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February 27, 2017

 Chicago Tribune, Cubs manager careful not to get in his coaches' way http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-joe-maddon-leaves-coaches-alone-spt-0227- 20170226-story.html#nt=oft03a-1gp3

 Chicago Tribune, Bloop hits satisfy Cubs slugger nearly as much as homers http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-anthony-rizzo-bloops-work-cubs-spt-0227- 20170226-story.html

 Chicago Tribune, Cubs fans stick by Joe Maddon, even if his World Series moves upset them http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/columnists/ct-joe-maddon-world-series-sullivan-spt-0227-20170226- column.html

 Chicago Tribune, Joe Maddon impressed with 's modified swing http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-cubs-joe-maddon-jason-heyward-swing-20170226- story.html

 Chicago Tribune, Sunday's recap: Cubs 1, Indians 1 http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-cubs-indians-20170226-story.html

 Chicago Tribune, Joe Maddon's TV appearance curbed by scheduling conflict http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-cubs-joe-maddon-tv-20170226-story.html

 Chicago Tribune, Joe Maddon develops friendship with Arizona Cardinals coaches http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-cubs-joe-maddon-football-20170226-story.html

 Chicago Sun-Times, Maddon predicts ‘pretty good year’ for Heyward after early look http://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/maddon-predicts-pretty-good-year-for-heyward-after-early-look/

 Chicago Sun-Times, In era of great young shortstops, do Cubs have 2 of game’s best? http://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/in-era-of-great-young-shortstops-do-cubs-have-2-of-games-best/

 Chicago Sun-Times, The Cubs, The Plan, the World Series and …. the 76ers? Yes. http://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/the-cubs-the-plan-the-world-series-and-the-76ers-yes/

 Chicago Sun-Times , Game 8: No rain, no 10th inning as Cubs, Indians tie 1-1 http://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/game-8-no-rain-no-10th-inning-as-cubs-indians-tie-1-1/

 Chicago Sun-Times, Cubs to ease veteran relievers into game action this spring http://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/cubs-to-ease-veteran-relievers-into-game-action-this-spring/

 Daily Herald, Cubs could get used to sellout crowds http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20170226/sports/170229097/

 Daily Herald, Cubs, Indians meet for Game 8 http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20170226/sports/170229104/

 Daily Herald, Imrem: Could Ricketts build a Cubs hall of fame without Sosa? http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20170226/sports/170229100/

 Cubs.com, Maddon likes Heyward's tweaked approach http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/217139584/joe-maddon-likes-jason-heywards-early-results/

 Cubs.com, Maddon plans to limit starters' workloads http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/217195884/joe-maddon-to-spread-workload-for-starters/

 Cubs.com, Defense shines in Series rematch http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/217139582/cubs-indians-tie-in-world-series-rematch/

 Cubs.com, Young looks to follow up strong DWL showing http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/217139586/chesny-young-in-cubs-camp-after-dominican-ball/

 CSNChicago.com, What If… Cubs Gm Jed Hoyer’s Takeaways From Epic World Series Game 7 http://www.csnchicago.com/chicago-cubs/what-if-cubs-gm-jed-hoyers-takeaways-epic-world-series-game-7

 CSNChicago.com, How Indians Regrouped And Reloaded After Losing Unforgettable Game 7 To Cubs http://www.csnchicago.com/chicago-cubs/how-indians-regrouped-and-reloaded-after-losing-unforgettable- game-7-cubs

 CSNChicago.com, Cubs Manager Joe Maddon Misses His Chance To Guest-Star In ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’ http://www.csnchicago.com/chicago-cubs/cubs-manager-joe-maddon-misses-his-chance-guest-star-curb- your-enthusiasm

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Chicago Tribune Cubs manager Joe Maddon careful not to get in his coaches' way By Mark Gonzales

Because of his time as a minor-league hitting instructor in the Angels organization, Cubs manager Joe Maddon thinks twice before giving Jason Heyward any tips directly.

"I attempt to not muddy the waters," said Maddon, who prefers to convey his messages through hitting coach and assistant .

Maddon's main concern is consistency of message to Heyward, whose attempt to change his swing has prompted an avalanche of attention and advice.

"I've been around situations where too many guys want to be involved in this solution," Maddon said. "And they want to have the player eventually say, 'Well, so-and-so, this guy helped me and I became good again.' That is such a bad mindset to coach from.

"So it's important to have department heads do their job."

Safe in Arizona: The Cubs must keep left-hander Caleb Smith on the major-league roster for the entire season (and on the 25-man roster for at least 90 days) or offer him back to the Yankees for half of the $50,000 Rule 5 draft price.

"I feel like I'm a way better situation than I was before," said Smith, who has a 3.40 ERA in four minor-league seasons. "Being looked at to be on a big-league roster is good."

Smith, 25, credits a switch from starter to reliever for an increase in his velocity to 95 mph. He maintained that velocity when he returned to Double-A Trenton at the end of 2016.

Smith also displayed a sharp slider that could prove effective against left-handers.

With the Yankees, Smith appreciated the chance to meet organizational legends such as Reggie Jackson and and absorbed the wisdom they shared. But Smith has gained a quick liking to his first in Arizona.

"It doesn't rain as much as in Florida," Smith said.

Extra innings: The Cubs' four returning starting pitchers — , , and — will make their spring debuts starting next weekend, Maddon said. The exact dates and order hasn't been announced. ... Infielder Javier Baez said he will stay with the Cubs through March 7 before joining his team Puerto Rico teammates in preparation for the World Baseball Classic.

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Chicago Tribune Bloop hits satisfy Cubs slugger Anthony Rizzo nearly as much as homers By Mark Gonzales

Anthony Rizzo has hit at least 31 home runs in each of his last three seasons, but the Cubs slugger is just about as pleased with soft singles to left field that confound shifting defenses.

"I can hit the ball 110 mph off the bat every time and it's right at someone," Rizzo said Sunday. "What's the point, as opposed to hitting it 70 mph and somewhere where they're not standing? I really do believe if you hit the ball consistently, good things will come."

Rizzo and manager Joe Maddon believe there is value to exit velocity but also believe more attention should be given to offensive skills that foil a defense.

According to MLB's Statcast system, the four hardest hit balls in 2016 (led by a ball hit by Avisail Garcia of the White Sox with an exit velocity of 125.2 mph) resulted in outs.

"The first two months of the season was my hardest contact rate I've ever had in my career, and I was hitting (.236) at the end of May," Rizzo said.

Maddon said exit velocity can help teams identify talented, hard-luck hitters. He used Logan Forsythe of the Dodgers as an example of a player who had a high exit velocity but hit in tough luck in the minors before breaking through as an established player after he was traded to the Rays.

"That's a great acquisition because no one was on him," Maddon said. "All they see is a bad batting average and guys just can't get over the hump. But the undercurrent was good.

"Guys like Rizzo or Kris (Bryant) have great exit velocity. But the ability to really utilize the whole field right now, that's what K.B. is working on right now and that's what Rizzo knows.

"I know it's a cool term, but to me, it's about acquiring somebody. It doesn't have any application during the season. You know if a good qualified major-league hitter is going south, am I going to be worried about his exit velocity or his mechanics or is he chasing pitches out of the strike zone?"

