Headlines of October 14, 2015 “Curtain rises on prospect-packed Fall League” … Jim Callis, MLB.com “Commissioner Rob Manfred exploring changes to takeout slide rule” … Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune “Some Sox fans bring the love during Cubs' glory days” … Donna Vickroy, Chicago Tribune “White Sox first fan President Obama congratulates Cubs on Twitter” … CSN Chicago “White Sox fan President Obama tweets at Cubs after NLDS win” … FOX Sports

Curtain rises on prospect-packed Fall League

Jim Callis / MLB.com | October 12th, 2015

Baseball's annual preview of coming attractions, better known as the Arizona Fall League, raised the curtain on its 24th season Tuesday.

Play began with the Mesa Solar Sox visiting the Glendale Desert Dogs and the Peoria Javelinas hosting the Surprise Saguaros. Glendale features the highest-rated prospect in the league, Phillies J.P. Crawford (No. 5 on MLBPipeline.com's Top 100 list), and Minor League leader A.J. Reed (Astros). Mesa counters with a top shortstop prospect of its own in Daniel Robertson (Rays), who batted .301 for the Solar Sox last fall.

Surprise's lineup is powered by Brett Phillips (Brewers) and (Rangers). Peoria boasts a pair of former first-round picks in shortstop Alex Blandino (Cardinals) and corner infielder D.J. Peterson (Mariners).

The first night game of the season featured the Scottsdale Scorpions at the crosstown Salt River Rafters, the AFL's defending champions. Salt River has one of the deepest lineups in the league, led by two Mets first-round picks, shortstop and first baseman . Scottsdale's headliner is Indians Clint Frazier, the fifth overall pick in the 2013 Draft.

The AFL's lone Top 100 pitching prospect, right-hander Alex Reyes (Cardinals), will take the mound on Thursday for the Saguaros. The best left-handers, Sean Manaea (Athletics) of the Solar Sox and Kyle Freeland (Rockies) of the Rafters, will make their first starts on Wednesday.

2015 Arizona Fall League rosters

AFL club MLB clubs Glendale CWS, HOU, LAD, PHI, PIT Peoria ATL, BAL, CIN, SD, SEA Salt River ARI, COL, NYM, TOR, WSH Surprise KC, MIL, NYY, STL, TEX Scottsdale BOS, CLE, DET, MIN, SF Mesa CHC, LAA, MIA, OAK, TB

This type of talent is typical for the league, which has sent roughly 2,500 players to the big leagues, including Derek Jeter, Andrew McCutchen, Buster Posey, Max Scherzer and Mike Trout. The AFL has spawned 231 All-Stars (including 42 from this summer's game alone), 25 Rookies of the Year, 14 MVPs and five Cy Young Award winners. Several members of this year's historic rookie class played in the AFL, including the last two league MVPs, and Greg Bird, as well as Francisco Lindor, Joc Pederson and .

Each of MLB's 30 organizations sends at least a half-dozen prospects to Arizona, where they'll play six games per week in a regular-season schedule that runs through Nov. 19. The two division leaders will meet Nov. 21 in a one-game championship that will be broadcast live on MLB Network. MLBN also will broadcast the Fall Stars Game on Nov. 7, a Military Appreciation Game between Salt River and Surprise on Nov. 14, and other regular-season games to be announced.

Besides giving prospects six more weeks of at-bats and innings to hone their skills, the AFL also provides an opportunity to make up for time lost to injury. Reyes missed a month at midseason with minor shoulder soreness and totaled 101 1/3 innings. Manaea lost the first half to abdominal and groin strains and worked just 74 1/3 frames this season, while Freeland pitched just 46 2/3 amid battling bone chips in his elbow and shoulder fatigue.

2015 MLB.com Top Prospects: Alex Reyes has emerged as the pre-eminent power arm in the Cardinals system Among position players, Robertson was limited to 82 games by a broken hamate bone in his left hand. Peterson played in just 97 contests and saw his season end on Aug. 1 with an Achilles strain. Another former first-rounder, Mesa first baseman Casey Gillaspie (Rays), was held to 79 games after he injured his left wrist on a swing.

2015 MLB.com Top Prospects: Daniel Robertson has a compact stroke, controls the strike zone and utilizes the entire field Even big leaguers use the AFL on their way back from injuries. Surprise infielder Jurickson Profar (Rangers), who once ranked as the best prospect in the Minors, missed all of 2014 and appeared in just 12 games (none above low Class A) this year after he tore the labrum in his throwing shoulder. Peoria left-hander James Paxton made only 13 starts for the Mariners while dealing with a strained tendon and torn fingernail.

