August 15, 2017

Daily Herald, Can Chicago Cubs fatten up against lesser opposition? http://www.dailyherald.com/sports/20170814/can-chicago-cubs-fatten-up-against-lesser-opposition

Daily Herald, Palatine Legion helps Maddon make point for Chicago Cubs http://www.dailyherald.com/sports/20170814/palatine-legion-helps-maddon-make-point-for-chicago-cubs

Cubs.com, Rizzo leads Cubs' eruption in romp over Reds http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/248495512/anthony-rizzo-leads-cubs-win-over-reds/

Cubs.com, Jay falls homer shy of hitting for natural cycle http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/248554234/cubs-jon-jay-falls-hr-short-of-natural-cycle/

Cubs.com, Hoyer: Russell's 'return is not imminent' http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/248451760/cubs-addison-russell-not-close-to-returning/

Cubs.com, Cubs start Hendricks, aim to keep pedal down http://atmlb.com/2waaDZ0

ESPNChicago.com, Cubs' search for a leadoff man might finally be over, thanks to Jon Jay http://www.espn.com/blog/chicago/cubs/post/_/id/45393/cubs-search-for-a-leadoff-man-might-finally-be-over-thanks-to-jon-jay

ESPNChicago.com, Reds slugger Joey Votto doubles despite Cubs' 4-man outfield shift http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/20345968/chicago-cubs-use-atypical-alignment-joey-votto-plate-appearance

CSNChicago.com, What sort of job has Joe Maddon done with this Cubs team? http://www.csnchicago.com/chicago-cubs/what-sort-job-has-joe-maddon-done-cubs-team

CSNChicago.com, ‘Ungodly’ Joey Votto forces Cubs to think outside the box with four-outfielder shift http://www.csnchicago.com/chicago-cubs/ungodly-joey-votto-forces-cubs-think-outside-box-four-outfielder-shift

CSNChicago.com, Will Cubs make another deal in August with Willson Contreras sidelined? http://www.csnchicago.com/chicago-cubs/will-cubs-make-another-deal-august-willson-contreras-sidelined

CSNChicago.com, Cubs have no good news on the Addison Russell injury front http://www.csnchicago.com/chicago-cubs/cubs-have-no-good-news-addison-russell-injury-front-javy-baez-ben-zobrist-contreras

CSNChicago.com, Cubs see Jose Quintana trying to do too much http://www.csnchicago.com/chicago-cubs/cubs-see-jose-quintana-trying-do-too-much

Chicago Tribune, Cubs pound Reds 15-5 to start long stretch against last-place teams http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-cubs-reds-spt-0815-20170814-story.html#nt=oft03a-1gp2

Chicago Tribune, Cubs remain patient with Javier Baez at shortstop in Addison Russell's absence http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-notes-cubs-patient-with-javier-baez-spt-0815-20170814-story.html

Chicago Tribune, It's time for the Cubs to wake up http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/columnists/ct-joe-maddon-cubs-haugh-spt-0815-20170814-column.html#nt=oft03a-1la1

Chicago Tribune, Cubs minor-leaguers told to 'Respect 90 like KB' http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-cubs-minor-league-report-spt-0815-20170814-story.html

Chicago Tribune, Stretch run another chance for Joe Maddon to prove his worth http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/columnists/ct-sullivan-on-cubs-spt-0815-20170814-column.html#nt=oft03a-1gp3

Chicago Sun-Times, Cubs’ Kris Bryant brings the heat from Arizona desert to Wrigley http://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/cubs-kris-bryant-brings-the-heat-from-arizona-desert-to-wrigley/

Chicago Sun-Times, Will the Cubs take advantage of a schedule that couldn’t look easier? http://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/will-the-cubs-take-advantage-of-a-schedule-that-couldnt-look-easier/

Chicago Sun-Times, MORRISSEY: Watching the up-and-down Cubs is exhausting http://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/morrissey-watching-the-up-and-down-cubs-is-exhausting/

Chicago Sun-Times, Who’s more effective, Jose Quintana or Jon Lester? Depends who you ask http://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/whos-most-effective-jose-quintana-or-jon-lester-depends-who-you-ask/

Chicago Sun-Times, David Ross to skydive at Chicago Air and Water Show http://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/david-ross-to-skydive-at-chicago-air-and-water-show/

-- Daily Herald Can Chicago Cubs fatten up against lesser opposition? By Bruce Miles The time has come for the Cubs to fatten up. A team that has flirted with mediocrity all season long now enters a stretch of 13 games against teams that occupy last place in their respective divisions. Manager Joe Maddon won't count those bales of hay before they're secured. "You've got to attempt to make hay while you can, absolutely," he said before Monday's series opener against the Cincinnati Reds at Wrigley Field. "But I've done it for a while now, and you just can't look at a group and say, 'They're not that good, and we're just going to beat up on them. We're just going to show up and throw our gloves out.' What a bad method that is." The Cubs jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning, and after the Reds tied it against a laboring Jose Quintana in the second, a 5-run fourth gave the Cubs a 7-2 lead. Highlighting the inning were back-to- back homers by Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo. The Cubs went on to win 15-5.