Unlike previous offseasons, Rizzo said he didn't devote his work to one specific area.

"I try not to overthink and look into things," Rizzo said. "I pull a lot of scouting reports from (coach) and assess what happened throughout the year, such as what was good, what was bad, what teams pitch me better than others and why. I don't look too much into it. I'm just aware of it."

Rizzo simply hopes to continue hitting better against left-handers (.189 in 2013 to .300 in 2014) and to the opposite field. According to Baseball Information Systems, opponents employed 375 shifts against Rizzo in 2016, with 30 hits lost to the alignments but 18 gained as the result of beating the shifts.

"No one is ever content or satisfied," Rizzo said. "I think a lot of guys fall into the trap of trying to work on something and they're so focused on that movement that they forget to just not think. I'm a big believer of not thinking up there."

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Chicago Tribune Cubs fans stick by Joe Maddon, even if his World Series moves upset them By Paul Sullivan

As the Cubs and Indians prepared Sunday for what some reporters dubbed "Game 8," Joe Maddon conceded he had not watched any of the replays of the World Series or documentaries on their memorable season.

"I really haven't," Maddon said. "You know, you get busy. I didn't do that with the Angels (after their 2002 Series win) or the Rays (after the '08 Series)."

So once it's done it's done?

"Yeah," he said. "I probably will a couple years from now, but for right now, I'm good. I prefer reruns of TV shows."

Maddon reiterated his wish from last spring training, saying he needed to get back to reading more novels. Last year he spent much of his downtime in his RV in Mesa watching the latest developments in the presidential race. Though he's a political junkie, Maddon admitted he mostly ignores the political news now that the election is over and the nonstop, post-election bickering has begun.

"Damn, it's gotten really annoying," he said. "So I stopped watching all that stuff. It's just not good for your brain. It's really not. There is nothing to be gained."

Sunday's Cactus League game at , a 1-1 tie between the Cubs and Indians, was no rerun, as evidenced by the lineups and the sellout crowd of 15,388 sun-worshippers who still took it seriously enough to boo Jason Heyward after a fifth-inning .

Cubs fans will probably be watching reruns of the forever, reliving the moments that made them cheer, then wince, then wail, and then celebrate. And for many, watching it again will undoubtedly remind them of how upset they were with some of the decisions Maddon made, even as they were rendered moot by the Cubs winning Game 7.

In a recent episode of HBO's "Real Sports," Bryant Gumbel asked President if, when was out there with a five-run lead in Game 6, part of Epstein thought "he's going to be gassed" for Game 7.

"In every cell of my body," Epstein replied. "But not every manager's going to get everything right. But you better have a reason for it. And Joe always has a good reason for it."

A random sampling of Cubs fans at Sloan Park on Sunday suggested they felt the same as Epstein — disagreeing with Maddon while ultimately backing him.

"I questioned it a little because Chapman had pitched so much," said Pat Bennett of Champaign. "But he's the manager, and he knew what he was doing. The (Kyle) Hendricks and (Jon) Lester decisions (in Game 7) I questioned. But hey, the Cubs were down 3-1 in the Series and came back. That says a lot about Joe."

Peter Gesler of Littleton, Colo., whose car windshield was shattered by a batting practice home run here last spring, recalled yelling "No, no, no, too early!" when Maddon pulled Hendricks in the fifth inning.

"And obviously he overused Chapman," he said. "But you can't argue with the outcome. (Maddon is) not going to be right every move. He had an amazing season and was operating on his best instincts. The players pulled him up, and that was what was neat. They easily could've collapsed."

Tom Bardon of Dubuque, Iowa, said he was at Game 6 of the 2003 NLCS when the Cubs blew the eighth-inning lead to the Marlins, and "it felt like a death in the family." So he was willing to forgive Maddon for moves he didn't agree with.

"When he pulled Hendricks, I was like, 'Are you kidding me?'" Bardon said. "But I listened to something Theo said on TV recently: 'I didn't like some of the decisions, but we wound up winning, so…' Joe is a different bird. I go by that old saying, 'There's a reason they put erasers on pencils.' And in the end, it worked."

Ken Keefer, a bleacher bum from Wrigleyville, said he expected Maddon's moves because his father, a "Maddon disciple" who lives in Florida, warned him not to question the manager's "unconventional" decisions.

"When he took out Hendricks, I thought he was nuts," Keefer said. "My mom told me that Dad, who told me not to question Maddon, was so upset at the move he told her, 'I'm going to bed,' and missed the ending.

"Sure, Joe has a little ego. But you've got to love him for the other things he does. Nobody is perfect."

Maddon wasn't perfect last year, and it's unlikely he'll make all the right moves in 2017 either.

But if they get the same results, Cubs fans will be happy in every cell of their bodies.

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Chicago Tribune Joe Maddon impressed with Jason Heyward's modified swing By Mark Gonzales

The Cubs' initial plan for Jason Heyward this spring is to start him in two consecutive games, followed by a day off as he attempts to get in a consistent rhythm with his modified swing.

Cubs manager Maddon observed that Heyward’s swing looks freer as the result of lowering his hands and holding his bat vertically.

"It’s a new toy, but the toy has a lot of potential benefits," Maddon said Sunday before Heyward went 0-for-2 with a walk and two . "I think there's a pretty good year out there for him."

The challenge, however, will get more difficult when Heyward faces tougher pitching as the Cubs get closer to the regular season. But Maddon has observed the smoothness in Heyward’s modified swing.

"His hands are working so much better," Maddon said. "Our game, as a hitter, is played between your finger tips and elbows. Guys who have this a little bit long, a little bit 'arm-y,' we call it the military swing. Get it?

"You want to keep it out of the elbows to the shoulders. That's when you get trouble. You get sweepy and long. If you can engage from your elbows to your fingertips, and use your hands and wrists, … . They talk about Hank Aaron, that's where it happens. That's what I'm seeing now."

Heyward handled the designated hitter duties and looked at a called-third strike in the third inning and was called out on a checked swing in the fifth.

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Chicago Tribune Sunday's recap: Cubs 1, Indians 1 By Mark Gonzales

Many of the Cubs' regular position players received the day off as the Cubs and Indians played to a 1-1 tie Sunday at Sloan Park in their first meeting since the 2016 World Series.

At the plate: Eloy Jimenez isn't projected to reach the majors until 2019, but the Cubs' top prospect continues to show promise. Jimenez ripped a single to left off Danny Salazar in his first at-bat.

On the mound: Jake Buchanan pitched two scoreless innings. Buchanan, who pitched five shutout innings in his only start for the Cubs in 2016, is projected to start at Triple-A Iowa. Buchanan and seven relievers held the Indians to three hits.

In the field: Second baseman Javier Baez's defense is in midseason form, as he ranged far behind second base before making a sliding stop and regaining his balance to retire Chris Colabello in the fifth. First baseman Jeimer Candelario, known more for his work at third, made a diving catch of a wide throw by Baez to complete a double play in the third.

Key number: 13 – New players on Cubs' 40-man roster.

