November 17, 2016

 Cubs.com, Bryant looking to join elite company as NL MVP http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/208990932/cubs-kris-bryant-is-an-nl-mvp-finalist/

 Cubs.com, Lester, Hendricks edged in voting http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/209000956/lester-hendricks-edged-in-cy-young-voting/

 Cubs.com, Renovation work at Wrigley back in full swing http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/209001442/wrigley-field-undergoing-renovation/

 Cubs.com, Cubs might reach out to Bartman for closure http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/209008604/chicago-cubs-may-reach-out-to-steve-bartman/

 ESPNChicago.com, Did Cy Young voters show enough appreciation for Lester and Hendricks? http://www.espn.com/blog/chicago/cubs/post/_/id/42928/did-cy-young-voters-show-enough-appreciation- for-jon-lester-and-kyle-hendricks

 CSNChicago.com, Max Scherzer Would Trade Cy Young For Rings Cubs Will Give , Kyle Hendricks http://www.csnchicago.com/chicago-cubs/max-scherzer-would-trade-cy-young-world-series-rings-cubs-will- give-jon-lester-kyle

 CSNChicago.com, Tom Ricketts On Steve Bartman: 'I’m Sure We’ll Reach Out To Him At The Right Time' http://www.csnchicago.com/chicago-cubs/tom-ricketts-steve-bartman-im-sure-well-reach-out-him-right-time

 Chicago Tribune, Max Scherzer beats out Cubs' Jon Lester, Kyle Hendricks for Cy Young Award http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-cy-young-jon-lester-kyle-hendricks-spt-1117- 20161116-story.html

 Chicago Tribune, Cubs' can make 'M-V-P' chants become reality http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-kris-bryant-nl-mvp-preview-spt-1117-20161116- story.html

 Chicago Tribune, Tom Ricketts on Steve Bartman: 'We'll figure something out' http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-steve-bartman-tom-ricketts-cubs-20161116- story.html

 Chicago Tribune, Carl Edwards Jr. 'nervous' in Cubs' World Series — but Mike Montgomery called it http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/chicagoinc/ct-carl-edwards-chicago-inc-spt-1117-20161116- story.html

 Chicago Tribune, raising money, awareness for concussion research http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-cubs-david-ross-concussion-research-20161116- story.html

 Chicago Sun-Times, Scherzer beats out Lester, Hendricks for NL Cy Young Award http://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/scherzer-beats-out-lester-hendricks-for-nl-cy-young-award/

 Chicago Sun-Times, After billboards, goats and curse-buster, is MVP next for Bryant? http://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/after-billboards-goats-and-curse-buster-is-mvp-next-for-bryant/

--

Cubs.com Bryant looking to join elite company as NL MVP By Carrie Muskat

CHICAGO -- He began hitting under his dad's tutelage at the age of 5 and hasn't stopped. This year, the Cubs' Kris Bryant continued his meteoric rise, and he will find out on Thursday (5 p.m. CT on MLB Network) whether he won the Most Valuable Player Award, presented by the Baseball Writers' Association of America.

Hopefully, Bryant has room on his mantle. He was named the top college player in 2013 and the top Minor League player in '14, before being honored as the top rookie last season. This year, Bryant, 24, ranked among the NL leaders in home runs (39), RBIs (102) and slugging percentage (.554), and was first in runs scored (121). His 39 homers were the most by a Cubs player since Derrek Lee belted 46 in '05.

There were plenty of highlight games. On April 21 in Cincinnati, Bryant went 4-for-6 with two home runs, including a grand slam, and six RBIs. On June 27 at , he went 5-for-5 with three home runs, two doubles and six RBIs, becoming the first player in Major League history to record three homers and two doubles in a game. And he did so despite moving from third base to left field to right field during the game.

Cubs manager took advantage of Bryant's versatility.

"When you think back to when you started playing baseball, it was always so much more fun in Little League," Bryant said. "Now, it's like Little Leagues in the big leagues. I think that's one of the things that makes Joe such an unbelievable manager. You never know what you're going to do, what to expect in the clubhouse. I think more guys should be like that."

During the first half of the season, Bryant hit 25 home runs. At his second All-Star Game, Bryant homered, but it wasn't enough to help the NL win.

