April 2, 2018 NBC Sports Chicago, Free and easy: Addison Russell is on fire http://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/cubs/free-and-easy-addison-russell-fire NBC Sports Chicago, Cubs displaying a Jekyll and Hyde offense to start 2018, but it's more complicated than that http://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/cubs/cubs-displaying-jekyll-and-hyde-offense-start-2018-its- more-complicated-rizzo-maddon-heyward-schwarber-baez Chicago Tribune, Cubs' bullpen getting plenty of work in early going http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-spt-cubs-sullivan-20180401-story.html Chicago Tribune, Not enough quality hurts Jose Quintana in Cubs' 6-0 loss http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-spt-cubs-jose-quntana-20180401- story.html Chicago Tribune, Early growing pains — 41 strikeouts vs. Marlins — for Cubs batters http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-spt-cubs-opening-weekend-observations- 20180402-story.html Chicago Tribune, Top Cubs pitching prospect Adbert Alzolay not ready for start of minor-league season http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-spt-cubs-adbert-alzolay-notes-20180401- story.html Chicago Tribune, Cubs get shut out, allow young Marlins to split series http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-spt-cubs-marlins-20180401-story.html Chicago Sun-Times, Jose Quintana gets his turn taking lumps in Cubs’ loss to Marlins https://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/jose-quintana-gets-his-turn-taking-lumps-in-cubs-loss-to- marlins/ Chicago Sun-Times, Cubs’ Rizzo looks forward to Cincinnati after 3-for-20 start to season https://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/cubs-rizzo-looks-forward-to-cincinnati-after-3-for-20-start-to- season/ The Athletic, Four games in, Cubs’ search for consistency continues https://theathletic.com/296704/2018/04/01/four-games-in-cubs-search-for-consistency-continues/ The Athletic, Greenberg: If it's early April that means two of the best sports songs are back https://theathletic.com/297168/2018/04/02/greenberg-if-its-early-april-that-means-two-of-the- best-sports-songs-are-back/ Cubs.com, Big hit elusive as Cubs, Quintana drop finale https://www.mlb.com/cubs/news/jose-quintana-cubs-fall-in-miami-finale/c-270382276 Cubs.com, Maddon keeping close eye on relievers' use https://www.mlb.com/cubs/news/cubs-joe-maddon-keeping-eye-on-relievers-use/c-270383630 ESPNChicago.com, Feast-or-famine offense comes back to haunt Cubs in opening series http://www.espn.com/blog/chicago/cubs/post/_/id/46560/feast-or-famine-offense-comes-back-to- haunt-cubs-in-opening-series -- NBC Sports Chicago Free and easy: Addison Russell is on fire By Tony Andracki MIAMI — To say Addison Russell is back wouldn't really be accurate. Even if the season is only four games old, the Cubs young shortstop is at a level the world hasn't seen in some time. "Addy looks fantastic," manager Joe Maddon said after the Cubs finished a split with the Marlins in a four-game set. In those four games, Russell has reached base 10 times, including five hits. He's also drawn four walks against only one strikeout while roping line drives from foul line to foul line. He's also flashing the leather, making a pair of highlight-reel diving/sliding plays Sunday to preserve Jose Quintana's no-hitter (that only lasted through four innings). His arm looks strong and accurate, his release quick. In January, Russell said he was back at 100 percent physically from the shoulder and foot maladies that ailed him in 2017. But he's also in the right place mentally, helping him lock in after a year of turmoil off the field. "Early on in my career, it was pretty tough for me to kinda separate what I had going on off the field and what I had to do here while I was at work — playing baseball," Russell said. "But this year, definitely learning to separate the two and then focus in on what I have to do here and what my body needs for me to go out there and perform and that works on the mental side as well." The 24-year-old shortstop is in his fourth year in the big leagues and said he feels free and easy at the plate. Calm, confident, in control mentally and physically. And it's all because of...a hit-by-pitch. In his first plate appearance of 2018, Russell was plunked by Jose Urena and that was enough to get him going by relaxing him at the plate. "Me getting on base that first at-bat was huge," he said. "It's a beanball, but still, it kinda puts it into your head like, the season's here. "Getting hit like that made things a lot easier and I'm able to relax