April 28, 2016 --

CSNChicago.com digging hot starts from Cubs and White Sox By Patrick Mooney

The Adam LaRoche retirement fiasco figured to either tear the White Sox apart or bring them together. Outside , ’s blistering takedown of Kenny Williams sounded like an All-Star daring his boss to trade him.

LaRoche popped up again on Wednesday, posting this message on his account: “Don’t forget, tomorrow is take your child to work day.” But once that media storm passed in , the White Sox could go back to being the team built on a strong rotation and a lineup anchored by Jose Abreu and Todd Frazier.

A series of low-risk, high-reward moves are paying off, with the White Sox now 16-6 after sweeping the at Rogers Centre. The Cubs – another big offseason winner – are the only team in the majors with a better record (15-5).

“Digging it,” said Cubs Joe Maddon, who wore a pink Mother’s Day edition of his “Try Not To Suck” T-shirt during his media session at . “I’m really happy for them and their success. I think it’s great for the city. If we could both sustain this kind of play, it could make for a very interesting summer.”

The Cubs were digging themselves so much in Arizona that a ’s son taking out a lineup card before a Cactus League game almost felt like Maddon’s crew trolling the White Sox (and not what it actually was – a prearranged birthday reward).

But Maddon has deep respect for and the way the White Sox manager navigated his team through the bizarre LaRoche situation, a player walking away from $13 million because his son would no longer have unrestricted access in the clubhouse.

“I know he went through a tough gig this past spring training,” Maddon said. “I thought he handled it great.”

As an Angels coach in the mid-1990s, Maddon remembered bumping into Ventura and noticing the people skills that made him such a favorite on the South Side.

“Robin Ventura’s a good man,” Maddon said. “I’m walking into the ballpark – (and) I’m just a year-and-a-half, a year in the big leagues – and he happened to be walking in at the same time.

“He greeted me like I had been there for 20 years. He addressed me. And I’ll never forget that.”

This year, Maddon and his old buddies from the Angels joined Ventura for dinner one night in spring training.

“It was like me, (), Buddy Black, Ronnie Roenicke and ,” Maddon said with a smile. “Did I say Sandy Koufax? And then Robin was there, too, because Robin digs wine. And Robin is always like throwing me a good bottle now and then.”

The Cubs and White Sox haven’t both finished with winning records since 2008, when they each won division titles and had all these big, combustible personalities like , Ozzie Guillen, and A.J. Pierzynski.

The Cubs and White Sox will play four straight games on both sides of the city (July 25-28) and we’ll see if they stay hot. But the Bulls and Blackhawks are done, and this year baseball doesn’t have to be a space-filler until the Bears report to training camp.

“When you live in this city and you have that stuff going on, what could possibly beat that?” Maddon said.

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CSNChicago.com Amid rain and PED media storm, ’s next no- bid will wait another day By Patrick Mooney

Cubs fans hoping to see back-to-back no-hitters from Jake Arrieta will have to wait until Thursday afternoon at Wrigley Field, where every start is becoming a chance to witness history.

As heavy rain fell on the North Side, the Cubs postponed Wednesday night’s game against the without setting a makeup date. Arrieta will now get a full week of rest after no-hitting the in another dominant performance that raised questions about whether or not performance-enhancing drugs helped fuel his transformation into a Award winner.

Arrieta, who clearly enjoys the spotlight and this new level of fame, even responded to ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith on Twitter, promising to laugh off all the media hot takes and whispers from opposing players after his pronounced struggles with the (20-25, 5.46 ERA) and -A shuttles between 2010 and 2013.

More ESPN talking heads appeared Wednesday afternoon on the muted clubhouse TVs, with an Arrieta segment framed by the question: “Flattered by PED accusations?”

“I don’t have any doubt that he’s clean,” said , who caught Arrieta’s no-hitter at Great American Ball Park. “I’ve seen his workouts and how hard he works, so there’s no doubt in my mind. People are going to speculate. That’s part of life. I don’t put too much stock in what (other) people think.

“I don’t care – I’m worried about this group in here. That’s all we can worry about. I can’t worry about outside influences. There are teams trying to beat us. We got to take care of ourselves. If we start worrying about other people, then we got problems.”

There are many theories supporting Arrieta’s late-blooming career, from the differences between Baltimore’s rigid pitching philosophy and The Cubs Way, to snowballing confidence in a new city, to a Pilates routine and plant- based diet, to finding a work/life balance at the age of 30.

This unbelievable – the Cubs have won Arrieta’s last 17 regular-season starts – also coincides with a drug-testing policy that might be the toughest in professional sports.