The Cubs entered the night 1 game ahead of the St. Louis Cardinals in the National League Central. With games upcoming against the Blue Jays, the Reds in Cincinnati and the Phillies in Philadelphia, this would be a perfect time for the Cubs to make their move. "We haven't been able to pull away from .500 and get to a place where I think we're all more comfortable," said general manager Jed Hoyer. "I think that as a result, the Cardinals had a hot streak and got back in the race. "The Pirates had a similar hot streak before the all-star break and then right after the all-star break. The Brewers had a great first half. I think when you're hovering around .500, which we are, everyone's in the race. "Everyone's one hot streak away from being right there. We just have to hope that we start being consistent. You want to rattle off a lot of series wins and really get away from .500 by a significant amount because until we do that there's obviously no way to pull away from the pack." The Cubs have been inconsistent all season. They've looked listless at times, and the stellar defense they played all of last season on the way to a World Series title hasn't always shown up this season. For that, Hoyer would not blame Maddon. "I think that collectively, top to bottom, obviously we haven't had the same kind of year as last year or even the year before," the GM said. "I think that assessment is on everybody. I wouldn't single anything out about Joe that he hasn't done, but in general as a group, starting with Theo and me, I think we haven't played as well. "We haven't been as sharp, and that's something we have to find. But the good thing about baseball is that we still have 46 games left to find it." -- Daily Herald Palatine Legion helps Maddon make point for Chicago Cubs By Bruce Miles Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon once again is observing "American Legion Week" at Wrigley Field. That means players arrive at the ballpark much later in the day, just as they did when they played American Legion ball. To honor the American Legion, Maddon unfurled the banner of Post 690 in Palatine. "It's twofold, threefold for me," Maddon said. "First of all to the actual American Legion post and the veterans and how they've served, I think that they actually enjoy seeing their flag up here tonight, and we can draw more attention to that. "And then it goes into the American Legion baseball that we played. American Legion baseball in the summertime. You would work all day. I was either a fence installer or sometimes at the playground. And then you'd show up about 5 o'clock for a 5:30 game. You shake hands and you'd play, and you were fine. "You'd hit the ball. You'd catch the ball. You'd throw the ball well. You did not have to be there from 2 o'clock or 1 o'clock in the afternoon to perform the game properly." The third part is getting rest for the players in the dog days of summer.

"I want them to come out here after a long West Coast road trip, come on out here and just show up a little bit later, a little bit more rested mentally and go out and just play the game of baseball like it was intended to be played," Maddon said. "Data, extra work, all that kind of stuff, it's the middle of August. We've had since the beginning of February to get all that stuff in the barn. So I just want us to play." Palatine Post 690 has more than 300 members. It hosts Thanksgiving dinner for Navy recruits from Great Lakes and supports veterans at Hines Hospital and other veterans causes. No rush on Russell: Shortstop Addison Russell has been taking some fielding practice and working in the batting cage as he continues to recover from a foot injury. Russell has been on the disabled list since Aug. 3. "He's coming along slowly," said general manager Jed Hoyer. "No real updates. As cliché as it is, we just want to take it day by day and see how he feels." Hoyer described the injury as muscular along with some plantar fasciitis. The Cubs will not rush Russell back into action. Javier Baez, who had played more second base when Russell was in the lineup, has taken over shortstop duties. Baez was drafted as a shortstop. He made a quick tag in Monday night's third inning to get the Cincinnati Reds' Adam Duvall trying to steal second base. He then went deep into the hole to throw out Scooter Gennett on a grounder. "I'm ready to play every day," Baez said. A pain in the neck: Ben Zobrist was a late lineup scratch with a stiff neck. Tommy La Stella subbed for Zobrist at second base. -- Cubs.com Rizzo leads Cubs' eruption in romp over Reds By Carrie Muskat and Mark Sheldon CHICAGO -- Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo smacked back-to-back home runs, reliever Mike Montgomery hit his first career double, driving in two runs, and Jon Jay missed hitting for a natural cycle by a home run to power the Cubs to a 15-5 victory Monday night over the Reds at Wrigley Field. With the win, the Cubs opened a 1 1/2-game lead over the idle Cardinals in the National League Central. This four-game series against the Reds is the beginning of a 13-game stretch for the Cubs against last-place teams. "We have to take care of ourselves, and that's it," said Rizzo, who finished with five RBIs, one shy of his career high. Jose Quintana benefited from the offense, picking up his third win since he was acquired by the Cubs but his first since July 23. The lefty's pitch count escalated after a 36-pitch second, which prompted his exit after five. Montgomery took over and delivered at the plate in a six-run seventh with his double. The game was tied at 2 with two outs in the Chicago fourth against Cincinnati starter Asher Wojciechowski and a runner at first when Jay hit an RBI triple. He then scored on Tommy La Stella's single, and Bryant followed with his 22nd home run. Rizzo then hit his 27th, a 430-foot rocket that cleared the right-field bleachers and landed on Sheffield Avenue, to chase Wojciechowski. It's the eighth time this season the Cubs have hit back-to-back homers, and third time in the last four games.