Top 100 Prospects

Eleven players from MLBPipeline.com's Top 100 Prospects list are on AFL rosters. Glendale (Crawford, Pirates outfielder Austin Meadows, Reed), Salt River (Cecchini, Smith, Rockies outfielder Raimel Tapia) and Surprise (Reyes, Phillips, Brinson) lead the way with three each.

The Mets (Cecchini, Smith) are the only organization that sent multiple Top 100 Prospects to Arizona. Here's the complete list:

J.P. Crawford, SS, Glendale/Phillies (No. 5 on Top 100) Alex Reyes, RHP, Surprise/Cardinals (No. 16) Austin Meadows, OF, Glendale/Pirates (No. 22) Brett Phillips, OF, Surprise/Brewers (No. 32) Clint Frazier, OF, Scottsdale/Indians (No. 35) Lewis Brinson, OF, Surprise/Rangers (No. 65) Daniel Robertson, SS, Mesa/Rays (No. 79) Gavin Cecchini, SS, Salt River/Mets (No. 90) A.J. Reed, 1B, Glendale/Astros (No. 91) Dominic Smith, 1B, Salt River/Mets (No. 92) Raimel Tapia, OF, Salt River, Rockies (No. 99) Top Organization Prospects Below is a list of each organization's top-rated AFL prospect, according to MLBPipeline.com: Angels: Greg Mahle, LHP, Mesa (No. 15 on organization list) Astros: A.J. Reed (No. 5) Athletics: Sean Manaea, LHP, Mesa (No. 3) Blue Jays: Rowdy Tellez, 1B, Salt River (No. 7) Braves: , RHP, Peoria (No. 7) Brewers: Brett Phillips (No. 2) Cardinals: Alex Reyes (No. 1) Cubs: , RHP, Mesa (No. 7) Diamondbacks: Yoan Lopez, RHP, Salt River (No. 5) Dodgers: Jharel Cotton, RHP, Glendale (No. 15) Giants: Christian Arroyo, SS, Scottsdale (No. 2) Indians: Clint Frazier (No. 2) Mariners: D.J. Peterson, 3B/1B, Peoria (No. 3) Marlins: Austin Dean, OF, Mesa (No. 7) Mets: Gavin Cecchini (No. 4) Nationals: Drew Ward, 3B, Salt River (No. 11) Orioles: Chance Sisco, C, Peoria (No. 8) Padres: Ryan Butler, RHP, Peoria (No. 11) Phillies: J.P. Crawford (No. 1) Pirates: Austin Meadows (No. 2) Rangers: Lewis Brinson (No. 4) Rays: Daniel Robertson (No. 5) Red Sox: Sam Travis, 1B, Scottsdale (No. 11) Reds: Nick Travieso, RHP, Peoria (No. 6) Rockies: Raimel Tapia (No. 8) Royals: Bubba Starling, OF, Surprise (No. 5) Tigers: Austin Kubitza, RHP, Scottsdale (No. 8) Twins: Adam Brett Walker, OF, Scottsdale (No. 10) White Sox: Trey Michalczewski, 3B, Glendale (No. 6) Yankees: Gary Sanchez, C, Surprise (No. 5)

Commissioner Rob Manfred exploring changes to takeout slide rule

Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune October 13, 2015

After the success of the so-called Buster Posey rule to protect catchers from home plate collisions, is now looking to alter the rule on takeout slides.

“We started talking to the union about this,” Commissioner Rob Manfred said before Game 4 of the Cubs-Cardinals NLDS at Wrigley Field. “It is another example of player safety, which is really high on our radar screen. We’ve got a lot of money invested in ballplayers. The players themselves have tremendous playing opportunities in terms of what they can earn and I think it’s important we protect them.”

The proposed change stems from two recent incidents- ’s slide into Jung Ho Kang that broke the leg of the Pirates’ shortstop on Sept. 17, and Chase Utley’s slide into Ruben Tejada that broke Tejada’s leg last Saturday in Game 2 of the Dodgers-Mets NLDS.

Utley received a two-game suspension, which is under appeal and will be heard Monday in New York.

Manfred said MLB has heard from management about the issue, and he expects to also hear from Players Union head Tony Clark.

