October 5, 2015

Cubs.com Cubs headed to for WC Game By Carrie Muskat

MILWAUKEE -- The top road team in the National League has to pack for at least one more trip. The Cubs are headed to Pittsburgh to face the Pirates on Wednesday in the National League Wild Card Game presented by Budweiser, live on TBS at 7 p.m. CT.

Chicago, which defeated Milwaukee, 3-1, in Sunday's season finale, began the day one game behind Pittsburgh in the NL Wild Card standings, and the Pirates needed to beat the Reds in the regular season finale to secure the home field, which they did, 4-0. On Wednesday, it'll be 22-game-winner Jake Arrieta against the Pirates' Gerrit Cole, although Arrieta won't mind the road trip. He's 13-1 with a 1.60 ERA away from home.

"It's kind of exciting -- it's leave it all there, one game," catcher said of the Wild Card format. "We don't get that atmosphere a whole lot, so it's definitely different than the norm, but it's a fun different. ... I'm getting chills thinking about it. We know there's a whole city behind us and a fan base that is super excited. We want to put on a good show for them, too."

The Cubs haven't been bothered by travel this season, boasting a 48-33 record in their road grays.

"We've played well there, we know this team, they know us, they know we're good, we know they're good," Ross said. "It'll be about who goes out there and plays the cleanest game. It's all about the starting , too, and we have a really good one."

If the Cubs and Pirates had finished with identical records, the Wild Card Game would've been played at because won the season series, 11-8, which includes a 6-4 record at PNC Park.

"We'd love to do this in front of our fans," Anthony Rizzo said. "Now we have to get back there [to Wrigley] somehow. We play well at PNC. I personally like playing there. We just have to go out and play. They'll be loud, and we have to be ready."

How much does Rizzo like the Pirates' home park? He batted .421 in 10 games there this season, with two home runs, four doubles, and six RBIs.

Cubs manager saw first-hand how much the home field didn't matter in the 2010 American League Division Series with the Rays, who lost to the Rangers, 3-2. Neither team won at home in that series.

However, playing at Wrigley Field has mattered to Cubs rookie , who hit .311 at home, hitting 21 of his 26 home runs there. Bryant finished the regular season with 99 RBIs.

Bryant is one of the kids who have carried the Cubs to a 97-win season.

"I don't think Joe was managing to develop guys," Ross said. "I saw a manager who came every day to try to win a ballgame with the guys he had. It's a credit to him, it's a credit to the coaches, it's a credit to the players, the guys who come in every day and go about their business the right way."

Arrieta, who picked up his Major League-leading 22nd win on Friday, has had success against the Pirates, posting a 3-1 record and 0.75 ERA in five starts this season. His outings included seven shutout on Sept. 27 at Wrigley. Arrieta has limited the Pirates to a .151 batting average, and all five starts have been quality starts.

In four games against the Cubs this season, Cole is 2-1 with a 2.13 ERA, and he stymied them at Wrigley Field in the last meeting on Sept. 25, giving up one over seven innings. The Pirates ace has held the Cubs to a .225 average, striking out 32 over 25 1/3 innings.

The only player on the Cubs roster who has homered against Cole is Javier Baez. Starlin Castro and Rizzo are both 6-for-17 (.353), while Bryant is 3-for-9 with six versus the right-hander.

It's been quite a ride for Maddon in his first year as Cubs manager. What sold him on the job?

"You read different things and all the kids," he said of the talented core. "I thought it was a combination of ownership and front office and players, and, I'm not going to lie, Wrigley Field. Having a chance to work there was very enticing to me, too.

"You put it all together and it's hard to beat," he said. "I often talk about how I feel fortunate to be here because all the heavy lifting was done prior to me coming here. They took a beating for a couple years doing the right thing and all of a sudden guys are playing like they are. It was a combination of all that. It's played out pretty good the first year."

They've got momentum. The Cubs won their last eight games, the first time the modern day Cubs have finished with an eight-game win streak. The 1884 Chicago White Stockings ended their season with a nine-game winning streak.

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Cubs.com Arrieta earns WC start with Cy-worthy year By Carrie Muskat

CHICAGO -- He's being mentioned along with such as Sandy Koufax and Bob Gibson. His manager would readily cast his National League Cy Young Award vote for him. And his catcher isn't always sure what he's thinking in terms of sequences of pitches.

"If it's hard to think along with him [as a catcher], I can't imagine the hitters," Miguel Montero said.

Jake Arrieta, 29, may be the most interesting Cubs pitcher in the world, and not just because he likes kale and wearing tank tops. A few hours before winning his Major League-leading 22nd game on Friday in Milwaukee, he was just "dad," playing with his kids. But when he's on the mound, the right-hander known as "Snake" has some nasty stuff.

Now it's time to take it to the next level. Arrieta will start Wednesday when the Cubs face the Pirates at PNC Park in the National League Wild Card Game presented by Budweiser at 7 p.m. CT on TBS.

The Cy Young Award ballots have been cast by the voting members of the Baseball Writers' Association of America, and no, Joe Maddon doesn't have a ballot. Here are some numbers they had to consider:

• Arrieta posted a 22-6 record and 1.77 ERA to become the fifth pitcher to win at least 22 games with no more than six losses and a sub-2.00 ERA since the earned run became an official stat in 1913. He joins Koufax ('63),

Denny McLain ('68), Ron Guidry ('78) and Dwight Gooden ('85). All of those four pitchers were unanimous Cy Young Award winners in their respective seasons.

• Arrieta is the first pitcher in Major League history to finish with 20 consecutive quality starts since the earned run became an official stat. In those 20 starts, he was 16-1 with a 0.86 ERA, walking 27 and striking out 147. The only loss came July 25 when the Phillies' no-hit the Cubs at Wrigley Field.

• In 15 starts after the All-Star break, Arrieta compiled a 0.75 ERA, giving up nine earned runs over 107 1/3 innings. That's the best post All-Star break ERA in Major League history.

• Opponents batted .185 against Arrieta, tops in the Major Leagues, and his 1.77 ERA was second behind the Dodgers' Zack Greinke. Arrieta's .507 opponents' OPS is lowest in the Majors (tied with Greinke) and his 0.86 WHIP is nearly tied with Greinke's (0.84).

• Arrieta is 3-1 with an 0.75 ERA in five starts this year against the Pirates. His outings included seven shutout innings on Sept. 27 at Wrigley Field. Arrieta has limited the Pirates to a .151 batting average, and all five starts have been quality outings. And Arrieta is 13-1 with a 1.60 ERA on the road, so playing at PNC? Not a problem. What makes Arrieta so effective? His unpredictability.

"Every pitch he has is plus, nasty," Montero said. "You don't know what he's thinking. As a catcher, it's been hard to know what he's thinking. I do call the pitches. But sometimes I call pitches thinking what I want. That doesn't mean he wants it."

From Maddon's view from the , he can't believe the explosiveness, the movement or the consistency of Arrieta's pitches.

"He's taken everything to another level this year," Maddon said. "I know he pitched well last year. I saw the potential. The way this season started, he wasn't nailing it down the way he could. The seminal moment for him was the game in . He threw 120 pitches, and it looked like he took off from there."

That was June 21 in an Interleague game at when Arrieta gave up four hits in his first complete game of the season, throwing 122 pitches. He did not walk a batter and struck out seven.

"His stuff is different, just the way the fastball moves, the velocity," Maddon said. "I love his curveball, and he doesn't even throw it that often."

Maddon has emphasized that once Arrieta established command of his fastball, he was able to mix in his secondary pitches more effectively.

"He's figured out how to only break out the other goodies when it's necessary," Maddon said.

The June game against the Twins was very good. Arrieta was great on Aug. 30 on a perfect night at Dodger when he threw his first no-hitter, and the 14th in Cubs history. He walked one and struck out 12, and he did so efficiently, throwing 116 pitches.

But what also sets Arrieta apart is what he does before he steps onto the mound. He adjusted his workout routine this offseason, and now he has other pitchers and players shadowing him in the clubhouse. They just can't keep up.

There is now a Pilates machine at Wrigley Field for Arrieta, but he said that's a small aspect of his training.

"One of the main components is a lot of functional movements, a lot of primal movements like crawling and hanging to stress the joints and to strengthen the joints," he said. "A lot of the movements I do are the way we moved as kids on the playground -- hanging from monkey bars, climbing ropes, moving in ways that can affect the entire body, rather than pinpoint one small specific area.

"These are ways that people should train who don't even play sports if they want to live a long life without soreness. Mobility and strength in your joints is the most effective way to stay healthy. Weak joints will equate weak muscles and fatigue and essentially, it can lead to premature injuires."

His routine includes kettleball workouts, push ups, off-balance push ups and other exercises that use one's body weight. If you get to Wrigley Field early before one of his starts, Arrieta is usually doing his push ups on the field.

"It's something I'll continue to evolve with," Arrieta said. "I'll add things to my training regimen this offseason that I didn't do last year, because there are things I feel I can incorporate that will help me over the course of my career. That's the way I always am, just trying to find new ways to be better."

Maddon tried to do some of Arrieta's routine, and he couldn't keep up.

"It's not easy," Arrieta said. "It requires a lot of stamina and a lot of cardiovascular endurance. It's a way for me to strength train and get my cardiovascular training at the same time without wasting any time."

On Wednesday, all the hard work will be tested again. Arrieta has shrugged off talk about the NL Cy Young Award, saying the Cubs still have things to accomplish this year.

"I pick him," Montero said about the Award. "I know wins don't really matter, at least that's what people say. I think they do matter. Every time he pitches, he gives us a chance to win. It should matter a lot more than what people think. It's not like he just wins and gives up a lot of runs. That's not the case.

"I don't want to take anything away from [Clayton] Kershaw and Greinke," Montero said. "I think they're unbelievably good as well. I just go with my guy."

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Cubs.com There's hope for big-winning Wild Cards By Tom Singer

PITTSBURGH -- The Pirates and Cubs enter Wednesday night's National League Wild Card Game presented by Budweiser with 98 and 97 wins, respectively, as a trio of clubs from the rough-and-tumble NL Central Division posted the best three records in baseball, led by the division champion Cardinals at 100.

The Pirates' win total was the best for the franchise since 1909 yet still was not enough for a title and nonstop ticket into the best-of-five National League Division Series. The Cubs are in a similar boat, finishing with an eight-game winning streak that allowed them to tie the 2008 club for the franchise's most wins in the divisional era.

The question for these two clubs is this: What does history tell us about finishing with 96 or more wins but still having to settled for a Wild Card berth? Does the fire go out, or is it rekindled in October?

The Pirates and Cubs will help to answer that question begninning in the NL Wild Card Game on Wednesday night at 8 ET on TBS. But in the last three seasons, since the addition of a second Wild Card and a one-game Wild Card Game required to advance to the Division Series round, the Bucs have experienced both sides of that high- pressure, emotional coin.

Their 2013 breakthrough was a celebration, and it continued with a 6-2 Wild Card win over the Reds in a pumped PNC Park. In 2014, they carried the chase of a division title right down to the disappointing final day -- and came up empty in an 8-0 Wild Card loss at the hands of Giants ace , whose performance -- the first of many to come last October -- sucked the life out of the hometown crowd.

Looking back over the past 21 seasons, since the addition of the Wild Card in 1995, only five teams won 96 or more games without winning one of the six divisions.

The good news? Two of these teams won the . The bad news? None of them had to survive a one- game Wild Card to do so. Which is not to say that's impossible, the 88-win Giants did just that last year -- as the Pirates know all too well.

Here is a look at how each of those teams did in October, in descending order of number of wins:

• 102: 2001 Oakland A's.

Possibly the hardest-luck Wild Cards ever, the A's won a ridiculous 65 of their last 84 games and still finished 14 games behind the Mariners, whom they'd trailed by double digits since April. Compounding their emotional challenge, they earned the AL Wild Card by an even bigger margin (17 games) over the Twins.

But you cannot blame the wheel-spinning for their quick five-game knockout in the ALDS. Blame Derek Jeter: His legendary "flip play" to nail Jeremy Giambi at the plate in the seventh of Game 3 started New York's comeback from losing the first two games.

• 99: 2002 Anaheim Angels

On Aug. 13, the Angels were two games behind Seattle in the AL West. They went 15-6 over their next 21 games and at the end of that stretch were still two games behind the A's, who were busy winning 20 straight. The Angels also won 22 of their last 32, yet finished four games out.