“I remember being in Baltimore and talking with a lot of the other guys about how we can rid the game of people that are trying to cheat,” said Arrieta, who’s now a players’ union representative. “I feel like a lot of steps have been taken in the right direction to kind of eliminate all that. Because if I’m doing it the right way, I expect everybody to.”

Arrieta is now the fourth reigning winner to throw a no-hitter, joining an elite list that includes Sandy Koufax (1964), (1971) and (2014). Arrieta is 20-1 with a 0.86 ERA and 33 walks against 173 in his last 24 regular-season starts, putting the Cubs on his broad shoulders and carrying them into contention.

“When you see it every day, and (watch) the way he goes about his business, you come to expect it,” Ross said. “So it’s not shocking to us in here, because he wants to be great and he prepares himself to be great.”

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CSNChicago.com Would Cubs see as next man up at ? By Patrick Mooney

The Cubs once had the luxury of not rushing Willson Contreras. With , David Ross and all deserving time behind the plate, the Cubs could give their catcher of the future a bridge year at Triple-A Iowa to prepare him for high-stress situations and the information overload.

That major-league depth began to disappear by Game 3, once Schwarber crashed into in a season- ending outfield collision that tore the ACL and LCL in his left knee.

Now Montero – who will turn 33 this summer and has already caught almost 8,000 in The Show – is dealing with a stiff back that hasn’t responded well to the cold Chicago weather.

With Montero scratched from Tuesday’s lineup and said to be available off the bench – at least before the rain washed out Wednesday’s game against the Milwaukee Brewers at Wrigley Field – the Cubs will have to lean even harder on Grandpa Rossy.

Would Contreras be the next man up?

“It depends on what happens,” manager Joe Maddon said. “You would have to look at a short-term situation or a long-term situation regarding who you may want to bring up, just based on roles.”

Super-utility guy Javier Baez – who actually gained some catching experience in high school while developing into a first-round pick – is the emergency in-game option. Ross – who is 39 years old and planning to retire after this season – is already locked in as ’s personal catcher.

“I don’t want to beat him up,” Maddon said. “That would be a concern.”

The Cubs do have some veteran Triple-A insurance with Tim Federowicz, who played parts of four seasons with the between 2011 and 2014. But Contreras is already on the 40-man roster and would also be just a phone call away at Iowa.

The big break might not come immediately with an injury, since Montero doesn’t see this as a disabled-list situation, but Contreras looks like a potential second-half energy boost, the same way Schwarber gave the team shots of adrenaline during last year’s playoff run.

Contreras, who won a Southern League batting title last season, is hitting .375 through his first 14 games with Iowa and has the big arm that can shut down a running game.

The questions revolve around how Contreras, who will turn 24 in May, can handle a pitching staff that has a 2.58 overall ERA, 16 quality starts through 20 games and all these different personalities.

But the Cubs are succession planning with Montero only signed through 2017 ($14 million guaranteed next season), Schwarber facing an arduous rehab process and Contreras emerging as MLB.com’s top catching prospect.

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CSNChicago.com Jake Arrieta takes to Twitter to shut down Stephen A. Smith, ESPN By Tony Andracki

Jake Arrieta has emerged as one of the best in baseball, so naturally people are now throwing around the term "performance-enhancing drugs."

The Cubs ace laughed off those insinuations Tuesday in both a USATODAY article and then in meeting with Chicago reporters for nearly 15 minutes before the Cubs went out and beat the Milwaukee Brewers at Wrigley Field.

Apparently that laughing irked ESPN talking heads Stephen A. Smith and Skip Bayless because they went after Arrieta Wednesday.

Smith essentially just listed Arrieta's Baseball Reference page for much of the segment while talking about the right-hander's jump in innings pitched (and how deep he's going into games) and win total, citing how Arrieta's career high in wins in a season was 10 prior to notching 22 victories in his Cy Young 2015 season.

How exactly is a huge jump in wins an indication in any way of PED use? Wins are a team stat and the 2015 Cubs won 97 games.

"I'm not gonna accuse you of using performance-enhancing supplements, drugs, whatever you want to call it," Smith said. "But I will say that you shouldn't just be laughing at those who are looking at you and saying, 'Excuse me, what the hell is going on here?' Because it's not like they haven't seen performance-enhancing drug users before."

(Twitter exchange in link)

Think it's safe to say we'll award the point to Arrieta in this round.

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Chicago Tribune Cubs' Joe Maddon 'digging' success of crosstown rival White Sox By Paul Sullivan

The White Sox's success this April has not gone unnoticed by Cubs manager Joe Maddon, who said before Wednesday's rainout he's happy for old friend Robin Ventura.

"Digging it," Maddon said. "It's so good. Listen, I like Robin a lot. Robin Ventura is a good man."