While all home runs are key, not many were as perfectly timed as Bryant's 33rd, which he hit in the third inning of the Cubs' 5-3 win over the Padres. Bryant's University of San Diego baseball coach Rich Hill was in attendance at Petco Park on Aug. 23.

"I always thought once he got into pro ball, he'd actually do better than he did in college," Hill said. "In the Minor Leagues, the get a little arrogant. They think, 'I'll just throw this by this guy.' I thought when he got some pitches to hit, he'd do some damage. They're pitching him like an All-Star, and they've been doing it since Day 1."

Hill also isn't surprised that Bryant has made the adjustments. There was no sophomore slump.

"He was a 4.7 GPA out of high school," Hill said. "He's very bright, and at the same time, he's very competitive. You have that combination, and that's a good recipe for success."

Twenty players have won top rookie honors and have been named MVP, but Bryant could join Dustin Pedroia (2007-08), (2005-06) and Cal Ripken Jr. (1982-83) as the only players to win the awards in back-to- back seasons.

The other NL MVP finalists this year include Nationals and Dodgers rookie Corey Seager.

Sammy Sosa was the last Cubs player to win MVP honors, doing so in 1998.

Bryant led NL position players with a 7.7 WAR. Between 1931 and 2015, there were 32 instances of a position player age 24 or younger leading his league in WAR. In 10 of those 32, the player was named MVP. That group includes Jimmie Foxx ('32), Joe DiMaggio ('39), Stan Musial ('43), ('54), Mickey Mantle ('56), ('70), Ripken ('83), Ryne Sandberg ('84), ('14) and ('15).

Esurance MLB Awards week concludes Friday on MLB Network and MLB.com at 8 p.m. ET with the MLB Awards. Categories include Best Major Leaguer, Hitter, , Rookie, Executive and Manager.

--

Cubs.com Lester, Hendricks edged in Cy Young voting By Carrie Muskat

CHICAGO -- Cubs pitchers Jon Lester and Kyle Hendricks finished second and third, respectively in the National League Cy Young Award balloting behind the Nationals' Max Scherzer, the Baseball Writers' Association of America announced on Wednesday.

Scherzer received 25 first-place votes and totaled 192 points. Lester received one first-place vote, 16 second-place vote, nine third-place votes and two fourth-place votes for 102 points. Hendricks received two first-place votes, seven second-place votes, eight third-place votes, seven fourth-place votes and five fifth-place votes for 85 points.

Hendricks and Lester finished 1-2 in the Majors in ERA, while Scherzer won 20 games and struck out 284 over 228 1/3 innings.

Lester, 32, has finished fourth twice in the American League Cy Young voting (2010 and '14). This year, he tied a career high and ranked second in the NL with 19 wins and his 2.44 ERA was a career best. The lefty posted a quality start in all 15 of his home starts, and he finished the season strong, going 5-0 with a 0.48 ERA in September.

Lester said he felt more comfortable this season, his second with the Cubs, and that helped him on the field. "This year was more about pitching as opposed to fitting in," Lester said.

Hendricks, who turns 27 on Dec. 7, set career highs in ERA (2.13), wins (16), (190), and (170). The right-hander is the first Cubs pitcher to lead the Majors in ERA since Bill Lee did so in 1938 (2.66). Wrigley Field fit Hendricks perfectly, and he posted a 9-2 record and 1.32 ERA in 15 games (14 starts) at home.

"This was a big year for me developmentally-wise, just learning how to use my pitches, not having the velocity and pure stuff like some of guys in this league have, like the other two guys in this category with me," Hendricks said during the telecast on MLB Network. "It's very humbling to be grouped with these two guys and be in this situation and I definitely wasn't expecting it at the start of the year."

Chicago's , who won the Cy Young Award in 2015, received one fourth-place vote in this year's balloting. The Cubs were in line to become the ninth team to claim the top pitching honor in back to back seasons. The last to do so were the Indians, when CC Sabathia won in 2007 and Cliff Lee won in '08.

Esurance MLB Awards week concludes Friday on MLB Network and MLB.com at 8 p.m. ET with the MLB Awards. Categories include Best Major Leaguer, Hitter, Pitcher, Rookie, Executive and Manager.

--

Cubs.com Renovation work at Wrigley back in full swing By Carrie Muskat

CHICAGO -- Now that the Cubs have packed up the bunting from the postseason, the renovation and restoration work at Wrigley Field is back in full swing.