Up next: vs. White Sox, 2:05 p.m. Monday at Sloan Park. LH Brett Anderson vs. RH .

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Chicago Tribune Joe Maddon's TV appearance curbed by scheduling conflict By Mark Gonzales

Manager Joe Maddon won his first World Series last November, but one goal remains elusive.

That would be appearing on an episode of "Curb Your Enthusiasm," as a series of scheduling conflicts prevented Maddon from taping an episode.

"I couldn’t make it," said Maddon, who was asked to appear on Feb. 21 - the same day Maddon and the other Cactus League managers had a media event in Phoenix. "I don’t know how we’re going to figure this out."

The two sides originally had agreed on a date, only to see the date changed.

"Maybe (I'll be) a picture in the wall or a phone call," Maddon quipped.

Maddon said he asks Jeff Garlin, a producer/comedian who is a big Cubs fan and "Curb Your Enthusiasm" co-star, to bring star Larry David to a game.

"It will happen," Maddon said of his appearance on the show.

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Chicago Tribune Joe Maddon develops friendship with Arizona Cardinals coaches By Mark Gonzales

Musician and longtime Cubs fan Eddie Vedder visited his favorite team last week, and several celebrities and one- game-a-year dignitaries are expected to descend on Sloan Park and this season following the franchise's first World Series title since 1908.

But never did manager Joe Maddon seems as appreciative and delighted as when Arizona Cardinals assistant coach Tom Moore observed the Cubs' workout prior to Saturday's game against the Athletics.

Maddon is a fan of the Cardinals but seems just as thrilled to share wisdom from the likes of Moore, 78, and other professional coaches.

"I love the guy," said Maddon, who exchanged several text messages with Moore. "He loves this. He follows us. He’s asking questions about our guys already.

"And I’m asking Cardinals questions already."

Maddon said he met Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians at a restaurant last week and plans to meet Cardinals pass rush specialist coach Tom Pratt, 81, soon.

"I love when the football guys come out," Maddon said. "They like to talk. (Moore) always throws things at me, and I like it. He's been around a bit. He's inquisitive, and I enjoy the friendship."

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Chicago Sun-Times Maddon predicts ‘pretty good year’ for Heyward after early look By Gordon Wittenmyer

MESA, Ariz. — Megabucks right fielder Jason Heyward doesn’t yet have a hit to show for a winter’s worth of work on his swing, but Cubs manager Joe Maddon said Sunday he’s predicting a big bounce-back for Heyward after the worst offensive season of his career.

“I love the first at-bat [Saturday],” Maddon said before a two-strikeout, one-walk performance against the Indians on Sunday. “First pitch, stayed inside the ball well — it just looked freer. And something that I really believe’s going to work. And just talking to him, I can just tell on his face how comfortable he is with it.”

Heyward, who’s holding his hands lower in a tweaked stance, said the same thing over the weekend — that his “mind’s clear” and his comfort level is up.

Maddon had Heyward in the leadoff spot each of the first two dates on the Cactus League calendar and suggested he’ll try to play him more often in consecutive games this spring (as opposed to the usual every-other-day schedule for veterans), “so he can get a feel for what he’s doing out there.”

Heyward hit just .230 with seven homers and a .631 OPS last season.

“It’s like a little bit of a new toy,” Maddon said of the swing. “But he knows the toy has a lot of potential benefit to it.

“I think there’s a pretty good year out there for him.”

‘Curbed’

Lower your expectations for a “Curb Your Enthusiasm’ appearance for Maddon.

He was invited by co-star Jeff Garland to appear in the return season of the Larry David comedy series. But the one day of shooting Maddon expected to have available, last Tuesday, was quickly consumed by a media event involving all 15 spring managers in Arizona.

“I don’t know how we’re going to figure this out,” Maddon said. “Maybe [I’ll appear as] a picture on the wall or a phone call. . . . But it’ll happen.”

This and that

Right-hander Eddie Butler, the once-promising prospect acquired in a trade Feb. 1, makes his debut as the starter against the on Wednesday.

• The Cubs’ four returning starting pitchers are to join the rotation starting next weekend.

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Chicago Sun-Times In era of great young shortstops, do Cubs have 2 of game’s best? By Gordon Wittenmyer

MESA, Ariz. — Javy Baez showed up at spring training with dyed-blond hair and a little extra swagger. By the second week of Cubs camp, he was cruising the Phoenix area in a Polaris Slingshot he briefly considered buying.

And by the end of last week, his newest, biggest tattoo — on his left arm, commemorating last fall’s World Series title, complete with gold-inked trophy — was done and ready for display.

And if you think any of that sounds flashy, you should see him play baseball.

“Yes, and there’s not a thing wrong with that,” manager Joe Maddon said. “That’s who he is. You like the way he plays second base? I’m not changing anything about that.”

Baez underscored Maddon’s point in the fifth inning of Sunday’s exhibition game against the , bolting to his right to make a sliding, backhand snare of Chris Colabello’s shot toward center, then leaping to his feet and throwing back across his body to rob Colabello of a hit on a play that wasn’t particularly close.

“I’ve often said I like a chrome-less kind of an infield,” Maddon said. “However, if somebody comes equipped like he has, I don’t want to necessarily tone that down. What I’ve talked to him about is making the routine play more routinely, and then permitting his athleticism to take over on the more magnificent play, which he does. Because all the bells and whistles are in his tool bag already.”

Magnificent? Bells and whistles?

One longtime scout who has followed the Cubs in recent years said in each of the last two seasons that Baez is the organization’s best shortstop. The scout emphasized that’s no knock on — last year’s National League starter in the All-Star Game.

Russell, also a Gold Glove finalist last season, is widely considered one of the top young shortstops in what some are calling a golden age for the position, with under-25 star shortstops in the Indians’ Francisco Lindor, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ , the ’ Xander Bogaerts, the Houston Astros’ and the Colorado Rockies’ .

“Probably the last time would have been the [Derek] Jeter-[Alex] Rodriguez-[Nomar] Garciaparra group,” Maddon said of the crop of shortstops who debuted in the mid-1990s.

Add Baez to the list above, and the Cubs have two of the seven under-25 young shortstops in the game.

“If Javy was on another team, we’d be talking about Javy among these starting shortstops,” Maddon said. No wonder Maddon has been wearing a T-shirt with “D-Peat” across the front.

Baez, 24, is on a World Baseball Classic roster for Puerto Rico that includes Lindor and Correa.

“We’ve got a hell of an infield,” said Baez, who expects to play a lot of second base during the tournament, with Correa sliding to third.

But that doesn’t mean Baez, the high school star shortstop drafted No. 9 overall in 2011, no longer considers himself a shortstop.

“When I play short, I love it, obviously, because that’s how I grew up playing,” said Baez, who figures to get maybe a dozen games at short this year as he floats across the infield in a super-glove utility role.

He occasionally wonders where he might fit in with this generation of shortstops if he played for another team.

“It’s tough. Obviously, you don’t control [or] pick a team,” he said. “But if I ever get traded or something happened here and I had to play short, or second . . . it doesn’t matter to me.”

