, another of the Cubs' walking wounded, could have come off the 10-day DL Friday, but he hasn't fully recovered from left wrist inflammation.

"He's upbeat and feels good," said Maddon, who added that a return is still not imminent.

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Cubs.com Lackey extends trend; bats can't follow suit By Glenn Sattell

MIAMI -- Things had been falling into place for the Cubs lately. Good starting pitching, coupled with clutch hitting, had resulted in five wins over their previous six games. But one of those trends did not continue on Friday in a 2-0 loss to the Marlins.

Though starting pitcher John Lackey (5-8) was able to do his part on the mound, it was the Cubs' bats that went silent. Lackey allowed just two runs (one earned) on three hits in six innings, making it nine out of the last 10 games in which a Cubs starter allowed two earned runs or fewer. Coming into the game, Chicago was 25-11 when starting pitchers worked a minimum of six innings this season, and the winner in eight of the last nine such occasions.

"The last week or two, I feel we've definitely pitched well," Lackey said. "We won a couple of low-scoring games where we had to pitch well there. That's where it starts for sure. If you're going to be a consistent winning team, you've got to have good starting pitching. The offense can kind of come and go, and it makes it easier with a good pitching staff."

Coming into the game giving up 2.21 homers per nine innings -- the second-highest rate in the National League -- Lackey gave up a third-inning home run to Giancarlo Stanton, but little else.

"I was really impressed with him tonight," manager Joe Maddon said. "He was really sharp. He was outstanding. I didn't want to take him out of the game. His fastball had really good carry. He was throwing it where he wanted to. The slider was good."

Retiring the side in order in three of his six innings, Lackey turned in his second consecutive quality start (91 pitches, 64 strikes), third in five starts, and fifth overall this season.

"Just a well-pitched game, both ways," said Marlins manager Don Mattingly. "Jose [Urena] was really good. I thought Lackey was good today, kept us off-balance."

Shut out for the sixth time this season, the Cubs never got anything going on offense. Hitting .317 (26-for-82) with runners in scoring position over its previous nine games, Chicago came up empty in four opportunities on Friday. "We had a couple of opportunities but didn't get it done," Maddon said. "That's part of the game. Double plays continue to hurt us. We hit into way too many double plays."

The Cubs hit into three twin killings over the final four innings.

"Part of it is you could hit and run, but then again you have a lot of guys that swing and miss a lot," Maddon said. Only once did the Cubs get a runner as far as third base. Kris Bryant walked and moved to third on a single by Ian Happ, but he ultimately became one of seven runners left on base.

"They're still pretty young," Lackey said of the Cubs' lineup. "So there are a lot of guys still learning, still making adjustments in the game. But the talent is there. We like our chances in the end for those guys to do good stuff."

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Cubs.com 2nd-rounder Abbott latest Cubs pick to sign By Glenn Sattell

MIAMI -- The Cubs are wasting little time in signing their picks from the recently completed 2017 Major League Draft. After announcing the signing of their top pick, left-handed pitcher Brendon Little, on Thursday, they locked up second-rounder on Friday.

A right-handed pitcher from Loyola Marymount, Abbott becomes the 14th pick signed by the Cubs from this year's Draft. Abbott was signed for the full pick value ($901,900), according to MLBPipeline.com's Jonathan Mayo, after his stock climbed before the Draft.

The 67th overall selection, Abbott added another effective pitch to his arsenal, a slider. Clocked at a top speed of 93 mph on his fastball, Abbott developed a nasty slider to go with his curveball and changeup.

At 6-feet-2 and 210 pounds, the 21-year-old Abbott posted a 17-8 record over three years at LMU, with a 2.69 ERA over 56 appearances, including 28 starts. He struck out 196 batters over 217 2/3 innings.

Abbott's role with the Cubs is uncertain, but middle relief appears to be most suitable if not a back-end starter.

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Cubs.com Cubs first-rounder stops No. 1 team in CWS By Jim Callis

OMAHA, Neb. -- has pitched and won a lot of significant games in his three years at Louisiana State, but none more significant than Friday afternoon.

Other than a third-inning jam, the junior right-hander breezed through 7 1/3 innings of a 3-1 win over No. 1 national seed Oregon State, which had won 23 straight games and is chasing the best winning percentage in NCAA Division I history. A first-round pick by the Cubs (No. 30 overall) 11 days ago, Lange allowed one run on two hits and four walks while striking out eight, saving the Tigers from elimination at the College .

"This is why I came to LSU, to play in these big games," Lange said. "And keeping your team in the ballgame and keeping the season alive is pretty awesome."