Unveiling Francisco Rodriguez, the Angels dominated the Yankees and the Twins in the Division and Championship Series, respectively, then edged San Francisco in an offense-oriented seven-game World Series.

Angels manager Mike Scioscia: "I don't think there was a question that in '02 it was the toughest division in baseball. As we got in the playoffs, guys just never lost stride. On the offensive side, they pounded the ball. Our bullpen held leads. I think the mentality going in was, 'We're going to play the same way we've played all year.' We felt really confident that we were a good team that could match up with any team that we were going to play. "

• 98: 2004

The 2004 Boston Red Sox came up three games short of the Yankees in the , but ripped off 42 wins in their final 59 games of the season and entered October on a serious roll.

That collection of "idiots," as they called themselves, sparked by Dave Roberts' in Game 4 and pitching heroics from Curt Schilling and Pedro Martinez, rallied from down 3-0 in the ALCS to defeat the Yankees and then overwhelmed the Cardinals in a sweep to bring a World Series title back to Boston for the first time since 1918. • 97: 1999

The Metropolitans led the NL East as late as Aug. 21 and still trailed by only one game on Sept. 9. Then the Braves found a higher gear, and in their dust the Mets finished 6 1/2 games out. At the wire they were more concerned with the Reds, who had a two-game lead for the Wild Card with four to go. The Mets won those four.

NY third baseman Robin Ventura: "There was never a chance to kind of let up and feel like you have to re-focus. We were happy to get in. That was more of the feeling that we had. [Now, with the Wild Card] you are playing for your life each game. But once you get into a five-game or seven-game series, those games become a little bit different. You want to win them, but it doesn't mean you are out if you lose one of them."

The Mets had an easy Division Series time with the Diamondbacks, but ran into a familiar haunt in the NLCS: Those same Braves, who prevailed in a taut six-game series in which Atlanta's 4-2 win in Game 1 was the biggest "romp." The last five games were all one-run affairs.

• 96: 1997

The Yankees trailed the Orioles by two games on April 28. They trailed the Orioles by 3 1/2 games on July 17. They won 15 of their last 19 games and, at the end, still trailed the Orioles by two games.

This Yankee squad represents perhaps the best precedent for the frustrations of the Pirates and the Cubs, who kept playing well without gaining on the Cardinals all season long. Pittsburgh and Chicago fans hope that's where the precedent stops: The Yankees departed the postseason in the first round, dropping the ALDS to the Indians.

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Cubs.com Cubs' 97-win season could be just the start By Mike Bauman

MILWAUKEE -- On Sunday, the 2015 won their 97th game. At this point, there is much more reason to focus on what they have accomplished, as opposed to what they have not.

The Cubs held up their end of the bargain on Sunday, finishing the regular season with a 3-1 victory over the . But the refused to cooperate, defeating Cincinnati, 4-0, to take the No. 1 National League Wild Card spot.

So the Cubs did not gain home-field advantage for Wednesday's Wild Card Game presented by Budweiser, which will be broadcast at 7 p.m. CT on TBS, with the winner advancing to play St Louis in the National League Division Series. Of course the Cubs would like to play the Wild Card Game at Wrigley Field, but there are valid reasons why the location of this game may not be an all-important factor.

"We'd love to do this in front of our fans," first baseman Anthony Rizzo said on Sunday. "Now we've got to find a way to get back there."

The way would be beating Pittsburgh in the Wild Card Game. And one way to look at that would be that you could play the Cubs any place on planet Earth, and if Jake Arrieta was pitching for the Cubs, victory would still beckon to the North Siders. Arrieta had a 0.75 after the All-Star break, the best post-All-Star ERA in the history of the game. He was 16-1 from June 21. Gerrit Cole is really good for the Pirates, but Arrieta is rewriting the record books in the category of pitching hot streaks.

And the Cubs' home/road splits were nearly identical; 49-32 at Wrigley Field, 48-33 away from the Friendly Confines. This was the first time that the Cubs had won more than 45 games on the road since 1945, when they won a franchise record 49.

"Our only concern was that we could bring [the Wild Card Game] home for our fans," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. "Look at our record. Just one game separates our home and road records this year. I mean that sincerely ... We wanted to play in front of our fans. That would be the only separator for me."

The Cubs have traveled a great distance in a short period of time. In the last four seasons, they had averaged 94- plus defeats. If you didn't understand the actual reasons for this transformation you could regard this as a miracle; water-into-wine stuff.

So taking the second Wild Card spot in these circumstances doesn't seem like much of letdown.

"How could you possibly be disappointed with anything that our players have done this year?" Maddon said. "It's pretty phenomenal for baseball in general and in this division, to have that many wins coming out of this division, I'm certain it never happened before since the division setup. It's pretty incredible.

"The whole body of work by the entire group, it's pretty darn impressive. And don't forget our coaching staff. The coaches did a wonderful job of prepping them. Look at what the pitchers have done lately. Look at our offensive players, what they've done. Look at how much better our defense has become over the course of the season. Give our coaching staff a lot of credit."

Maddon, meanwhile, set a franchise record for victories in a first year as Cubs manager, surpassing Jim Frey, who had 96 in 1984.

The Cubs finished with the third best record in the NL Central, but they also finished with the third best record in the Major Leagues. Their 97-65 record would have won every other division, but not the one that they are in -- the one with the St. Louis Cardinals. On one hand, it is a difficult thing to have a season this good, winning 97 games, and still not winning a division. To this notion, Maddon responded:

"Pittsburgh could win 98 and not win a division. That's what I take comfort from."

The Cubs, not that long ago leading the league in doom and gloom, are now poised for October baseball and even greater success down the road.

"We're in a great position, top to bottom, to have success," Rizzo said. "Now it's on us players to make sure we continue to have that success."

This was the year of The Great Big Turnaround for the Cubs. And this 97-victory regular season, as good as it was, could be only the beginning. Next up, a chance for much more October baseball.

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Cubs.com Cubs roll into WC Game with 8 straight wins By Adam McCalvy and Carrie Muskat

MILWAUKEE -- The Cubs did their part to bring the postseason to Wrigley Field, riding a trio of first-inning runs to a 3-1 win over the Brewers in Sunday's regular-season finale and a three-game series sweep. Then Anthony Rizzo & Co. retreated to the visitors' clubhouse at Miller Park to see where they'll go next.

Chicago began the day one game behind Pittsburgh in the National League Wild Card standings, and the Pirates needed a win to host Wednesday's Wild Card Game presented by Budweiser. Pittsburgh posted a 4-0 victory over Cincinnati, finishing up when Cubs manager Joe Maddon was meeting with the media at Miller Park.

"We're going to P-burgh -- we're going to the 'Burgh,'" Maddon said.

The Cubs and the Pirates will meet Wednesday at PNC Park in the NL Wild Card Game presented by Budweiser (7 p.m. CT on TBS) with the winner advancing to face another Central Division rival, the Cardinals. Chicago won the season series, 11-8, including a 6-4 record in Pittsburgh. Jake Arrieta, who finished the regular season leading the Majors with 22 wins, will start for the Cubs against Gerrit Cole.

"We played good there," Cubs catcher David Ross said. "It's going to be a little bit different environment, obviously. We've played well there, we know this team, they know us, they know we're good, we know they're good. It'll be about who goes out there and plays the cleanest game. It's all about the starting pitcher, too, and we have a really good one."

The Cubs led Sunday's finale throughout after Brewers rookie right-hander Jorge Lopez hit the first batter he faced and walked the next two in his home debut. Austin Jackson, and Kris Bryant all scored, the first two on Rizzo's single through the right side of the infield.

The Cubs won their final eight games to finish the regular season 97-65, their best season since 2008. The Brewers went 68-94 in their worst season since 2004.

"I don't think anybody anticipated them being this good, this soon, and certainly, they're set up really well for the foreseeable future," said Brewers outfielder Ryan Braun, who was sidelined for the season by a back injury that will require surgery next week. "That's the blueprint."

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED

Farewell tour: Sunday was Dan Haren's final big league start. The right-hander said he'll be available in the postseason if needed but is retiring after this year. He finished on a strong note. Haren, who has the unique distinction of facing all 30 Major League teams, held the Brewers to three hits over six innings, striking out three. This was his 380th career start (391st game).

"It was awesome," Haren said of his stint with the Cubs. "I'm happy with the way the last few starts have gone and that I was able to contribute to this amazing team. I mean, 97 wins, I'm just thankful to be a part of it.

"If I have to pitch in the postseason, I'll be ready for sure," he said. "If I don't pitch in the postseason, that's it."

Century mark: Rizzo had plenty of chances on Saturday to notch his 100th RBI when he stranded seven. On Sunday, Rizzo delivered a two-run single with the bases loaded in the first for his 100th and 101st RBIs. He's the 43rd player in Cubs history to hit 30 home runs and drive in 100, and the first since Alfonso Soriano did so in 2012. Bryant singled and drew three walks to finish with 99 RBIs.

"It gives him something to shoot for next year," Maddon said of Bryant, who did end the season leading all Major League rookies in home runs, RBIs and doubles.

Strong finish: Lopez, Milwaukee's Minor League pitcher of the year, didn't record his first outs on Sunday until his 24th pitch, and needed 29 pitches to get through the first inning of his first career start at Miller Park. But he rebounded nicely, following that long opening frame with four more scoreless ones, and calling it a season after a 93-pitch outing that included three double plays, including a , throwout twin-killing with catcher Martin Maldonado in the third. Lopez logged 170 innings between the Double-A regular season and postseason, plus two Major League starts, and finished 15-7 with a 2.44 ERA and 162 strikeouts versus 63 walks.

"I think Jorge pitched well; the first inning got him," said Brewers manager Craig Counsell. "I don't think they squared-up much at all. I don't think they squared up his fastball. But if you put three runners on without a ball in play, you're going to give up runs there."

QUOTABLE

"How could you possibly be disappointed with anything our players have done this year. It's pretty phenomenal. This division, to have that many wins come out of one division, I'm sure that never happened before. It's pretty incredible." – Maddon

"I'm certainly aware there's a possibility that this is not going to happen overnight, and I think that there's a lot more work ahead, possibly more pain ahead. I'm aware that it's not easy to turn around these things." -- Counsell, on the Brewers' rebuilding project

SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS

Sunday was the Cubs' 97th win, and Maddon holds the franchise record for most wins in his first season at the helm, topping the old mark of 96 set in 1984 by Jim Frey.

WHAT'S NEXT

Cubs: Arrieta will take the mound for the NL Wild Card Game on Wednesday at PNC Park, live on TBS at 7 p.m. CT. Arrieta was 3-1 with an 0.75 ERA in five starts this season against the Pirates, holding them to a .151 batting average. The right-hander ended the regular season with 20 consecutive quality starts, and was 16-1 with a 0.86 ERA in that stretch, walking 27 and striking out 147. The only loss came July 25 when the Phillies' Cole Hamels no- hit the Cubs at Wrigley Field. First pitch will be 7:08 p.m. CT.

Brewers: Pitchers and catchers report to Maryvale in Phoenix on Friday, Feb. 19, 2016. The Brewers, who finished 68-94, open the 2016 regular season at home on Monday, April 4 against the Giants.

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Cubs.com Cubs seek elusive trip to World Series By Carrie Muskat

The Chicago Cubs once again have a chance to end their championship drought after claiming the National League's second Wild Card with a 97-65 record. They'll head to Pittsburgh for Wednesday's Wild Card Game presented by Budweiser, live on TBS at 7 p.m. CT.

Last time made playoffs: The Cubs won the National League Central in 2008, winning 97 games, but were swept in the NL Division Series by the Dodgers. It was the second straight year in which the Cubs reached the postseason but were swept (D-backs won, 3-0, in 2007 NLDS).

Last time won playoff series: For the first time since winning the 1908 World Series, the Cubs won a postseason series, taking the 2003 NL Division Series, 3-2, over the Braves. Kerry Wood won two games, striking out 18, and also hit a game-winning two-run double in the first game.

Last time won NL: In 1945 under manager Charlie Grimm, the Cubs went 98-56 to win the NL pennant and face the Tigers in the World Series.

Last time won World Series: In 1908, the Cubs became the first team to win back to back World Series, beating the Tigers in five games. Chicago batted .293 in the series, led by , who batted .421. In Game 2, hit the only by both teams, which also was the first in World Series play since 1903.