Whether any Cubs fans are "digging" the Sox's hot start is debatable, and there's no question how Sox fans feel about the Cubs' early success, considering they booed last Sunday when Cubs highlights were shown on the new video board at U.S. Cellular Field.

The animosity between the two fan bases is not going to change any time soon, and may be even more pronounced now that the Cubs are drawing so much national attention while the Sox are treated like a local curiosity.

White Sox Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf added to the heated rivalry during SoxFest in 2015, saying with a straight face: "I sincerely hope the Cubs do win the World Series," before adding, "… after I die."

But Maddon has no problems with the Sox, and spoke about having dinner this spring with Ventura and a group that included Mike Scioscia, Buddy Black and Sandy Koufax.

"Did I say Sandy Koufax?" he repeated. "Robin was there too, because Robin digs wine. Robin would always throw me a good bottle now and then. I know he went through a tough gig (with the Adam La Roche controversy) and I thought he handled it great.

"So I'm really happy for him and their success. I think it's great for the city if we could both sustain this kind of play. That could make for a very interesting summer if you live in this city and have that stuff going on. What could possibly beat that?"

It's rare that both teams are good. They have one world championship between them since 1918, and that, of course, belonged to the 2005 Sox. The only time both made the postseason was in 2008, when the Sox lost to Maddon's Rays in the Division Series and the Dodgers swept the Cubs in the NLDS.

I asked Ventura in spring training if he thought the Cubs were taking attention away from the Sox with their daily antics, which included mimes, karaoke and an endless supply of wacky T-shirts.

"We don't have a T-shirt budget," he said.

So there's no need for the Sox to compete with the Cubs for attention back home?

"Compete with Joe? No," he said. "We'll have our own fun. It's nothing against him. He can do his own thing, and I think he does a great job of doing that. We're just different in that way."

The Cubs and Sox are very different teams as well, but both have the starting pitching to make the double fantasy of an all-Chicago World Series a reality, even if it's a long shot right now.

It's possible both teams still will be riding high when they meet in four consecutive games from July 25-28, beginning with two at U.S. Cellular Field followed by a pair at Wrigley Field. The hype would be off-the-charts if Chris Sale and Jake Arrieta matched up in one of those games, perhaps after they both start for their respective leagues in the All-Star Game in San Diego.

Chicago is just a better place on those rare occasions when both teams are winning. A case in point is that glorious season of 1977, when ' Cubs and the South Side Hit Men were both in first-place in mid-summer until twin collapses made them disappear.

That hot, crazy summer is still fresh in what's left of the minds of aging Chicago baseball fans, some of whom can't find their car keys but remember Eric Soderholm and Steve Dillard.

With the Blackhawks done for the year and the Bulls taking an early vacation, baseball is all we have for entertainment until Bears training camp begins in July, unless you count City Council meetings.

So can Chicagoans of all stripes follow Maddon's lead and start "digging" the success of the team from the other side of town?

Well, maybe next lifetime.

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Chicago Tribune Brewers-Cubs game postponed, no makeup date set By Mark Gonzales

Wednesday night's game between the Brewers and Cubs at Wrigley Field was postponed because of rain.

No makeup date was announced.

Cubs ace Jake Arrieta was scheduled to pitch Wednesday night but will pitch in Thursday's series finale at 1:20 p.m. Fans are encouraged to retain their tickets from Wednesday night's postponed game to use for the rescheduled contest.

Arrieta is 15-0 with a 0.53 ERA in his past 16 regular season starts. The Cubs have won Arrieta's past 17 starts, equaling the franchise record held by (1906-07) and (1890-91), according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

Arrieta is pitcher in franchise history to win 20 games during a 24-game stretch, passing the 19 wins by that ended in 1985.

The game was postponed after forecasters couldn't guarantee a window of clear weather.

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Chicago Tribune Dexter Fowler rewarded Joe Maddon for listening to staff last July By Mark Gonzales

Manager Joe Maddon admitted Wednesday that Dexter Fowler's first-half struggles in 2015 concerned him enough to consider batting Kyle Schwarber in the leadoff spot.

"(His) numbers were so far below what he had done (in the past)," Maddon said of Fowler, who had a batting average of .225 and an on-base percentage of .303 with one game left in the first half.

"But our (staff) felt very strong that Dexter was going to re-appear as you saw him in Houston and Colorado. They were right on."

Fowler rewarded Maddon when he hit .298 with a .408 on-base percentage in August as the Cubs vaulted past the Giants for the second wild-card berth. This season, Fowler's .368 batting average and .488 on-base percentage in April has helped the Cubs post a 15-5 record.

