November 17, 2016 Cubs.com, Bryant looking to join elite company as NL MVP http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/208990932/cubs-kris-bryant-is-an-nl-mvp-finalist/ Cubs.com, Lester, Hendricks edged in Cy Young voting http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/209000956/lester-hendricks-edged-in-cy-young-voting/ Cubs.com, Renovation work at Wrigley back in full swing http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/209001442/wrigley-field-undergoing-renovation/ Cubs.com, Cubs might reach out to Bartman for closure http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/209008604/chicago-cubs-may-reach-out-to-steve-bartman/ ESPNChicago.com, Did Cy Young voters show enough appreciation for Lester and Hendricks? http://www.espn.com/blog/chicago/cubs/post/_/id/42928/did-cy-young-voters-show-enough-appreciation- for-jon-lester-and-kyle-hendricks CSNChicago.com, Max Scherzer Would Trade Cy Young For World Series Rings Cubs Will Give Jon Lester, Kyle Hendricks http://www.csnchicago.com/chicago-cubs/max-scherzer-would-trade-cy-young-world-series-rings-cubs-will- give-jon-lester-kyle CSNChicago.com, Tom Ricketts On Steve Bartman: 'I’m Sure We’ll Reach Out To Him At The Right Time' http://www.csnchicago.com/chicago-cubs/tom-ricketts-steve-bartman-im-sure-well-reach-out-him-right-time Chicago Tribune, Max Scherzer beats out Cubs' Jon Lester, Kyle Hendricks for Cy Young Award http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-cy-young-jon-lester-kyle-hendricks-spt-1117- 20161116-story.html Chicago Tribune, Cubs' Kris Bryant can make 'M-V-P' chants become reality http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-kris-bryant-nl-mvp-preview-spt-1117-20161116- story.html Chicago Tribune, Tom Ricketts on Steve Bartman: 'We'll figure something out' http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-steve-bartman-tom-ricketts-cubs-20161116- story.html Chicago Tribune, Carl Edwards Jr. 'nervous' in Cubs' World Series — but Mike Montgomery called it http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/chicagoinc/ct-carl-edwards-chicago-inc-spt-1117-20161116- story.html Chicago Tribune, David Ross raising money, awareness for concussion research http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-cubs-david-ross-concussion-research-20161116- story.html Chicago Sun-Times, Scherzer beats out Lester, Hendricks for NL Cy Young Award http://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/scherzer-beats-out-lester-hendricks-for-nl-cy-young-award/ Chicago Sun-Times, After billboards, goats and curse-buster, is MVP next for Bryant? http://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/after-billboards-goats-and-curse-buster-is-mvp-next-for-bryant/ -- Cubs.com Bryant looking to join elite company as NL MVP By Carrie Muskat CHICAGO -- He began hitting under his dad's tutelage at the age of 5 and hasn't stopped. This year, the Cubs' Kris Bryant continued his meteoric rise, and he will find out on Thursday (5 p.m. CT on MLB Network) whether he won the National League Most Valuable Player Award, presented by the Baseball Writers' Association of America. Hopefully, Bryant has room on his mantle. He was named the top college player in 2013 and the top Minor League player in '14, before being honored as the top rookie last season. This year, Bryant, 24, ranked among the NL leaders in home runs (39), RBIs (102) and slugging percentage (.554), and was first in runs scored (121). His 39 homers were the most by a Cubs player since Derrek Lee belted 46 in '05. There were plenty of highlight games. On April 21 in Cincinnati, Bryant went 4-for-6 with two home runs, including a grand slam, and six RBIs. On June 27 at Great American Ball Park, he went 5-for-5 with three home runs, two doubles and six RBIs, becoming the first player in Major League history to record three homers and two doubles in a game. And he did so despite moving from third base to left field to right field during the game. Cubs manager Joe Maddon took advantage of Bryant's versatility. "When you think back to when you started playing baseball, it was always so much more fun in Little League," Bryant said. "Now, it's like Little Leagues in the big leagues. I think that's one of the things that makes Joe such an unbelievable manager. You never know what you're going to do, what to expect in the clubhouse. I think more guys should be like that." During the first half of the season, Bryant hit 25 home runs. At his second All-Star Game, Bryant