July 4, 2017 Chicago Tribune, Joe Maddon reminisces on tenure in Tampa ahead of Cubs-Rays series http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-cubs-rays-joe-maddon-spt-0704-20170703- story.html#nt=oft03a-1la1 Chicago Tribune, Chicago baseball gets what it deserves for All-Star Game http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/columnists/ct-cubs-white-sox-all-star-game-haugh-spt-0704- 20170703-column.html Chicago Tribune, How ex-Cubs prospects are faring elsewhere: Jeferson Mejia, Dan Vogelbach, more http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-cubs-minor-league-report-spt-0704-20170703- story.html Chicago Tribune, Cubs trade Miguel Montero to Blue Jays http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-miguel-montero-cubs-blue-jays-trade-20170703- story.html#nt=simple-embed Chicago Tribune, Rest serves as consolation prize for snubbed All-Star hopefuls http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-cubs-joe-maddon-rest-20170703- story.html#nt=oft13a-6gp1 Chicago Sun-Times, Cubs ship Miguel Montero out of league, country in trade to Blue Jays http://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/blue-jays-acquire-miguel-montero-from-the-cubs/ Daily Herald, Cubs trade Montero to Toronto http://www.dailyherald.com/sports/20170703/cubs-trade-montero-to-toronto Cubs.com, Sources: Cubs interested in Verlander, Avila http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/240351564/cubs-reportedly-interested-in-justin-verlander/ Cubs.com, Contreras comfortable with Cubs' catching reins http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/240237624/willson-contreras-talks-being-cubs-catcher/ Cubs.com, Cubs trade catcher Montero to Blue Jays http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/240224190/cubs-trade-miguel-montero-to-blue-jays/ CSNChicago.com, More Than Chris Archer, Mike Montgomery Shows Where Cubs Might Go At Trade Deadline http://www.csnchicago.com/chicago-cubs/more-chris-archer-mike-montgomery-shows-where-cubs-might-go- trade-deadline CSNChicago.com, Cubs Ship Disgruntled Catcher Miguel Montero To Toronto http://www.csnchicago.com/chicago-cubs/cubs-ship-disgruntled-catcher-miguel-montero-toronto -- Chicago Tribune Joe Maddon reminisces on tenure in Tampa ahead of Cubs-Rays series By Mark Gonzales Cubs manager Joe Maddon was disappointed to learn that many of his former Rays coaches and staffers planned to pass up a dinner invitation to spend Monday's off day with local relatives. Nevertheless, Maddon will do plenty of reminiscing this week, when the Cubs host Maddon's former team for a two-game series. The Rays will host the Cubs for two games in September. Maddon reiterated Sunday he had no intention of leaving the Rays until Andrew Friedman, the executive vice president of baseball operations, departed for the Dodgers shortly after the 2014 season. After Maddon and the Rays failed to reach an agreement on an extension, Maddon exercised an opt-out clause that triggered if Friedman departed. Nevertheless, Maddon's roots with the Rays, whom he managed for nine years, remain deep. "I was Evan Longoria's first manager," Maddon said of the Rays' star third baseman who was the American League Rookie of the Year in 2008 — when the Rays reached the World Series in Maddon's third season. "Among the players that I've managed, he probably had the most significant impact on my career." Maddon went on to compare Longoria to the Cubs' Kris Bryant, who also blossomed as a third baseman after a brief stint in the minors and gave Maddon a lot of flexibility. Maddon's thread to the Rays runs through coaches Jim Hickey and Tom Foley to pitchers Chris Archer and Brad Boxberger (whose father, Rod, pitched to Maddon with the Boulder Collegians amateur summer team). It also includes manager Kevin Cash, whose Rays have a better record (43-41) than Maddon's Cubs (41-41). "I'm happy for Cash," Maddon said. "He played for me. And I'm happy for his success." The hiring of Cash, 39, who spent three seasons as a scout and major-league coach after his playing career ended, was seen a major change in direction for the Rays. Maddon had worked 14 seasons in the minors and 12 more on the Angels' staff before the Rays hired him. But bench coach Dave Martinez, who accompanied Maddon to the Cubs, said the analytical and cultural changes implemented by Friedman and Maddon remain strong with the Rays. "I look back and even where they're at today, it's still a good organization," said Martinez, who, like Maddon, still resides in the Tampa area in the offseason. "They still got Hickey and Foley. They know what we did to be successful, and I still see glimpses when I watch