"Give us credit -- offensively, some really good at-bats," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. "We have to tighten it up on defense. I don't want to be 'Debbie Downer,' but we've got to be tighter on defense." Second baseman Scooter Gennett hit his 20th home run in the Reds' eighth and then took the mound in the Cubs' half, walking Jason Heyward before serving up a two-run homer to Javier Baez. The Cubs have now hit 51 homers since the All-Star break, tops in the Major Leagues. It was a good start to what Cubs manager Joe Maddon has dubbed "American Legion Week," an attempt to counter the so-called dog days of August. Players are encouraged to show up and play, with little pregame activity. "We had a lot of guys on base, both teams did. They were able to take advantage of it a bit more," Reds manager Bryan Price said. "They had a lot more contact over the course of the ballgame, which led to a lot more runs. Both teams had a lot of scoring opportunities. The pitching wasn't sharp for either side." MOMENTS THAT MATTERED Defense, Part I: The Cubs missed what seemed like an easy throw and made one that was more difficult in the Reds' second. Cincinnati loaded the bases when Eugenio Suarez walked, Gennett singled, and Devin Mesoraco was hit by a pitch. Patrick Kivlehan hit a comebacker to Quintana, who tried to flip to catcher Alex Avila for the force at home, but it was a poor toss and Suarez scored on the error. One out later, Billy Hamilton singled to left to drive in a run and tie the game at 2. Tucker Barnhart, who had come in to run for Mesoraco, also tried to score but was thrown out at home on a perfect strike by left fielder Kyle Schwarber. "[Quintana] probably should've given up one run if he made the proper flip to the plate," Maddon said. "He had good stuff, velocity good, but command was off." And Schwarber's throw? "That was a big play at that point -- perfect throw and good tag by Alex, too," Maddon said. Defense, Part II: How many outfielders does it take to stop Joey Votto? With one out in the Reds' fifth and Votto at the plate, Bryant moved from third base to left-center to give the Cubs four outfielders -- Schwarber, Bryant, Jay and Heyward. Votto dodged them all when he lined a double down the right-field line. But Votto was stranded as Quintana retired Adam Duvall, walked Suarez and then got Gennett to fly out to center. Votto also singled in the seventh, and now has reached base safely at least twice in a club-record 19 consecutive games, two shy of an MLB record. "No matter the infield setup, no matter the alignment of the infield or outfield, I do the exact same thing," Votto said. "It's when I get caught up in what's going on defensively when I get myself into trouble, [like] changing my approach." Maddon said he used that alignment in Tampa Bay against hitters such as David Ortiz, Jim Thome and Josh Hamilton. "Votto right now is ungodly," Maddon said. "We'll continue to throw it out there when we think it's the right thing to do." MESORACO LEAVES WITH FOOT FRACTURE Batting in second inning, Mesoraco was hit on the left foot by a Quintana pitch and hobbled a few steps before heading to first base. After Mesoraco went to second base on the fielder's choice play that followed, he still appeared to be hurting and exited the game. Barnhart ran for Mesoraco -- who has dealt with nagging injuries each of the last three seasons -- and took over behind the plate. X-rays revealed that Mesoraco has a small fracture of his foot near the pinky toe. He is being sent to Cincinnati on Tuesday for an MRI.

QUOTABLE "We're just focused on ourselves. If we go out there and chill up and do what we're supposed to do, we'll be fine." -- Jay, on the Cubs in the tight division race SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS • After he singled in the first, doubled in the third, and tripled in the fourth, Jay flied out to center in the sixth, was intentionally walked in the seventh, and flied out in the eighth. If he had homered, it would've been the 15th natural cycle and second ever by a Cubs player. Hall of Famer Billy Williams accomplished the feat on July 17, 1966. The last player to hit a natural cycle was Gary Matthews Jr., who did so for the Rangers on Sept. 13, 2006, against the Tigers. • Montgomery's hit was the first double with the bases loaded by a Cubs pitcher since Carlos Zambrano did so, July 17, 2005. • Gennett's homer gave the Reds a club-record-tying five players with at least 20 in a season, matching a feat accomplished in 2008 and 1956. Five Major League teams all-time have had seven players with 20 homers, and 17 clubs have had six players do it. UPON FURTHER REVIEW Schwarber led off the Cubs' seventh, and was hit by a pitch on the foot by the Reds' Drew Storen. At least, that was Schwarber's take. Home-plate umpire Ronald Kulpa didn't agree, and the Cubs challenged the call. After a review, the ruling was overturned and Schwarber was awarded first. WHAT'S NEXT Reds: It will be his 11th start in the big leagues but rookie Luis Castillo's first time facing the Cubs at Wrigley Field on Tuesday at 8:05 p.m. ET. Castillo has worked quality starts in each of his last three outings. Cubs: Kyle Hendricks will make his 16th start of the season in the second game of a four-game series vs. the Reds. Hendricks is 3-3 with a 3.11 ERA in his last 12 starts, and has given up six or fewer hits in 14 of his 15 starts. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. CT. -- Cubs.com Jay falls homer shy of hitting for natural cycle By Carrie Muskat CHICAGO -- Before Jon Jay stepped into the batter's box in the eighth inning against Reds second baseman Scooter Gennett, who was doing double duty as a relief pitcher, the Cubs' outfielder got some encouragement from his teammates to complete the cycle. "Everyone kind of mentioned it -- 'Take a shot, take a shot,'" Jay said of his teammates' advice for his last at-bat. "We got the win, so it's cool." Jay had singled in the first inning, doubled in the third, and hit an RBI triple in the fourth to help the Cubs post a 15-5 win over the Reds. But he missed in two at-bats to complete what would've been the 15th natural cycle. In the sixth, Jay flied out to center, and the crowd of 40,263 at Wrigley Field cheered in anticipation of a possible home run, and then collectively sighed when Billy Hamilton caught the ball. Jay was intentionally walked in the seventh and eventually scored on Anthony Rizzo's two-run single, part of his five-RBI night.

