February 12, 2019 • Chicago Sun-Times, ‘Pissed off’ Cubs ready to take 2018 frustration out on the field in new year https://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/pissed-off-cubs-2018-frustration-fresh-start-spring-training/ • Chicago Sun-Times, Cubs support Addison Russell’s second chance if he shows improvements https://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/chicago-cubs-addison-russell-spring-training-distraction-2019/ • Daily Herald, Rozner: Cubs' Epstein is unhappy, and knows the fans are, too https://www.dailyherald.com/sports/20190211/rozner-cubs-epstein-is-unhappy-and-knows-the- fans-are-too • The Athletic, Cubs spring training guide: Will we see change Cubs fans can believe in? https://theathletic.com/813038/2019/02/12/cubs-spring-training-guide-will-we-see-change-cubs- fans-can-believe-in/ • Cubs.com, Predicting the Cubs' Opening Day roster https://www.mlb.com/cubs/news/cubs-opening-day-roster-prediction/c-303771244 • Cubs.com, Cubs, reliever Brach complete deal https://www.mlb.com/cubs/news/brad-brach-signs-with-cubs/c-303790094 • ESPNChicago.com, Bring on spring! After winter of discontent, can Cubs move on? http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/25974053/bring-spring-winter-discontent-cubs-move-on • NBC Sports Chicago, 5 spring training storylines you're going to be real sick of in a month https://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/cubs/5-spring-training-storylines-youre-going-be-real-sick- month • Chicago Tribune, Cubs at spring training: What to watch for on Tuesday, including Theo Epstein's talk https://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-spt-cubs-pitchers-catchers-report-spring- training-20190212-story.html • Chicago Tribune, Kyle Schwarber plans to be a full-time left fielder — not a DH: 'I always take pride in my defense' https://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-spt-cubs-kyle-schwarber-left-field- 20190211-story.html • Chicago Tribune, Willson Contreras on Cubs' wild-card loss: 'We needed that kick in the butt' https://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-spt-cubs-willson-contreras-20190211- story.html • Chicago Tribune, Cubs meet with Islamic relations group after Joe Ricketts' racist emails were revealed: 'What we're attempting to do is mend fences' https://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-spt-cubs-joe-ricketts-racist-emails-cair- 20190211-story.html -- Chicago Sun-Times ‘Pissed off’ Cubs ready to take 2018 frustration out on the field in new year By Gordon Wittenmyer MESA, Arizona – Pitchers and catchers report Tuesday for the Cubs – the team that has ached as much as any other in baseball since October to reach that moment. “The end of last season was a collective failure that we need to own,” team president Theo Epstein said, “which is a strange thing to say for a 95-win team. But that’s the reality.” That’s the power of high-elevation expectations crashing so quickly to the ground in losses on back-to- back days in a division tiebreaker and wild-card game on your home field – scoring two runs in 22 innings on the way to a long, bitter offseason. “We were all pissed off that it ended the way it did,” left fielder Kyle Schwarber said. The offseason didn’t go much better for the Cubs, whose payroll budget kept them from adding any significant players, whose decision so far to stick with shortstop Addison Russell through his domestic violence suspension cost them heavy public blowback at every stage of that process and whose franchise image just took another hit last week with the publication of racist emails by ownership patriarch Joe Ricketts. But the sun shone brightly over the Cubs’ spring training facility on Monday, as players and staff roamed in and out to prepare to start fresh this week – two dozen pitchers already starting to throw bullpen sessions for new pitching coach Tommy Hottovy in recent days. Veteran left-handers Jon Lester and Cole Hamels both were at the facility Monday. Epstein has labeled this season a year of “reckoning” after two years that fell short in October after the Cubs’ 2016 championship. Manager Joe Maddon enters the final year of his contract with no talks planned until late in the season or after – if at all. And the young hitting core, too, is under more scrutiny from the front office this year as the team looks for growth offensively – with the promise from Epstein of reevaluation of those core pieces otherwise. But this is where it finally starts, where all that talk during the winter about still believing in this group and about