The biggest change fans will notice in 2017 will involve the bullpens. Among the projects on schedule this offseason are relocating the home and visiting bullpens to underneath the bleachers and creating a new seating area where the bullpens were located along the left- and right-field foul lines. A new batting tunnel also will be built for the visiting team to use, which will be to their clubhouse.

The other offseason projects at Wrigley include partial facade restoration on Addison Street, structural improvements in right field, replacing terrace reserved seats and replacing some seats behind home plate.

This offseason, crews will begin concession improvements near Gate F and will begin the American Airlines 1914 Club. Work on those two projects will continue through the 2017 season. The American Airlines 1914 Club, which will be located underneath the club box seating bowl between the home and visiting dugouts, is expected to be completed by 2018. The club will give fans with tickets in that area a place to go before and during games for upgraded food and beverage options, plus it will provide private restrooms.

Also ongoing in the offseason and through the regular season will be work on the office building and plaza west of Wrigley Field along Clark Street and the hotel at Clark and Addison Streets.

Fans can get updates on the projects and see renderings at WrigleyField.com. The four-year, $575 million project for the ballpark began at the conclusion of the 2014 season.

--

Cubs.com Cubs might reach out to Bartman for closure By Carrie Muskat

CHICAGO -- Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts, basking in the glow of the franchise winning its first World Series since 1908, said they're now discussing championship rings and indicated they may invite Steve Bartman back for some closure.

In an interview with USA Today, Ricketts said the team may try to resolve the friction many fans feel toward Bartman, who was villified for trying to catch a foul ball during Game 6 of the 2003 National League Championship Series between the Cubs and Marlins at Wrigley Field. The incident happened in the eighth inning during Luis Castillo's at-bat. Castillo eventually walked, and the Marlins went on to score eight runs that inning, aided by an error by shortstop Alex Gonzalez. Florida won, 8-3, to tie the series at three games apiece, and then won Game 7.

"I'm sure we'll reach out to him at the right time," Ricketts told USA Today, "and I'm sure we'll figure something out that provides closure for everybody. Hopefully we can make it work.

"But you know, I never focused on ghosts or curses or Bartmans or any of that stuff. It's always been about needing a better team on the field. We wanted to eventually get to that point where we can pick out rings, like we did [Tuesday], and here we are."

A Cubs spokesman told MLB.com on Wednesday that there is no timetable regarding contacting Bartman. As for the rings, Ricketts said they will seek input from the players regarding the design.

The Cubs' winning the World Series ended the longest championship drought in any professional sport.

"It was just so important for this organization," Ricketts said, "to put this 'lovable loser' [stuff] to bed.

"We had to get past that and put that in the history of the Cubs, and not the future. We changed that dialogue and now, it's all a thing in the past."

--

ESPNChicago.com Did Cy Young voters show enough appreciation for Lester and Hendricks? By Jesse Rogers

CHICAGO -- Let's be clear: pitchers Jon Lester and Kyle Hendricks weren't robbed of the 2016 National League Cy Young Award, which went to Washington Nationals hurler Max Scherzer on Wednesday. But they were disrespected, in that voting wasn't as close as it should or could have been.

Scherzer garnered 25 of 30 first-place votes. Lester finished second overall and had one first-place vote, and Hendricks finished third overall and had two ( had the other two first-place votes). For a year in which a reasonable case could have been made for any of the three pitchers, Scherzer ended up running away with the honor, totaling 192 points to Lester's 102 and Hendricks' 85. A lot of that has to do with the weight given to first-place votes. Scherzer got seven points for each first-place vote, while second- through fifth-place votes were worth 4-3-2-1 points, respectively. Still, Lester was left off two ballots entirely, and Hendricks was left off one.

It's a bit of a surprise that Lester and Hendricks didn't get more first-place votes. This was not a year in which one pitcher was the clear winner, though the voting seems to point that way. The feeling here is that voters made up their mind going into the final month, and Hendricks and Lester finalized their cases down the stretch. By then, Scherzer was the clear leader in strikeouts and innings pitched.