Overall Division Series record: 1-3 in four series; 3-11 in 14 games (0-3, 2008; 0-3, 2007; 3-2, 2003; 0-3, 1998), .214%

Overall LCS record: 0-3 in three series; 6-11 in 17 games (3-4, 2003; 1-4, 1989; 2-3, 1984), .353%

Overall World Series record: 2-8 in 10 series; 18-32 in 50 games (3-4, 1945; 0-4, 1938; 2-4, 1935; 0-4, 1932; 1-4, 1929; 1-4, 1918; 1-4, 1910; 4-0, 1908; 4-0, 1907; 2-4, 1906), .360%

Overall postseason record: 3-14 in 17 series; 27-54 in 81 games, .333%

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Cubs.com Maddon excited for significance of final day By Carrie Muskat

MILWAUKEE -- Cubs manager Joe Maddon planned on scoreboard watching Sunday. Chicago began the day one game behind Pittsburgh in the National League Wild Card standings.

A win over the Brewers and a Pirates loss to the Reds at PNC Park would have shifted Wednesday's NL Wild Card Game presented by Budweiser to Wrigley Field. But after the Cubs earned a 3-1 win over the Brewers, the Pirates locked up home field with a 4-0 victory over the Reds.

Maddon knows all about having Game 162 determine whether or not a team makes the postseason. On Sept. 28, 2011, the last game of the regular season, his Rays faced the Yankees with a postseason berth on the line, and fell behind, 7-0, after five innings. He was worried that he would need the bullpen in a possible one-game playoff against the Red Sox, but could monitor Boston's score that day.

"That game was concurrent with ours, so you could look at that," he said of the Red Sox game against the Orioles, which they lost.

The Rays rallied to win, 8-7, in 12 innings, thanks to 's walk-off home run. Having all of Sunday's games start at the same time will help, he said.

"It matters to be able to look at the scoreboard and try to figure out what you want to do," Maddon said. The Cubs didn't have any surprises planned for Sunday's season finale against the Brewers.

"We're not going to do anything differently," he said. "There's not anything new to put in there -- there's no new packages, we're not bringing a new offense, we're not going to blitz any more, no 3-4 [formation]. Just go play. Please don't do anything differently, just go play."

Worth noting

• Maddon says he's "90 percent mentally" set on the lineup for Wednesday's National League Wild Card Game against the Pirates but isn't ready to reveal it yet. All that's certain is that Jake Arrieta will start in the Cubs' first playoff game since 2008.

"I'm getting closer," Maddon said Sunday of his lineup.

He not only wouldn't tell the media anything but hasn't talked to the players yet.

"I want to just keep playing," he said. "Let's win today's game. If [the Pirates] lose, everything kind of changes. There's no travel to worry about. You don't have to worry about getting your wife there and back."

• Is the manager more important in the postseason?

"I think I'm less important, actually," Maddon said. "My intent in the postseason is to try to stay out of the way as much as possible. Overall, it's about the players, it's the players' game. I think it's even more so about them. During the season, there's more manipulation of things regarding lineups, you may try some different things because you have time. In the playoffs, you don't have the same luxury of time. It's more about the players."

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ESPNChicago.com Cubs have some options for wild-card lineup By Jesse Rogers

CHICAGO -- Predicting the Chicago Cubs' playoff roster for the National League wild-card game is a lot less challenging than forecasting the starting lineup for Wednesday’s elimination contest against the Pittsburgh Pirates. With little need for starting pitchers besides Jake Arrieta and one backup in case of injury, the Cubs can stack their roster with extra position players. It means a deeper team and tougher decisions for Joe Maddon’s starting lineup.

Maddon indicated Sunday that his roster and lineup were all but set, though the Cubs don’t have to submit anything to the league until the morning of the game. The final bullpen spot might still be up in the air, but let’s take a look at what the 25-man roster and potential starting lineup could look like.

Pitchers

Arrieta, Jon Lester, Justin Grimm, Pedro Strop, Hector Rondon, Fernando Rodney, , Clayton Richard, Neil Ramirez or CJ Edwards.

The edge for the final spot might go to Ramirez simply because he’s a little more experienced and has been rounding into form the past few weeks. Edwards’ stuff is pretty nasty, so he could also get the nod.

Infield

Anthony Rizzo, Tommy La Stella, Javier Baez, Starlin Castro, , Kris Bryant

Outfield

Kyle Schwarber, Dexter Fowler, Chris Coghlan, Chris Denorfia, Jorge Soler, Quintin Berry, Austin Jackson, Matt Szczur

Catcher

Miguel Montero, David Ross

Based on recent playing time, it looks like Jonathan Herrera is the odd man out, as he hasn’t been in a game since Sept. 9. The Cubs aren’t deep in terms of defensive-oriented outfielders, so Szczur could be useful, and he also gives the team a second pinch runner in case Berry is used.

Starting lineup

Some believe Friday’s lineup in Milwaukee could be the one Pirates starter Gerrit Cole sees Wednesday night (with career numbers against Cole):

Fowler, CF, 3-for-14 (.214)

Schwarber, RF, 1-for-5 (.200)

Bryant, LF, 4-for-9 (.333)

Rizzo, 1B, 6-for-17 (.353)

Castro, 2B, 6-for-17 (.353)

Montero, C, 3-for-5 (.600)

Russell, SS, 2-for-7 (.286)

Arrieta, P

La Stella, 3B, 1-for-6 (.167)

The choice for Maddon comes down to La Stella or Coghlan. Coghlan had a big game Saturday (3-for-4), but La Stella has been steady at the plate as well. There is some difference in defense, as Coghlan is more experienced than Bryant in left field, while Bryant has a similar edge at third base over La Stella. Meanwhile, Coghlan is 2-for-13 in his career against Cole, so that difference with La Stella is negligible.

Here’s the thing that could tip the scales: La Stella has been superb as a pinch hitter. He’s 6-for-14 this year with a .467 on-base percentage. Coghlan is 6-for-26 but does have a pinch-hit home run.

Analysis: Coghlan should start. It means he and Bryant would play their natural positions, while La Stella can come off the bench. Starting La Stella at third and Bryant in left weakens two positions defensively, as well as the bench. Coghlan helped get the Cubs to this point, and he deserves the opportunity to start the wild-card game. Baez and Jackson will be the first defensive replacements off the bench if the Cubs take a lead into the middle to late innings.

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ESPNChicago.com Price of winning: Cubs' Kris Bryant has top-selling MLB jersey By Darren Rovell

Chicago Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant had the best-selling jersey in all of during the regular season, according to sales on the league's official website.

The 23-year-old Bryant is the youngest player to lead the top-20 list, though youth is a theme among those that come off the racks the quickest.

Knocking It Out Of The Park

The Chicago Cubs (80 percent) and New York Mets (95 percent) both saw a sharp increase in merchandise sales this season, with Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant leading the way among jersey sales.

San Francisco Giants pitcher Madison Bumgarner, who is 26, is No. 2, followed by his catcher Buster Posey (28), pitcher (27), center fielder Mike Trout (24) and right fielder Bryce Harper (22).

Thanks to Bryant -- and the team's first postseason berth since 2008 -- the sales of Cubs merchandise this season are up 80 percent year versus a year ago. Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo joins Bryant in the top 10, coming in at No. 8.

Another team that has seen a huge boost in merchandise sales is the New York Mets, who won the NL East for the first time since 2006. Three Mets made the top 20 in jersey sales: pitcher Matt Harvey at No. 9; third baseman David Wright, who was injured for most of the season, at No. 11; and pitcher Jacob deGrom at No. 17.

Mets merchandise sales this season were up 95 percent, according to the league.

Noticeably absent from the top 20 was a representative from the New York Yankees. Derek Jeter, who retired last season, finished the second half of the season with the league's best-selling jersey.

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ESPNChicago.com reflects on Cubs' incredible ride and hopes for October By Jon Greenberg

MILWAUKEE -- Dressed in a navy sport coat and a plaid, button-down shirt, Cubs president Theo Epstein was anything but inconspicuous as he stood behind the 100-level section during Sunday’s regular-season finale.

No matter what he says, no matter how good Jake Arrieta or Kris Bryant or Anthony Rizzo are, no matter how many Binny’s commercials Joe Maddon makes, Epstein is still the face of the Cubs.

This team is his baby. Now, like a proud father, Epstein has to watch the Cubs walk on their own.

As we talked midway through the Cubs’ 3-1 win over the Brewers, Cubs fans stopped for pictures (Epstein obliged) or just took them from a distance like amateur paparazzi. Even two Brewers fans, dressed in head-to-toe gear, wanted a picture with Epstein.

“We take them all,” Epstein said.

Most fans just wanted to thank him. The Cubs are a franchise built on hopes and dreams with the expectation that every season will be unlike the others and that providence smiles on us all -- eventually.

Epstein has been through postseasons both historic and heartbreaking. Some have ended in a snap. Others have lingered for years, replaying over and over.

As the Cubs prepare for a one-game, winner-take-all playoff game against the Pirates on Wednesday, what is scratching at Epstein when he goes to bed and when he wakes up?

“Unfulfilled hopes,” he said. “In October, you have a special team, and you want to see a special run. There’s such an arbitrary nature to it sometimes. A ball bouncing a certain way or a bleeder down the line or something. You want to see teams get what they deserve. I think our guys deserve a lot.”

This is truly a special team, an unselfish but competitive mix of young studs and reliable veterans. Everyone figured Bryant would come up and mash, but no one outside the organization realized Kyle Schwarber would contribute so much. When Starlin Castro was benched, who thought he'd come back and be Mr. September?

"This team all year had that little bit of magic, and they’ve had a special feeling in the clubhouse," Epstein said.

After a 97-win dream season, the Cubs are headed to Pittsburgh on a 5 p.m. flight Monday. If the Cubs can beat the Pirates -- with Cy Young contender Jake Arrieta on the hill, they certainly have a fantastic shot -- then who knows how far they can take this ride?

We've been waiting for this day since August when we realized the Cubs were legit. Now it's almost here, and you want this feeling of expectation to last forever.

On Sunday, Epstein and his general manager, , watched a handful of innings in the seats a dozen rows up from home plate. Then they retreated to the clubhouse to watch TV. By the time the media met with Maddon after the game, the two were in his office watching the Pirates win their 98th game on the mounted TV.

So much of the Cubs' narrative since Epstein was hired in late 2011 has been about his building the franchise -- what moves he could make, what players he could draft. But now he’s stuck watching and cursing just like the rest of us. If the Cubs win, Epstein and the front office will stay busy doing some advance scouting, looking at little things here and there to help Maddon find an edge in matchups. But mostly, he’ll watch and worry.

“Honestly, we’re just observing -- what some people would say we do 365 days a year,” he said. “You just sit back and watch in October.”

How does Epstein watch games in the postseason?

“On the road, in the stands. At home, in the suite,” he said.

No, not literally, Theo. How does someone with so much invested manage to watch the game when every pitch is crucial?

“Employing every defensive mechanism known to man,” he said. “You process it, you’re on the edge of your seat for every pitch. There’s a lot of adrenaline going, and then years later you look back and you’re like, ‘I don’t remember a thing.’ You have to go watch the video. I think when something is out of your control like that, you do sort of defend yourself a little bit.

“In October, it’s an odd feeling to be a nonparticipant in something you’re so invested in. During the regular season, you start counting outs. Maybe, ‘Hey, we need seven more outs. Let’s figure out how are we going to script that.’ You start doing that with 15 outs in the postseason games. Everything’s amplified.”

Although the Cubs haven’t hit Pirates starter Gerrit Cole much this season, Arrieta is on the mound Wednesday, and Epstein likes his chances to be nervous for more than one game. The Cubs are 48-33 on the road this year, just short of the franchise record of 49 wins set in 1945. They are 6-4 at PNC Park this season.

“It’s a good feeling to have a guy like that,” he said. “The players all really believe in Jake -- not just his talent, but who he is as a person. They know he’ll show up big time, and they want to go out and score some runs for him.”

Talking to Epstein on Oct. 4 gave me the chance to reminisce about past Octobers. Past is prologue and all that.

I brought up Oct. 1, 2012, when I went to Wrigley for the Cubs' 100th loss in a 101-loss season. Jason Berken was the Cubs' starter. Dave Sappelt batted second.