The Tigers (51-18), the No. 4 national seed, will face the Beavers (56-5) again on Saturday to determine who advances to the best-of-three championship series, which begins Monday. LSU will start sophomore right-hander Caleb Gilbert (6-1, 2.29 ERA), and Oregon State will counter with redshirt sophomore righty Drew Rasmussen (3-0, 0.79 ERA), a supplemental first-round selection by the Rays.

Even with the loss, the Beavers' .918 winning percentage exceeds the current mark of .914 set by Arizona State in 1972. They pummeled the Tigers, 13-1, on Monday but had their worst offensive performance of the season against Lange and freshman right-hander Zach Hess, mustering just the lone run and two hits. Hess closed the game out by striking out four of the five batters he faced, finishing by catching freshman DH Tyler Malone looking at a 94-mph fastball.

Lange threw 115 pitches, 69 for strikes, while improving to 10-5 this season and 30-9 for his career. He became the second pitcher in LSU history to reach 400 strikeouts, boosting his total to 406, three shy of the school record held by Scott Schultz. Lange recorded five of his whiffs with his fastball, which sat at 91-93 mph in the early innings and featured good run throughout, and three with his trademark curveball.

It was the third CWS start of Lange's career. He pitched a complete-game six-hitter to beat Cal State Fullerton in an elimination game as a freshman, and wasn't as sharp while giving up four runs in six innings in a no-decision against Florida State last Saturday.

"I felt confident about Alex's ability to go out there today and pitch a gem," Tigers coach Paul Mainieri said. "He usually does that. After a less-than-stellar performance, which I think he would admit last week was, Alex never loses confidence. He just works and gets prepared and turns the page very quickly. This is why I think he's going to be an outstanding professional pitcher.

"He's got a short memory when things don't go well, and then he goes out there the next game and just pitches his heart out. He was obviously the key to the ballgame."

Lange got some help in the second inning, when Oregon State mustered its only rally. With two runners on and one out, sophomore center fielder Steven Kwan drove a ball down the left-field line that hit the foul stripe on the wall on the fly. Third-base umpire Danny Collins ruled the ball foul, however, and although he was crew chief, he did not call for a review. Kwan subsequently popped out and though the Beavers scored a run on a bases-loaded walk, they might have had a much bigger inning.

Oregon State coach Pat Casey said he couldn't see the ball from his vantage point in the third-base dugout but still should have sought a review.

"My understanding from the NCAA is the crew chief should have asked for a review," Casey said. "But I can ask for a review, and I didn't. And I should have. That's on me. I should have asked for the review."

LSU handed NCAA wins leader Jake Thompson (14-1), a Red Sox fourth-rounder, his first loss of the season. Freshman Josh Smith opened the scoring with an RBI single as part of a two-run second inning, then provided some insurance with a solo homer over the right-field bullpen in the seventh. Another freshman, center fielder Zach Watson, went 3-for-3 with a walk and is now batting .500 in Omaha.

In the other semifinal tonight, No. 3 national seed Florida (49-18) faces No. 6 national seed Texas Christian (49-17). The Gators would move on to the championship series with a victory, and the Horned Frogs need a win to force a rematch Saturday evening.

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ESPNChicago.com Cubs continue roller-coaster ride on offense in loss to Marlins By Jesse Rogers

MIAMI -- Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde have nothing on the ' offense. One night it’s 11 runs, the next day it’s zero. What gives, Joe Maddon?

“We’re not pummeling the baseball,” the Cubs' manager said after Friday’s 2-0 loss to the . “We had a nice night last night [but] as I talked about, it’s not time to get crazy, exaggeratedly happy about it.

"We have to continue to have good at-bats, and tonight we just didn’t.”

Many are wondering why the World Series champs are riding the roller coaster on offense. They may not be able to explain it, but we may be able to predict it and then analyze it. Actually, it’s pretty simple: The Cubs are great at the plate when they’re facing a left-handed pitcher. They’re terrible when the pitcher is a righty.

“When you look around the league, there’s a lot of power righty arms,” Kris Bryant said. “That guy today [Jose Urena] ran it up to 100 mph, with sink. You have those spells where you hit certain pitchers good, and it’s just a time we’re not hitting righties good.”

But that time has lasted the entire season, and the difference between the Cubs hitting against lefties as opposed to righties is striking. The Cubs rank first in the National League with an .818 OPS against lefties -- and it's no coincidence they had 11 runs when left-hander Jeff Locke started on Thursday.