For Fowler, coping with the unpredictable elements has been a challenge. His deep drive Tuesday night was knocked down by 16 mph winds from the north so he had to settle for a game-tying sacrifice fly rather than a three-run homer.

"I remember Ted Lilly almost no-hit us," Fowler recalled of Lilly's no-hit bid that ended when the Rockies' Garrett Atkins singled with two out in the seventh on April 13, 2009. "And it was funny. The wind was blowing straight in. It was raining. Stuff was blowing in our eyes, and he was pounding us in. We had no chance."

Catchers' corner: Maddon said Miguel Montero's back loosened up during Tuesday's game. But the combination of damp weather forecast for Thursday and Jon Lester pitching Friday could push Montero's return to Saturday.

It also could mean that David Ross, 39, could catch three consecutive games.

"I like the fact Rossy is playing, but I don't want to beat him up, either," Maddon said.

Meanwhile, Ross tempered a fan's crusade to get him to the All-Star Game.

"It is what it is," Ross sighed. "I'm the flavor of the week. It's flattering. But I don't want anything I haven't deserved. I'm not that type of player. I want to earn everything I get.

"I'm a backup catcher for a reason. There are a lot of deserving players ahead of me that deserve to have that special moment."

Cubs fan Brian Dunigan told Yahoo! Sports he has started a Twitter campaign to get Ross selected for the All-Star Game.

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Chicago Tribune David Ross expects greatness from Cubs ace Jake Arrieta By Mark Gonzales

David Ross has been around long enough to catch 2003 National League Cy Young Award winner Eric Gagne and Kris Medlen when the Braves pitcher posted a 9-0 record and 0.94 ERA in the second half of 2012.

Current teammate Jake Arrieta first caught Ross' attention two years ago when the Cubs ace threw 7 2/3 no-hit innings at against Ross and the Red Sox.

That was a sampling of what was to come for Ross to enjoy now with the Cubs.

"When you see it every day and see how he goes about his business, you come to expect it," Ross said. "It's not shocking to us because he wants to be great. He prepares his stuff to be great."

Arrieta's chance to extend his remarkable 15-game winning streak was delayed to Thursday as his scheduled start against the Brewers was pushed back when Wednesday night's game was postponed because of inclement weather at Wrigley Field.

Arrieta will face Taylor Jungmann in the series finale and now is lined up to face the Pirates on Tuesday at PNC Park — the site of his victory in the National League wild-card game last October.

Arrieta, 30, will try to extend his scoreless streak of 48 2/3 innings at Wrigley Field. Arrieta, who is 15-0 with a 0.53 ERA in 16 starts dating to Aug. 1, 2015, will try to tie Rick Sutcliffe's club-record 16-game winning streak from 1984- 85.

Arrieta already is the first pitcher in franchise history to win 20 games in a 24-start stretch, passing Sutcliffe's 19 victories during a stretch that ended in 1985.

Through the catcher's mask and in the batter's box, Ross described Arrieta's dominance, particularly against right- handed hitters.

"It's the angle he comes at," Ross said. "He's on the third base side with an almost across your body and a high front side, which is hiding the ball very late. And you couple that with the stuff he has. It's a no-brainer. He's going to be tough, especially if he's locating.

"Since I've been here, the location has (been better). When he's locating that backdoor two-seam fastball away to righties and into lefties, it's a pretty tough angle."

Arrieta's no-hit bid against the Red Sox remains vivid to Ross.

"It's a pretty bad feeling in the box," said Ross, who went 0-for-2 with a against Arrieta in that game but is 2-for-4 lifetime with one against him. "He's throwing 97 mph from behind you with 91 mph cutters."

Ross also leaped to Arrieta's defense regarding speculation on performance enhancing drugs.

"I don't have any doubt he's clean," Ross said. "I've seen his workouts and know how hard he works. There's no doubt in my mind. People are going to speculate. It's part of life. I don't put too much stock in what too many people think."

Ross scoffed at any suspicions from opponents.

"They can take their 'L' and be done with it," Ross said. "It don't matter to me. I don't care what they think and say. I'm worried about this group in here. That's all we can worry about. I can't worry about outside influences. There are teams trying to beat us. We have to take of ourselves. We start worrying about other people, then we have our own problems.''

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Chicago Tribune

Cubs, White Sox have best league records — when's last time that happened? By Staff

Going in to Wednesday night's games, the White Sox have the best record (15-6; .714 percent) in the American League.

The Cubs have the best record (15-5; .750 percent) in the National League.

When was the last time that happened? And we don't mean after just a handful of games, but after a meaningful number of games, say 20?

That would be May 29, 1973, according to STATS. The White Sox had a 26-14 record (.617 percent), and a four- game lead over the Angels in the American League's West Division.