“It’s a natural follow up to the home plate (collision rule) change,” he said. “We had the situation in Pittsburgh with the player there (Kang) that brings into focus how damaging it can be to a club, and obviously to the players."

Is a new rule really needed?

“I think the sentiment we’re getting from clubs is making a change in this area makes sense,” he said. “And it’s important to protect what are very valuable assets.”

Manfred also said MLB is exploring rules that would add netting to areas in ballparks after several injuries from flying bats and foul balls this season.

"The biggest challenge for us is our ballparks are really, really different," he said. "It’s not like it’s a uniform rink size. You have to really think through what you are doing in order to develop regulations that applies in a place like Wrigley and applies in a place like Oakland, which may be opposite ends of the spectrum."

Manfred said there won’t be any upcoming changes in the wild-card game format, despite the fact that teams with the second and third-best records in baseball -- the Cubs and Pirates -- met in the do-or-die NL wild-card game.

“Look, I am really comfortable with the playoff format we have now,” he said. “It is an unusual circumstance to have three teams like the three teams in the National League Central be as good as they were and win as many games as they did.

“I understand why people are asking the question. Having said that, I think it’s a mistake to rethink your playoff format based on one year of experience. We’ll see how it goes for a couple more years and I think we’ll be open to making adjustments.”

Some Sox fans bring the love during Cubs' glory days

Donna Vickroy, Chicago Tribune October 13, 2015

When last year's baseball season ended, I was distraught. Another months long investment of time, money and emotion down the tubes. Cub losses had become so routine that, despite all of the assurances that things were on the precipice of change, I went into the offseason once again dejected and discouraged.

Even by Cub fans standards, enough was enough.

At the beginning of the 2015 season, my husband said, "We're not buying tickets in advance this year. We're just throwing money away."

As so often happens whenever we make a blanket statement about what we are going to do (exercise more) or not going to do (eat pizza every Friday), the opposite happens.

It began in April. I got word that a co-worker was selling two tickets to a Tuesday night game against the Reds. The Cubs were playing well, the weather forecast was good and I had a hankering to see the new jumbo video board.

I did some arm twisting on the homefront: "Let's just go to one game and see how we feel," I suggested.

We thought the screen was too big, dwarfing the real players and making them look like foosball characters. We also thought the outfield seating looked sad as it underwent construction. And the Cubs lost 3-2.

Still, as we exited the stadium, I felt an odd sense of hopefulness. I mentioned this to my husband, who agreed that something seemed different. We immediately attributed it to April. Hope springs eternal and all.

Nevertheless, the next day, we got on the Internet and bought tickets to another game. A few weeks later, my season ticket holder colleague offered more tickets.

It all seemed to happen in a whir, but between buying up other fans' tickets and buying some on our own, we ended up going to more games this year than ever in our decades of fandom.

We took my dad to a game. We took some college friends who were visiting from out of town to a game. We went with my cousin and her husband to a game. We were there for the very first fireworks show at Wrigley Field on the Fourth of July. And we were there the day Fergie Jenkins signed autographs.

We cheered on wins and brushed off losses. And never once thought about the postseason. We just enjoyed the ride. Like old times.

Even though others talked up the Cubs' wild-card chances, their impressive showing in a super tough division and the continued awesomeness of , I was simply determined to hang on to the moment. I wanted to feel baseball the way I did when I was a kid, when I truly loved it one game at a time. Maybe if we stopped betting on the future we could return to enjoying the present.

All season long, we tried to stay that course, whether they won or lost, and we never once let ourselves be fooled into thinking they'd make the playoffs.

And then they did. And here they are, in a battle with the St. Louis Cardinals, with the winner getting a spot in the National League Championship Series. And they're looking great.

Despite the oddball aligning of game dates and times that people think are a sign the Cubs will prevail, and despite the "Back to the Future Part II" premonition (Or is that hindsight?) that the team goes all the way, I am still taking it one game at a time.

I have to admit, though, this year everything seems different.

Including Sox fans.

Anyone who follows baseball in divided Chicago knows there is a price to be paid for your allegiance, especially if you live "on the wrong side of town," which we do.

The last few times the Cubs skirted success, the blowback from White Sox fans was intense. Taunts, jokes, even cursing — and not the kind accompanied by a goat.

So I was braced for it again. Especially in this day and age, when everyone has easy access to texting, Facebook and Twitter, and when there seems to be no shortage of hate to spew upon everything from politics to religion, I expected to be slammed with mean-spirited messages.