Against righties, they rank 12th in OPS with a .726 mark. Their batting average against right-handers is .234, 15th -- dead last -- in the NL. The result is an 11-6 record against lefty starters and just a 26-30 mark when a righty starts. The Cubs are lamenting there aren’t more lefties in the league.

“Part of that is the chase factor,” Maddon said of his team's struggles against right-handers. “We have to stay in our strike zone.”

Maddon is tired of pointing out how young his hitters are, but his right-handed hitters are some of the younger players on the team. They’ve been susceptible to high fastballs and breaking pitches away. Urena used the latter strategy on Friday, and it worked.

“These guys need more at-bats to figure out what not to swing at,” Maddon said. “How to battle utilizing this [opposite] side of the field. If they don’t want to give you the pull side, then you have to do something else.”

The numbers prove his point. According to ESPN Stats & Information, the Cubs rank 26th in baseball in putting balls in play to the opposite field. Of course, they ranked 29th in that category last season, but last year’s offensive issues were masked by the Cubs’ starting staff. That’s not the case this year, as a great performance by John Lackey on Friday wasn't backed up with even a little offense.

“We have a lot of guys still learning,” Lackey said after giving up just one earned run. “But the talent is there. You like our chances in the end for those guys to do good stuff.”

If it’s a lefty starter, you love the Cubs’ chances. If it’s a righty, watch out, Mr. Hyde is bound to make an appearance.

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CSNChicago.com This Is The Identity Of The 2017 Cubs So Far: 'Up And Down, Up And Down' By Patrick Mooney

MIAMI – The Cubs are the defending champs, but at the moment they really don’t have much of an identity beyond that, unsure what they can count on from one game to the next, waiting to get healthy and still searching for that sense of rhythm 45 percent into the season.

This is a 37-36 team dealing with injuries near the top of the rotation (Kyle Hendricks), the middle of the lineup () and the heart of the defense () while a World Series legend (Kyle Schwarber) gets a few days to clear his head before reporting to Triple-A Iowa.

Just when it looks like the rotation is gathering strength, the offense went missing again during Friday’s 2-0 loss at Marlins Park, the night after the Cubs scored 11 runs in Miami and talked about it as the type of game that can create momentum.

“The difference 24 hours can make,” manager Joe Maddon said.

But this has been building for almost three full months. The Cubs have been shut out six times already and at the .500 mark at 15 different points this season.

The good news: John Lackey hit 94 mph and has put together back-to-back quality starts for a starting five with a 2.35 ERA the last two turns through the rotation. The 10 games before that, the Cubs rotation put up a 5.65 ERA, but neither trend has really changed the overall picture in a weak National League Central.

“That’s where it all starts, for sure,” Lackey said. “If you’re going to be a consistent winning team, you got to have good starting pitching, because the offense can kind of come and go.

“You got to remember they’re pretty young. We got a lot of guys still learning, still making adjustments in the game. But the talent’s there, so you like our chances in the end for those guys to do good stuff.”

The bad news: Lackey had no margin for error as the Marlins needed only three hits to score two runs (one earned). Lackey gave up his 21st home run – he allowed 23 in almost 190 innings last year – in the third inning when Giancarlo Stanton launched an 83-mph pitch 458 feet beyond the garish pink-flamingos-and-palm-trees sculpture.

Defense was supposed to be the constant with this team, but the Marlins manufactured an insurance run in the sixth inning when Dee Gordon stole second base off Lackey and catcher Miguel Montero threw the ball away, setting up Christian Yelich’s sacrifice fly.

“I certainly have all the confidence in the world in everybody here,” reigning NL MVP Kris Bryant said. “Last year was a great year for us. Everybody just seemed to be hitting at the right time, pitching good at the right time. Everything clicked.

“This season hasn’t been that way. You look at many players – and many Hall of Fame players – they’ve had some down years here and there. It just kind of seems like as a group we’re a little down right now, but plenty of time to turn it around.”

Ian Happ and Javier Baez accounted for four of the six hits against right-hander Jose Urena and three different relievers as the Cubs hit into three double plays, struck out seven times and followed the same pattern.

“Our offense is just like you saw – up and down, up and down,” Maddon said. “It is youthful. Listen, I don’t want to keep saying that, but it’s true. It just is. These guys need more at-bats to figure out what to not swing at and how to battle.”

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CSNChicago.com Joe Maddon On Ian Happ: ‘Pound For Pound, Man, He’s Got As Good A Power As I’ve Seen’ By Patrick Mooney

MIAMI – The Cubs factored Ian Happ into their preseason plans, hoping he could give the team a shot of adrenaline at some point and play well enough to be marketed as a trade chip in a blockbuster deal for pitching.