Of course, the grass isn’t always greener, a sentiment that might as well be tattooed onto his left arm. General manager Jed Hoyer says Baez should have a chance to win a Gold Glove in the role he plays now.

“In my mind — and I think that the world got to see it in the postseason — this guy is one of the best defenders in the game,” Hoyer said. “It’s made harder because he moves around the diamond so much, but that shouldn’t take away the recognition. This guy’s a Gold Glove player. He should have a Gold Glove.”

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Chicago Sun-Times The Cubs, The Plan, the World Series and …. the 76ers? Yes. By Rick Morrissey

You don’t need any other reminder of Theo Epstein’s golden touch than the Cubs’ World Series trophy, the one that has been traveling and hamming it up like the Stanley Cup. You can’t move these days without tripping over the trophy, though I dare any fan of the team to complain about a stubbed toe after 107 seasons of futility.

Almost everything the Cubs president has done has been successful, and that’s nearly as amazing as the championship itself. We take his record for granted, and we really shouldn’t. Epstein has been right on so many players that the occasional failure, the Edwin Jacksons of his world, are just something to tease him about now.

Lots of teams in lots of sports are generally following The Plan, Epstein’s approach to tearing down and rebuilding a franchise, but that doesn’t mean they’ll be successful at it. In fact, inevitability was the weakest argument of those Cubs fans who saw The Plan as sacred scripture – that because the franchise was rebuilding and accumulating top prospects, it was only a matter of time before the team won.

Much had to go very, very right for that to happen. had to turn into a superstar. Addison Russell had to live up to the hype surrounding him. Kyle Schwarber twice had to turn into Mr. October, even though he has played in only 71 regular-season games to date.

None of this was a given when those players were toiling in the minors, and that was what some of us realists were trying to point out to the masses, who were having none of it.

I was thinking about that last week when the 76ers announced that Ben Simmons, the No. 1 overall pick in last year’s draft, would miss the rest of the season because of a broken foot that hadn’t healed properly. He has yet to play a minute for the Sixers.

Despite trade-deadline rumors last week, Philadelphia chose not to move Jahlil Okafor, who has had his struggles on and off the court. The 76ers are in Year 4 of what they call The Process, which sounds a lot like The Plan, mostly because it’s the same thing, only without the success. Okafor, the third pick overall in the 2015 draft, was supposed to be a cornerstone of the franchise. But sometimes the best-laid plans don’t cooperate right away.

The 76ers hit rock bottom on purpose in the 2013-14 season, ridding themselves of anything resembling talent and putting together a team that couldn’t win, all in the name of amassing high draft picks. And amass they did. Going

19-63 that season allowed them to get Kansas center Joel Embiid with the third overall pick in 2014. Duke’s Okafor followed the next season, and then finally, in the culmination of all that glorious losing, the 76ers took Simmons with the top pick.

Three stud players and where are the 76ers? Without Simmons, very much not sure about Okafor, extremely happy with Embiid and third from the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings.

Compare that with the Cubs, who went the tanking route under Epstein, starting in 2012.

Bryant, the second pick overall in the 2013 draft, was the National League Rookie of the Year in 2015 and won the Most Valuable Player award last year.

Russell, a former Oakland first-round pick acquired in a 2014 trade, was an All-Star last season, his second year in the big leagues, and drove in 95 runs.

Schwarber, the fourth pick overall in the 2014 draft, starred in the playoffs for the Cubs in 2015 and 2016 – even though a knee injury kept him out of most of the 2016 regular season. Four years after Epstein’s hire, the Cubs were in the National League Championship Series.

Clearly, the jury is still out on the 76ers. But the point here is that just because a team decides to rebuild doesn’t mean it will work. Or, maybe the point is that there is only one Epstein.

Things happen. Players don’t progress the way scouts and general managers expected. Players get hurt, and high hopes are put on hold.

That’s the stunning thing about the Cubs. Bryant was everything they hoped he would be, and more. Much of the young talent they stockpiled before and after Epstein arrived has turned into major-league contributors: Javy Baez, Jr., Willson Conteras and Carl Edwards Jr. Schwarber got hurt early last season, and the Cubs won 103 games anyway.

And don’t forget good fortune. The Cubs have said pitcher was the top player on their 2013 draft board. But when Houston took him with the No. 1 overall pick, the Cubs, choosing second, had to settle for Bryant. Appel has yet to pitch in the big leagues.

Even when you have a plan, you need some luck too.

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Chicago Sun-Times Game 8: No rain, no 10th inning as Cubs, Indians tie 1-1 By Gordon Wittenmyer

CUBS 1, INDIANS 1

Game 8?

The Cubs and Indians picked up where they left off in their epic World Series, playing to a tie through nine innings Sunday at Sloan Park in Mesa, Arizona.

But there was no rain, no meeting and no extra inning this time around. The managers chose to take their tie and go home.

D-lights

Second baseman Javy Baez robbed Chris Colabello of a hit in the fifth inning when he ranged onto the grass in shallow center field, slid to his knee to backhand the sharp grounder, then leaped to his feet to throw out

Colabello. In the third, third-base prospect Jeimer Candelario, starting at first base, pulled a Rizzo to get an out by stretching for a wide throw and falling as he made the catch — with his cleat on the bag — to the far side of the base.

O-missions

The only multihit performance for either side came from Matt Szczur, who singled to left field in the third and then, in the fourth, drove in the only Cubs run with a two-out single to center, driving home Albert Almora Jr. from third.

Heyward watch

Jason Heyward, the hitter with the biggest spotlight in camp after a winter’s worth of rehab work on his swing, still is looking for his first hit after two games batting leadoff. He walked and struck out twice, once on a checked swing. He’s hitless in five at-bats.

On deck

White Sox at Cubs, Mesa, 2:05 p.m., cubs.com audio, Lucas Giolito vs. Brett Anderson.

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Chicago Sun-Times Cubs to ease veteran relievers into game action this spring By Gordon Wittenmyer

MESA, Ariz. – Don’t expect to get a look at closer Wade Davis or veteran newcomer Koji Uehara in the first week or so of spring training games.

In addition to holding back the top four starters in an annual pitcher-preservation move, manager Joe Maddon said the spring pitching plan also calls for limiting relievers Davis and Uehara to “like seven or eight appearances, period, total” during an especially long Cactus League schedule.

“That’s up to [pitching coach ] to map out how they break with that,” Maddon said. “There’s a couple guys that might get about 10 appearances, but those guys are at seven or eight.”

Spring training is longer this year to accommodate the World Baseball Classic.

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Daily Herald Cubs could get used to sellout crowds By Bruce Miles

MESA, Ariz. -- Cubs players made much of the sellout crowd and the festive atmosphere at Sloan Park for Saturday's Cactus League opener.

The Cubs likely will play before sellout crowds all spring at Sloan, and manager Joe Maddon says that can put the players into a competitive frame of mind entering the regular season.

"This place has such a regular-season or major-league ballpark representation that it should help you mentally get in that right spot," Maddon said. "Even at the end of our camp, we go to play Houston in a real ballpark, and I like that. I like that a lot, too.