Epstein pivoted to Oct. 1, 2013, when he met with the media after firing manager Dale Sveum.

“I remember the questions in that press conference were so negative, so negative,” he said. “And meanwhile, we felt great about what was going on because we knew how talented the young players were and how much the organization had turned around, as far as infrastructure and talent. But it hadn’t manifested at the big leagues. I remember stopping at one point and saying, ‘Look guys, you might look at this as a failure right now, but I can tell you outside this organization, outside this city, people are saying the Cubs are going to be really f---ing good pretty soon.' And we are.”

Pretty good, indeed.

While he was thinking in expletives back then, what he actually said was, “I can tell you, and you don't have to take my word on it, outside the organization, outside the city, the story is the Cubs are coming fast, and the Cubs are coming strong. That's the reality. When you take a step back and assess the talent in the organization, that's accurate."

In 2013, not even Epstein knew the Cubs would be able to land Maddon or sign Jon Lester. A lot of things had to go right for this organization to win 97 games this season. No one could script it or plan it. What we witnessed this season was the magic that makes you care about a team like you put it together yourself.

For the guy who did just that, you can believe this is what he envisioned.

“You have to believe before you see it,” Epstein said. “That’s been an important concept with our organization building and this year with our big league team. I think we were pretty confident that we were going to get there. We were going to have a real core and sustainable success. But we didn’t know when. This was honestly the best- case scenario in terms of the timetable."

Next up is one game. On deck is a lifetime of potential memories.

“This team all year has that little bit of magic, and they’ve had a special feeling in the clubhouse,” Epstein said. “It feels like the type of team that deserves a real run here, and you just want to see them have that.”

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ESPNChicago.com After sizzling finish, young Cubs confident with postseason ahead By Jesse Rogers

MILWAUKEE -- Yes, the Chicago Cubs won 97 games. It really happened. You might need a moment to let that sink in. They even won their final eight games after clinching a postseason spot. These things weren’t supposed to happen this year. Not now. Maybe next.

“It’s a great, great season,” first baseman Anthony Rizzo said after their latest win, 3-1 over the Brewers on Sunday. “Rewind a year ago then fast forward a year, we’re in a great position. It’s on us players to keep repeating that success. In spring training, [manager] Joe [Maddon] said the hardest thing to do is crack the postseason the first time, you learn how to win.”

Boy did they learn. Hanging a few games over .500 in late July they went on a two-month run rarely seen in baseball. The Cubs went 46-19 in their final 65 games. Everything came together. And they did it in the National League Central, the toughest division in baseball. Three teams won 97 or more games.

“To have that many wins to come out of one division that’s never happened before,” Maddon stated. “Very proud of each and every one of our guys.”

He should be. His tight-knit group of young rookies, combined with some grizzled veterans -- along with the best pitcher in the world right now -- put their hard hats on and played the game the right way. Day in and day out there was a different hero.

“Everyone has done their job really well,” catcher David Ross said. “It shows on the field. Guys have gotten better.”

Baseball doesn’t always follow a script. Rookies should get better as a season wears on but sometimes fatigue takes over, or earning a big paycheck for the first time takes their focus, or sometimes it’s just too darn long of a season to maintain a high level of play at their age. But every single rookie contributed, especially in the glorious second half. One guy saw it coming. He doesn’t know how, but he did.

“Sometimes you get a feeling,” Rizzo said. “I can’t explain it. Just have a feeling this was going to be a good year. Just raised our bar. The bar is set from here on out.”

Rizzo made a declaration about 2015 on the final day of last season, then upped the ante in the winter, saying the Cubs would win the division. He was wrong, but was he really?

“You just felt it,” he said. “You felt the winds turn.”

Everyone felt the winds coming but they were supposed to be a year away from producing this kind of energy. Hovering four to five games over .500 in July turned out not to be the ceiling but the floor for the Cubs. Then like a rocket ship they took off. If it wasn’t Kyle Schwarber it was Addison Russell, or the best of the group, Kris Bryant, helping them to wins. Jorge Soler came off the disabled list and contributed and even Javier Baez changed his approach at the plate while quickly becoming a mainstay on defense. Starlin Castro was benched for poor play and then out of nowhere his play got better, leading the league in hitting in September. All along Rizzo put up the most consistent numbers, finishing with 31 home runs, 30 hit-by-pitches and 101 RBIs. Youth was served, and the result was 97 wins. Unheard of for a team this young.

“Joe wasn’t managing to develop guys,” Ross said. “It’s a credit to him.”

There’s enough credit to go around as the pitching staff led by Jake Arrieta also did its job. An all-world second half has placed Arrieta squarely in the sights of the Pittsburgh Pirates one more time in Wednesday's National League wild-card game. Win or go home. Will the young Cubs be as ready as their pitcher?

“The adrenaline will be running a little more,” Rizzo said. “I think we’ll be ready for it. At their place, at our place. We have Jake on the mound. When he’s out there we’re a really loose bunch. We’re excited for it.”

So is a whole nation of Cubs fans. Some felt playing at PNC Park was the best thing for the young group as that’s how crazy Wrigley Field can get for a postseason contest. The feeling being it would be better for the Cubs to be on the road away from it all. But they don't know what they're up against as the veterans on the team -- like Jon Lester -- have repeatedly said the playoffs is nothing that can be explained, they have to be experienced. If the Cubs can hold up in a hostile environment and come out on top on Wednesday, who knows how far this team can go. It has surpassed all reasonable expectations to this point.

“There’s no words that are going to replace experience,” Ross said. “The one thing I will say is have fun.”

It’s what the Cubs have been doing all season under their charismatic manager. Why would they change now?

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ESPNChicago.com Dan Haren, 13-year veteran, to retire when Cubs' season done By Jesse Rogers

MILWAUKEE -- Chicago Cubs right-hander Dan Haren went out on a high note Sunday, winning his final regular- season game, 3-1, over the Milwaukee Brewers before announcing he would retire after the team's postseason is over.

"That was it for me," Haren said after the game. "If I have to pitch in the postseason. I'll be ready for sure."

Haren, 35, isn't likely to make a postseason roster for the Cubs, though he finished strong, giving up just two earned runs over his final 17⅔ innings. He struggled, at first, after being acquired in a July 31 trade with the .

His ERA in August was 6.31, but it was just 2.36 in September.

"Happy the way the last few starts have gone," Haren said. "Being able to contribute to this amazing team. I'm just thankful to be a part of it."

Haren won his 153rd career game on Sunday as he completed his 13th year in the big leagues, producing a 3.60 ERA in his final season; he finished with an 11-9 record.

The Cubs play the Pittsburgh Pirates in a one game wild-card playoff on Wednesday with the winner moving on to face the St. Louis Cardinals in the division series.

"If I don't pitch in the postseason, that's it," Haren stated. "It's been fun. Hopefully there's a lot more games to go. ... If my name is called, I'll be ready."

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ESPNChicago.com Rapid Reaction: Cubs 3, Brewers 1 By Jesse Rogers

MILWAUKEE – The Chicago Cubs beat the Milwaukee Brewers 3-1 on Sunday afternoon to complete the regular season. Here’s a quick look at the year.

Final record: 97-65. In the last 75 years the Cubs have finished with an equal or higher winning percentage just three times: 1945, 1984 and 2008. They were 46-19 in their last 65 games since getting swept and no-hit at home by the in late July.

Leaders

Batting average: Anthony Rizzo, .278

HRs: Rizzo, 31

RBIs: Rizzo, 101

Walks: Dexter Fowler, 84

Strikeouts: Kris Bryant, 199

Stolen bases: Fowler, 20

Wins: Jake Arrieta, 22

ERA (starters): Arrieta, 1.77

ERA (relievers): Hector Rondon, 1.67

Saves: Rondon, 30

What it means: It’s a magnificent finish to a magnificent season as the Cubs rolled their way to a 50-25 second half record. Led by Arrieta, they simply had too much talent to lose more than a few in a row. And the waves of good hitters Joe Maddon had at his disposal, especially starting in September, simply overwhelmed the opposition. The Cubs enter the postseason on a roll, especially on the mound, where they gave up a total of nine runs in their final eight games, all wins. Some of that should be taken with a grain of salt considering the opponents, but confidence is high and the bullpen is rested. Maddon could not have asked for a better situation as he was able to rotate players in and out in the final week without worrying about the effect in the standings. The Cubs took advantage of clinching an early playoff spot and can feel as prepared as possible for what awaits next.

What’s next: The Cubs return to Chicago on Sunday night before leaving for Pittsburgh on Monday evening, where they’ll have a workout Tuesday. The Cubs take on the Pittsburgh Pirates in the National League wild card game on Wednesday night where Arrieta (22-6, 1.77) will face Gerrit Cole (19-8, 2.60).

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CSNChicago.com Ready for Pittsburgh: Cubs storm into playoffs with 97 wins By Patrick Mooney

MILWAUKEE – Playoffs? Joe Maddon almost sounded like he had been pregaming a little too hard before his first press conference at last November.

And then the new Cubs manager offered to buy everyone the first round The Hazleton Way – a shot and a beer – at the bar opposite the Wrigley Field marquee. Whatever, forget it, he’s rolling.

But this party will continue into October, the Cubs finishing an unbelievable regular season with 97 wins after Sunday’s 3-1 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park.

As crazy as that would have sounded at the beginning of spring training – when Maddon kept talking about the playoffs, man – how about that only being good enough for third place in the National League Central?

The Pittsburgh Pirates finally clinched home-field advantage for the wild-card game on Sunday, beating the 4-0 to notch their 98th win.

So the Cubs will fly to Pittsburgh on Monday, work out at PNC Park on Tuesday and start potential Cy Young Award winner Jake Arrieta on Wednesday against Gerrit Cole (19-8, 2.60 ERA) and a Pittsburgh team that’s been hardened by earning three postseason appearances in the last three years.

“Obviously, the adrenaline’s going to run a little more,” Anthony Rizzo said. “But I think we’re ready for it. We played tough games against Pittsburgh all year – at their place, at our place – and we got Jake on the mound. We know when he’s out there, we’re a really, really loose bunch. We’re excited for it.”

Rizzo – who got his 100th and 101st RBIs with a bases-loaded single in the first inning – had stood in the same visiting clubhouse after Game 162 last season and said it was finally time to compete.

That was before Maddon escaped from his contract with the , Jon Lester signed a $155 million megadeal to make history in Chicago and Kris Bryant, Addison Russell and Kyle Schwarber made their big-league debuts.

The All-Star first baseman then predicted a division title during a stop at a local elementary school leading up to Cubs Convention. The St. Louis Cardinals won the Central, but this is still a 24-game improvement from 2014.

“I just had a feeling that this was going to be a good year,” Rizzo said. “I obviously said it in January. But we just raised our bar. The bar is set from here on out – to keep repeating this.”

The Cubs watched Arrieta develop into a 22-game winner and finish with the lowest post-All-Star break ERA in major-league history (0.75). Bryant became an All-Star and had a Rookie of the Year season with 26 homers and 99 RBI.

Dexter Fowler had a sensational walk year, scoring 102 runs and filling holes at the top of the order and in center field. Hector Rondon – the Rule 5 guy – saved 30 games and put up a 1.67 ERA.

“I’m really hoping or anticipating that our guys are going to be the same,” Maddon said. “That’s why I preach it all year long – I want us to play the same game. We’re not going to do anything differently.

“There’s not going to be anything new to put in there. There’s no new packages. We’re not running a new offense. We’re not going to blitz any more. No 3-4 (defense). Please don’t do anything differently. Just go play.”

The Cubs have gone 46-19 since getting no-hit by Cole Hamels and swept by the Philadelphia Phillies, the worst team in baseball, finding another gear that Theo Epstein’s front office didn’t see coming in Year 4 of the rebuild.

The Cubs won 34 one-run games this year, 23 in their last at-bat and 13 in a walk-off celebration, showing mental toughness and pitch-to-pitch focus for a goofy bunch that likes to rub helmets and have dance parties in the clubhouse.

The Cubs closed with an eight-game winning streak and a real sense of momentum knowing Arrieta will stare down the Pirates in a one-game playoff.

“We like our chances,” pitching coach Chris Bosio said. “We feel good about it. Everybody is pulling in one direction, believing. And that’s a powerful thing when you got millions and millions of fans and players and personnel all believing we can pull this thing off.