But the Cubs couldn’t have projected this for late June: Happ batting third behind Anthony Rizzo and Kris Bryant, the switch-hitting presence and middle-of-the-order force needed with Ben Zobrist on the disabled list and Kyle Schwarber about to get a mental reset at Triple-A Iowa.

“Pound for pound, man, he’s got as good a power as I’ve seen, when you look at the size and how far the ball goes,” manager Joe Maddon said Friday at Marlins Park. “It’s a unique combination of size and strength. You normally see a bigger guy with that kind of juice."

Happ (6-foot, 205 pounds) also patrolled right field that night – one of four different positions the rookie has handled so far – with Gold Glove defender Jason Heyward also on the disabled list and the Cubs in scramble mode.

The Schwarber demotion is a reminder of how hard this game is, how quickly it can spin out of control and how small sample sizes can be misleading, even on the biggest stages against some of the best pitchers on the planet.

But check out Happ’s first six weeks in The Show projected as a 162-game average on Baseball-Reference.com: 46 homers, 97 RBI, .916 OPS and 199 strikeouts.

“He’s just really interesting,” Maddon said. “Now you’re seeing him hit better from the right side, too, which is really going to matter. That really makes him a threat. You put him in the lineup based on that.”

The shorthanded Cubs have needed Happ – at the age of 22 – to protect Bryzzo Souvenir Co., add another layer of Zobrist versatility and learn it all on the fly for a team with World Series expectations.

“He’s pretty self-confident,” Maddon said. “There’s times I can tell when it’s beating him up a little bit when he goes through some of those funks where maybe he’s chasing pitches out of the zone. But he seems to rebound very quickly. Strong-minded. Strong-willed. Very confident individual.”

Two weeks into Happ’s big-league career, Maddon got questions about how long the Cubs will be patient and what they would need to see out of him before thinking about a return trip to Des Moines.

Though Happ was hitting .207 as recently as last week, his average has jumped roughly 40 points. He’s homered eight times in his last 14 starts. Fifteen of his 21 RBI have come with two outs. His OPS hasn’t fallen below .741 at any point this season.

“That’s adjusting,” Maddon said. “You get here, nobody really knows you, they throw you pitches, you hit ‘em well. And all of a sudden, you stop seeing those pitches. You’re not going to see them again until you stop swinging at the stuff that they want you to swing at.

“He’s done a pretty good job of laying off the bad stuff. That’s why it’s coming back to him. He’s really reorganized the strike zone here.”

That whole process sped up on Schwarber, who lost the swagger and the ability to crush fastballs that made him such a dangerous hitter. Happ doesn’t have it all figured out, but by the look on his face and the sound of his voice, you would have no idea whether or not he’s hitting.

“Unbelievable guy,” said Happ, who’s tight with Schwarber. “He’ll go down, rake, be back soon and do what he’s capable of doing, which is hitting the ball hard all over the ballpark. He’s done it his whole life. And he’ll continue to do it.”

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CSNChicago.com Cubs Hopeful Kyle Hendricks Returns Before All-Star Break By Patrick Mooney

MIAMI – The Cubs are hopeful Kyle Hendricks could return before the All-Star break and stabilize a rotation that misses his overall consistency and the unique stuff that made him a National League Award finalist last season.

A healthy Hendricks is critical to any second-half surge the Cubs are hoping for now, and so much of his game revolves around feel and the ability to manipulate a baseball in different ways. The tendinitis in his right hand has subsided to the point where he can soon reboot his throwing program.

“He’s feeling good,” manager Joe Maddon said before Friday night’s game at Marlins Park. “He’s going to throw any moment now, tomorrow or the next day possibly. (Athletic trainer) PJ (Mainville) was very optimistic, and so was Kyle.”

The Cubs placed Hendricks on the disabled list retroactive to June 5 and needed at least two MRIs to get a better sense of the inflammation in a tendon on the back of his middle finger.

The year after leading the majors in ERA, Hendricks is 4-3 with a 4.09 ERA and getting an unplanned break after making seven playoff starts in 2015 and 2016 combined. The Cubs aren’t thinking conservatively and waiting until after the All-Star break.

“If he’s ready to go, go ahead,” Maddon said. “This is one of those things in the finger (where) you got to throw the ball and just feel a baseball. If he’s doing that, there’s no reason to hold him back.

“Whatever that pinching feeling was…as long as he’s good to go, I think it’s wise to just let him go and play.”