at the plate. I felt like I was very present at the plate and all those feelings this early is really good." Russell isn't the only one who feels confident in his abilities at the plate. With Willson Contreras getting a day off Sunday, Maddon placed Russell in the cleanup spot in the Cubs order, providing protection for Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo. It was only the 18th career start higher than the fifth spot in the batting order for Russell. He responded with a pair of line drives with runners on base, though neither were able to produce a run. Russell lined out hard to center field in the first inning and then doubled in the fifth with two outs, but Miami centerfielder Lewis Brinson made a great play to cut the ball off in the gap and keep Rizzo at third. The line drives aren't even what Maddon is looking at right now. It's those walks, and laying off pitches out of the zone. Russell's plate discipline regressed last year, watching his walks decrease and strikeout increase from his breakout 2016 campaign. In the early going, that trend is back in the right direction. "I cannot emphasize enough with all our guys — when you're walking, you're hitting," Maddon said. "When you're expanding your strike zone, pitchers don't have to throw you strikes. Much more difficult to hit. "When you got an organized strike zone and you're accomplished, you can really do some damage. Like that walk on that slider from [Marlins closer Brad] Ziegler [in Saturday's game] that [Russell] just spit on immediately. That told me everything." -- NBC Sports Chicago Cubs displaying a Jekyll and Hyde offense to start 2018, but it's more complicated than that By Tony Andracki MIAMI — It took all of four days into the 2018 MLB season for Anthony Rizzo to drop his classic "that's baseball" line. Except this isn't just an overused trope by a guy that's interviewed after nearly every game. Rizzo's right: This is the way baseball goes sometimes. The Cubs had 8 hits, only struck out 6 times and still wound up getting shut out against Dillon Peters (who?), Drew Steckenrider (huh?) and Tayron Gurrero (seriously..who?) Sunday in Miami. Things were so wacky, the Cubs actually had 10 batted balls hit at least 96.8 mph off the bat which went for outs, including 6 with an exit velocity of at least 100 mph. By contrast, the Cubs' hits averaged just 87.2 mph off the bat. "Quite frankly, we could not have hit the ball better than we did," Joe Maddon said after the game. "That's the most incredible shutout I've seen in my life. Give their defense a lot of credit — they covered a lot of ground in the outfield and they made some plays in the infield. "For zero points, you cannot hit the ball any better than we hit today. That might've been the best hit shutout I've ever seen." The Cubs didn't help themselves, however, as they were only 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position Sunday, including a situation where Javy Baez misread a sign and tried to bunt to squeeze Kyle Schwarber home from third base, only for the Cubs left fielder to get thrown out in a rundown. On several other instances — including twice in the first inning — Cubs players hit the ball on the nose, just right at somebody. "Our at-bats were really good today, in my opinion," Rizzo said. "Hit the ball really well, it just didn't fall. That's the way it goes." Even despite the bad luck — and there was plenty throughout the weekend beyond just Sunday — the Cubs offense still failed to execute to the level they're hoping for. The runs tell a Jekyll and Hyde story, with 18 runs scored in the two victories while the Cubs could push across just one tally in 26 innings of baseball in their two losses to the Marlins. However, the Cubs issues with runners on base permeated throughout the weekend. They hit just .149 (7-for-47) with runners in scoring position and left 42 men on base in the four games. Part of the problem — as Maddon said — is a matter of trying to do too much. "It's almost like some of them are trying WAY too hard," Maddon said even after his team scored 10 runs in a win Saturday. "Let's back it off a little bit, see the ball, don't try to do too much, get back to the whole field. "We're getting too pull-conscious too early and that's gonna go away, but anybody that is struggling right now is really just playing with the small part of the field and we gotta get back to the big part in the middle and through the opposite gap." Maddon went on to describe more in detail about what he wants to see from Cubs hitters: Letting the ball travel and letting the speed of the pitch dictate where the ball goes.