The Cubs were also sitting pretty at 29-18 (.617), with a 5 1/2 game lead over the Mets in the East. The Giants were 31-20 (.608) in the East.

Each league was divided into two divisions back then.

So how did the season play out?

Well, the White Sox, managed by , ran out of gas and finished with a 77-85 record (.475) in fifth place, 17 games behind the Athletics, who went on to beat the Mets in the World Series. Pitcher Wilbur Wood, you might like to know, won a remarkable 24 games, while losing 20.

The Cubs fared just as badly, with a 77-84 record (.478), also in fifth place, but only 5 games behind those darn Mets. was the skipper.

That Cubs season ended on Oct. 1 after the Mets won the first half of a double-header, clinching the division. The powers that be decided it wasn't worth playing the second game and so it was canceled, unceremoniously denying pitcher Milt Pappas, who died last week, from his chance to win his 100th game in the NL.

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Chicago Sun-Times Cubs-Brewers postponed by weather; Arrieta to pitch Thursday By Gordon Wittenmyer

Apparently the only thing that can stop the Cubs these days is the weather.

Wednesday night’s game between the Cubs and Brewers was postponed due to a forecast for inclement weather, the club announced about an hour before the scheduled 7:05 p.m. start.

No makeup date has been determined. The Brewers play the Cubs at Wrigley Field for three games in August and for four games in September.

The teams have a mutual off day on Monday, Aug. 15, the day before opening that three-gamer at Wrigley.

Jake Arrieta (4-0, 0.87 ERA), who threw a no-hitter in his last start, had Wednesday’s scheduled start backed up to Thursday’s series finale against the Brewers. The Brewers also moved Wednesday’s starter, Taylor Jungmann (0-3, 8.47 ERA), to Thursday.

Tickets for Wednesday’s postponed game may be used for the rescheduled game.

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Chicago Sun-Times Cubs, Sox on rare collision course? It’s only April, but … By Gordon Wittenmyer and Daryl Van Schouwen

Don’t look now, but the only two big-league Chicago pro sports teams still playing in late April also happen to be the two teams leading their respective leagues early in the race for October.

Anybody up for a rematch of 1906?

Too soon? Maybe. At least by a few months.

But the competitive synchronicity the Cubs and White Sox have pulled off barely three weeks into the season already is a rarity.

Before the Sox (16-6) played the Blue Jays and the Cubs (15-5) were rained out Wednesday, the two Chicago teams had the best records in their respective leagues.

The last time that happened this late in the season was May 29, 1973, when the Cubs were 29-18 and the Sox 26- 14.

“Diggin’ it,” said Cubs manager Joe Maddon.

His team has been widely considered a World Series favorite since spring training.

The same can’t be said for the Sox, who stumbled to a fourth-place finish last year, endured the strange Adam- and-Drake-LaRoche follies during spring training, and opened this season with several new pieces and a lot to prove.

“Where we’ve been the last couple years, just for us – not necessarily for [the Cubs] – you’re happy for our fans that we can play a better brand of baseball,” Sox manager Robin Ventura said. “You hope there can be meaningful games later in the year and make the playoffs.”

And if that eventually leads to a collision course with the Cubs a few months from now? Ventura knows firsthand what that’s like, as the ’ during the 2000 Subway Series against the Yankees.

“It’s an exciting atmosphere for a city when it has two teams capable of [playing in the postseason],” Ventura said.

The last time the Cubs and Sox both made the playoffs was 2008, when both were bounced in the first round – the Sox by Maddon’s Tampa Bay Rays.

The only other time both made the playoffs the same year was 1906, when the Sox beat the Cubs in the World Series.

“I think it’s great for the city,” said Maddon, who professes longstanding respect and admiration for Ventura. “I know he went through a tough gig this past spring training, and I thought he handled it great. I’m really happy for him and their success.”

If you’re looking for an excuse to believe the two Chicago teams can sustain a summer-long ride toward the same fall destination, just look at the pitching staffs that rank 2-3 in the majors in team ERA – both anchored by early Cy Young frontrunners in Chris Sale (5-0, 1.66 ERA) of the Sox and Jake Arrieta (4-0, 0.87 ERA) of the Cubs.

“They’ve made some really nice additions this last season,” Maddon said. “They’ve done some really nice work. And they have outstanding pitching. That’s why they’re good.”

On the other hand, if you’re looking for an excuse to flush the whole idea before May, just look at how that fast- starting 1973 season turned out. Both teams slumped to 77-win seasons, both finishing fifth in their divisions.

Which offers just another reminder how seldom both teams are even good at the same time. In Chicago’s previous 115 seasons as an American League-National League city, the Cubs and Sox have both finished with winning records only 20 times – only seven since the 1930s.