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Chicago Tribune Cubs offense lets John Lackey down in second straight strong start By Mark Gonzales

Long-awaited consistency from the Cubs rotation has arrived.

But the impressive 10-game stretch hasn't translated to an extended winning streak, largely because of to a young and inconsistent offense.

That was illustrated again Friday night as the Cubs wasted another sterling performance from John Lackey in a 2-0 loss to the Marlins. The setback deprived the Cubs (37-36) of moving three games above .500 for the first time since June 6.

"Our offense is like you saw — up and down, up and down," lamented manager Joe Maddon, whose team unleashed a 16-hit attack Thursday in an 11-1 victory.

The Cubs were 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position, left seven runners stranded and grounded into three double plays in the final four innings.

"You could hit and run, but then again you have a lot of guys who swing and miss a lot," Maddon said of the double play woes. "So there's all these different methods involved. Hopefully 24 hours will change it again."

The missed opportunities added to the frustration after Lackey pitched one of his best games of the season.

Lackey (5-8) limited the Marlins to three hits in six innings, including Giancarlo Stanton's home run in the third, but he was lifted for a pinch-hitter for some offense.

"You have to remember they're pretty young," Lackey said. "We have a lot of guys still learning, making adjustments in the game. The talent is there. You like our chances in the end for those guys to do good stuff."

Rookie Ian Happ and Addison Russell, who each had four hits Thursday, each struck out in key situations.

Happ took a called third strike on what appeared to be a low pitch with runners at first and second to end the third. Russell took one on a hanging slider from Jose Urena with runners at first and third in the fifth.

Urena, who allowed three runs in five innings in a victory over the Cubs on June 7, departed from his previous game plan when he threw mostly fastballs.

"It is youthful," Maddon said of his inconsistent offense. "I don't want to keep saying that but it's true. It just is. These guys need more at-bats to figure out what not to swing at and how to battle better utilizing (the opposite) side of the field.

"That's where the production is going to come in. If they don't want to give you the pull side, if a pitcher is good enough not permit you to have your pull side, then you have to do something else."

Meanwhile, Cubs starters have a 2.35 ERA in their last 10 games, but the team is only 6-4 during that span.

"We won a couple of low-scoring games when we had to pitch well," Lackey said. "That's where it all starts. If you're going to be a good, consistent team, you have to have good starting pitching because the offense can come and go."

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Chicago Tribune Kyle Schwarber hits major road block in his major-league career By Paul Sullivan

When the Cubs put Kyle Schwarber in a timeout Thursday, sending him to Triple-A Iowa to clear his head, they made a point of saying it wouldn't be a long stay.

But exactly how long a stay is now up to Schwarber.

President Theo Epstein put no timetable on it, saying he wanted Schwarber to "rediscover who is he," meaning a hitter instead of an all-or-nothing slugger.

The surprise pick out of Indiana with the fourth selection of the 2014 draft had hit .344 in his first season in the minors and .323 in 2015, when he was called up to the Cubs and became an instant legend with his "Schwarbombs."

Now he was struggling with a .171 average, worst of any qualifying player in the majors.

Schwarber was missing the high fastballs he once pounded and the further he sank the more teams continued to exploit that weakness.

The list of players who were sent down to the minors only to succeed upon returning is a long one, including current stars such as , , and yes, even Anthony Rizzo.

It happens all the time, but the difference here is Schwarber succeeded in the postseason spotlight in 2015 and '16 and became a household name before his recent downfall.

The decision to hand him the leadoff spot in probably didn't help Schwarber, who missed almost all of last season with a knee injury and had hit only .143 against left-handers in 2015. Platooning him in left and leaving him down in the order may have been a better way of getting him re-acclimated to a 162-game season, but the commitment was made early and manager Joe Maddon stuck to his guns.

This year he has hit .143 against lefties and only .179 against right-handers, prompting the move. Epstein told WSCR-AM 670 it was not really a difficult decision, and based on the numbers it certainly wasn't.

As much as everyone loves Schwarber, no one with his level of experience is exempt from being sent down. And the longer the Cubs let him struggle, the worse the struggle became.

Schwarber's saga was reminiscent of the early-season struggles of Starlin Castro and Anthony Rizzo in 2013, when manager Dale Sveum suggested before a game in Milwaukee that anyone could be demoted. I argued the Cubs never would send down Rizzo or Castro, two of the core pieces of their vaunted rebuild.

"The bottom line is you have to perform," Sveum repeated. "Whether they need more development or you decide all those kind of things ... there's still that accountability. Many, many people throughout the history of the game (have been demoted). It's a performance-laden occupation. That's what makes the world go 'round. That's what makes this country what it is."