The eighth was Jay's last chance, and again, he flied out to Hamilton, only this time he was facing Gennett, who was pressed into duty on the mound. "[They razzed me] a little bit," Jay said of his teammates. "I'm not worried about that. I just stayed in my lane and was just trying to get base hits." In his first season with the Cubs, Jay has earned nothing but respect from his teammates for his approach. "He grinds at-bats," Rizzo said. "He's a professional." "He's done a lot of other little things, talking to younger players," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. "He does a nice job of mentoring. He wants to play, loves to play and likes what's going on. He's definitely stirred our drink." Jay has led off 26 times, second-most on the team, tied with Ben Zobrist. When asked who would be the Cubs' leadoff batter in a crucial game in October, Maddon picked Jay, who posted his fourth game this season with at least three hits. "I feel comfortable in every spot, just try to keep it simple," Jay said. "I've hit first, I've hit ninth, I've hit eighth. I just happen to be in the lineup and try to produce and try to be consistent." Consistency is key, Jay said. "I just try to be somebody who, when I go out there, they know what they're going to get, somebody who will have good at-bats and play solid defense and run the bases," Jay said. "I want to be counted on -- it's a good feeling when your teammates can count on you." The only Cubs player to ever hit for the natural cycle was Hall of Famer Billy Williams, who did so on July 17, 1966. The last Major League player to do so was the Rangers' Gary Matthews Jr., who did so Sept. 13, 2006. -- Cubs.com Hoyer: Russell's 'return is not imminent' By Carrie Muskat CHICAGO -- Cubs shortstop Addison Russell, who is eligible to come off the disabled list on Sunday, is not close to returning, general manager Jed Hoyer said Monday. "He's coming along slowly," Hoyer said of Russell, who has been sidelined since Aug. 3 with a right foot strain. "As cliche as it is, we'll take it day by day. He's feeling better. A return is not imminent. Hopefully, he just keeps getting better and better and gets on the field." Russell, who was batting .241 when injured, will likely have to go on a Minor League rehab assignment. • The Cubs began play Monday with a one-game lead over the Cardinals in the National League Central. This division may not be decided until the final week of games. "Everyone's one hot streak away from being right there," Hoyer said. "We just have to hope that we start being consistent. You want to rattle off a lot of series wins and really get away from .500 by a significant amount, because until we do that there's obviously no way to pull away from the pack." The Cubs do have an easier schedule ahead, facing teams either at or below .500. Hoyer doesn't want the Cubs to overlook anyone. "I think we've all learned over time that if you play well, you can beat anyone," Hoyer said. "If you're playing badly, you can lose to anyone. We've had some pretty bad series losses this year against teams that you would have thought we would have handled. At some point, you stop doing that. You stop looking ahead in the schedule too much.

"Listen, we just have to play good baseball. Every team can give us a hard time if we're not playing at our best. Just because the schedule maybe looked weaker, ultimately it's on us to play our style of baseball and control that. If we do that, I think we'll do well. If we don't, we'll struggle." • Ben Zobrist was a late scratch on Monday because of a stiff neck. He was expected to be eligible during the game after receiving treatment. Tommy La Stella started at second base in Zobrist's place. • Monday marked the start of American Legion week for the Cubs, which means players are not allowed into the clubhouse before 4 p.m. CT for a 7:05 p.m. game. If they are caught early, the fine is a $100 bottle of wine, and the players must show a receipt. The Cubs also will treat American Legion Palatine Post 690 to beer and brats at some point. The week-long event is designed not just to honor veterans but also be a reminder for the players to enjoy the game. This week also gives the players some extra rest, which manager Joe Maddon feels is necessary to deal with the dog days of August. Hector Rondon was able to take advantage of the late start time and get his hair cut. Carl Edwards Jr. slept in, and then played more video games before walking to Wrigley Field. The late start wasn't a change for Anthony Rizzo, who works out in the morning, then takes a nap before reporting to the ballpark. Maddon arrived at 4 p.m. on Monday. "That's three hours before a game," he said. "That's plenty of time. Why do you have to be here at 3, 2 or 1 [p.m.]? That doesn't make any sense." • Kris Bryant reached base in 13 of 15 plate appearances in the Cubs' three-game series against the D-backs, which is an .867 on-base percentage. That's tied for the second-highest mark in franchise history for a three-game series, topped only by Mark DeRosa's .917 OBP, Sept. 17-19, 2007, vs. the Reds. "He looks more like 'K.B.,'" Maddon said. "He's getting his feel back with the angle of his bat. My history with him is that when he gets it, it stays there." • The Cubs had a moment of silence to honor former manager Don Baylor, who passed away this month. They also hung a No. 25 Cubs jersey with his name on it in the dugout. Baylor managed the Cubs from 2000-02. • The Cubs are expected to have a better idea regarding September callups by the end of this week-long homestand. They will most likely add another catcher from the Triple-A Iowa team and some pitchers. -- Cubs.com Cubs start Hendricks, aim to keep pedal down By Mark Sheldon As the Cubs continue to enjoy a stretch of no batting practice and dialed back pregame activity for their American Legion week, it will be interesting to see how a rookie starter like Reds pitcher Luis Castillo is approached on Tuesday. Castillo, who is 2-5 with a 3.73 ERA in 10 big league starts since his promotion from Double-A Pensacola, has a four-seam fastball that averages 97 mph and frequently touches 100. He has never faced the Cubs. Chicago is in first place in the National League Central, 1 1/2 games ahead of the Cardinals after running away with the opener of this four-game series. Of its 45 games remaining, 31 are against teams currently owning a record at or below .500. That includes nine more vs. the last-place Reds. "I try to treat every game with an equal amount of respect. We had a tough series in San Francisco, and came back well against Arizona," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. "[The Reds] know us well, and that matters, too. We've got