Check back in July for a better idea what to expect this time around. That’s when the Cubs and Sox play a pair of games in each park over a four-night stretch, July 25-28.

“If we could both sustain this kind of play, it could make for a very interesting summer,” Maddon said. “I think you live in this city, and you have that stuff going on, what could possibly beat that?”

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Daily Herald Rain pushes ' Arrieta start back a day By Bruce Miles

Jake Arrieta looked ready to go Wednesday afternoon in the Chicago Cubs' clubhouse, with headphones on and scouting reports in hand.

But Mother Nature had other ideas, as rain postponed Wednesday night's game against the Milwaukee Brewers at Wrigley Field.

No makeup date has been announced. The postponement came about 45 minutes before the scheduled 7 p.m. start, and the Cubs said they could not see a "window" of clear weather in which to play the game.

Instead, Arrieta will take the mound Thursday at 1:20 p.m. against the Brewers' Taylor Jungmann. The Cubs will simply push back their rotation one day, with Jon Lester starting Friday's series opener against the at Wrigley Field.

Arrieta tossed a no-hitter last Thursday at Cincinnati. The Cubs certainly didn't want Arrieta to start Wednesday and then face a delay.

"That's never fun," said manager Joe Maddon. "You don't want to do that with any of your starters. With Jake, you definitely don't want that to happen to him."

Arrieta is 4-0 with an 0.87 ERA. The Cubs have won Arrieta's last 17 starts, matching the franchise record held by Ed Reulbach (1906-07) and Pat Luby (1890-91). Maddon was asked if the streak would play any part in his thinking on a bad-weather night.

"I would just be watching him and his performance," he said. "Obviously, if he was struggling big time and it didn't make any sense and we were behind, get him out. Just save it. If it's something that's kind of close and it looks like he still has his stuff, we probably would let it ride.

"That's something you would have to answer in the moment, I would think. But I would not let him just stay out there if he was getting pummeled just to meet some kind of a record."

The weather has been brutal. Tuesday night's series opener was played in 40-degree weather, with a 16-mph out of the north make it feel like 34.

Summer in the city:

Joe Maddon was asked how he felt about both the Cubs and White Sox getting off to good starts.

"Digging it," he said. "It's so good. I like Robin a lot. (Sox manager) Robin Ventura's a good man. Back in '95, my first (full) year in the major leagues as a coach, I'm walking into the ballpark down there and getting out of the cab.

"He happened to be walking in at the same time. He greeted me like I had been there for 20 years. He addressed me, and I'll never forget that.

"I'm really happy for him and their success. I think it's great for the city, seeing this kind of play. That could make for a very interesting summer. I think if you live in this city and have that kind of stuff going on, what could possibly beat that?"

Still not ready;

Catcher Miguel Montero was still a no-go had Wednesday's game been played. He was a late lineup scratch Tuesday because of a stiff back.

David Ross was set to make his second straight start. Montero is listed as day to day.

There has been a fun movement online to get Ross some write-in votes for the All-Star Game.

"I'm the flavor of the week right now," he said. "It's flattering, but I don't want anything I haven't deserved. I'm a backup catcher for a reason."

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Cubs.com Baez fine with part-time role for Cubs By Carrie Muskat

CHICAGO -- Cubs manager Joe Maddon has told Javier Baez that someday he'll be in the lineup every day in the big leagues. But right now, Baez has accepted his role as a pinch-hitter and defensive sub, something he might not have been able to do a year ago.

"He understands his role," Maddon said Wednesday. "He knows he'll be an everyday player at some point, but for right now, he knows this is his way to be in the Major Leagues and how valuable he is to us."

On Tuesday, Baez came off the bench and delivered a pinch-hit single in the seventh, then stole second with a nifty slide and eventually scored. The Cubs are working with Baez to get him to cut down on his swing.

"He still comes out of his shoes once in a while, but he's able to get back in his shoes with two strikes and he looks better," Maddon said. "He cannot handle it any better than he is right now. He's smiling, he's chirpy, he's ready. His face is good before the game, his eyes are good. I think that's the difference. He could not be the same guy last year."

• Miguel Montero, who was scratched from Tuesday's lineup, was not listed in the starting lineup for Wednesday's game that was postponed, but the catcher was available to pinch-hit, Maddon said.

Montero had some stiffness in his back over the weekend in Cincinnati. Backup catcher David Ross had been in the starting lineup for the ninth game this season.

• If the Cubs need a spot starter, Adam Warren may be their man out of the . Maddon likes the right- hander's ability to get both righties and lefties out, effectively using his fastball and changeup.

"He's got a lot of confidence," Maddon said. "The role he played in New York probably built a lot of inbred confidence for him. He just needs opportunity."