TV. I keep in touch with the coaches, but my heart is here." Jumping from the small-market Rays to the Cubs created greater expectations for Maddon, but his style hasn't changed, according to Cubs left-hander Mike Montgomery, who spent time with Maddon in spring training with the Rays in 2014. "I was only in big-league camp, but his presence made everything seem lighthearted in a lot of ways but make people work hard," Montgomery said. "It was a loose environment from where I came from in Kansas City. "It was good for me; I thrived more in that environment." Maddon's parting was abrupt but timely, considering he directed the Cubs to the 2016 World Series championship while the Rays have survived without stars players such as David Price, Ben Zobrist, James Shields and Matt Moore. "I know Joe, and we both have heartfelt feelings for being there so long and doing the things we did," Martinez said. "But this is our home, and we don't look back. We look forward." -- Chicago Tribune Chicago baseball gets what it deserves for All-Star Game By David Haugh Leave it to the Major League Baseball All-Star Game, a popularity contest usually worth a snicker every summer, to reinforce an everyday principle every Chicago sports fan can accept. Sometimes people truly get what they deserve. And so it is that White Sox outfielder Avi Garcia and Cubs closer Wade Davis were the only two local players selected Sunday for the Midsummer Classic on July 11 in Miami and nobody in town dared to complain — especially on the North Side. Garcia, hitting .318 with 11 home runs and 51 RBIs, belongs in any showcase of baseball's best players in the first half of the 2017 season. Cubs position players do not. It seems as simple as it is extraordinary. "When I saw the names, I had no arguments," said Joe Maddon, who will manage the NL team. Any argument would have been as weak as the Cubs' hitting with runners in scoring position. Only Davis earned a nod among Cubs, who traded for the elite reliever in the team's smartest offseason deal by a front office that neglected the rotation and leadoff position. With a shortage of snubs, just one local debate remains in a fun week of baseball conjecture: Which was more stunning, the inclusion of Garcia, a career underachiever until now, or the omission of any of the highly marketable members of the defending World Series champion? Garcia entered the season clinging to hope after a disappointing career found him batting seventh in the Venezuelan Winter League, while the Cubs, who had seven All-Stars a year ago, arrived at spring training considered the class of the National League. So as unexpected as Garcia's rise is after years of inconsistency, the Cubs' fall into the mosh pit of mediocrity qualifies as a bigger surprise. At least when the Sox traded for Garcia in 2013, expectations included All-Star Game appearances, and comparisons likened him to Tigers star Miguel Cabrera, who incidentally wasn't picked for the first time since 2009. At some point in Garcia's development, a scout or executive or manager projected this. Meanwhile, nobody predicted the Cubs entering their final homestand before the All-Star break with a .500 record and no position players deemed good enough to represent the National League. Nobody thought the Cubs would rely on Ian Happ more by the Fourth of July than Kyle Schwarber. The emergence of Happ for the Cubs — and Garcia for the Sox, for that matter — offers the latest reminder to maintain an open mind when labeling prospects. Happ progressed sooner than expected, as opposed to later for Garcia, but both have changed the ways they were viewed at the beginning of this season. Happ, starting at four different positions, impressed Maddon with his defense and delivered enough pop offensively — 12 home runs and 27 RBIs in 45 games — to make him difficult to part with in any trade if the Cubs are serious about repeating. Garcia, signed in January to a prove-it, one-year, $3 million contract, reduced his weight by changing his diet and responded to the challenge well enough for the Sox to make the 26-year-old part of their rebuilding effort. General manager Rick Hahn might be tempted to trade Garcia before the July 31 deadline, but he has made a strong case to stay on the South Side for what comes next. But, for now, Garcia will focus on getting healthy and going to Miami next week as the Sox's sole representative. Try telling Garcia that, this year, the All-Star Game no longer matters. "I feel really, really proud," Garcia said. "All (my) hard work is coming together." The Cubs dutifully began an online campaign to vote in Kris Bryant among five candidates as the 34th member of the NL team.