"If you just come off throwing the last pitch of a World Series and still come back here a couple months later and get that rush, I think that's outstanding. That's just how this game works. This facility, this everything, gets you ready or gets you going. I just think what they're (the players) talking about is just the attention and the fans. It's good. It's good that that happens now."

The Cubs finish the exhibition season with a pair of games against the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park before they head to St. Louis to begin the regular season in April.

"I like those two games in Houston," Maddon said. "We'll go play St. Louis, and we'll all be throw-up nervous before the game, but after that, by the first or second inning, you're fine. It's all part of the ritual on an annual basis."

Sizing up the swing:

Joe Maddon says he likes what he sees so far of right fielder Jason Heyward's revamped swing.

"Beautiful, absolutely beautiful," the manager said. "I loved the first at-bat, first pitch (Saturday). He stayed inside the ball well. It just looks freer, something that I really believe is going to work. Just talking to him, I can just tell on his face how comfortable he is with it.

"It's like a little bit of a new toy, but he knows the toy has a lot of potential benefit to it. I really like watching what he's doing. I watched his BP (batting practice) yesterday. It was real clean. I think there's a pretty good year out there for him."

Plans for the rotation:

The Cubs top four starting pitchers will probably start seeing game action by the weekend. Jon Lester, Jake Arrieta, Kyle Hendricks and John Lackey are being eased into action after last year's long season.

Joe Maddon seems almost ready to announce his starter for the regular-season opener, April 2.

"I haven't discussed that with him yet," Maddon said. "I've got to do that. I'm really bad as a manager in regards to remembering to talk to an opening-day starter and tell him that so I can tell you guys. I've been consistently bad at that for years."

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Daily Herald Cubs, Indians meet for Game 8 By Bruce Miles

MESA, Ariz. -- The running joke around Cubs camp this past weekend was that Game 8 of the World Series happened Sunday.

The Cleveland Indians traveled across the Valley of the Sun to meet the at Sloan Park. These two teams previously met last on Nov. 2 under more serious circumstances, serious as in Game 7 of the World Series.

You may remember the Cubs rallied from a three-games-to-one deficit and recovered from a late-inning disaster at Progressive Field in Cleveland to win their first World Series since 1908.

In mock seriousness, Cubs manager Joe Maddon would not discuss "Game 8" on Saturday, saying the Cubs had a pair of split-squad games to play.

The embargo was lifted Sunday.

"It's here; it's upon us," Maddon said. "The lineups are a little bit different than at the end of the season. Really, it's just another spring training game."

That it was.

The game ended in a 1-1 tie.

With the World Series having gone until Nov. 2, the Cubs and Indians found themselves back at work in the blink of an eye.

"It's such a fast winter, man," Maddon said. "It's fast and furious. Sitting in the dugout (Saturday), kind of awkward because you played late, but still you go through that spring training moment where you've got to get your mind working a method that you normally utilize. I was talking to Jonesy (third-base coach ) about it because when I used to coach third base, you'd get to spring training and it was like you never coached third base before.

"It's just weird how we react. That's why spring training, all the little things that we do that sometimes are redundant sometimes also players frown upon because they're major-league players, I've always kind of gotten a kick out of that because as a coach and a manager, we analyze this much more than a player ever does. We need it. We need it every camp."

Many Cubs have no doubt watched replays of the World Series games, as well as the documentary, over and over again. Not Maddon.

"I really haven't," he said. "You get busy. I don't know. I didn't do that with the Angels. I didn't do that with the Rays. I probably will a couple years from now. But for right now, I'm pretty good. I prefer reruns -- of TV shows."

"First memory, groundball to third," he said of the final play of Game 7, the grounder to Kris Bryant. "That's about it. It really boils down to that. Down 3-1 (in games) was pretty significant. I think KB's home run to left-center (in Game 5) was large. The home run to left-center, groundball to third probably are the two things."

The Cubs are out to defend their title this season. They won last year with a roster full of young players.

For Maddon, that experience can be only beneficial to those players.

"Yes, all the guys that participated, what it could do to a C.J. (Carl Edwards Jr.), what it could do (Mike) Montgomery, all these guys, (Willson) Contreras. They all played.

"Like I've always talked about, a mind once stretched has a difficult time going back to its original form. I think it's a classic example of that. Having been through that moment, the next time you get even close to that, it's just different. You've been there, done that. I don't mean in complacent method. It's just a matter that mentally you can handle that situation.

"More than anything, I like the idea that all these guys, the whole group is pretty young. What we were able to accomplish last year is pretty special. It should carry over."

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Daily Herald Imrem: Could Ricketts build a Cubs hall of fame without Sosa? By Mike Imrem

I don't intend to invite Sammy Sosa into my family room this month to share a pizza and catch a few innings of a Cubs exhibition game.

First, a good guess is that we have different tastes in toppings, his being Flintstone vitamins and mine being pepperoni.

Second, unlike me, Sosa seems to have a life and better things to do than watch guys wearing Nos. 60 through 100 try to play baseball.

Third, my TV is only 65 inches and Sosa's family room likely has one about the size of a Metra club car.

So, no, I'm not about to invite the Samminator home for pizza.

But the Cubs should.

They should have him throw out a first pitch and let fans boo him if they want, cheer him if they want or wonder who he is if they want.

The issue came up again last week when Sosa was quoted on former Cubs employee Chuck Wasserstrom's blog.

(Interestingly, Sosa's remarks surfaced about the time of the year that he used to show up to Cubs spring training and declare, "This is my house!")

Sosa's remarks were dumb, like using himself and Jesus Christ in the same context and saying he put Chicago on the map.

The next day a published report cited anonymous sources -- sorry, Mr. President, that's how it works sometimes -- saying the chances of the Cubs welcoming back Sosa are dead.

They shouldn't be: Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts should begin the process of reconciling with Sosa.

All the peripheral stuff can be categorized as irrelevant.

What Sosa is quoted as saying is irrelevant. Whether he admits to using performance enhancers as a player is irrelevant. How large his head was during the prime of his baseball career is irrelevant.

What matters is that Sammy Sosa hit 545 home runs in a Cubs uniform and recorded more than 60 in a season three times.

What also matters is that the 1998 home-run race between Sosa and Mark McGwire helped revive the sport after a labor dispute canceled the 1994 World Series.

Finally, what matters is that until the Cubs won a championship last season, Sosa created the most sustained excitement in Wrigley Field since 1908.

Sure, I believe Sosa played on PEDs but I also believe that the people who ran the Cubs and ran baseball knew that he and many of the game's other marquee players did.

The Ricketts family didn't own the Cubs back then but it inherited the franchise's history.

Let's assume that the current and planned construction occurring around Wrigley Field will include a Cubs hall of fame some day.

Inductees will be players from Three Finger Brown to Hack Wilson to Ernie Banks to Ryne Sandberg … all the way up to futures like Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo and Addison Russell.

Could the Cubs possibly have a hall of fame without Sammy Sosa? Could he be inducted but not invited? How awkward would that be?

Except for 1998 when a baseball was featured, Sosa was on the cover of every Cubs information guide from 1997 through 2004 either by himself or with others.

My personal favorite was 2003, when Banks and Sosa shared the cover while leaning on their home-run bats.

