April 21, 2017 Chicago Sun-Times, Cubs’ 8-man bullpen looks increasingly like key to repeat effort http://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/cubs-8-man-bullpen-looks-increasingly-like-key-to-repeat-effort/ Cubs.com, Full circle: Rings mean World to Cubs scouts http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/225462742/longtime-cubs-scouts-thrilled-to-receive-rings/ Cubs.com, Szczur's Game 7 painting auctioned for $35K http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/225437060/matt-szczurs-painting-raised-35k-for-charity/ ESPNChicago.com, Are Cubs' struggles usual World Series hangover ... or something more? http://www.espn.com/blog/chicago/cubs/post/_/id/43785/are-the-cubs-struggles-a-usual-world-series- hangover-or-something-more Chicago Tribune, Cubs' Kyle Schwarber looks forward to homecoming of sorts this weekend http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-kyle-schwarber-cincinnati-cubs-notes-spt-0421- 20170420-story.html Chicago Tribune, Cubs catcher Miguel Montero makes most of limited playing time http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-miguel-montero-backup-role-cubs-spt-0421- 20170420-story.html Chicago Tribune, Theo Epstein makes another 'most' list http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-theo-epstein-time-magazine-influential-20170420- story.html Chicago Tribune, Cubs' charity ball raises $2.2M with aid of Matt Szczur painting, Jimmy Butler jersey http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/chicagoinc/ct-laura-ricketts-cubs-charity-inc-spt-0421-20170420- story.html -- Chicago Sun-Times Cubs’ 8-man bullpen looks increasingly like key to repeat effort By Gordon Wittenmyer Just before the season began, Cubs right-hander Carl Edwards Jr. said his goal was to make the All-Star team. It might have sounded bold coming from a relief pitcher who doesn’t have a defined role, much less the closer’s job. It might even have seemed laughable to some on the outside, especially considering the skinny power pitcher is in his first full big-league season. But, he said, “You never know.” Carl Edwards Jr., the day after returning from bereavement leave (because of a death in the family), finishing his sixth scoreless appearance of the season Tuesday night. It’s hard to know much of anything about a baseball team 15 games into a season. But as the Cubs open a long road trip Friday night in Cincinnati, the early returns suggest Edwards’ goal at least isn’t laughable. In fact, he’s quickly becoming the key man in what’s looking more and more like the key unit for this team every day as it plays more close games into the late innings. The Cubs have won four of their first five series, the only series loss coming in a three-game sweep against the Pirates last weekend. For all the hand-wringing over the lack of early domination and the recent 4-5 homestand, the Cubs led every time against the Pirates with the bullpen in the game. If the Cubs held on to those leads, they would be 11-4, the same record they had at this point last year. Those happened to be the three games Edwards missed while on bereavement leave for a death in the family. How much of a difference he might have made in any of those games can be debated. What’s harder to debate is that a team built to lean harder on its bullpen from the start this year is finding that unit increasingly under a microscope. It’s also looking increasingly important in the team’s efforts to repeat, given the short offseason and hangover look of some of the starters and the especially fierce play of improved rivals. That’s part of the reason a roster move is expected Friday to assure the bullpen keeps the extra (eighth) man indefinitely. “We’re going to be fine out there. It’s all about confidence,” manager Joe Maddon said after the first of two comeback victories this week to finish the homestand. “You’ve just got to keep getting them out there because they’re really good. We have great arms. We’re able to get both righties and lefties out. Guys complement one another to the point that if we get this going properly that it could be, like, one day [Pedro] Strop [setting up in the eighth], the next day [Hector] Rondon, give a guy the day off, don’t push him two in a row. That would be an optimal situation.” Strop and Rondon, who have been keys in closing down games the last three years, have struggled early. But Edwards is on the rise. He might be the most trusted of all the relievers by the manager. And the Cubs spent much of their offseason efforts on the