Acquired from the Yankees for , Warren said he's ready for whatever the Cubs need.

"I felt I did about every kind of role there was from starting to closing to everything in between," Warren said of his time with the Yankees. "Just understanding the pressure that was in New York to perform -- and there's pressure here to perform as well, and I think it's similar. My demeanor as far as not trying to show emotion, and trying to keep everything contained, I think it helps portraying calmness and not letting anybody in on what's going on in my head."

• Both the Cubs and the White Sox are enjoying success at the start of the season, and Maddon says he's "digging it."

"I'm happy for [manager Robin Ventura] and their success," Maddon said of the White Sox skipper. "I think it's great for the city. If we could both sustain this kind of play, it could make for a very interesting summer."

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Cubs.com Arrieta's no-no encore set for finale with Brewers By Carrie Muskat

Jake Arrieta's effort to match Johnny Vander Meer and throw a second consecutive no-hitter was delayed by one day because of rain. The right-hander will try again Thursday when the Cubs and Brewers attempt to complete their series at Wrigley Field.

Inclement weather postponed Wednesday's game, which Arrieta had been scheduled to start against Milwaukee's Taylor Jungmann. Arrieta is coming off his second career no-hitter, accomplished last Thursday in Cincinnati. Vander Meer is the only Major Leaguer to throw back to back no-nos, doing so in June 1938.

Cubs catcher David Ross knows how difficult it is to face Arrieta. He did so while with the Red Sox, and did have some success, going 2-for-4 with a home run. What makes Arrieta so tough?

"For me it's the angle he comes at," Ross said of the right-hander. "He's on the third-base side with an almost cross-your-body delivery and a high front side, which is hiding the ball really late. And you couple that with the stuff he has, it's a no-brainer that he's going to be tough to hit, especially if he's locating.

"For me, the location is what's really come on. When he's locating that backdoor two-seamer away to righties and in to lefties, it's really tough for hitters."

Brewers manager said they look forward to facing the reigning National League Cy Young Award winner.

"Every player enjoys the challenge of facing the elite guys," Counsell said. "You take it as a challenge. That's what it is. It should be, it's fun. This is about going up against the best. ... So that's how you treat it, and that's how these guys treat it. It doesn't make it easier, but that's how you treat it.

It won't be easy. Arrieta is 20-1 with an 0.86 ERA over his last 24 regular-season starts. His only loss in that span came when threw a no-hitter against the Cubs on July 25.

Arrieta has not allowed a run in 48 2/3 consecutive regular-season innings at Wrigley Field, the longest streak in the ballpark's history and the longest for any pitcher at his home park since the Phillies' Ray Herbert threw 54 straight at Connie Mack Stadium spanning 1962-63.

Is it unfair to have to face Arrieta?

"That's what you can say about a lot of great pitchers in this league," Ross said.

Jungmann is coming off a loss last Thursday to the Twins in which he gave up three runs over four innings. Thursday will be his fifth start of the season.

Things to know about this game

• The Brewers had planned to give Domingo Santana a day off Wednesday, but it's possible he could be in the Thursday lineup. Santana is 0-for-5 with three strikeouts against Arrieta. His potential replacement, Alex Presley, is 2-for-4.

• The Cubs have won 13 of their past 14 games against the Brewers, including four in a row.

• 's two-RBI, pinch-hit double Tuesday night gave him an eight-game hitting streak and moved his average with runners in scoring position to .600 (9-for-15), trailing only 's .667 for the best mark in baseball.

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Cubs.com Weather postpones Arrieta's follow-up act By Carrie Muskat

CHICAGO -- Wednesday night's game between the Cubs and Brewers was postponed because of inclement weather. No makeup date was set.

The two teams will try to complete the series on Thursday with first pitch scheduled for 1:20 p.m. CT. Jake Arrieta, who threw a no-hitter in his last outing against the Reds, will start against Milwaukee's Taylor Jungmann.

Cubs manager Joe Maddon said before the game that the umpires consulted with both him and Brewers manager Craig Counsell regarding the weather forecast.

"The umpires are very aware of starting pitchers and what they mean in today's game," Maddon said. "They don't want either side to lose their starting pitcher through a long rain delay."

The Brewers return to Wrigley Field Aug. 16-18 and Sept. 15-18.

It's the first game postponed by weather for both teams this season.

At 15-5, the Cubs are off to their best start since 1907. Chicago won Tuesday's series opener, and is now 13-1 against Milwaukee since last July 30.

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ESPNChicago.com Rainout gives Cubs' Jake Arrieta another day off By Jesse Rogers

CHICAGO -- Jake Arrieta will have to wait one more day before he tries to become the second pitcher in history to throw consecutive no-hitters.