But now Sosa isn't welcome in Wrigley Field?

This isn't my family room we're talking about, it's the place many considered to be Sammy Sosa's house for nearly a decade.

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Cubs.com Maddon likes Heyward's tweaked approach By Carrie Muskat

MESA, Ariz. -- Jason Heyward is hitless in two games this spring, but Cubs manager Joe Maddon likes what he's seen.

"It looks freer," Maddon said of Heyward's approach at the plate. "It's something I believe is going to work. Talking to him, I can tell, looking at his face, how comfortable he is with it.

"It's a little bit of a new toy, but he knows the toy has a lot of potential benefit to it. I really like watching what he's doing right now. His [batting practice on Saturday] was real clean. There's a pretty good year out there for him."

Heyward spent the offseason in Arizona working with Cubs assistant hitting coach Eric Hinske almost daily. On Saturday, Heyward went 0-for-3 against the Athletics, and was the designated hitter on Sunday against the Indians, going 0-for-2 with a walk. The plan is to have Heyward play two games in a row, then sit a day.

"We're talking about trying to get him more consecutively out there so he can get a feel for what he's doing," Maddon said.

If you compare Heyward's stance from last year, when he batted .230, he now lowers his hands at the start of the swing.

"His hands are working so much better," Maddon said. "Our game, as a hitter, is played between your fingertips and your elbows. Guys who get a little bit long, a little arm-y -- we call it the 'military swing', they get a little bit arm-y. Get it? So, if you can engage from your elbows to your fingertips and use your hands and wrists -- they used to talk about Hank Aaron -- that's where it happens. That's what I'm seeing. A lot of it has to do where you start. He's starting in a manner that promotes, for me, better hand usage."

Worth noting

• Maddon has yet to name the Cubs' Opening Day starter. He's got a tough choice between the 2015 National League Cy Young Award winner (Jake Arrieta), and the pitchers who finished second and third last season (Jon Lester and Kyle Hendricks). Chicago opens the regular season at St. Louis on April 2.

"The big thing is to line them up properly," Maddon said.

• Maddon had an invitation from actor/comedian/Cubs fan Jeff Garlin to appear in an episode of "Curb Your Enthusiasm." However, the only date they had open was last Tuesday when Maddon had to attend Cactus League Media Day in Phoenix. It is one of the manager's favorite shows, so he hopes to make a cameo somehow.

"Even if it's a picture on the wall or a phone call, maybe, or something," Maddon said. "It'll happen."

• Looking ahead, Alec Mills and Eddie Butler will make their Cubs debuts Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively, as they each get starts. The Cubs acquired Mills from the Royals on Feb. 8 for Minor Leaguer Donnie Dewees, and traded James Farris to the Rockies for Butler on Feb. 1. Both are part of the depth the Cubs are trying to develop.

• Catcher 's left elbow was swollen and sore after taking a bat off his arm during Saturday's game. He was considered day to day.

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Cubs.com Maddon plans to limit starters' workloads By Phil Rogers

MESA, Ariz. -- There was a long line of fans waiting to get into the Cubs' team store before Sunday's World Series rematch with the Indians.

It's likely to be there every time the Cubs play at Sloan Park, thanks in part to manager Joe Maddon's careful handling of his starting rotation last season.

Maddon opened the door for criticism with his quick hook of starters and heavy reliance on closer Aroldis Chapman in the World Series. But by limiting the workload of Jake Arrieta, Jon Lester, Kyle Hendricks and John Lackey during the regular season, he gave the Cubs a huge edge against the Indians, who had only two of their top four starters at full strength.

Think of the matchups as the Cubs dug themselves out of their 3-1 hole: Lester vs. Trevor Bauer in Game 5, with Bauer working on three days' rest; Arrieta vs. Josh Tomlin in Game 6, with Tomlin working on three days' rest; and Hendricks vs. Corey Kluber in Game 7, with Kluber working on short rest for the second consecutive time.

"I felt good about the pitching the whole time, I did,'' Maddon said before Sunday's Spring Training game, a 1-1 tie. "Cleveland, [I've give a] lot of respect to that group also. They had a nice team. They were a lot like us. They played it hard, played it right.''

With Carlos Carrasco sidelined with a broken bone in his right hand and Danny Salazar limited to bullpen work because of a strained flexor muscle, the Indians weren't able to match up with the Cubs' rotation.

Salazar worked two strong innings Sunday. He would have loved to have been able to take his turn last October but isn't dwelling on it.

"What happened already happened,'' Salazar said. "You saw what we did last year, even though at the end of the year there were a few guys hurt.''

Baseball is always a game of attrition. Even the strongest pitchers can drag in October.

After watching Arrieta hit the wall after shutting out Pittsburgh in the Wild Card Game in 2015, Maddon handled his pitching staff throughout last season with October in mind. It paid off in a huge way, with the Cubs delivering a 2.60 ERA in the 17 postseason games.

Maddon was able to limit the workload on his starting pitchers because the Cardinals and Pirates weren't pushing the Cubs. Chicago took a 10-game lead on June 6 and never led by less than 6 1/2 games afterward, clinching the on Sept. 16 with 15 games left to play.

Maddon went to a de facto six-man rotation in August, giving Mike Montgomery five starts before moving him back to the bullpen to prepare for his postseason role. Arrieta passed on a chance to pitch in the All-Star Game, and maybe even to start, as Maddon gave him a 10-day break to get refreshed for the second half.

With the Cubs pushing throughout 2015 to wind up with the second Wild Card spot, Arrieta, Lester and Hendricks combined to make 48 of their 97 starts on four days' rest, the minimum standard.

Arrieta, who wound up working 248 2/3 innings between the regular season and postseason in '15, resisted Maddon's attempts to give him extra rest down the stretch. He was in the midst of arguably the greatest second half in history (12-1, 0.75) and wanted to stay in rhythm. But he wasn't sharp in his postseason starts against the

Cardinals and Mets, and Maddon vowed not to let that happen again in '16. He succeeded, and the Cubs have the World Series rings to prove it.

"A big part of that [limited usage] was how we finished the season,'' Maddon said. "That's why we were able to do that. Also [we popped] a sixth guy in there every now and then. Whenever you do it, it's never popular [with the regular starters], but it should pay a dividend by the end of the season.''

Lester was the only Cub to get over 200 innings in '16, and he didn't get there until his last start.

Maddon is likely to again spread the workload around. He talked Saturday about using Brett Anderson and Montgomery in a six-man rotation at times, using both of the lefties as swingmen. He's also liked the glimpses he's gotten in camp of recent acquisitions Eddie Butler and Alec Mills, who could figure into the mix along the way.

"It's not just the physical component, but mentally,'' Maddon said about the benefits of a limited workload. "When the mind is rested, man, everything else has a better chance of working.''

Those lines at the Cubs store are daily proof.

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Cubs.com Defense shines in Series rematch By Carrie Muskat

MESA, Ariz. -- There was no rain-delay rally on Sunday as the Cubs and Indians played to a 1-1 tie in their first meeting since Game 7 of the World Series.