Lester, in particular, made a huge run late in the year, producing a 0.48 ERA in five September starts. Hendricks also made a second-half push, compiling a 1.68 ERA after the All-Star break, the lowest in the league. It contributed to his MLB-best 2.13 ERA for the season. But in the end, voters undoubtedly liked Scherzer's 228⅓ innings pitched to go along with an MLB-leading 284 strikeouts. His WHIP (0.97) and batting average against (.199) were in line for a Cy Young winner, but his 2.96 ERA and 31 home runs allowed were knocks against him.

It's possible that Lester lost some second-place votes to Hendricks and vice versa, whereas Scherzer was the main man on the Nationals' staff, especially after went down with an injury. So maybe they didn't get robbed, but a better appreciation was due. Hendricks' changeup recorded more outs than any other hurler using that pitch. Lester had his signature cutter working as well as a nasty curveball, with opponents hitting just .092 in at-bats that ended on it, lowest among NL pitchers with at least 15 starts.

In the end, Lester garnered most of his points via second- and third-place votes. Hendricks had 12 total votes in fourth and fifth place, which wasn't much less than the 15 total votes he got in second and third place. Some voters simply thought there were three or four pitchers more deserving of the award than Hendricks.

Perhaps the biggest question of Cy Young night is about sustainability. We know Lester and Scherzer have it, but can Hendricks stay on an elite track? Some will argue he was a product of good luck and a good defense, but a league low 8.9 percent hard-hit rate among ERA qualifiers tells a different story. Light or no contact is the name of the game for pitchers, and while Scherzer dominated in the "no contact" aspect, it was Hendricks who kept hitters from squaring up even if he wasn't striking them out.

Will he repeat a 2.13 ERA? That's hard to predict. Is he a one-year wonder? Anyone who watched the Cubs would have a definitive answer, despite him losing out on the Cy Young Award. Hendricks just proved his staying power for the past seven months -- why can't he continue it?

--

CSNChicago.com Max Scherzer Would Trade Cy Young For World Series Rings Cubs Will Give Jon Lester, Kyle Hendricks By Patrick Mooney

“I don’t want to sound like an a--hole or anything,” Jon Lester would say at the beginning of October, “but we haven’t really done anything yet.” The Cubs ace raised the expectations to World Series or bust when he signed with a last-place team during the 2014 winter meetings, insisting the entire clubhouse would trade in all the individual accolades for championship rings.

Kyle Hendricks admired the way Tom Brady went from a backup quarterback at the University of Michigan to a sixth-round draft pick to a three-time Super Bowl MVP with the New England Patriots, always playing with a chip on his shoulder and never being underprepared. But even Hendricks never saw this coming, reporting to spring training as a fifth starter and ending his breakthrough season by starting Game 7 of the World Series.

In many ways, Lester and Hendricks are very different. Lester is left-handed, almost six years older, a cancer survivor, emotional on the mound and shaped by the intense pressure he used to feel inside the Boston Red Sox organization. While Lester has a $155 million contract, Hendricks is the Dartmouth College graduate who dissects hitters with the blank look of someone running errands on Southport Avenue, where he could walk down the street this summer largely unnoticed.

But Lester and Hendricks can both clearly see the big picture and will be bonded forever as part of The Team that ended a 108-year drought. They certainly won’t be crushed by the news that Max Scherzer is this year’s National League Cy Young Award winner.

The Baseball Writers’ Association of America revealed the results on Wednesday night, with Scherzer getting 25 of 30 first-place votes and 192 points in a landslide victory. Lester (102 points) and Hendricks (85 points) finished second and third in a vote that took place before the playoffs started.

“I’d trade it for what Lester and Hendricks have — that World Series ring,” Scherzer said during the MLB Network announcement show.

Always a cerebral student, Hendricks (16-8) moved outside his comfort zone and added new wrinkles to his game, keeping hitters off-balance through unpredictable pitch sequences and attacking them with two- and four-seam fastballs, curveballs and changeups.

That command, conviction and creativity — plus a shutdown defense — led to an ERA title (2.13), a 0.979 WHIP, the majors’ highest percentage of soft contact induced (25.1 percent, according to FanGraphs) and the lowest opponents’ OPS (.581).

“Our starting pitching really carried us for most of the season,” Cubs president Theo Epstein said. “Hendricks’ growth, I thought, was a big story of the season, and especially in the postseason, when you compare where he was this October to last October, in terms of his endurance and the weapons that he had to attack good-hitting lineups.

“His performance this October versus last October was an obvious, significant step forward.”