“We’re on a good roll. We just want to keep rolling. All we want to know is if it’s a day game or a night game.”

It will be a 7 p.m. CST start on Wednesday in Pittsburgh and we’ll see how this group responds under the bright lights of October. The Cubs essentially had identical records at Wrigley Field (49-32) and on the road (48-33) this year and have an anytime/anywhere attitude with Arrieta on the mound.

After finishing in fifth place five times during his first five seasons, making three All-Star teams, losing his job at shortstop and moving to second base without complaint, Starlin Castro might appreciate this more than anybody else inside the clubhouse.

“We worked so hard to be good,” Castro said. “And now is the time. Just keep showing it.”

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CSNChicago.com Why Cubs believe Addison Russell is ready for playoff spotlight By Patrick Mooney

MILWAUKEE – Addison Russell has become a billboard for The Cubs Way, how a franchise slowly built a playoff contender and then suddenly became one of the hottest teams and best stories in baseball.

The Cubs believe Russell is ready for October, even if he was born in 1994 and thinks of the 2007 Boston Red Sox as the first playoff team that really caught his attention as a kid growing up in Florida.

Russell is in position to become the fifth-youngest shortstop to ever start a playoff game, according to FanGraphs, with Edgar Renteria – a World Series hero for the 1997 Florida Marlins – being the only one younger in the last 40 years.

But at 21 years and almost nine months, Russell hasn’t shown any signs of being overwhelmed by playing a marquee position for an iconic team in a major market.

“Hopefully, emotions will be calm,” Russell said. “It will still be a little anxious, a little nervous. I think that’s good.”

Russell’s fast-track development helps explain why the Cubs will be playing the Pittsburgh Pirates in the National League wild-card game on Wednesday night at PNC Park.

“He’s in his own little cocoon right now, which I kind of dig,” manager Joe Maddon said. “He’s got the blinders on – in a good way. And he’s just playing baseball as he knows how. He does it the right way. For me, he does everything the right way.”

For Theo Epstein, dealing Jeff Samardzija on the Fourth of July last year signaled the end of his front office going into seasons planning to be trade-deadline sellers.

The assumption was the Cubs would have to get a big-time pitching prospect in return, but Oakland A’s general manager/“Moneyball” architect Billy Beane made an offer they couldn’t refuse.

Going for the position player made sense for an administration that has used four first-round picks on hitters – including Kris Bryant and Kyle Schwarber – and planned to overpay for pitching (Jon Lester’s six-year, $155 million megadeal).

Chairman Tom Ricketts called the Samardzija trade an “inflection point” for the organization, essentially the last of the holdover shorter-term assets that needed to be moved – a clean break from the past and a look toward the future.

When the Cubs promoted Russell in late April and made him their everyday second baseman – after only 14 career games on the Triple-A level – it showed the front office thought this team had a chance to win now and would act aggressively.

When the Cubs demoted Starlin Castro in early August, Russell handled it in a way that didn’t disrespect a three- time All-Star shortstop, part of a larger story about this team’s unselfish nature and the rookies who didn’t let all the hype go to their heads.

“There’s definitely a lot of things I had to learn on the fly,” Russell said. “Just playing with these guys in spring, I knew that we had a good thing going, from the pitching that we have to the young talent (to) the veteran guys that have been here (before). (We) can play.”

Super-agent Scott Boras described his client as an “old soul.” Russell, who has a fiancé, Melisa, and a newborn son, Aiden, had to agree with that scouting report.

“I just really chill,” Russell said. “I’m just kind of observant. I don’t really say much. But I’m watching. I’m gathering information.”

That’s reading swings, analyzing defensive positioning and collecting intelligence on pitchers. Or posting a video of the team’s foggy postgame celebration/dance party/lightshow on his Facebook page.

Russell went into Game 162 leading the team – and ranking seventh in the league – by seeing 4.12 pitches per plate appearance. Baseball-Reference rated him as a 3.5 WAR player. A recent ESPN survey ranked him fourth in Defensive Runs Saved – at second base and at shortstop. His 13 homers, 29 doubles and 54 RBI got overshadowed at or near the bottom of a deep lineup.

“Beyond everything you’re seeing, it’s his respect for everything around him,” Maddon said. “He respects where he’s at, who he’s playing (and) what’s come before him. He respects everything. And I think that’s going to be a big part of his success.

“Because you’re never going to see him get ahead of himself or think he’s got it licked or whatever. He’s always going to maintain this method that you see right now.

“It’s not just about hits. You can see the force in his swing. You can see him being on time against all kinds of pitches. You can see him laying off of some breaking balls right now.

“But at his age and his point of development…think about a year or two years from now and what it’s going to look like. It’s going to be really good.”

That’s why the Cubs believe they are built to last, whether it’s one-and-done or a long playoff run that keeps Wrigleyville rocking throughout October.

“Anything that it takes to come out on top,” Russell said, “I think that we have the type of team to do it.”

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CSNChicago.com Dan Haren will retire once Cubs finish playoff run By Patrick Mooney

MILWAUKEE – Dan Haren had already been leaning toward retirement when the Cubs made a deal with the Miami Marlins in the final hours before the July 31 trade deadline, trying to stabilize the back end of their rotation with a veteran presence.

Haren is a thoughtful pitcher with a good sense of humor and a Twitter handle that makes fun of his diminished velocity: @ithrow88.

Haren – a three-time All-Star – joked that he didn’t want to make it official in case he decided to pull a Brett Favre.

But Haren confirmed what seemed obvious after Sunday’s 3-1 victory over the Milwaukee Brewers, standing in front of his locker inside Miller Park’s visiting clubhouse and saying he intends to retire as soon as the Cubs finish their playoff run.

“I have no desire to pitch next year,” Haren said after limiting the Brewers to one run across six innings. “That was it for me. If I have to pitch in the postseason, I will be ready, for sure. I feel actually really good with where I’m at. My stuff’s been pretty crisp. But if I don’t pitch in the postseason, that’s it.”

The Cubs have Jake Arrieta ready for Wednesday night’s National League wild-card game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park. Jon Lester, their $155 million lefty, would be in position to start Game 1 against the St. Louis Cardinals in the next round. It’s unclear how Jason Hammel and Kyle Hendricks would line up in a five-game series.

Whatever happens, Haren will go out with a bulldog reputation, reaching 30 starts, double-digit victories and at least 175 innings in each of the last 11 seasons. The right-hander put up 153 wins, a career 3.75 ERA and 2,013 strikeouts in 2,419-plus innings.

“I want to go out by playing in November,” Haren said. “But I don’t know what’s in store for the pitching staff. I’m not going to speculate or anything like that. If my name’s called, I’ll definitely be ready.

“I really like the way I’ve been throwing the ball the last couple times, so my confidence is high. And if we need me, we need me. But first thing’s first.”

Haren, who has pitched in five postseason series, turned 35 last month and went 4-2 with a 4.01 ERA in 11 starts for the Cubs down the stretch.

“Ninety-seven wins,” Haren said. “I’m just thankful for being a part of it. I know I did very little when it comes down to 162 games, spring training, all the work these guys put in. But it’s been really fun and hopefully there’s a lot more games to go.”

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CSNChicago.com Everybody loves Kris: Cubs' Bryant has the league's top-selling jersey By Mark Strotman

Everybody loves Kris.

Kris Bryant had steep expectations entering his rookie season with the Cubs, and somehow managed to exceed them. So did his jersey sales.

According to MLB's official website, Bryant had the league's top-selling jersey during the regular season. Anthony Rizzo was also featured in the top-10, coming in at No. 8.

The Cubs' 97-win season did wonders for merchandise sales, which were up 80 percent from a year ago (when the team won just 73 games), according to ESPN's Darren Rovell. Rovell also reports Bryant, 23, is the youngest player to lead the top-20 list.

Here's how the rest of the top-10 shook out: (1) Bryant (2) Madison Bumgarner, Giants (3) Buster Posey, Giants (4) Clayton Kershaw (5) Mike Trout, Angels (6) Bryce Harper, Nationals (7) Hunter Pence, Giants (8) Rizzo (9) Matt Harvey, Mets (10) Andrew McCutchen, Pirates

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Chicago Tribune No wrong way for Cubs fans to feel about wild-card game By Paul Sullivan

One of the great debates on sports talk radio Friday afternoon was how Cubs fans should behave heading into Wednesday night's wild-card game against the Pirates at PNC Park.

Should you be cautiously optimistic and prepare for the worst, dulling the pain if the Cubs happen to lose?

Or should you put all negative thoughts aside and try to will the Cubs to victory through positive vibes, showing confidence in a team that has beaten the Pirates in the season series?

The truth of the matter is it doesn't matter how you approach the Cubs' first playoff game since 2008.

The Cubs will not be negatively affected if you're thinking about the ghosts of Chicago past, and they won't play any better if you pray in front of your TV.

They'll win if they get some timely hitting off Gerrit Cole and a typical outing from Jake Arrieta.

If not, they'll go home.

It's just that simple.

It'll have nothing to do with you or your deceased relatives who loved the Cubs and never got a chance to see them win. It'll have nothing to do with an alleged curse created by a bar owner to sell cheeseburgers and beer. It will have nothing to do with a magician or a flamingo.

The wild-card game will be won or lost by the performances of the same players you've watched win 97 games, the third most in the majors, and nothing else.

So act however you want, and don't let anyone tell you it's the wrong way.

If it makes you feel better to burn candles, wear an Ernie Banks jersey and move your mother's picture next to the TV, go ahead and do it. If you want to moan about the injustice of a do-or-die postseason game after a 162-game season, feel free to rant. And if you want to use every painful playoff moment in history as a reminder of what might happen, that's your right as well.

But before you go into game-time mode, please review some of the pertinent facts:

•The Pirates are the best team in baseball since May 9 (85-48), and Cole has allowed only one extra-base hit to the Cubs this year in four starts.

•The Cubs are 46-19 (.708) since July 27 and ended the season with an eight-game winning streak.

•Arrieta's 0.75 ERA in the second half was the best of any starter in baseball history, and he shut out the Pirates on two hits over seven innings just last week.

•Cubs hitters led the majors in strikeouts with 1,518 and were third from the bottom with runners in scoring position (.237).

•Pirates closer Mark Melancon saved 51 of 53 games and their bullpen was the best in the majors. They're 84-1 when leading after eight innings.

•The Cubs are 48-33 on the road, their best road record since 1945, and won three of four in Pittsburgh two weeks ago.

Objectively speaking, these are two great teams and longtime rivals going head-to-head, and it figures to be a fascinating, low-scoring game in which every strategic move will be under the microscope.

Any old kind of a run might win it, as would say, which is why the Cubs were practicing their bunting Saturday in Milwaukee.

It's safe to say the Cubs are peaking at the right time, just in time for the Wrigley Field ivy to change colors. The Cubs will only see it if they beat the Pirates, and there is no reason they can't.

Many, including former manager Lou Piniella, think if the Cubs manage to win Wednesday they can handle the Cardinals in the National League Division Series, based on how the teams played down the stretch.

If you want to look that far ahead and start planning the rotation, that's fine.

But the Cubs can only afford to look at one game, a mantra that has served them so well under Joe Maddon this year.

One of my favorite postgame moments this season occurred Friday night in Milwaukee when someone asked Arrieta his confidence level going into Wednesday's start.

"Pretty good," he said with a grin.

There's no one else you'd rather have in the driver's seat if you're a Cubs fan, so you also should feel "pretty good" heading into the game.

But if your heart gets broken again, well, you've already proved it mends.

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Chicago Tribune With 97 wins under their belt, Cubs confident heading to Pittsburgh By Mark Gonzales

The only regret the Cubs expressed after completing their 97-victory season with an eight-game winning streak was not being able to play Wednesday night's National League wild-card game at Wrigley Field.

"How could you possibly be disappointed with anything the players have done?" manager Joe Maddon said Sunday before learning that the Cubs would travel to Pittsburgh for the wild-card game following their 3-1 victory against the Brewers.

The Cubs (97-65) fell one game short of catching the Pirates (98-64) for home-field advantage in Wednesday night's win-or-go-home showdown.

Aside from rookie Kris Bryant falling short of 100 RBIs, the final eight games couldn't have been scripted much better for a Cubs team that made a 24-game improvement with an influx of marquee rookies and a breakout season from 22-game winner Jake Arrieta, who will face Gerrit Cole on Wednesday night.