Rain washed out the Chicago Cubs' game against the Milwaukee Brewers on Wednesday night, giving Arrieta a sixth day of rest since throwing 119 pitches in no-hitting the Cincinnati Reds last week. Cubs manager Joe Maddon doesn’t skip starters and the Cubs were off Monday, hence the extra time for the reigning Cy Young winner.

The washout also helps the Cubs' catching situation as Miguel Montero has been ailing with a bad back, forcing David Ross into extra duty. Had Wednesday’s game been played, Ross would've been scheduled to catch all three games in the series, including Thursday’s day game, when Jon Lester throws. Now Ross gets a day between games.

“I don’t want to beat him up,” Maddon said.

Incidentally, Maddon intimated top prospect Willson Contreras would be considered as a call-up if there was a short-term need for a backup but not necessarily if one of the went down for an extended period of time. Right now there is no plan to place Montero on the disabled list, and the rainout allows Ross an extra day of rest.

Maddon won’t change the rest of the rotation, as Lester will open the series against the Atlanta Braves, with and Jason Hammel following him. That means fifth starter will pitch in Pittsburgh on Monday in the first meeting between the teams since the Cubs beat the Pirates in the wild-card game behind Arrieta’s complete-game shutout.

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ESPNChicago.com Cubs' Jake Arrieta is built to follow no-hitter with another memorable start By Jesse Rogers

CHICAGO -- All eyes will be on Chicago Cubs right hander Jake Arrieta when he takes the mound Wednesday for the first time since no-hitting the Cincinnati Reds last week in a 16-0 victory. Some are even wondering if he can do it again because he faces the Milwaukee Brewers, who rank 14th in the National League with a .230 batting average. He'll be throwing in a pitching-friendly climate as well, and temperatures are expected to be in the low- to mid-40s.

But did Arrieta expend too much in throwing 119 pitches in his second career no-hitter?

"Do people expect me to be weak after a no-hitter?" Arrieta said over the weekend. "It wasn’t really a workload that was different than every time out honestly. No added stress on any pitches. Just same as usual."

The "no added stress" part makes sense, considering the win was the largest margin of victory in a no-hitter since 1884. Arrieta, who is 4-0 with a 0.87 ERA, also had an extra day between starts because the Cubs were off Monday and manager Joe Maddon doesn't like to skip his starters.

"Extra days are part of the schedule," Arrieta said. "Save my bullets, prepare in other ways. Once your arm strength is built up, you only need to throw so much. I feel fresh that way. Once you get locked in mechanically, once you get your timing, it kind of sticks with you."

Arrieta's workout routine between starts is the same every time. It begins with Pilates and ends with lots of running in the outfield or stadium steps. The two no-hitters and his incredible fitness have led some to question if he's taking any shortcuts. Maddon refutes that notion.

"I challenge anyone to go with him for his workout program for maybe one week -- I won't even say a week, I’ll say for two days," Maddon said. "Just go keep up with him for two days and see what he actually does and see if you could keep up with that particular workout program."

Arrieta threw 40-50 pitches Sunday, one day later than he normally would after a start. What will he bring Wednesday? Even his pitching coach, , isn't sure. Bosio broke down Arrieta's two no-hitters, which he said were executed in decidedly different ways.

"One game, he had a good cutter and curveball going out on the West Coast [Aug. 30 at ], and [Thursday] he had a tremendous two-seamer and a changeup and mixed in cutters when he needed it," Bosio said Friday, a day after Arrieta no-hit the Reds. "That's the thing that's special about Jake. Our other starters as well. They're not just a one-trick pony. They can throw two, three, four pitches. We don't have predictability."

The ride has been crazy for Arrieta, whose no-hitters were accomplished just 10 starts apart. Those who reached out to him after his first no-hitter last season did so again after his second, including a former Oriole teammate and once-popular Cub.

" told me I was a bad, bad boy," Arrieta said, smiling. "It was easier [to handle] this time. The enjoyment in the moment was just as special."

Arrieta had his moment with the Wrigley fans Tuesday, when the team honored him before the game. His rise to the top has been meteoric, and he's trying to take it all in.

"The appreciation is always there in Chicago," Arrieta said. "We know the city pays attention. They live for the Cubs.

"Just little stuff, like some lady wrote my wife, Brittany, and I that her and her husband were watching the game, and her husband asked her if they could wake up their son to watch the final three outs. I just thought was really, really neat. Just to see how involved and how much passion there is.

"They feel like they’re part of our team, which they are. They're the reason we're able to do what we do. It makes you stop and think about those kinds of things."

The way Arrieta's pitching, he might provide a few more memories for them on Wednesday night.

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