to go out and play well and play well every night and please don't take anything for granted in this game or any part of your life. We've got to come out and play our best game." Reds hitters are quite familiar with Cubs Tuesday starter Kyle Hendricks, who is 4-1 with a 3.81 ERA in nine career starts against them. The Cubs have a 7-2 record in those games. Hendricks is 3-0 with a 2.22 ERA in five starts vs. Cincinnati at Wrigley Field. Things to know about this game • Joey Votto, who saw his career-high-tying 17-game hitting streak end on Sunday, has had quite a bit of success vs. Hendricks. Votto is 7-for-13 with two homers and seven walks, which gives him a .538 average and 1.700 OPS. Votto has still reached base at least twice for 19 straight games, two shy of an MLB record. • While going seven innings against the Nationals on Aug. 4, Hendricks picked up a season-high nine outs within the first two pitches of an at-bat. In contrast, he got just one of those while laboring through 4 2/3 innings in his last outing, at San Francisco. • Cubs shortstop Addison Russell, on the disabled list since Aug. 3 with a right foot strain, is not close to returning. Russell has only been able to do some hitting in the cages and light running. -- ESPNChicago.com Cubs search for a leadoff man might finally be over, thanks to Jon Jay By Jesse Rogers CHICAGO -- His teammates wanted him to "go for it," but that's not Chicago Cubs outfielder Jon Jay’s style. After a single, double and triple in his first three at-bats against the Cincinnati Reds on Monday night, the team's latest leadoff hitter truly wasn't obsessing about hitting for the cycle. That's just not how he operates. "I wasn't thinking about that," Jay said after the Cubs' 15-5 win. "I really don't pay attention to it. I'm not worried about that at all. "Everyone was [saying], 'Take a shot, take a shot,' because they know how I am." In other words, they knew he wouldn't swing for the fences unless encouraged -- and maybe not even then. If Javier Baez has flair on the field, and John Lackey is a must-quote off of it, then Jay is the complete opposite in both respects. He plays the game with a quiet professionalism and hates talking about himself afterward. He was forced to on Monday, after a huge night that included an intentional walk that denied him another chance at that cycle, despite the game being out of reach at the time. "There was a base open," Jay said nonchalantly. "They were just playing the game." Jay doesn't like talking about himself, but his teammates and manager recognize his contributions. "Great, great professional teammate," Anthony Rizzo said. "Great person, works hard, sets an example for everyone in here. ... He grinds at-bats, has professional at-bats every single night." Manager Joe Maddon added: "He's done a great job. Good at-bats. Hitting the ball hard, not just singles." Rizzo and Kris Bryant had big nights, too, homering back to back, and Baez capped the scoring with an eighth-inning home run of his own. But it was Jay's performance that could have the most important effect on the Cubs,

because it might help end a search. Maddon has looked far and wide throughout his roster this year for a leadoff hitter to replace 2016 hero Dexter Fowler, and it took him well into the second half to land on Jay. "He wants to play, loves to play and he's definitely stirred our drink," Maddon said. Jay wasn't the first choice, but he might be the best. Even before Monday, Maddon had indicated that Jay would be his guy at the top of the lineup if the postseason were beginning. He's come a long way from just being the Cubs' fourth outfielder. "I feel comfortable in every spot," Jay said. "I've hit first, ninth, eighth. I've done it all. Just trying to be consistent." Now, before you're critical of Maddon for reaching this conclusion only after using a major league-high nine other leadoff men this year, consider that coming into Monday's game, Jay was hitting only .231 with a .303 on-base percentage while batting first in the order. It hasn't become a clear decision until lately. The good news? Maddon doesn't have to sit him against lefties, as his .391 on-base percentage against them this season plays just fine. He just has to stay consistent and get some rest every once in a while. And Jay has been every bit the leader the Cubs knew he would be when they signed him. "He's done a lot of other things, talking to younger players, mentoring," Maddon said. At least Jay can take that compliment: "Just trying to be someone that when I go out there, they know what they can get," Jay said. "It's a good feeling when your teammates can count on you." Now about that cycle. With fans standing in the bottom of the eighth inning, after a long night, Jay strode to the plate. Here was his chance to make history, but he would have none of that "go for it" mentality. He flied out to center field. Afterward, it was suggested to him that a Baez-type swing might have been in order. No one on the Cubs swings harder. "That would have been a better plan right there," Jay said, nodding with some approval before returning to his team-first attitude. "We got the win, so it's cool." -- ESPNChicago.com Reds slugger Joey Votto doubles despite Cubs' 4-man outfield shift By Jesse Rogers CHICAGO -- The Cubs used an unusual alignment for Cincinnati Reds first baseman Joey Votto, employing four outfielders across the Wrigley Field grass on Monday night. As Votto came to the plate in the top of the fifth inning of Chicago's 15-5 rout of Cincinnati, usual third baseman Kris Bryant moved to left-center field, with left fielder Kyle Schwarber playing near the foul line. Jon Jay remained in center, with Jason Heyward in right field. The left side of the infield was vacant, as shortstop Javier Baez played up the middle. This wasn't a fleeting moment in a game. Baseball is having a serious conversation with itself right now, and this is an important moment in that conversation. Votto beat the alignment by doubling to right field. It was the first time the Cubs had employed that look since Joe Maddon took over as manager in 2015, although Maddon said he had used the shift while managing the Tampa Bay Rays.