"We're very confident with Jake on the mound," said Dan Haren, who pitched six innings of three-hit ball in what could be the final game of his career. "Everyone feels good going in there. With 97 wins, we like our chances."

Although the Cubs would have preferred to play the wild-card game in front of their fans, they're just as confident in their chances after posting a major-league-best 48-33 road record — one win shy of their franchise record set in 1945.

They won their final nine road games — including three over the Pirates on Sept. 15-17.

"I personally like playing there," said Anthony Rizzo, who capped his second consecutive All-Star season with a two-run single in the first inning that gave him a career-high 101 RBIs. "But we've just got to out and play. (The Pirates' fans) will be loud, but we'll be ready."

Rizzo, who hit 31 home runs, became the first Cubs player since Alfonso Soriano (2012) to hit at least 30 home runs and drive in 100 runs.

Bryant didn't carry his late struggles at the plate to third base, where he took away two hits in the last two games. Fellow rookie Addison Russell didn't commit an error at shortstop in 43 consecutive games, a streak that ended Thursday.

"Usually there's a clinch, and then there's a letdown," veteran catcher David Ross said. "We haven't had that. These guys come to work every day and go about their business very professional-like. They're really mature for how old they are.

"It's a credit to the coaching staff with how they've worked with these guys and talked to them and communicated with what they want them to do. It's a good group to be a part of. We're excited to go to Pittsburgh."

The Cubs season could end abruptly with a loss to the Pirates, but Brewers slugger Ryan Braun said he is impressed with the Cubs' long-term prospects.

"Certainly they're set up really well for the foreseeable future," Braun told reporters. "That's the blueprint.

"They have blue-chip prospects and depth. Everything they've done is something we can look to and hope to accomplish."

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Chicago Tribune Cubs to travel to Pittsburgh for wild-card game By Mark Gonzales

Despite finishing the season with an eight-game winning streak and a 97-65 record, the Chicago Cubs will travel to Pittsburgh for the National League wild-card game Wednesday night against the Pirates at PNC Park.

The Pirates’ win over the Cincinnati Reds improved their record to 98-64, one game ahead of the Cubs for the top wild-card berth in the NL. Had the Cubs and Pirates finished tied, the Cubs would have hosted the wild-card game by virtue of winning the regular season series 11-8.

Cubs’ 22-game winner Jake Arrieta will face Gerrit Cole in the wild-card game at 7:08 p.m. and will be televised by TBS.

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Chicago Tribune Cubs bullpen needs will guide final calls on wild-card roster By Mark Gonzales

Only a few decisions regarding the makeup of the bullpen are left before the Cubs finalize their 25-man roster for Wednesday night's National League wild-card game against the Pirates.

"The last couple days may have helped solidify some last-minute decisions," said manager Joe Maddon, who met Sunday morning with President Theo Epstein and general manager Jed Hoyer. "I don't think it's going to be a difficult decision when we get there because we've done work in advance of the moment, like everyone else."

Maddon was able to rest closer Hector Rondon and setup men Pedro Strop and Fernando Rodney during a 3-1 win over the Brewers on Sunday. Justin Grimm and Travis Wood each pitched an inning. They're expected to join Trevor Cahill and Clayton Richard on the roster.

Left-hander Jon Lester could serve as an emergency backup to starter Jake Arrieta. That could leave them deciding whether to carry Neil Ramirez or another position player.

Quintin Berry stole a base Sunday and is 27-for-28 in his career. He likely will make the roster as a base-stealing specialist.

Hammel's tips: Jason Hammel provided sage advice to Grimm and others who will experience the playoffs for the first time.

"The thing I tell guys who haven't done it before is that it's like opening day every day for about a month," Hammel said. "All the energy from the fans, obviously a few nerves. It's a lot of fun and never a dull moment in these games."

Hammel told Grimm he wasn't nervous when he pitched the fifth and deciding game of the 2012 American League Division Series for the Orioles at .

"It was a lot of fun because you were in the same division, and I pitched at Yankee Stadium a few times," Hammel said. "You get a feel for it. As long as you don't let the moment take you and cover you up, you'll be able to handle it fine."

Haren's last hurrah: Dan Haren reiterated that this is his last season after beating the Brewers and improving his career record to 153-131.

"That was it for me," Haren said. "If I have to pitch in the postseason, I'll be ready, for sure."

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Chicago Tribune Sunday's recap: Cubs 3, Brewers 1 By Mark Gonzales

The Cubs took advantage of a hit batsman and two walks to score three runs in the top of the first inning Sunday to beat the Brewers 3-1. Dan Haren, who likely will retire after this season, allowed three hits in six innings. The Cubs need a loss by the Pirates to the Reds to earn home field advantage in the National League wild-card game Wednesday night.

At the plate

Anthony Rizzo hit a two-run single in the first to increase his RBI total to 101. Kris Bryant entered the game with an 0-for-13 slump but reached base safely in each of his four at-bats and finished with 99 RBIs.

On the mound

Haren kept the Brewers’ aggressive batters off-balance with his split-finger fastball and curve. Haren retired the final nine batters he faced.

In the field

Shane Peterson’s drive sailed over the head of Chris Denorfia in left field for an RBI ground rule double in the third. Second baseman Starlin Castro was in the right spot after Adam Lind’s grounder caromed off the glove of Rizzo at first for the final out in the third.

Key number

4 – Cubs left-handed hitters who have hit 30 home runs and drove in 100 runs in a season in franchise history.

The quote

“There’s not going to be anything new to put in there, not any new packages. We’re not going to bring in a new offense. We’re not going to blitz anymore. No 3-4 (defense). Just go play.” – Joe Maddon

Up next

vs. Pirates (site TBD), 7:08, TBS

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Chicago Sun-Times Wherever the Cubs' ride ends, it started with Anthony Rizzo By Gordon Wittenmyer

MILWAUKEE – Writing about former Cubs teammate Anthony Rizzo for The New Yorker magazine recently, ex-big- league infielder Adrian Cardenas describes playing second base in 2012 next to the rookie first baseman.

“He would heckle me,” Cardenas writes. “Mid pop fly, he’d warn me not to run into a tree, or trip over a computer; when a batter hit a towering fly ball, he’d ask if it was too high for me to catch, if I needed assistance. … It was just his way to keep a teammate loose.”

As if the Cubs didn’t have enough problems on their way to 101 losses that year.

Three years later, Rizzo is a two-time All-Star and middle-of-the-order linchpin for a team with as many wins as any Cubs team in 70 years.

And he’s still doing it.

Teammates Starlin Castro and rookie Addison Russell describe getting the high-popup treatment this year, whether it’s a “don’t miss it,” “watch out for that skateboard,” or simply a last-second, “Castro, you got it.”

“I say, `You might let me know with more time,’ “ Castro said. “Yeah, he’s funny.”

Funny enough to laugh all the way to the playoffs in his fourth season as a key cornerstone to the rebuild – maybe the key.

“If we can’t handle that, how are we going to handle a World Series?” said Rizzo, whose two-run single in the first gave him 101 RBIs and helped the Cubs’ to a 3-1 victory over the Brewers in Sunday’s season finale – the Cubs’ 97th win of the season and eighth straight.

Amid the din and hype surrounding the parade of rookie sensations this year, the rising figure of Jake Arrieta as an ace, the attention-grabbing bottom line of Jon Lester and the omnipresent celebrity of first-year manager Joe Maddon, there is Rizzo.

Always Rizzo. Every day. The most important hitter in the Cubs’ lineup. The party starter after each of those 97 wins this year.

“The face of the Cubs,” rookie Kris Bryant said.

It’s no accident that Rizzo has had the same front office throughout his professional career, despite being traded twice as a minor-leaguer – first by Boston’s Theo Epstein to San Diego’s Jed Hoyer, then from San Diego to Epstein and Hoyer, barely two months after the executives reunited in Chicago.

“We loved his makeup,” Cubs general manager Hoyer said of first impressions of Rizzo when drafted in the sixth round by the Red Sox in 2007. “We always thought he’d get the most out of his ability.”

Even when Epstein traded Rizzo in 2010 to second-year Padres GM Hoyer in a deal for San Diego’s All-Star first baseman Adrian Gonzalez, he told him: “I promise I’m going to get you back some day.”

It was a rare and emotional vow for Epstein, who had no idea it would turn out like this, in this place.

“I just liked him as a player,” the Cubs’ team president said. “And I’d gotten to know him and his family really well. I just felt like there was a connection there and a chance to get him back.”

Epstein and the rest of that Red Sox front office naturally became closer to Rizzo during his 2008 diagnosis and successful treatment for Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.

But the subsequent trades were about baseball – especially when Hoyer’s old Padres made him available during the first winter of the Epstein-Hoyer bulldozing operation in Chicago.

“I’m very lucky,” said Rizzo, whose relationship was so solid with this front office, the sides nailed down a seven- year, $41-million contract in 2013 before he had a full year in the big leagues.

He rebounded from a tough season that year to hit 30 homers in back-to-back All-Star seasons and become the major influence on the front office’s first Cubs playoff team – in the lineup and off the field – to make that contract look like one of the most team-friendly deals in baseball.

“At the time I thought it was a really fair deal,” he said, “and I still have no regrets on it.”

The Cubs? Rizzo, 26, not only has produced at an MVP-contender level, but also befriended Bryant and approached Russell when he debuted in April to trust the other guys in the clubhouse.

“He said we got each other’s backs,” Russell said. “That stuck with me.”

“With this team when we’re playing all these young players and knowing what you’re getting out of Rizzo in the middle of the lineup has been just unbelievably valuable,” Hoyer said. “That steadying force has really allowed those young guys to mature in-season.

“He’s an essential building block for what we’re trying to do and I think he will be for a long time.”

Rizzo doesn’t want to be anywhere else, he said, enjoying a comfort level and stature within an organization few players with his experience level find.

“I’m not saying I’m going to rest on my laurels because I’m so comfortable,” he said. “I’ve just got to keep working.

“But the biggest thing in the big leagues is to get comfortable. And it’s so hard to do that at this level.”

Whether it’s the front office, the familiarity of the ballpark game-day personnel there, he says, or teammates, the fan base or even the rhythms of the travel.

“I’m grateful every day,” he said.

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Chicago Sun-Times Cubs need to beat Pirates to give Chicago a fall foliage tour of Wrigley By Rob Morrissey

I want to see red ivy. I want to see the outfield bricks at Wrigley Field in their autumn wardrobe, ablaze in exotic, rarely seen postseason colors.

Is that asking so much? You can count on your glove hand the number of seasons that we’ve been able to see inside Wrigley in October the past 25 years. Would one more be asking the world?

To see red, the Cubs need to beat the Pirates in Pittsburgh on Wednesday night in a one-game playoff. If they don’t, the growth on the outfield walls will be bare vines the next time we see them in spring. Which would be the dreaded Next Year. So, yeah, no pressure.

A victory would send the Cubs into a best-of-five series against the Cardinals, meaning at least one game in Chicago. Can you imagine? Wrigleyville would be a sloshy, glorious mess. Inside the ballpark, given the decibel and stress levels of the spectators, we just might find out the structural integrity of Wrigley’s renovations. And the sight of that ivy, giving in to nature. Man.

There’s so much to this one game in Pittsburgh, possibly too much. There’s the burden of advancing to the next round with history bending backs. But this team has stated over and over again, and proven over and over again in a 97-victory season, that it doesn’t look at things the way long-time fans and media do. You can’t be haunted by the past, the players say, if you don’t even know what it is.

If they do feel the past tugging at them Wednesday, they can look to the mound for comfort. Jake Arrieta has a 0.75 earned-run average in five starts against Pittsburgh this season.

He doesn’t appear concerned about anything. On Sunday, when a Pirates fan tweeted “Be ready for a sea of black’’ with the hashtag #GoingToEatYouAlive,’’ Arrieta was quick with a reply:

“Whatever helps keep your hope alive, just know, it doesn’t matter.’’

As I mentioned the other day, this is the year for the Cubs to do what needs to be done. Whatever projections you might have for the next few seasons are just that – projections. This is real. You can hold it, feel it. And maybe even look at it.

We might get to see red ivy. White Sox fans consider it an invasive plant.