Some of the Cubs players jokingly called Sunday's meeting "Game 8." Cubs manager Joe Maddon downplayed any significance of the rematch.

"It's just another Spring Training game," Maddon said.

Indians starter Danny Salazar, limited to 25 starts last season because of elbow problems, struck out three and walked one over two scoreless innings in his first spring start. Salazar, who was limited to relief duty in the World Series, also downplayed the fact that his first outing came against the Cubs.

"I'm just trying to get ready for the season," said Salazar, who said his focus was on establishing his fastball low in the zone. "If I start trying to get all pumped up, I'm just going to go out there and try to do more than what I can do at this point, and I might get hurt. It's better to take it easy and do your work."

"The first hitter, it was up, up, up," said Indians manager Terry Francona, referring to Salazar's leadoff walk to Jason Heyward in the first. "But, then he made some good adjustments. I thought he stayed in his delivery. And I thought the ball came out of his hand pretty good."

Jake Buchanan, one of several pitchers the Cubs want to see this spring as they work on depth in the system, got the start and walked one over two innings.

Tyler Naquin doubled down the right-field line to open the Indians' fourth against , moved up on Abraham Almonte's fly ball to right and then scored on Carlos Santana's groundout. The Cubs tied the game in their half when Albert Almora Jr. walked with one out, reached third on Jemile Weeks' double and scored on Matt Szczur's single.

While most Cubs fans have watched the World Series documentary or at least replayed Game 7, Maddon has yet to do that. The final game of 2016 is still fresh.

"First memory, ground ball to third," he said of the final out as Kris Bryant threw to first baseman Anthony Rizzo to end the 8-7, 10-inning game and start the Cubs' celebration.

Up next

Indians: Right-hander Carlos Carrasco, whose 2016 season ended on Sept. 17 due to a fractured right hand, is healthy again and will make his Cactus League debut in a 3:05 p.m. ET tilt against Texas on Monday. Big league relievers Dan Otero and Zach McAllister are among the arms slated to pitch for the Tribe. The game will be available free on Indians.com via an exclusive audio webcast.

Cubs: Lefty Brett Anderson will make his Cubs debut on Monday against the White Sox. Anderson has made significant progress compared to last season, when he felt back pain during a live batting-practice session that resulted in March surgery. He's a candidate for the fifth-starter spot. First pitch was scheduled for 2:05 p.m. CT from Sloan Park. The game will be available free on Cubs.com via an exclusive audio webcast.

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Cubs.com Young looks to follow up strong DWL showing By Carrie Muskat

MESA, Ariz. -- Chesny Young wanted to learn about another country, do some exploring, maybe even surf this offseason, so he got a spot on a team in the Dominican Republic and stayed until the end of the playoffs. The experience was worth it.

"I've always been someone who wants to go out and see things," said Young, 24, the Cubs' 14th-round pick in the 2014 Draft who is in his first big league Spring Training camp. "I wanted to see a different culture and see the country, not just play baseball."

Young, ranked by MLBPipeline.com as the Cubs' No. 14 prospect, can hit. He's compiled a .314 batting average over three Minor League seasons, hitting .303 last season at Double-A Tennessee. On Sunday, he started at third, flied out to right and helped start two inning-ending double plays.

"I've hit everywhere I've been," Young said. "I've hit for average. I haven't hit for high slugging or power. I've just hit for average. and [improving the slugging percentage] is one of the things I'm trying to work on. In the big leagues, it's more about slugging, not average. There's so much more to hitting that I need to improve on. I'm trying to do it here with some new minds."

This spring, he's been able to talk to about his approach at the plate.

"I'm a hitter where I free swing early in the count and hit balls that I should take," Young said. "In the big leagues, it's tougher to take pitches because they're moving and you can't see them as well. It's definitely something I need to work on."

Playing in the Dominican gave Young a chance to work on his craft. He batted .351 in 22 games for Escogido, then he joined Aguilas in the playoffs and hit .314. He also took advantage of his time on the island. On an off-day during the playoffs, he rented a car and drove to Encuentro, a surf town. Young is from Atlanta, which is not known for its waves.

"I wanted to go surf in a different country and that's what I did," Young said.

His Spanish improved the longer he was there, and he can converse a little. He dined on arroz con pollo, yuca and plantains. He survived the rough infields, which can create tough hops.

"You have to make last-minute adjustments, and it makes you a better player," he said of the infields. "They all have really good hands down there. Maybe through osmosis, I gained some hands."

"In the Dominican, you can't replicate that environment in the Minor Leagues," Cubs Minor League hitting coordinator Andy Haines said. "It's a Major League atmosphere as far as the team, because it's there to win. You go from the Minor Leagues, where it's all about the player, and go to the Major Leagues, it's the complete opposite. It's only about the team and winning the game. I think it was a great environment for him."

Young didn't get much time off before reporting to camp. That's OK.

"I got everything I wanted out of [the experience] and more," Young said.

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CSNChicago.com What If… Cubs Gm Jed Hoyer’s Takeaways From Epic World Series Game 7 By Patrick Mooney

MESA, Ariz. – Imagine the vibe here if the Cubs had lost Game 7, what Miguel Montero might have said to the media and how anxious the fan base would be now.

Instead of the World Series trophy on display, the sellout crowds at Sloan Park could see flashbacks to the biggest collapse in franchise history. Joe Maddon’s press briefings, regularly scheduled stunts and interactions with the players wouldn’t be quite so carefree. A rotation already stressed from back-to-back playoff runs would only have a one-year window with Jake Arrieta and John Lackey positioned to become free agents.

“I do think about that,” general manager Jed Hoyer said. “It’s just not a thought I try to keep in my head for very long, because, yeah, it is a scary thought.

“Obviously, we would be super-hungry. But there’s a daunting nature when you go that deep in the playoffs. Going through six weeks of spring training, going through a six-month regular season, going through a month of the postseason and getting back to that point is unbelievably difficult.

“It is daunting, sometimes, when you lose really late in the season, thinking about the length of time it takes you to get back to that. I’m sure that’s what Cleveland’s dealing with right now.”

The Indians crossed off Game 2 on their Cactus League schedule with Sunday afternoon’s 1-1 tie in front of 15,388 in Mesa, the beginning of the long journey they hope will finally end the 69-year drought.

Hoyer remembered looking around Progressive Field during the World Series and noticing the banners, thinking about the lineups built around Kenny Lofton’s speed, the explosive power from Albert Belle, Jim Thome and Manny Ramirez and two-way players like Omar Vizquel and Sandy Alomar Jr.

“We were talking about it on the field before Game 7,” Hoyer said. “There’s no doubt we’re built – especially from a position-playing standpoint – to have the same players for a long time. Hopefully, we can have a lot of really great Octobers going forward. But you can never take that for granted. You have no idea what the future holds.

“You know when you’re playing in Game 7 how important it is to win in that moment, because you never know if you’re going to get back there. There are some good teams that have gotten bounced in the playoffs early or never quite got over that hump. There are some great teams that have never accomplished that.”