But that didn't happen. Sure, there was the occasional blurt of "Cubs (stink)," which, for obvious reasons, showed the sender's lack of imagination.

For the most part, though, the response to the Cubs' success this year has been kind, mature, even genuine.

Many years ago, I worked with a guy named John Stroud, of the famous "We are Strouds and, as such, die-hard Sox fans" clan. I took a lot of heat in those days from John and Co. "Brutal" kind of sums it up.

So imagine my surprise when I found this in my inbox recently:

"Hi Donna,

"I am still a diehard White Sox fan, but again our season has ended. I just wanted to drop you a note to wish your CUBS good luck in the playoffs. Twenty years ago I never would have done this. Hell, ten years ago I would not have done this either. There was a better team on their way to a Championship, The . Since then I have been a more open person and have openly stated to friends of mine, that are CUB fans that I hoped in their lifetime they were able to experience the joyous feeling I was able to enjoy in 2005 when we won the World Series. I'll never forget that night in 2005 as I sat in my den and actually shed tears of joy as our team celebrated on the field."

That very same day, a good friend who is a lifelong fan of the South Siders texted me wishing the Cubs well. Of course she warned me not to tell anyone, that she'd deny it in a court of law, but that's OK, your secret's safe with me, Kath.

There have been other expressions of compassion, too. Facebook friends who follow the men in black have messaged, wishing "my" team well.

Other Cub fans have experienced the same random acts of unexpected kindness. A cousin asked his sister, a loyal Cub fan, if he could jump on the North Siders' bandwagon this year.

Nic Mitchell, of Lockport, grew up in a house divided. Over the years, he's taken a lot of heat from his Sox fan brother. He's taken some this year, too.

"But there have been quite a few that have shown support. Or at least indifference, which is better than spite, I suppose," he said.

Danny Gonzalez, who owns Rockwelz Bar Meets Grill in Orland Park, said, "Both teams have been so bad for so long that I think Sox fans are just happy someone's winning."

Could be. My thinking is this: If these young Cub players can overcome a century of curses, pity parties, close calls and ridiculous excuses to lead their team into a division playoff series, surely Cub and Sox fans can co-exist without all the pummeling.

Tony Mantesano, who co-owns the Old Tinley Pub and Eatery in Tinley Park, said White Sox fan kindness might just be acknowledging the obvious.

"Maybe they just know a good team when they see it," he said.

"A lot are admitting they can't take away from this team," he said, noting the Cubs' "spectacular manager, the good bats and the good starting pitching.

"They can't take away from what the Cubs are doing," he said.

Of course, support is not 100 percent. There's a certain bar in the Morgan Park community in Chicago that I suppose considers itself old school and is practically giving away free beer every time the St. Louis Cardinals homer off the Cubs in the playoffs.

But, Mantesano said, "So what? We're giving away free hot dogs and apple pie at every game the Cubs are in."

No spite, no put-downs, no opposing team venom. Just the same kind of good old positive support that has gotten the guys in blue where they are today.

That, he said, is "the American way."

White Sox first fan President Obama congratulates Cubs on Twitter

CSN Chicago October 13, 2015

President Obama might be the world's most famous White Sox fan. But he didn't let a little Crosstown rivalry get in the way of Cub-mania on Tuesday night.

The president showed his support for the Cubs after they advanced to the NLCS with a 6-4 win over the Cardinals on Tuesday at Wrigley Field.

President Obama ✔ @POTUS Congrats @Cubs - even @whitesox fans are rooting for you!

Now that's some Chicago baseball unity right there!

White Sox fans, will you be following the president's lead and backing the Cubs as their postseason run continues?

White Sox fan President Obama tweets at Cubs after NLDS win

FOX Sports October 13, 2015

It wasn't too long ago that President Barack Obama snubbed the on Twitter.

Now, Obama, who's known as @POTUS on the social media network, has changed his tune.

Moments after the Cubs sealed their NLDS victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday, the First Fan of the White Sox congratulated his crosstown rival on Twitter.

President Obama ✔ @POTUS Congrats @Cubs - even @whitesox fans are rooting for you!

While Obama's love for the White Sox is well-documented, he recently told a Chicago newspaper that he's "rooting for the Cubs to win the Series" and that he's a "fan" of manager .

When you're the President of the United States, it's never too late to jump on the bandwagon of a winning sports team.