That instead led to talk about Sveum's future, and he received the dreaded kiss of death from Epstein the next day.

"Of course Dale has our full support," he said. "We are all accountable in this organization and we succeed or fail collectively."

Sveum was fired after the season with a year left on his contract, and his "tough love" handling of Castro was cited as one of the reasons. Rick Renteria, who doesn't do "tough love," was brought in to nurture Castro's development.

Maddon has backed Schwarber throughout his struggles, and never threatened to demote him. But when the time finally came, he said: "At some point you have to be pragmatic, you have to do what's best for everybody."

Schwarber will be back, and hopefully he follows Rizzo's path of success. But nothing in life is guaranteed, and there also are players who were sent down and never recovered, including Cubs prospects , a first- round pick in 2009, and , a first-rounder in '07.

They were called up together in 2012 with great fanfare, but both struggled from the outset. Jackson hit .175, was demoted, eventually released and played in only seven more big-league games in his career, with the Diamondbacks. Vitters hit .121 before being demoted, was let go after 2014 and now is playing with Sioux City in the Independent League.

Schwarber is no Jackson. He already knows what it's like to succeed in the majors, and just has to find himself again.

I remember going down to watch him at Daytona in 2014 when he was still an unknown quantity learning how to be a professional. He said he was "lucky to be a Cub," and knew he wanted the Cubs to choose him after his first meeting with Epstein.

"The Cubs believing in me as a person, that was the big thing that really got my attention," he said. "They really believed in me, and I believe in them."

The Cubs still believe in Schwarber.

Now it's all up to him.

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Chicago Tribune How the invention of smartphones changed baseball's clubhouse camaraderie By Paul Sullivan

A former major-leaguer who spent the bulk of his career in the 1990s recently was invited back by his old team to participate in a marketing event.

As part of the weekend's activities, he and some of his former teammates got to visit their old clubhouse a couple of hours before a game. It was nice to see the place, he admitted later, but he couldn't get one thing out of his head.

"Are they always like that?" he asked.

"Like what?" I replied.

"Just sitting at their lockers looking at their phones?"

"Umm …"

"Then I'm glad I played before iPhones. I liked talking to my teammates."

It has been 10 years since the release of the first iPhone, an invention that has changed baseball in more ways than I can count.

I still vividly can recall Cubs Daryle Ward walking into the clubhouse before a game in 2007, opening up the box with his new iPhone and having everyone — players and media alike — gather around to look at it.

Now every player and media member in the clubhouse has a smartphone, not to mention the front office executives, the clubhouse workers and the fans.

It has added to the enjoyment of the sport by allowing us to obtain stats or news instantly, and obviously helped players craft their image on social media outlets like and Instagram.

But it also has changed clubhouses from a place where players congregated before games and interacted with each other and the media, to an often empty room with a few guys sitting alone at their lockers staring into their phones.

Of course, with few players available, much of the media is also guilty of standing around at times and staring into their phones, waiting for something to happen to tweet about.

What would baseball be like without the invention of the iPhone?

Excuse me while I ask Siri.

Here comes the Judge: It's no surprise that rookie sensation Aaron Judge, who comes to the South Side on Monday when the Yankees and White Sox begin a four-game series, has been asked to participate in the .

Though he hadn't accepted yet, Judge seems likely to say yes, and with the All-Star game in Miami, he and defending Derby champion Giancarlo Stanton figure to be the favorites.

White Sox third baseman , who won in 2015 in Cincinnati and lost to Stanton in the final round last year in San Diego, said he probably wouldn't go if invited because of "the weird year I've had, the injuries and the sickness."

"I think I'd rather take the four days and recoup and get the body right," he said. "But you never know what can happen."

Hanging around: The Angels were 12-11 in their first 23 games without Mike Trout, who is out for a few more weeks with a torn ligament in his left thumb. Despite injuries, the Angels' bullpen was fourth in the , keeping their wild-card hopes alive.

Former Cubs reliever Blake Parker has excelled, posting a 2.16 ERA, with 49 strikeouts and nine walks in 33 1/3 innings entering the weekend. Parker has bounced around since the Cubs let him go after 2015, but seems to have found a home after being claimed off waivers last winter.

Accommodating: Matt Adams' 11 home runs were tied for the second-most in Braves' franchise history for a player's first 30 games, so said he will move to third base when he returns from the disabled list to accommodate Adams.

Freeman played third in high school, but hasn't been at the position since 2007 in rookie ball.