In theory, this is just the beginning of a long runway for Anthony Rizzo, Kris Bryant, Addison Russell, Kyle Schwarber, Javier Baez, and Albert Almora Jr. But there is an element of luck involved and maybe the matchups won’t be quite as favorable in 2017 or 2019 or 2021. Injuries happen, priorities change, players underperform and the next impact homegrown pitcher in Chicago will be the first for the Theo Epstein administration.

“You look at those mid-90s Indians teams,” Hoyer said. “Those teams were as loaded as you’re going to get from an offensive standpoint and all that young talent. They got really close in ’95. They got really close in ’97. They were never able to win that World Series.

“Look at that position-playing group – it’s incredible – and they never won a World Series. So being a really good team and having really good regular seasons – and actually winning a World Series – those are very different things. And there’s no guarantee that because you’re a good team you’re going to win the World Series.”

Epstein fired manager Grady Little after the 2003 Red Sox lost a brutal American League Championship Series Game 7 at Yankee Stadium. That search process led to Terry Francona, the future Hall of Fame manager who led the Red Sox to two championship parades and guided the Indians to the 10th inning of a World Series Game 7.

Hoyer, the former Boston staffer, spoke briefly with Francona last month at the New York Baseball Writers’ Association of America dinner. Hoyer showed up at the New York Hilton to support Bryant, the National League MVP, while Francona collected the AL Manager of the Year award.

“Honestly, there’s some awkwardness there,” Hoyer said. “We won and they lost. And no one wants to hear a lot about it. We chatted about the game for five minutes or so, mostly talking about what a great game it was.

“Forget about the victor, that was just an incredible baseball game. We’ll always be part of history. People will always mention that game among the top five or 10 games of all-time.

“But I don’t think they want that game brought up over and over. Nor would I in the same situation. I don’t love talking about Game 7 when Aaron Boone hit the home run in ’03. It’s not my favorite topic. I think it’s probably that times a hundred when it comes to Game 7 last year for the Indians.”

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CSNChicago.com How Indians Regrouped And Reloaded After Losing Unforgettable Game 7 To Cubs By Patrick Mooney

MESA, Ariz. — As officials responded to an unbelievably timed rain delay, Cleveland president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti huddled in a suite beneath Progressive Field and recognized what he saw in Cubs executives Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer after nine innings in a World Series Game 7.

"(We're) trying to figure out: Hey, what's going to happen here? How long are we going to have to wait? Are we going to have to pick up this game tomorrow?" Antonetti said. "I remember the look on both Jed and Theo's faces — it was the same as mine — just like exhaustion and fatigue and angst."

Soon enough, Epstein would be standing in the visiting dugout, his black suit completely drenched, winging it through a CSN Chicago postgame show interview: "Jed's in charge. I'm going on a bender."

However Cleveland fans processed the 10th inning — at least LeBron James had already delivered the city's first major sports title since 1964 — the Indians regrouped and reloaded as one of the favorites to win the 2017 World Series.

Danny Salazar — who hadn't built himself back up to full strength by the Fall Classic — threw two scoreless innings during Sunday afternoon's 1-1 tie in front of a sellout crowd at Sloan Park in Mesa. The Indians also survived and advanced into early November without frontline starter Carlos Carrasco (broken right pinkie finger) throwing a single playoff pitch or All-Star outfielder Michael Brantley (right shoulder complications) playing beyond May.

But the Indians didn't just sit back in their comfort zone this winter and simply hope for good medical reports and assume their young core players would improve. Sensing an opportunity, Cleveland swooped in around Christmastime and made a three-year, $60 million commitment to Edwin Encarnacion, who put up 42 homers and 127 RBIs last season for the Blue Jays, weakening the team that lost the American League Championship Series.

"It certainly has a positive impact on the momentum that we established and revenue heading into the following season," Antonetti said. "But I still think beyond that, it's been a big leap of faith by our ownership to really step out beyond what may make sense, just looking at where our projections might be.

"It's really a belief in our fan base that they'll continue to support our team and build on the momentum from last year."

Cleveland already paid the price for Andrew Miller — the Yankees wanted Kyle Schwarber or Javier Baez from the Cubs as a starting point last summer — and now control the game-changing reliever for two more pennant races. The Indians also invested $6.5 million in Boone Logan — a reliever the Cubs had monitored closely — when the lefty specialist lingered on the open market until early February.

Between the future Hall of Fame manager (Terry Francona), a Cy Young Award winner (Corey Kluber), the young All-Star shortstop (Francisco Lindor) and the dude from Glenbrook North (Jason Kipnis), Cleveland has way too much talent to be consumed with what could have been in Game 7.

"Hopefully, our guys learned from all of their experiences," Antonetti said. "They went through a lot last year. But I think at the same time, we have an appreciation and realize how hard it is to win, and how hard it was to get to the postseason.

"Continuing that mindset — and remembering what helped us get there — will benefit our guys the most. They'll reflect back and realize we didn't just show up and end up in the postseason and in the World Series. We started that work on Day 1 of the offseason and Day 1 in spring training."

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CSNChicago.com Cubs Manager Joe Maddon Misses His Chance To Guest-Star In ‘Curb Your Enthusiasm’ By Patrick Mooney

MESA, Ariz. – This is a big bowl of wrong: Cubs manager Joe Maddon might have missed his only window to make the "Curb Your Enthusiasm" cameo appearance Jeff Garlin promised.

Garlin – a Second City alumnus and one of several celebrity fans within the team's orbit – had offered Maddon a role whenever Larry David brought the band back together for the loosely scripted HBO comedy.

But last week's Cactus League media event at the Arizona Biltmore conflicted with filming in Southern California, where "Curb Your Enthusiasm" is working on a ninth season after a five-year hiatus.

"There was one matchup, and I couldn't get there," Maddon said before Sunday's World Series rematch against the Cleveland Indians at Sloan Park. "I just couldn't do it. It'll happen."

During an all-over-the-place session with reporters that lasted 20-plus minutes, Maddon declined to make any Oscar predictions, saying he's into Netflix and Hulu now and doesn't really go to the movies anymore.

Maddon also hasn't watched much – or any – of the World Series highlights or documentaries. When it came to the handling Aroldis Chapman part, there were some boos inside Chicago's Civic Opera House during the premiere of Major League Baseball's "The 2016 World Series."

But Maddon said he basically skipped that type of content after being Mike Scioscia's bench coach for the 2002 Anaheim Angels and managing the Tampa Bay Rays to the 2008 World Series.

"You get busy and I don't know," Maddon said. "I need to start reading more and watching Netflix less."

Didn't you say that last spring?

"I did," Maddon said.

Maddon had been addicted to cable news during last year's polarizing presidential campaign: "But, damn, it's gotten really annoying, so I stopped watching all that stuff. It's just not good for your brain. It's really not. There's nothing to be gained."

When Maddon starts rolling, it's not hard to picture him in a scene with David and J.B. Smoove. Shaquille O'Neal, John McEnroe and Bill Buckner are among the sports figures with "Curb Your Enthusiasm" credits.

"That was the only day, so I don't know how we're going to figure this out," Maddon said. "First, they had one day set up, and that was going to be good. And then they had to change it to this other day, which was not good. So we'll have to (come up with something else), even if it's maybe a picture on the wall or a phone call."

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