homered, but it wasn't enough to help the NL win. While all home runs are key, not many were as perfectly timed as Bryant's 33rd, which he hit in the third inning of the Cubs' 5-3 win over the Padres. Bryant's University of San Diego baseball coach Rich Hill was in attendance at Petco Park on Aug. 23. "I always thought once he got into pro ball, he'd actually do better than he did in college," Hill said. "In the Minor Leagues, the pitchers get a little arrogant. They think, 'I'll just throw this by this guy.' I thought when he got some pitches to hit, he'd do some damage. They're pitching him like an All-Star, and they've been doing it since Day 1." Hill also isn't surprised that Bryant has made the adjustments. There was no sophomore slump. "He was a 4.7 GPA out of high school," Hill said. "He's very bright, and at the same time, he's very competitive. You have that combination, and that's a good recipe for success." Twenty players have won top rookie honors and have been named MVP, but Bryant could join Dustin Pedroia (2007-08), Ryan Howard (2005-06) and Cal Ripken Jr. (1982-83) as the only players to win the awards in back-to- back seasons. The other NL MVP finalists this year include Nationals second baseman Daniel Murphy and Dodgers rookie shortstop Corey Seager. Sammy Sosa was the last Cubs player to win MVP honors, doing so in 1998. Bryant led NL position players with a 7.7 WAR. Between 1931 and 2015, there were 32 instances of a position player age 24 or younger leading his league in WAR. In 10 of those 32, the player was named MVP. That group includes Jimmie Foxx ('32), Joe DiMaggio ('39), Stan Musial ('43), Willie Mays ('54), Mickey Mantle ('56), Johnny Bench ('70), Ripken ('83), Ryne Sandberg ('84), Mike Trout ('14) and Bryce Harper ('15). Esurance MLB Awards week concludes Friday on MLB Network and MLB.com at 8 p.m. ET with the MLB Awards. Categories include Best Major Leaguer, Hitter, Pitcher, Rookie, Executive and Manager. -- Cubs.com Lester, Hendricks edged in Cy Young voting By Carrie Muskat CHICAGO -- Cubs pitchers Jon Lester and Kyle Hendricks finished second and third, respectively in the National League Cy Young Award balloting behind the Nationals' Max Scherzer, the Baseball Writers' Association of America announced on Wednesday. Scherzer received 25 first-place votes and totaled 192 points. Lester received one first-place vote, 16 second-place vote, nine third-place votes and two fourth-place votes for 102 points. Hendricks received two first-place votes, seven second-place votes, eight third-place votes, seven fourth-place votes and five fifth-place votes for 85 points. Hendricks and Lester finished 1-2 in the Majors in ERA, while Scherzer won 20 games and struck out 284 over 228 1/3 innings. Lester, 32, has finished fourth twice in the American League Cy Young voting (2010 and '14). This year, he tied a career high and ranked second in the NL with 19 wins and his 2.44 ERA was a career best. The lefty posted a quality start in all 15 of his home starts, and he finished the season strong, going 5-0 with a 0.48 ERA in September. Lester said he felt more comfortable this season, his second with the Cubs, and that helped him on the field. "This year was more about pitching as opposed to fitting in," Lester said. Hendricks, who turns 27 on Dec. 7, set career highs in ERA (2.13), wins (16), innings pitched (190), and strikeouts (170). The right-hander is the first Cubs pitcher to lead the Majors in ERA since Bill Lee did so in 1938 (2.66). Wrigley Field fit Hendricks perfectly, and he posted a 9-2 record and 1.32 ERA in 15 games (14 starts) at home. "This was a big year for me developmentally-wise, just learning how to use my pitches, not having the velocity and pure stuff like some of guys in this league have, like the other two guys in this category with me," Hendricks said during the telecast on MLB Network. "It's very humbling to be grouped with these two guys and be in this situation and I definitely wasn't expecting it at the start of the year." Chicago's Jake Arrieta, who won the Cy Young Award in 2015, received one fourth-place vote in this year's balloting. The Cubs were in line to become the ninth team to claim the top pitching honor in back to back seasons. The last to do so were the Indians, when CC Sabathia won in 2007 and Cliff Lee won in '08. Esurance MLB Awards week concludes Friday on MLB Network and MLB.com at 8 p.m. ET with the MLB Awards. Categories include Best Major Leaguer, Hitter, Pitcher, Rookie, Executive and Manager.