By the NL Championship Series, Clayton Kershaw called him “the Greg of this generation.” Hendricks responded by beating the three-time Cy Young Award winner in Game 6, limiting the to two hits across 7 1/3 scoreless innings and helping the Cubs win their first pennant in 71 years.

“It’s watching him really, truly control a ballgame,” said special assistant , who approved a trade to the minutes before the deadline on July 31, 2012, allowing the Cubs to grab a Class-A pitcher no one envisioned as a top-of-the-rotation starter four years later.

“Before, he’d hit his spots and do his things. But now he’s really controlling the pace, the tempo. (It’s) like back- and-forth as good as probably you’ve ever seen. Side-to-side is not his game. It’s take a little off here, add some here, and trusting his defense.

“He’s been lights-out. Consistent. Early on in the year, I know people say he wasn’t pitching deep into ballgames. That’s not his fault. Every time he’s been asked to take the ball and do his job, he (did) it.”

Scherzer led the NL with 20 wins, 284 strikeouts and 228 1/3 innings — or almost 40 more than Hendricks — while carrying the Nationals toward a division title. This will go with the American League Cy Young Award Scherzer won with the Detroit Tigers in 2013.

On a night where supermodel Kate Upton ranted on Twitter after her fiancé, Detroit ace , lost the AL Cy Young vote to ex-Tiger/Red Sox right-hander Rick Porcello, both Lester and Hendricks posted classy messages on their social-media accounts.

Scherzer vs. Lester had been a fascinating case study in the free-agent market, with a Boston-centric front office going with the ex-Red Sox they already knew so well and betting on his mechanics and delivery without having to pay the draft-pick compensation.

Weeks after the Cubs signed Lester to the biggest contract in franchise history, the Nationals did a seven-year, $210 million megadeal with Boras Corp. that contains a significant amount of deferred money.

After a dominant regular season — 19-5, 2.44 ERA, 200-plus innings for the eighth time in his career — Lester started Game 1 in all three playoff rounds. He became the NLCS co-MVP and the bridge from Hendricks to superstar closer in Game 7 against the .

“It’s very rare that someone shows up and does exactly what you hope,” Epstein said. “Outside of a small hiccup in April of 2015, he’s been a dominant, elite (and a) reliable, hard worker. He pitches his best in the big games.

“And I thought his poise in several key postseason games rubbed off on a lot of other people.”

About two hours after the Cubs won the World Series, Lester stood in a cramped hallway inside Progressive Field’s visiting clubhouse, knowing that his life would never be the same again.

“We got the ’16 ring for the 108 years of the Chicago Cubs,” Lester said. “There’s not a price in the damn (world that) you could sell that thing for.”

--

CSNChicago.com Tom Ricketts On Steve Bartman: 'I’m Sure We’ll Reach Out To Him At The Right Time' By Staff

There's been a bunch of people who have bandied about the idea of the Cubs — now curse-free after winning their first World Series championship since 1908 — bringing Steve Bartman back to Wrigley Field.

And Tom Ricketts seems to like that idea.

In an interview with USA Today's Bob Nightengale, the Cubs' chairman said that the team will probably reach out to the fan so infamously involved in Game 6 of the 2003 National League Championship Series.

“I’m sure we’ll reach out to him at the right time,’’ Ricketts said, “and I’m sure we’ll figure something out that provides closure for everybody. Hopefully, we can make it work.

“But you know, I never focused on ghosts or curses or Bartmans or any of that stuff. It’s always been about needing a better team on the field. We wanted to eventually get to that point where we can pick out rings, like we did (Tuesday), and here we are.’’

--

Chicago Tribune Max Scherzer beats out Cubs' Jon Lester, Kyle Hendricks for Cy Young Award By Mark Gonzales

Cubs pitchers Jon Lester and Kyle Hendricks will settle for World Series rings in April as the Nationals' Max Scherzer was more dominant in the eyes of the Baseball Writers' Association of America, which named him as the National League Cy Young Award winner Wednesday.

Scherzer — who led the league with 20 victories, 34 starts, 2281/3 innings and 284 strikeouts — earned 25 of 30 first-place votes to easily outdistance Lester and Hendricks on a 7-4-3-2-1 points system. Two writers from each of the 15 NL cities participated in the voting, which was completed before the postseason.