Three up

Aaron Judge: Yankees slugger on pace to hit 57 home runs, which would shatter Mark McGwire's rookie record of 49 in 1987.

Karl Ravech: Dependable, knowledgeable and low-key ESPN broadcaster replaces on Home Run Derby telecast.

Joe West: Veteran umpire reaches 5,000-game mark, criticizes TV commercial allotment for longer game times.

Three down

Brad Ausmus: Tigers manager back on hot seat after falling into AL Central basement despite payroll of close to $200 million.

Kyle Schwarber: Cubs' left fielder demoted to Triple-A Iowa with .171 average, lowest among qualifying hitters in majors.

Francisco Rodriguez: "K-Rod" entered weekend leading majors with six blown saves for Tigers, along with a horrific 7.82 ERA.

The list

Yankees' single-season home run list:

61 1961

60 1927

59 Babe Ruth 1921

54 Babe Ruth 1920, 1928

54 1961

54 2007

Fact check

Of the 13 managers with 1,896 or more victories, only Gene Mauch (1,902) is not a member of the Baseball Hall of Fame. Bruce Bochy and both figure to reach that mark. Entering the weekend, Bochy was 15th all-time (1,816), while Baker was right behind him at 16th (1,809).

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Chicago Tribune Anthony Rizzo would love to go home for All-Star festivities in Miami By Mark Gonzales

Anthony Rizzo enjoyed the opportunity to sleep at his parents' South Florida home Thursday night, and he yearns for a return visit in 21/2 two weeks.

"I would consider potentially doing the (Home Run) Derby, just because it's at home," said Rizzo, who ranks second among National League first basemen in the voting for the All-Star Game at Marlins Park on July 11. "It will all play out."

Online voting for the starters will conclude Thursday, and the American League and NL rosters will be announced July 2.

A recent surge at the plate hasn't hurt Rizzo's chances, but he understands the difficulty in earning a roster spot because Ryan Zimmerman, with a .347 batting average, 19 home runs and 57 RBIs, leads all NL first basemen in voting. Paul Goldschmidt and Joey Votto also are having stellar seasons.

In addition, manager Joe Maddon no longer has the luxury of selecting the final reserves under the new rules.

"Whoever goes is deserving, but anyone from South Florida who gets to play in their home area, it has to be awesome," Rizzo said.

Hope for Hendricks? The condition of Kyle Hendricks' right middle finger has improved and he could throw Saturday or Sunday for the first time since June 13 when he experienced pain simply gripping the ball.

Hendricks hasn't pitched in a game since June 4 because of a Grade 1 strain of a tendon.

No date has been established for a minor-league rehabilitation assignment for Ben Zobrist, who is on the 10-day disabled list with left wrist inflammation and is in Chicago with physical therapist Ryan Mertz.

Extra innings: Infielder Javier Baez would like to see the Cubs follow the lead of the Twins and Indians next season and play a few games in his native Puerto Rico. "Since the World Baseball Classic, baseball has been taking off," said Baez, who lived in Puerto Rico when the Expos played selected games in San Juan in 2003-04. "A lot of guys from Puerto Rico got drafted this month." ... Alex Lange, the Cubs' second first-round pick in the amateur draft, pitched 71/3 innings of two-hit ball to lead LSU to a 3-1 victory over top-ranked Oregon State in the College World Series.

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Chicago Sun-Times Hitting one day, pitching the next — that’s how erratic Cubs roll By Gordon Wittenmyer

MIAMI — You can’t blame it on the starting pitchers anymore.

At least not the last two full turns through the rotation.

Just when it looked like the starters were about to sink the Cubs’ championship defense — especially after ERA champ Kyle Hendricks went on the disabled list early this month — John Lackey has led a 10-game charge that has the rotation looking like a strength again.

Now they have to not only keep it up but figure out how to turn it into a hot streak. Even with another six impressive innings from Lackey on Friday night, the Cubs lost 2-0 to power-pitching Jose Urena and the Miami Marlins in the second game of a four-game series at Marlins Park.

“The difference 24 hours can make,” manager Joe Maddon said after the follow-up to Thursday’s 11-1 win. “Hopefully, 24 hours will change it again.”

Lackey gave up just three hits and one earned run — Giancarlo Stanton’s third-inning home run — but a young and beat-up Cubs lineup managed just six hits and put runners on base with less than two outs just three times all night. All three of those runners were wiped out on double plays.

“They’re pretty young,” Lackey said of a lineup that included five players who weren’t in the majors on 2015. “We’ve got a lot of guys still learning, still making adjustments to the game. But the talent’s there. You like our chances in the end for those guys to do good stuff.”