"Joey Votto right now is ungodly," Maddon said. "Whatever you do, you're taking chances anyhow. It's almost like [San Diego Padres legend] Tony Gwynn when he was good. "We'll continue to throw it out there when we think it's the right thing to do." Jay, who had three hits with an RBI and finished a home run shy of the cycle, said it was the first time he was part of a shift to a four-man outfield. "That's kind of cool. It's smart," he said, although he conceded that "communication can get a little dicey out there." The Cubs extended their National League Central lead to 1½ games over the idle St. Louis Cardinals. -- CSNChicago.com What sort of job has Joe Maddon done with this Cubs team? By Patrick Mooney At different points throughout a disappointing season, Cubs president Theo Epstein has used the code words you would normally hear about a manager on the hot seat. Epstein vented his frustrations while the Cubs kept staggering around the .500 mark, admitting the team didn’t have a clear identity or play with the same edge. But Joe Maddon is a future Hall of Famer, the only manager to lead this franchise to a World Series title since the Theodore Roosevelt administration and a larger-than-life personality in the middle of a long-term contract that will pay him in the neighborhood of $28 million. Maddon oversees an ultra-talented team that overall has been one of the healthiest in the majors this season. The Cubs play in a mediocre division with three small-market franchises that ranked in the bottom eight in terms of Opening Day payroll – and in a big city where even athletes on last-place teams get treated like royalty. Is there anything Maddon could have done differently – or can do now – with the defending champs? “Collectively, from top to bottom, I think obviously we haven’t had the same kind of year as last year, or even the year before,” general manager Jed Hoyer said before Monday night’s 15-5 win over the Cincinnati Reds pushed the Cubs out to a 1.5-game lead on the St. Louis Cardinals in the National League Central. “That assessment is on everybody. I wouldn’t single anything out about Joe that he hasn’t done. “But in general, as a group, starting with Theo and me, I think we haven’t played as well. We haven’t been as sharp. And that’s something we have to find. But the good thing about baseball is that we still have 46 games left to find it. Starting now.” Maddon’s “American Legion Week” began with the Wrigley Field clubhouse opening to the media at 4:30 p.m., or almost an hour later than normal for a 7:05 game. Before doing his pregame press briefing, Maddon unfurled a blue-and-gold “Palatine Post No. 690” flag in the interview room and held it up for the cameras. The fine for a player, coach or manager getting to work too early this week is handing over a $100 bottle of wine (with receipt). “Just show up a little bit later, a little bit more rested mentally,” Maddon said. “Go out and just play the game of baseball like it was intended to be played. “Data, extra work, all that kind of stuff – it’s the middle of August. We’ve had since the beginning of February to get all that stuff in the barn. So I just want us to play.” The Cubs have given up 91 runs in the first inning this season – or almost 30 more than any other inning – and seen their defense slip from a historic level to a point where Maddon keeps harping on mental mistakes and making the

routine plays routinely. Though the Cubs are still a top-three team in terms of defensive efficiency, even Maddon admits they have not passed the eye test. Maddon is also a progressive thinker who takes the entire 162-game schedule into account, believes in rest and recovery, tries to keep role players involved and keeps sending positive vibes into the clubhouse and through the media. “Good or bad, it would have nothing to do with us showing up early or late,” Maddon said. “Taking 50 swings or 100 swings tonight or not has nothing to do with our success or not. When it comes to the offensive side of our team right now, more than anything, it’s about swinging at bad pitches. So if you want to go out there and practice taking pitches, that might be more beneficial. “There are so many disconnected thoughts in our game regarding work and how you work. When it comes to data and video and information, I’m all about it. But at some point, you got to turn it down just a little bit and go out there and play unencumbered.” Maddon projected so much confidence and pushed all the right buttons in 2015 when the Cubs went 42-18 in August, September and early October combined, surging to 97 wins and into the NL Championship Series. All the first- and second-guessing over how Maddon managed last year’s World Series Game 7 overshadowed the way he got the Cubs to “Embrace The Target” and play loose yet focused under enormous pressure. Maybe Maddon’s sense of calm is the best way to handle this three-ring circus and he will be proven right if a 62-55 team corrects itself and finally takes off. “American Legion Week” started a run where the Cubs will face last-place teams for 13 straight games and 70 percent of the remaining schedule is against teams currently at or below .500. This is how it works: The manager will either get credit for steering the team toward another division title – or the blame for a stunning collapse – whether or not he thinks like that. “I just try to treat every game with equal amount of respect,” Maddon said. “I don’t apply any more weight to one game over another. I’ve always said that. I mean it. “You got to play it right every night. And please don’t take anything for granted in this game, or in any part of your life. I’m just not that guy. We got to come out and play our best game.” -- CSNChicago.com ‘Ungodly’ Joey Votto forces Cubs to think outside the box with four-outfielder shift By Patrick Mooney Trying to somehow stop Joey Votto, Joe Maddon reached into his bag of tricks on Monday night, shifting the Cubs into a four-outfielder alignment that became the viral moment during a 15-5 win over the Cincinnati Reds at Wrigley Field. Maddon counted four other left-handed sluggers who got that look when he managed the Tampa Bay Rays and developed his reputation as a mad scientist: Jim Thome, David Ortiz, Travis Hafner and Josh Hamilton. The Cubs don’t game plan for the same personnel – or work around the same small-market challenges – that Maddon faced in the American League East. The Cubs actually aren’t a shift-heavy team – and have seen their defense noticeably slip from the historic level during last year’s championship run. But as Maddon said: “Votto right now is ungodly, so whatever you do, you’re taking chances anyhow.”

