January 13, 2016

 CSNChicago.com, ’s long climb to the top prepared him for craziness of Cubs job http://www.csnchicago.com/cubs/joe-maddon%E2%80%99s-long-climb-top-prepared-him-craziness-cubs-job

 Chicago Tribune, 'Schwarber ball' moved from scoreboard roof http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-schwarber-ball-wrigley-field-scoreboard-cubs- 20160112-story.html

 Chicago Tribune, 11 Cubs, White Sox players file for salary arbitration http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/ct-cubs-players-file-for-arbitation-20160112-story.html

 Chicago Tribune, Fangraphs projects Cubs to post best MLB record in 2016 http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-cubs-predicted-for-best-record-20160112- story.html

 Cubs.com, Arrieta among seven Cubs to file for arbitration http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/161756122/jake-arrieta-among-cubs-seeking-arbitration

 Cubs.com, Almora looks to follow Cubs prospect predecessors http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/161704836/albert-almora-inspired-by-other-cubs-prospects

 ESPNChicago.com, As files for arbitration, question is when a long-term deal might come http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/cubs/post/_/id/36138/will-it-be-one-year-for-jake-arrieta-or-a-longer-term- deal-as-he-6-others-file-for-arbitration

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CSNChicago.com Joe Maddon’s long climb to the top prepared him for craziness of Cubs job By Patrick Mooney

HAZLETON, Pa. – Pressure? The stress of managing the Cubs, dealing with the 1908 baggage and handling the demands from the Chicago market is nothing compared to being stuck in the baseball wilderness.

That’s where Joe Maddon spent enough of his career to know how good he has it now. That’s why Maddon isn’t going to let you see him sweat, especially with a loaded roster that FanGraphs projects will win 95 games this year, an iconic stadium that feels like a computer-generated scene from “Gladiator” and everything a world-class city has to offer a star manager.

“Here’s the thing, and I can’t emphasize this enough: I am so happy that it took me so long to get here,” he said during filming for the “Going Home: Joe Maddon” documentary that premieres Thursday night on Comcast SportsNet Chicago.

“All those like ‘near-misses’ or ‘Should I really keep doing this?’ Or ‘Am I on the right path here? How do I get to the next level?’

“I cannot imagine doing this job without the history that I’ve had. I can’t even begin to imagine what that would be like.”

Thanks for playing

Maddon opened the letter from Mike Port – a California Angels executive who would help shape his career path – after the 1979 season. Maddon wasn’t drafted out of Lafayette College – and had spent parts of four seasons catching on the Class-A level – but the news still felt like a shock to his system.

“A horrible feeling,” Maddon said. “I’m not a college graduate. I’m hanging out in Salinas, California. I thought I was pretty good. And I get this letter I’m being released."

Maddon had been the first in his Italian-Polish immigrant family – the name had been shortened from Maddonini – to go to college. But he didn’t finish his degree in economics and he definitely wasn’t a silver-spoon kid.

Returning to Pennsylvania’s coal-mining region and taking over the family business in Hazleton – Joe Sr. ran C. Maddon and Sons Plumbing and Heating – was never an option.

“(When) I went to Lafayette,” Maddon said, “I was homesick the first couple days, and I called (my mother) from a pay phone at my dorm. I said: ‘Beanie, I want to come home. I want to be a plumber like Dad.’ She said: ‘No, you’re not.’

“That was the end of that. That was the first week of school. She was right.”

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