demonstrating more urgency after last year’s face-plant gets the chance to show up in action – even if it’s just cutoff drills and pitcher’s fielding practice for a while. They get to start over, to lose at least a little of that bitter taste of October’s quick exit, to rebuild expectations of a team that’s nobody’s pennant favorite as they open camp this time around. In the Cubs’ division alone, the Brewers have upgraded since falling one victory short of the World Series; the Cardinals added big names in slugger Paul Goldschmidt and pitchers Andrew Miller; and even the last-place Reds went on a shopping binge over the winter to upgrade their starting rotation and anr already good lineup. It doesn’t get any easier this time around for the Cubs. But they are almost all healthy – in particular potential impact players Yu Darvish (elbow) and Kris Bryant (shoulder) upbeat and full strength as camp opens after injuries waylaid much of their 2018 seasons. And if they haven’t rediscovered the hunger of 2016, they seem at least “pissed.” Epstein has talked since the week of that exit that he believes the Cubs have lacked a daily urgency since winning that long-sought title in 2016. “It hasn’t been like it’s all complacent all the time,” said the architect of a team that has reached the playoffs four straight years and averaged 97 regular-season wins in that stretch. “We have great players, and they play hard, and we’ve done so many things well. But, again, [if we’re] being honest with ourselves, it hasn’t been the sense of urgency that we probably need to get all the way to where we want to go. “And the way last season ended is the greatest motivator there could possibly be, and now it’s all about channeling that in a productive way to go play.” -- Chicago Sun-Times Cubs support Addison Russell’s second chance if he shows improvements By Madeline Kenney Cubs players said they stand by the front office’s decision to give Addison Russell a second chance after he was accused of physically and mentally abusing his ex-wife. “We’re human. He made a mistake,” reliever Pedro Strop said at the Cubs Convention last month. “If he does the right thing, if he does whatever he needs to do, he’s going to be welcome to come back.” Said outfielder Albert Almora Jr.: “We call Russell family, he’s a brother. From what we heard and communicating with Addison, the way he’s dealing with things, if he continues to do that, we’ll welcome him back with open arms. Let’s let him gain our trust again.” But his teammates’ support doesn’t take away from the distraction they might face when Russell reports for spring training in Mesa, Arizona. Russell, who will be a full participant in camp, hasn’t talked to the media except through prepared, written statements since he was put on administrative leave Sept. 21. That’s expected to change in the days leading up to the Cubs’ first full-squad workout Feb. 18. Without Russell there to face the hard questions, his teammates have struggled to come up with the right words when discussing the troubled shortstop. “It’s an unfortunate situation, but you … I don’t know how to answer that question for you there,” outfielder Kyle Schwarber said when asked about the difficulty of answering questions pertaining to Russell. “It’s something that’s obviously put in front of us. I think that everyone wants to handle it the right way.” Russell, who signed a $3.4 million non-guaranteed contract in January, will serve the final 28 games of a 40-game MLB suspension for domestic violence at the start of the season. Team president Theo Epstein made it clear Russell won’t play if he doesn’t continue to show improvement and meet the standards set by MLB and the Cubs. “We’re probably in the top of the second inning with this story,” Epstein said. “He’s got a ton of work ahead of him and it may not work, and if it doesn’t, we will move on instantaneously.” Outfielder Jason Heyward can “confidently” say the Russell situation won’t distract the team. “They hold us accountable,” Heyward said of the front office. “And to me, attitude reflects leadership. “With Addy’s situation right now, they don’t want to pass it on to someone else. They don’t want to be like, ‘OK, we took him for the good, and then for the bad we left him hanging.’ And I feel like they want to be a part of the solution in general, regardless of whether it’s baseball involved or off the field. And I feel like to me, that’s something that takes a lot of pressure off of the player. I don’t have to worry about it or focus on it.” Almora also isn’t worried about Russell being a distraction.