With a five-run lead and one out and nobody on in the fifth inning, third baseman Kris Bryant moved out to left-center field, in between Kyle Schwarber and Jon Jay with Gold Glove defender Jason Heyward in right. Votto smashed Jose Quintana’s 3-1, 92-mph fastball down the first-base line and into the right-field corner for a stand-up double. This is an idea rooted in the 2002 World Series, when Maddon worked on Mike Scioscia’s coaching staff and the Anaheim Angels outlasted Barry Bonds and the San Francisco Giants. “Nobody did crazy shifts at that time,” Maddon said. “Going to the Rays, they had all the charts, so it didn’t make any sense to cover the other side against those guys. They never hit the ball on the ground over there. They put balls in the gaps. “It’s almost like Tony Gwynn when he was good – actually moving when the ball was pitched, to try to be in the right spot or distract him. We did it in that situation for a reason. We didn’t do it with (Mike) Montgomery for another reason. We’ll continue to throw it out there when we think it’s the right thing to do.” Votto is in the middle of a $251.5 million megadeal guaranteed through 2023 and the iconic first baseman for a 49-70 team who leads the majors with a 1.050 OPS. But what an example for a rebuild: Votto has reached base at least twice in 19 straight games (club record) and gotten on base 61 percent of the time during that streak (52-of-85 plate appearances). “Joey’s an unbelievable hitter and does a lot of damage,” Jay said. “I think he's the perfect guy to do that against.” -- CSNChicago.com Will Cubs make another deal in August with Willson Contreras sidelined? By Patrick Mooney The expectation that catcher Willson Contreras didn’t suffer a season-ending injury – combined with Alex Avila’s experience and Victor Caratini’s upside – means the Cubs will likely stand pat before the Aug. 31 trade deadline. “We’re happy with those guys right now,” general manager Jed Hoyer said Monday at Wrigley Field, where the Cubs began a stretch of 13 straight games against last-place teams. “Hopefully, Willson continues to progress.” The Cubs addressed their three biggest needs before the July 31 trade deadline without feeling like they mortgaged the future and bankrupted their farm system. The next day, team president Theo Epstein downplayed the possibility of making another deal during the August waiver period, saying how much the Cubs liked their 25-man roster with frontline starter Jose Quintana, lefty reliever Justin Wilson and Avila on top of the depth built up at Triple-A Iowa. “We’re probably in the same place,” Hoyer said. “We’ll always look through who’s cleared waivers and those guys become potential targets. “But right now, I think we’re happy with where we are. We probably won’t to look add significantly, though any day that can change based on injuries and poor performance.” Where the front office kept tinkering with an emerging playoff team in late August 2015 – acquiring a former All-Star closer (Fernando Rodney) and a backup outfielder (Austin Jackson) in separate deals with the Seattle Mariners and signing a valuable reliever (Trevor Cahill) and a pinch-running specialist (Quintin Berry) to minor-league contracts – the defending World Series champs believe the solutions should come from within this time. The Cubs still expect a drop-off, because Contreras had been one of the hottest hitters in the game and their most valuable player at that moment when he strained his right hamstring last week running out a groundball. A more conservative estimate from that four-to-six week timeline could put Contreras in play by the middle of September, when seven of their final 16 games will be against the St. Louis Cardinals.

Manager Joe Maddon described Avila as a backup catcher in name only when he came over from the Detroit Tigers. Avila is playoff-tested, only 30 years old, a left-handed hitter who crushes right-handed pitching and a receiver for Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer during Cy Young Award seasons. Caratini already figured to be a September call-up after making his big-league debut this summer – thanks to Miguel Montero’s rant – and hitting .344 with a .944 OPS in 76 games with Iowa. “We’re glad we acquired Alex at the deadline,” Hoyer said. “That helps lessen the blow of Willson’s injury a lot. Obviously, he was basically platooning for Detroit and catching a lot. He’ll continue to do that here. “We’ve said all along that we’re very comfortable with Vic being here. We wanted to send him down so he could play. And now that we know he’ll get more playing time, I think we’re OK with having him up here.” -- CSNChicago.com Cubs have no good news on the Addison Russell injury front By Tony Andracki As the Cubs get ready to maneuver the next month or so without Willson Contreras, they still don't know when they'll get their starting shortstop back and now they're down Ben Zobrist, too. Zobrist was scratched from Monday's lineup with neck tightness, though he was said to be available off the bench. But Addison Russells injury is more puzzling. He was due to come off the disabled list over the weekend, but he's still not ready to return to the field and the Cubs are not sure when his foot issue will clear up. Russell stood at his locker the day he was placed on the shelf and said he didn't think the injury was serious and expected to be back right when the 10-day designation was up. "I have not heard anything positive in regard to him being back anytime soon," manager Joe Maddon said before Monday's game against the Cincinnati Reds at Wrigley Field. The 23-year-old has not played since Aug. 2 and did not travel with the team on their recent West Coast road trip. "He's coming along slowly," GM Jed Hoyer said. "No real updates. As cliche as it is, we'll sort of take it day by day and see how he feels. "He's feeling better, but we're not at a point now where a return is imminent. Hopefully he keeps getting better and better and then gets out on the field." Russell has been doing some light agility work and has gotten in the batting cage a little bit, but the foot injury appears to be more sinister than the Cubs initially thought. "It was a muscular thing with his foot and then a little bit of plantar fasciitis," Hoyer said. "The snyopsis is his foot was really bothering him and it was painful to play. "That's gotten better and better, but it's still not at a place where we feel like we might not have a setback." Javy Baez has been playing everyday at shortstop in Russell's absence and while Baez made a key error Saturday in Arizona, he also crushed a big three-run homer in Sunday's victory and went 5-for-12 during the three-game series. --