Lester received one first-place vote and finished second. Hendricks earned two first-place votes and finished third.

Their chances might have been hindered by the Cubs' run to the World Series title. Manager Joe Maddon used left- hander Mike Montgomery for five starts in late August and early September to give his rotation extra rest in preparation for the postseason.

As a result, Lester was the only Cubs starter to pitch 200 innings, finishing with 202 2/3. He led the Cubs with 19 wins — including a 10-game winning streak — and posted a 2.44 ERA.

Hendricks led the majors with a 2.13 ERA and went 16-8. He made 23 consecutive starts in which he allowed three earned runs or fewer.

Lester and Hendricks became the 14th pair of teammates to finish two-three in Cy Young voting. Cubs pitcher Jake Arrieta, the 2015 winner, received one fourth-place vote and placed ninth.

Red Sox right-hander Rick Porcello won the American League Cy Young Award, edging the Tigers' Justin Verlander by five points despite Verlander (14) receiving more first-place votes than Porcello (eight). Chris Sale of the White Sox finished fifth.

--

Chicago Tribune Cubs' Kris Bryant can make 'M-V-P' chants become reality By Paul Sullivan

In his first full season in the majors, Kris Bryant is up for Most Valuable Player after leading the National League in runs scored (121) and ranking third in home runs (39), sixth in RBIs (102) and first in WAR (8.2).

He won the NL's Hank Aaron Award and is up against Nationals second baseman Daniel Murphy and Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager for MVP. The NL and AL recipients will be announced Thursday.

Bryant's top five regular-season moments

1. On June 27 in Cincinnati, Bryant went 5-for-5 with three home runs, two doubles, four runs scored and six RBIs in an 11-8 victory. His 16 total bases set a franchise record, and he became the first player in history with three home runs and two doubles in a game. And he did it with ripped pants.

2. Bryant cranked a two-run in the 10th to beat the Dodgers 6-4 on Aug. 26 at Dodger Stadium after hitting a solo shot in the eighth. The two homers gave Bryant seven in eight games.

3. "M-V-P" chants echoed across Wrigleyville on Aug. 18 when Bryant had his second 5-for-5 game with two home runs, a double, four runs scored and five RBIs in a 9-6 victory over the Brewers. Bryant became the second player in major-league history with two five-hit, five-RBI games in the same season, joining former Cubs star Phil Cavarretta, who accomplished it during his 1945 MVP season. "Today was just one of those days I was really locked in," Bryant said.

4. Starting for the first time in an All-Star Game, Bryant homered off White Sox ace Chris Sale in the first inning of the NL's 4-2 loss on July 12 in San Diego.

5. In the final game before the All-Star break, Bryant's single with two out in the eighth on July 10 in Pittsburgh brought home Matt Szczur with the winning run to snap a five-game losing streak. Bryant showed rare emotion after the big hit, knowing the importance of the Cubs getting back on track.

--

Chicago Tribune Tom Ricketts on Steve Bartman: 'We'll figure something out' By Staff

Cubs owner Tom Ricketts said the team plans to reach out to Steve Bartman "at the right time."

"I’m sure we’ll figure something out that provides closure for everybody," Ricketts told USA Today. “Hopefully, we can make it work.

“I never focused on ghosts or curses or Bartmans or any of that stuff. ... We wanted to eventually get to that point where we can pick out rings, like we did (Tuesday), and here we are.’’

Bartman, of course, is the fan who reached for that foul ball in Game 6 of the 2003 National League Championship Series, which the Cubs went on to lose to the Marlins in seven games.

But ever since the Cubs won the World Series on Nov. 2, some fans have called on the Cubs to reach out to Bartman, who has maintained a remarkably low profile since 2003.

A team executive confirmed Ricketts' comments, adding there's no definitive time to contact Bartman.

--

Chicago Tribune Carl Edwards Jr. 'nervous' in Cubs' World Series — but Mike Montgomery called it By Phil Thompson

As a fan of the Carolina Panthers, Carl Edwards Jr. is familiar with their rally cry, "Keep Pounding," which will be scrawled across the drum he bangs before the team's prime-time game against the Saints on Thursday.

But surely, the 25-year-old Cubs reliever didn't want his heart to "keep pounding" when he got the call in the ultimate pressure situation: 10th inning, Game 7, World Series, two-run lead and, oh, 108 years of your team not winning the thing.