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Chicago Sun-Times Kris Bryant leads MLB jersey sales By Demario Phipps-Smith

Cubs do-it-all player Kris Bryant has the top selling jersey in the MLB, according the league’s official website.

This season, Bryant is heading the likes of Washington’s Bryce Harper, San Francisco’s Madison Bumgarner and Los Angeles’ Clayton Kershaw.

Although Bryant is the youngest of the group (23), the Giants’ catcher Buster Posey and Pittsburgh’s Andrew McCutchen are the elder statesmen of the top-10 at merely 28. Jersey sales are dominated by the young guns this year.

According to ESPN, Cubs merchandise sales this season are up 80 percent year versus a year ago. Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo also joins Bryant in the top-10 at No. 8.

Bryant has been more than advertised in his highly successful opening campaign in the majors. For the Cubs, he’s hit 26 homers and 99 RBIs with a .275 batting average.

I’m not sure what fans like most; his gorgeous swing or winter blue eyes?

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Chicago Sun-Times Cubs 'raised bar' with 97-win season, look for more in Pittsburgh By Gordon Wittenmyer

MILWAUKEE – They didn’t get home field for the wild-card game like they set out Sunday to steal, but the Cubs delivered on something much bigger when they finished off a 97-win season by beating the Milwaukee Brewers 3- 1 at Miller Park.

“We just raised our bar,” first baseman Anthony Rizzo said. “And the bar’s set from here on out, to keep repeating this. Now it’s on us to repeat this next year. Now it’s on us to go out and compete in the postseason.”

The Cubs’ eight-game winning streak to close the regular season gave them a chance to secure home field for Wednesday’s wild-card playoff against the Pirates – until the Pirates beat the Reds in their season finale.

The last time the Cubs won 97 games, in 2008, they had the best record in the National League; this time it’s good for third place in the NL Central – the first time in 47 seasons of division alignment that the top three records in the majors came out of one division.

“How could you possibly be disappointed with anything our players have done this year,” said Cubs manager Joe Maddon, who predicted this unlikely playoff berth during his introductory press conference last fall when he was hired. “It’s pretty phenomenal.”

The Cubs play Wednesday night in a win-or-go-home playoff in Pittsburgh – where they have won six of 10 games. The winner of that game opens the division series in St. Louis two days later.

“It’s going to be a different environment, obviously,” World Series veteran David Ross said. “But we’ve played well there. We know that team, they know us; they know we’re good, we know they’re good.

“The one-and-done is exciting. It’s definitely different than the norm, but it’s a fun different. The focus level will be through the roof. I’m getting chills thinking about it.”

Notes: When Dan Haren (11-9) allowed just one run in six innings, it gave the Cubs’ starting pitchers a 0.35 ERA in 51 1/3 innings (and 7-0 record) over the final eight games. …Rizzo singled home two runs in the first inning to reach 100 RBIs for the first time in his career. He’s one of four left-handed hitters in franchise history to have 30 homers and 100 RBIs in a season. … Rookie of the Year favorite Kris Bryant (who missed the first eight games for service-time considerations) walked three times and singled and finished with 99 RBIs – drawing walks in both at- bats with a man in scoring position. “Just shows he’s not a selfish player,” Rizzo said. Said Maddon: “It’s too bad, but obviously it gives him something to shoot for next year.”

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Chicago Sun-Times Professor allows Cubs fan to reschedule midterm to attend wild-card game By Dan Cahill

Not sure which is more commendable here—that a teacher helped accommodate a student for the Cubs’ wild-card game or that the student didn’t just play hooky?

According to Sports Illustrated, Ben Larson, a student at University of , appealed to his professor to change an exam that was scheduled for Wednesday, the same day as the Cubs’ wild-card game against the Pirates in Pittsburgh. Larson and his family, longtime Cubs fans, had planned to drive to Pittsburgh to attend the game.

Not only did the teacher oblige, but he gave a classic response: “The universe gives Cubs fans only so many post- season games. They must be savored.”

Hopefully, Ben will need to reschedule many more exams throughout October.

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Chicago Sun-Times Dan Haren is pumped about finishing his career as a .200 hitter By Rob Ogden

Forget the Mendoza line. Call it the Haren line.

With an 0-for-2 performance at the plate in Sunday’s win over Milwaukee, Chicago pitcher Dan Haren finished his career with exactly a .200 batting average.

Haren, 35, plans to retire at the end of the year.

A productive hitter throughout his 13-year career, Haren has 83 career hits with two home runs and 39 RBI. He batted .364 in 2010.

The Cubs acquired Haren from the Marlins at the trade deadline.

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Chicago Sun-Times Pirates earn right to host wild-card game with win over Reds By Rob Ogden

The Pirates will get to host Wednesday’s wild-card game against the Cubs after topping Cincinnati 4-0 on Sunday.

Chicago entered the day one game back of Pittsburgh in the standings, and needed a win and a Pirates loss in order for the game to be played at Wrigley.

The Cubs did their job, as they topped Milwaukee 3-1 for their eighth consecutive win, but couldn’t get any help from the Reds.

Chicago won 11 of 19 games against Pittsburgh in the season series and were 6-4 against the Pirates in games played in Pittsburgh.

Home teams are 2-4 in wild-card games all-time.

The Pirates announced yesterday that ace Gerrit Cole will start Wednesday’s game. Cole was 2-1 with a 2.13 ERA in four starts against Chicago during the regular season.

Pirates name Gerrit Cole wild-card starter against Cubs

Jake Arrieta will get the start for the Cubs.

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Chicago Sun-Times Anthony Rizzo reaches the 100 RBI mark By Kyle Thele

This year’s young Cubs team has had a season full of firsts. All-Star Anthony Rizzo added another first to that list during the first inning of the final game of the regular season.

With the bases loaded and no one out, Rizzo hit a bleeding single into right field. The hit brought home is 100th and 101st RBI of the season.

The runs may not have been Rizzo’s most impressive or most important, but it was a big moment in the young star’s career. This is the first season Rizzo reached the 100 RBI mark, and he’s the first Cubs player to do so since Alfonso Soriano’s 108 in 2012.

He may not be the last of the Cubs players to reach 100. Kris Bryant sits at 99 RBI and will likely have a few more opportunities this game.

The Cubs find themselves in a somewhat unusual position, especially after the last few seasons. They are playing a meaningful game during Game 162 of the season.

A Cubs win, combined with a Pirates loss, would give the Cubs home field advantage in the Wild Card game. The Cubs early three run lead has them sitting in a good position, however the Pirates have also taken an early lead against Cincinnati.

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Daily Herald 9 ways Cubs fans can explore Pittsburgh By Marie Wilson

The Cubs gave it valiant effort.

Despite winning their final eight games and ending the regular season with a 3-1 victory over the Brewers, the Cubs lost home-field advantage for Wednesday's one-game playoff when the Pirates beat the Reds on Sunday.

So, take heart, Cubs fans: How much fun would it be to see the team clinch a trip to the next round? Here's your perfect excuse to dash off on a mini-vacation to Pittsburgh.

Cast aside images of a sooty city defined by steel alone and conjure up a view of a small but sleek downtown, flanked by two rivers that become one, tucked among bright bridges and more mountain-like hills than a flatlander would find in an Illinois lifetime.

Then take I-376 through the Fort Pitt tunnel, and there it all suddenly appears: the glory that is Pittsburgh.

There's plenty to do and see in the hometown of those pesky Pirates for fans who want to take in more than the game and have maybe only about a day to do it.

Check out these nine suggestions -- one for each inning the Cubs and Pirates likely will play to decide who advances to St. Louis -- to experience the Pittsburgh food, brews, views, sites and excitement.

1. Duquesne Incline www.duquesneincline.org/

Taking a ride on the Monongahela Incline in Pittsburgh is a fun way to get a great view of the city. The Mon Incline is closed for repairs, but nearby is the Duquesne Incline, which also offers a fun ride and a similar view.

Take a ride up one of two remaining historic incline cars that still carry commuters from atop Mount Washington down toward the city's commercial core. At the top is a quaint street with nearly a

Stop at one of several overlook points on Mt. Washington in Pittsburgh after riding the Duquesne Incline up for a fantastic view. mile of overlook points that give a great view of downtown and even a glimpse of PNC Park in the distance. A round-trip ride is $5 for adults, $2.50 for kids.

2. Point State Park www.dcnr.state.pa.us/ stateparks/findapark/point/

The fountain at Point State Park in Pittsburgh marks the spot where the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers converge to form the Ohio River.

Walk the outline of the original Fort Duquesne and see where George Washington and other early explorers set up camp in this state park at the convergence of the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers where the Ohio River is born. The fountain is a picturesque spot to prove you went to Pittsburgh!

3. Bike the Burgh www.biketheburgh.com/

Get an unusual view of the city -- from atop two wheels -- and learn about Pittsburgh's cultural and industrial landmarks while getting a little exercise. Bike The Burgh offers a 9-mile tour at 10 a.m. Wednesdays showcasing the city's bridges, history and namesakes. Other tours on Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays feature the downtown, South Side and . A bike isn't included in the tour price, which is about $20 per person. But tours start at one of 50 Healthy Ride bike rental stations across the city, where downloading a $1 app lets users rent wheels by the hour.

4. Primanti's/Strip Dist. www.primantibros.com/

The original Primanti Bros. put coleslaw and fries atop all kinds of meats before weird sandwich toppings were trendy. Still a Pittsburgh classic, but venture to the Strip District to eat one of these handheld meals instead of waiting to stop by the Primanti's booth at PNC Park. The ambience at the original location is better, and the ballpark stand offers only a couple of the dozen or so sandwiches on the full menu. Plus you can show off your Cubs gear among a mecca of Steelers-themed souvenir shops next to fruit and fish markets. A quirky atmosphere that's not to be missed.

5. Historic

The Pittsburgh Pirates played for decades at Forbes Field in the Oakland neighborhood, which now is home to campus town for the University of Pittsburgh. Babe Ruth hit the final three home runs of his career there in 1935. The site was the filming location of "Angels in the Outfield" in 1951. And in 1960, hit a game-winning home run there to clinch the first Pirates World Series in 35 years. See a 12-foot stretch of the original outfield wall at 280 S. Bouquet St. on Pitt's campus. Inside the nearby Mervis Hall, Forbes Field's home plate sits in its original location, despite the building growing up around it. A quick and free way to take a trip down baseball memory lane.

6. Frick Park

www.pittsburghparks.org/frick

Frick Park is the largest municipal park in Pittsburgh, and it's a far cry from any public park in the Midwest. Suburbanites would call it a forest preserve with miles of trails traversing tree-lined ravines and winding along a stream called Nine-Mile Run. It's a beautiful place and a calming escape. Nearby is D's Six Pax & Dogz. Don't necessarily go for the food -- it's fine but not remarkable -- although you can grab a classic Pittsburgh steak salad, which always comes topped with french fries. Stop by for the beer cave in the back, where brew enthusiasts can make a six pack or two from their choice of more than 1,000 local, hard-to-find and unusual beers. Don't expect to see any 312 in here, but there could be some varieties from Yuengling, America's oldest brewer, which is based in .

7. Church Brew Works www.churchbrew.com/

Ever sat in church wanting a drink? It's possible at Church Brew Works, a deconsecrated Catholic church-turned microbrewery in Lawrenceville near the city's Bloomfield neighborhood, which has an Italian influence. House- made beers and great food, and you can still see the altar. Other fun night spots are in the South Side, which isn't a neighborhood to be traversed with caution, like Chicago's South Side. Its Chicago comparison could be Wicker Park -- lots of bars, restaurants and hipsters, but not necessarily the glossy high-end appeal of a Lincoln Park or Lakeview.

8. Heinz History Center www.heinzhistorycenter.org/

Brush up on Iron City sports history at the Western Pennsylvania Sports Museum on the second and third floors of the Heinz History Center -- a building marked with a ketchup bottle pouring into a lighted Heinz sign. Check out exhibits about the Steelers and Penguins and pick up some fun facts about the team the Cubs hope to beat, those darn Buccos. Admission is $16 for adults, $14 for seniors 62 and older, or $6.50 for kids up to age 17 or students with ID. Also in town is the Museum, a historic fire station renovated to showcase artifacts, photos and memorabilia about Clemente, drafted by the Pirates in 1954 and arguably the team's most beloved player and humanitarian. Find the museum at 3339 Penn Ave.