bullpen. They traded for All-Star closer Wade Davis and signed left-hander Brian Duensing and right-hander Koji Uehara. Left-hander Mike Montgomery, who pitched once through the order in relief during the victory Wednesday, is a key swingman. It’s all by design after nursing a depth-challenged rotation through two remarkably healthy seasons and deep playoff runs. Some starting depth has been added (Montgomery through a trade last July; Eddie Butler, now at Class AAA Iowa, through a trade over the winter). But the deeper bullpen — with one declared closer and seven “setup” guys — is designed to be the key for winning the close games in a year the run differential is almost certain to go down. So far, nine of the Cubs’ first 15 games have been decided by two runs or less, among the most in the majors. Four of their games have ended on walk-off plays. “As these bullpen dudes start getting their confidence [it will take off],” Maddon said. “I see that showing up relatively soon.” If that happens, keep an eye on Edwards, who hasn’t given up a run in six appearances, and Maddon, the manager of the National League All-Stars this year. -- Cubs.com Full circle: Rings mean World to Cubs scouts By Carrie Muskat CHICAGO -- They've spent more than 90 years combined looking for the players who would help the Cubs win a World Series. They've endured razzing from their peers and sympathy from friends after each losing season. They've been on the road so much, they've lost track of the miles and hotel nights. But this week, Billy Blitzer, Bob Lofrano and Mark Servais were like little kids on Christmas morning. The three longtime scouts finally received a World Series ring, each personalized with their name. Most important to them -- it has the Cubs' logo on it. "You're not in this job to make money," Servais said. "You're in it for one thing." How'd they get here? Lofrano, now 67, and his family moved from Chicago to California when he was 5 years old. Despite the distance, he maintained his love of the Cubs, inspired by players such as Ernie Banks. In 1981, Lofrano was a baseball coach at Chatsworth (Calif.) High School, and he wrote a letter to the Cubs. He didn't consider any other team. "I wrote to one team, one team only," Lofrano said. "Who knew if they'd ever answer? Here I sit, 36 years later." Doug Mapson, an area scout for the Cubs who signed Greg Maddux, responded, and he hired Lofrano as an associate scout. Lofrano stayed with the Cubs under Dallas Green -- and he remembers the "Building a New Tradition" motto -- and Jim Hendry, and now current Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein. Besides scouting, Lofrano is also the athletic director at Pierce College in Woodland Hills, Calif. "This is a high priority," Lofrano said of his job with the Cubs. "I go to school, and boom, I'm off at 4 o'clock and go to a game. I go to a Dodger game, Angels game. When summer comes, it's a lot easier. "And now, to end up with that," Lofrano said, showing off the diamond-encrusted ring on his right hand. Servais, 67, was friends with legendary scout Stan Zielinski, who called to ask about a player in the La Crosse, Wis., area. "Stan said, 'By the way, I could use a little help. Are you intested in scouting?'" Servais said. "I said, 'Are you serious? I don't know anything about scouting.'" Apparently, Zielinski could scout a scout. Servais, who is Mariners manager Scott Servais' uncle, was a Midwest area scout for five years, and he has been a pro scout for the past 17 years. One of the players Servais watched was Kyle Hendricks, when he was pitching in the Carolina League for the Rangers in 2012. "When he sat back there and charted [pitches], you knew this guy was nothing but serious, serious business," Servais said. Note to Minor League players: Scouts find out a lot about someone's commitment to the game by watching how they chart a pitcher from the stands. Lofrano remembers Clayton Kershaw when he was 19 years old, pitching in Midland, Mich., and he gave him the highest grade, partly because of how the lefty paid attention to the game. "You talk to these kids -- 'How you doing?' -- and you can tell some kids are focused and they know what they're going to do out there, and some kids are out there and they want to get a hot dog or whatever," Servais said. "Some of those kids are picking your brain," Blitzer said. "They're trying to figure out what you're looking for." A player's off-the-field makeup is as important as his physical talent, and it could be a determining factor in a trade.