"My heart wasn't pounding that much," Edwards, a Newberry, S.C. native, told Inc. on Wednesday. "I wouldn't say I wasn't nervous. I was nervous. How do I put this? I don't know, I feel like it happened so fast. We're up. We're tied. I'm in the game. It was a blur. It happened so quick."

Edwards had a couple of tricks to help him get through it. One was thinking back to manager Joe Maddon's mantra (one of many) "do simple better." The other was a technique to avoid bringing too much adrenaline to the mound. Here was Cubs president Theo Epstein's decision to hire sports pyschologist Ken Ravizza and install Darnell McDonald as mental skills coordinator paying off.

"They say breathing slows the game down. So for me, when I'm pitching, I'm always taking a deep breath," Edwards said. "When I do that I feel like it strengthens up my focus. ... I feel that's one of the big key elements, especially, like you say, young guy in the World Series, your team hasn't won in so many years, everything on your shoulders right now. What you gon' do? I say breathe."

Edwards retired two Indians batters before walking Brandon Guyer and giving up an RBI single to Rajai Davis.

"I was kind of upset with myself, but then there was relief because I knew the guy coming after me would get the last out," Edwards said. Mike Montgomery did just that, inducing Michael Martinez's grounder to Kris Bryant for the last out.

As Edwards tells it, Montgomery envisioned just such a scenario.

"After the rain delay (before the 10th inning), we were walking back to bullpen, then he goes: 'Hey, bro, it's coming down to us two, man.' We're going to win this game, man. And I was like, 'Huh?' And he said it's coming down to us two. ... I said, 'Bro, we're going to finish this together.' "

After the win Montgomery yells to him, "I told you it was going to be up to us. I told you," Edwards recalled. "He's excited. And we end up finishing the game off to kill this drought."

--

Chicago Tribune David Ross raising money, awareness for concussion research By Mark Gonzales

David Ross is raising awareness for concussion research less than two weeks after playing his last game for the Chicago Cubs.

Ross, 39, seeks 1,000 people to join him to fund concussion research at the University of Pittsburgh.

Ross, who suffered multiple concussions during a 15-year career, visited Dr. Micky Collins at the UPMC Sports Medicine Concussion Program in June of 2013 and gained a deep understanding that the symptoms he experienced were due to concussions.

Ross underwent a program supervised by Collins and his staff that allowed him to recover.

--

Chicago Sun-Times Scherzer beats out Lester, Hendricks for NL Cy Young Award By Gordon Wittenmyer

It took only a moment after winning the National League Cy Young Award Wednesday for Nationals pitcher Max Scherzer to realize who the bigger winners were in Cy Young race.

“It’s such an accomplishment,” Scherzer said during the MLB Network announcement show. “I’d trade it for what Lester and Hendricks have, that World Series ring.”

In beating out Cubs finalists Jon Lester and Kyle Hendricks, Scherzer received 25 of 30 first-place votes to win in a landslide. Lester (one) and Hendricks (two) received three first-place votes combined in finishing second and third, respectively. Fifth-place Clayton Kershaw of the Dodgers received the two other first-place votes.

Scherzer rode a combination of high performance and the heaviest workload in the National League this year to win his second career Cy Young and to become the sixth pitcher to win the award in both leagues – first since Roy Halladay (Blue Jays in 2003, Phillies in 2010).

Scherzer also won in 2013 with the Tigers.

Scherzer (20-7) trailed the other finalists with a 2.96 ERA but was a powerful workhorse who led the league starts (34) and innings pitched (228 1/3), and led the majors in strikeouts (284) – including 20 on May 11 that tied the major league record for a nine-inning game.

“All I know is in 2017 I want to find a way to be a better pitcher,” he said. “I’ve been dreaming up different ways to do it. When I get to spring training that will be my thing, to find a new way. But right now it’s all about celebrating what happened in 2016.”

Lester had the best winning percentage in the league with a 19-5 record and had the second-best ERA (2.44) in the majors over 202 2/3 innings — then made all three Game 1 postseason starts as the Cubs won their first World Series in 108 years.

Hendricks opened spring training battling for the fifth starter job, then broke out to lead the majors with a 2.13 ERA during a 16-8 performance in his second full big-league season.