9. PNC Park pittsburgh.pirates.mlb.com/pit/ballpark/

Walking across one of the three yellow "sister bridges" in Pittsburgh from downtown to PNC Park is one popular way to get to a Pirates game like the one-game playoff against the Cubs on Wednesday. The Sixth Street bridge is named for Pirates legend Roberto Clemente.

Whether you walk across the from downtown, take the "T" (a transit line that runs under the river as a subway) through the free downtown zone to the North Shore or drive and park nearby, it's worth getting to PNC Park early to explore. Beyond the outfield is the . Four Pittsburgh baseball greats are highlighted with sculptures around the park -- at the home plate entrance, Roberto Clemente beyond the outfield at the foot of the Sixth Street bridge that bears his name, not far from Clemente, and Bill Mazeroski outside the right-field entrance. Even before Cubs playoff action begins, there's plenty for baseball buffs to absorb at a stadium regarded as one of the favorites in the Major Leagues.

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Daily Herald Chicago Cubs do their part, but Pirates will host wild card By Bruce Miles

MILWAUKEE -- It was in the visitors clubhouse at Miller Park at the end of last season when Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo stated his goal for the 2015 team.

"To be the NL Central champs, to win a division," Rizzo said then.

Some may have accused Rizzo of undue bravado at the time, but he and the Chicago Cubs came close enough to accomplishing what Rizzo talked about.

The Cubs did not win the NL Central this year, but they are going to the playoffs. They beat the Milwaukee Brewers 3-1 on Sunday and even had a chance at homefield advantage for Wednesday's one-game wild-card playoff game.

But the Pittsburgh Pirates earned that right by defeating the Cincinnati Reds to finish with a record 98-64 to the Cubs' 97-65. The St. Louis Cardinals won the National League Central and finished ahead of the Pirates and Cubs with a record of 100-62.

For the Cubs, that's still pretty heady stuff after they ended last season with a record of 73-89.

"Yeah, it's a great, great season," said Rizzo, who hit a 2-run single in the Cubs' 3-run first inning to bring his RBI total to 101. "We did a lot of good things this year. Around a year ago, fast-forward a year, we're in a great position. Success. It's on us players to keep going out and repeating that success."

So what gave Rizzo the confidence to set this kind of goal a year ago and then keep doubling down on it over last winter?

"You just look around," he said. "We finished off pretty good last year. You just felt it … We went into spring training prepared with our expectations to win the World Series."

The victory total of 97 is the highest since the 2008 Cubs won the NL Central with 97. Manager Joe Maddon set a franchise record for most wins in his first year with the Cubs, surpassing Jim Frey's 96 wins in 1984, when the Cubs won the NL East.

Maddon repeated that getting homefield advantage would have been great for the fans, but he cited the Cubs' road record of 48-33, compared with a home mark of 49-32, as being little cause for concern.

"I mean that sincerely, it doesn't' matter except for your fans," he said. "You'd like to play in front of your fans. That would be the separator for me."

The Cubs finished the season with an eight-game winning streak, the first time they've done that in the modern era. The 1884 club, known as the White Stockings, ended with a nine-game winning streak. This edition of the Cubs won eight in a row with Maddon's alchemy using different lineups and putting players in different positions.

"We set out with the specific plan for the week or 10 days and pretty much accomplished that, looking at different people, moving positions around, getting guys at-bats," Maddon said. "Honestly, I think we took care of everything pretty well. I'm pretty pleased with all of that. And while doing that we were still able to win games."

The winning pitcher Sunday was veteran Dan Haren (11-9), working in what he said was the last regular-season game of his career. Haren came to the Cubs from Miami at the July 31 trading deadline. Against the Brewers, he worked 6 innings of 3-hit, 1-run ball.

"It was awesome," he said. "I'm happy with the way the last few starts have gone, able to contribute to this amazing team and 97 wins. I'm just thankful for being a part of it. I did very little when it comes down to the 162 games, spring training, all the work these guys put in. But it's been really fun, and hopefully there's a lot more games to go."

The Cubs watched the end of the Pirates-Reds game in the clubhouse. They could have gained homefield advantage over the Pirates based on head-to-head play, but that didn't stop Maddon from beaming about his team.

"To win that many games … how could you possibly be disappointed with anything our players have done this year?" he said. "It's pretty phenomenal. Just for baseball in general, this division, to have that many wins coming out of one division, I'm certain that never happened before. It's pretty incredible."

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Daily Herald Arlington Heights sports bar owners eager for Cubs game Wednesday By Lauren Rohr

George Callas was 15 years old when he moved from Greece to Chicago, and he was instantly drawn into the Chicago Cubs fan base.

Living and working in the city back then, Callas would buy cheap bleacher tickets to games at Wrigley Field as often as he could. He, along with friends and family, would otherwise watch from a local tavern.

Now, at 73, Callas watches the Cubs game Sunday afternoon from a seat in Gatsby's Sports Pub, the Arlington Heights restaurant he has owned for 26 years, and doesn't bother to conceal his excitement for the team's recent success.

He wants the Cubs to keep winning. More than that, he believes the Cubs can win the World Series.

"We have been waiting for so many years," Callas said. "The city would be thrilled. It'd be wonderful, just wonderful."

It doesn't hurt that the Cubs' success this season bodes well for business, as does the success of any Chicago team, Callas said. He expects hundreds of people -- some new faces and many regular customers -- at his sports bar Wednesday night to watch the Cubs face the Pittsburgh Pirates in a wild-card game that will determine which team advances in the playoffs.

And if the Cubs do advance, Callas said, he expects Gatsby's to be packed every game night after.

"It brings people together," he said.

Glendale Heights resident Troy Trice, however, won't be there, despite making Gatsby's a regular spot to watch sporting events. If the Cubs beat the Pirates -- and he's confident they will -- he already has a room reserved in St. Louis for the first two games against the Cardinals.

"It's really exciting to watch this young team," Trice said. "If someone would've asked me in March if we would've won this many games by the end of the regular season, I would've said, 'no way.'"

Brothers Jim Thompson, of Arlington Heights, and Peter Thompson, of Barrington, watched the Cubs game Sunday at Gatsby's with a group of their friends.

"All Cubs fans are extremely excited. It's been a while since they've had relevant games this late in the season," Peter Thompson said. "There would be a lot of prestige if they played at Wrigley Field (on Wednesday), but we'll take a win either way."

"I want them to win it all," Jim Thompson added.

It's that kind of passion and camaraderie among his customers that makes John Katsiambis, Callas' business partner and nephew, excited for the playoffs.

"I grew up around people who love the Cubs, and I don't think there's another team that has as much love as the Cubs," Katsiambis said.

If not for the customers, Katsiambis hopes the Cubs win the World Series for his uncle.

"He's a die-hard Cubs fan," he said. "He just wants to be alive for when the Cubs win a World Series. It would be an amazing feeling."

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Daily Herald McKnight: Cubs know what to plan for By Connor McKnight

And so the Cubs head to Pittsburgh.

Even as home field for the NL wild-card game was up for grabs until the final pitch of the Pittsburgh Pirates' regular season, a few key elements concerning Wednesday night's game came into focus over the last two days of the year.

To the surprise of absolutely no one, the Pirates announced Saturday that Gerrit Cole will get the start. Cole's August wasn't the best month of his season, but the fact that he posted a 3.13 ERA in those 6 starts only speaks to how good he has been the rest of the year.

What's incredible about his year is the way he has been able to knock the bat out of hitters' hands. He has given up just 11 home runs in his 208 innings. His HR/9 rate of .48 is fourth best among qualified pitchers. It's better than Clayton Kershaw (.59) and Zack Greinke (.55).

It is not, however, better than Jake Arrieta. He leads the league at .39 -- which is simply ridiculous.

Of the Cubs' regulars, only Javier Baez has homered off Cole but it's the only hit Baez has registered against the Pittsburgh ace in 6 at-bats. That's not to say he's the only Cub who has gotten to Cole.

NL MVP candidate Anthony Rizzo is 6/17 with a .862 SLG against Cole over the course of his career. Starlin Castro holds the same 6/17 mark in his.

Cubs rookie Kyle Schwarber hasn't had a great go against Cole (just 1-for-5 this year), but it sounds as if Joe Maddon will get him in the lineup regardless. Schwarber has far better numbers against right-handers (.282/.397/.491) than left-handers (.143/.213/.268).

Schwarber might have a tougher task than just hitting Cole, however. Maddon has hinted at having Schwarber play right field in PNC Park. The thought there may be that Schwarber, whose experience in right adds up to exactly 14 innings this year, would be better off with a shorter and smaller right field than dealing with cavernous left field.

At PNC, right field is cut down some by the out-of-town scoreboard, while center and left combine to make Yellowstone look tiny.

With Castro likely to get the start at second base it leaves a few options for right field. Chris Coghlan ended the season on a bit of a hot streak, but he's just 2-for-13 against Cole.

Austin Jackson closed the year with a good week but has never faced Cole. Also, Jackson doesn't have the platoon advantage. Coghlan does.

Don't count out Jorge Soler even if he doesn't figure to start. Maddon will be liberal in his deployment of pinch hitters -- after all, it's the Cubs' versatility that has been as much a weapon as anything these past two months.

Their biggest and best weapon is where their hope lies. Arrieta carries the season on his shoulders Wednesday, and the world will be watching.

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Daily Herald Cubs' manager Maddon enjoys one-start-fits-all day By Bruce Miles

MILWAUKEE -- Cubs manager Joe Maddon said he liked Major League Baseball's idea of starting all games at 2:10 p.m. CDT Sunday.

A doubleheader between the Cardinals and Braves altered those plans, but that game didn't have any bearing on playoff races.

But for those teams fighting for something, it was a one-start-fits-all kind of day.

The Cubs and Pirates went into Sunday still fighting for the top wild-card spot in the National League. The Pirates won and finished a game ahead of the Cubs for the top wild-card spot.

"I think it's kind of interesting, actually," Maddon said. "I think it's kind of cool. We've got something to deal with here, obviously. It definitely will affect strategy, game in progress."

The situation reminded Maddon of 2011, when he was managing Tampa Bay. The Rays won that day to make the playoffs, with the Boston Red Sox (run by now-Cubs President Theo Epstein) completing an epic collapse.

"We broke badly in that game, 7-0," Maddon recalled. "I was worried about using my bullpen because I thought at least if the Red Sox had lost we'd have a playoff the next day, and I'd have my bullpen fresh. So I didn't use the bullpen until we started coming back in the game. Then I started bringing regular relievers in. Then, of course we eventually won. That game was concurrent with ours at that time. So you're able to look at all that.

"If they all start at the same time and there's something hanging in the balance, it matters. It matters to be able to look at the scoreboard and try to figure out what you want to do."

The lineup card:

Joe Maddon was asked if he had made out his lineup for Wednesday night's wild-card game against the Pirates.

"I'm getting closer," he said. "I would say probably 90 percent mentally I feel good about it. I still want a thing or two to talk about."

Team President Theo Epstein and general manager Jed Hoyer drove up to Milwaukee for Sunday's game. No doubt roster decisions for the wild-card game were discussed, but no announcement was forthcoming.

"Close, pretty close," Maddon said. "The original meeting with all the coaches helped a lot. These last couple days may have helped solidify some last-moment decisions. I don't think it's going to be a difficult decision when we get there (to Pittsburgh) because we've done work in advance of the moment."

The century mark:

First baseman Anthony Rizzo finished the season with 101 RBI, the first time he reached at least 100 for a single year. Rookie third baseman Kris Bryant fell just short, finishing with 99 RBI. Bryant did single once and walk three times Sunday.

"What good at-bats by him today," Rizzo said of Bryant. "Just shows he's an unselfish player."

Rizzo finished with a line of .278/.387/.512 with 31 home runs.

"Especially the last two years, just being very consistent, that's the biggest thing," he said. "You're going to go through ups and downs. I've said it all year. It's baseball. You're going to have good times. You're going to have bad days. Just staying consistent all throughout the year is really important to me. It's important to this team."

Rizzo said he was looking forward to facing the Pirates. The Cubs will send their ace pitcher, Jake Arrieta, against the Pirates' top guy, Gerrit Cole.

"We played tough games against Pittsburgh all year at their place, at our place," he said of the Cubs winning 11 of 19 games. "We're a really, really loose bunch. We're excited for it. We're excited for it top to bottom."

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