Meanwhile, the run production remains a roller-coaster ride that figures to continue.

“Up and down, up and down,” Maddon said. “It is youthful. Listen, I don’t want to keep saying that, but it’s true. It just is. These guys need more at-bats to figure out what to not swing at, and how to battle better utilizing [the whole field].”

That’s why the performance of the starting rotation — which regressed significantly from its MLB-best 2.96 ERA last year — is especially important to the Cubs’ efforts to break free from the .500 neighborhood and get back to the playoffs. Lackey’s performance lowered the rotation’s ERA to a 2016-like 2.35 over the last 10 games, even with sixth and seventh starters Eddie Butler and Mike Montgomery pressed into the mix.

“The last week or two, I definitely feel we’ve pitched pretty well,” said Lackey, who has only a split to show for allowing two earned runs in his last two starts (12 innings). “We’ve won a couple of low-scoring games where we’ve had to pitch well.

“And that’s where it all starts, for sure. If you’re going to be a consistent, winning team, you’ve got to have good starting pitching. Because the offense can kind of come and go a little bit easier than a good pitching staff.”

Case in point: That 10-game stretch of strong starting pitching led to only a 6-4 record, same as the previous 10 games, when the rotation ERA was 5.65.

Meanwhile, the Cubs will stay especially young as they wait for World Series MVP Ben Zobrist (wrist) and veteran Jason Heyward (hand) to return from the DL.

“I certainly have all the confidence in the world in everybody here,” said MVP third baseman Kris Bryant, who drew three walks Friday. “Last year was a great year for us, for everybody. Everybody seemed to be hitting at the right time, pitching good at the right time. Just everything clicked. This season it hasn’t been that way. But you look at many players, and many Hall of Fame players, and they’ve had some down years here and there. And it just seems like as a group we’re a little down right now, but plenty of time to turn it around.”

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Chicago Sun-Times Kris Bryant to skip Home Run Derby but Anthony Rizzo wants back in By Gordon Wittenmyer

MIAMI — For the eighth consecutive year, the All-Star Home Run Derby will be held without the reigning National League MVP.

Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant said Friday he has been asked to participate but plans to decline.

“Especially with it being here,” Bryant said from the visitors’ clubhouse at Miami’s Marlins Park. “It’s definitely not a hitter’s park. So it would be a tough Home Run Derby. I think I’d like to do it again at some point. Just this year, based on the last two years [of deep playoff runs], the body could use a little bit of rest.”

Bryant, who got two days off last week because of admitted fatigue, participated in the 2015 Home Run Derby with teammate Anthony Rizzo, but both declined to participate last year.

Rizzo said Friday he hopes he gets invited again this year if he’s selected as an All-Star for a fourth straight time.

“It’s in Miami, so I’d have to give it thought because it’s my hometown, my home area,” said Rizzo, who grew up just north of Miami in Broward County. “It was cool to do it the first time, and last year it was really nice to be able to relax and enjoy [watching]. But if I was asked here, I would definitely consider it.”

Bryant led NL third basemen in All-Star voting, and Rizzo was a close second behind the Washington Nationals’ Ryan Zimmerman in the most recently released voting update.

Bryant, who homered at Marlins Park in the Cubs’ victory Thursday, said he’ll keep an open mind if invited in future years.

“Absolutely. I’d love to do it again,” he said.

The last reigning MVP to participate in the Derby was the St. Louis Cardinals’ in 2009.

“I’m sure there’s a bunch of other [good candidates],” Bryant said. “You look at [Yankees outfielder] Aaron Judge. He should be in it. And obviously [the Marlins’ Giancarlo] Stanton and [Dodgers’ Cody] Bellinger. It’ll be a fun Home Run Derby this year if those guys do it.”

Hendricks close to throwing?

Cubs manager Joe Maddon said Friday that injured pitcher Kyle Hendricks has progressed enough in recent days that he might begin playing catch again as soon as Saturday or Sunday.

Hendricks, who has been on the disabled list since June 5 because of tendinitis in his pitching hand, hasn’t thrown since a setback more than a week ago. Last year’s major-league ERA leader could be on track to start a brief minor- league rehab assignment before the All-Star break if he starts throwing this weekend.

This and that

Infielder/outfielder Ben Zobrist (wrist) became eligible to return from the DL on Friday but still was not ready to play in a rehab game.

— Ian Happ’s four hits Thursday raised his season average 25 points in one night (to .246). Then he added a double in the first and a single in the fifth on Friday.

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