Hendricks outpitched Kershaw in the National League Championship Series clincher that sent the Cubs to their first World Series in 71 years. And he started the Game 7 World Series clincher.

Scherzer finished with 192 points in voting, 90 more than Lester and 107 more than Hendricks. The Giants’ (46) finished fourth, followed by Kershaw (30) and San Francisco’s (19).

Marlins’ ace Jose Fernandez, who was killed in boating accident Sept. 25, received a second- and a third-place vote, finishing seventh with 18 points.

--

Chicago Sun-Times After billboards, goats and curse-buster, is MVP next for Bryant? By Gordon Wittenmyer

Kris Bryant was the face of the franchise before he ever played a game for the Cubs.

A quick glance toward the sky on the way into Wrigley Field for the 2015 season opener said that much.

Actually, it said: “Worth the wait.” Those were the words on the billboard next to the fresh young face of baseball’s top spring training performer, who had been assigned to start the season at AAA Iowa last year.

The wait lasted 12 days, until the Cubs were assured of an extra year of club control over their projected superstar – just long enough for Bryant to shoot a commercial in the minors for one of his endorsement companies, making fun of the wait and the goat curse.

“I figured if we’re going to be 11 days in the minor leagues, we’re going to do something special,” Bryant’s agent, , said with a laugh, recalling the closing scene with Bryant boarding a Chicago-bound bus in a rainstorm, and leading a goat on a leash.

Something special?

Bryant handled the rest of that part.

The kid who was the national college player of the year when the Cubs drafted him second overall in 2013, was named Minor League Player of the Year in 2014 and followed that with a National League Rookie of the Year season after his belated start in 2015.

And now, fresh off a curse-busting Cubs’ championship finish, Bryant is poised Thursday to become the first in history to win those three awards – and an MVP award – in consecutive seasons.

“Anytime you’re attached to the letters M-V-P, it’s an honor and says a lot,” Bryant said. “I just try to go out there and be the most unselfish player I can be and move all over the field and bat throughout the order and do what’s asked of me and contribute.”

Bryant has been considered a favorite for the award even before he was named one of three finalists, along with the Nationals’ Daniel Murphy and the Dodgers’ Corey Seager – and long before he played such a key role in helping the Cubs kick the goat off the bus with their historic championship this fall.

The ’s power (39 homers), on-base ability (.385 OBP) and versatility – including 35 starts in left field, 12 in right and five at first base – say almost everything a voter would need to know about his value.

“But the real thing about him is he’s the classic fighter-pilot personality,” Boras said. “The more planes that are in the air, the calmer he gets. You know why? Because he goes, `Great, I just get to shoot more things.’ That’s just his way of looking at life. The pressure, whatever it is, it’s just, `Let’s go.’ “

That’s more than agent speak.

Bryant, 24, has seemed to raise his performance with the stakes or the stage. During this year’s playoff run alone:

He homered in the ninth to tie Game 3 of the NLDS in San Francisco; he started the series-clinching rally in the ninth the next night with a leadoff single; he drove in the Cubs’ first run of the NLCS against the Dodgers, drove in the first run of the NLCS clincher against Clayton Kershaw; and his 6-for-11, two-homer, two-walk finish the last three games of the World Series comeback earned him Series MVP votes from Chicago media.

“Every day he shows up,” manager Joe Maddon said during the NLCS. “Last year was a great learning experience for him, being so young, playing this deeply into the season. He’s in better shape, mentally and physically, going into this moment than he was last year at the same time. That’s why when we have a bad moment, he knows, `Let’s just move it to the next 24 hours.’ He’s learned that very quickly.”

And what about adding a fourth major award in as many seasons?

“I’ve always said they’re just trophies to me,” Bryant said the final week of the season of a possible MVP. “When I think back to last year, I mean, I won the Rookie of the Year Award. It was cool, the trophy, but it’s all the memories that go along with it. No one expected us to win 97 games and go to the playoffs and make a run. That’s kind of what it’s all about.”

To hear Boras, that’s what that goat commercial before Bryant ever played a big-league game was about, too. The idea for the commercial was the endorsement company’s, but Boras’ agency loved it as soon as they saw the mockup.

“I go, `That looks good. Let’s do that,’ ” he said, laughing. “If we can’t play in the big leagues, at least we can kill the curse.”

--