CSNChicago.com Cubs see Jose Quintana trying to do too much By Tony Andracki Jose Quintana has already admitted the trade rumors got to him earlier this season and led to some uncharacteristic struggles. He's now pitching on the other side of Chicago and has a new home, but the inconsistency has followed him. Quintana picked up his third win in a Cubs uniform Monday night, allowing only one earned run in five innings in his sixth start since being dealt from the White Sox. While he lowered his ERA to 3.86 with the North Siders, Quintana walked four batters, gave up four hits and hit a batter. He needed 105 pitches to get through five innings. Part of that was based off sloppy defense behind him, of which he was a contributor, flipping a ball past catcher Alex Avila on a play in front of home plate in the second inning. But overall, Quintana struggled with his command, admitting he wasn't able to spot up his fastball like usual. "We had a gameplan, he tried to perform the gameplan, but he was just off," Joe Maddon said. "He was just pulling pitches way far inside on righties. He normally has very good fastball command, so without that, the other pitches — the curve and the changeup — become moot. "Nobody's really going to get aggressive with those pitches until the fastball's a strike where he wants it to be. It's almost like he's trying too hard. I'd rather he just try to make good pitches, back off a little bit, don't try to overdo anything." For his part, Quintana doesn't feel he's putting too much pressure on himself to perform for his new team and a new fanbase in the same city. "I'm just trying to do my job and hit my spots," he said. "But definitely not [putting too much pressure on myself]. Things are a little new for me here, but I feel pretty good, so no pressure on me." Putting Quintana's "struggles" in perspective: His ERA had ballooned all the way up to 5.60 at the end of May and since then he's posted a 3.24 ERA. He also has four quality starts out of six tries in a Cubs uniform, plus Monday's one earned run in five innings. Monday's outing could have also been a lot worse if Kyle Schwarber didn't throw out a runner at home plate in that second inning. At the end of the day, Quintana will take the win and he was content with the adjustments he made to battle through five innings against a powerhouse Reds lineup led by Joey Votto. "The game doesn't change," Quintana said. "You go to a different league, but it's the same. I try to use my strengths. I'm really happy with this outing because I needed that and I fought tonight. "I made my adjustments, so that's the most important thing." -- Chicago Tribune Cubs pound Reds 15-5 to start long stretch against last-place teams By Mark Gonzales A stretch of 13 consecutive games against last-place teams doesn't guarantee success, but general manager Jed Hoyer is looking for an extended winning streak to separate the Cubs from the .500 mark.

"When you're hovering around .500, which we are, everyone is in the race," Hoyer said after the Cubs returned from a 3-3 West Coast trip. Everyone is one hot streak from being right there. We have to hope that we start being consistent and rattle off a lot of series wins and get away from .500 by a significant amount." The top four batters in the Cubs' order provided some separation Monday, collecting 11 of the team's 17 hits in a 15-5 win against the Reds at Wrigley Field that extended the lead over the idle Cardinals in the National League Central to 1 1/2 games. Leadoff batter Jon Jay had three hits and three runs. Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo hit consecutive home runs to highlight a five-run fourth inning. Rizzo drove in five runs, one shy of his career high. Bryant has reached safely in 16 of his past 20 plate appearances dating back to Friday. Javier Baez capped the scoring with a two-run home run against infielder Scooter Gennett in the eighth. Manager Joe Maddon and Hoyer are glad the Cubs have completed their West Coast games, but their 4-11 record that included 1-5 marks against the lowly Padres and Giants indicates they can't take any team for granted. "We've had some pretty bad series losses against some teams you would have thought we would have handled," Hoyer said. "At some point, you stop looking ahead in the schedule." The syrupy feeling after winning the 2016 World Series turned sour after a first-half malaise, and a lack of clutch hitting and careless defense has prevented the Cubs from pulling away from the resurgent Cardinals, as well as the Brewers and Pirates. "Last year we won with a lot of style points," Rizzo said. "This is different." This route has many twists and bumps. Second baseman Ben Zobrist was scratched from the starting lineup because of a stiff neck, but Tommy La Stella came through with three hits from the second spot in the lineup. Despite being staked to a 2-0 lead, left-hander Jose Quintana needed 36 pitches to get out of the second inning. He contributed to his own struggles by flipping the ball erratically with his glove toward home plate on what should have been a routine force play. "I just think he's trying too hard," Maddon said. Quintana received plenty of run support but left after five innings because he had thrown 105 pitches. Maddon employed a four-outfielder defense against Joey Votto with the Cubs holding a 7-2 lead in the fifth, but Votto doubled down the right-field line. Maddon said he's employed the alignment in the past against Jim Thome, David Ortiz and Travis Hafner. -- Chicago Tribune Cubs remain patient with Javier Baez at shortstop in Addison Russell's absence By Mark Gonzales The critics of Javier Baez's play at shortstop likely will have to watch him for an extended period. That's because it doesn't seem likely Addison Russell will return by the end of this homestand. "I have not heard anything positive in regards to him being back any time soon," Maddon said Monday in a blunt tone.

General manager Jed Hoyer described Russell's right foot aliment as "muscular" with a "little bit of plantar fasciitis. "It's gotten better and better, but not at a place where you feel he might not have a setback," Hoyer said. In the meantime, Baez will play at short, where his mercurial play resurfaced Monday when his throw pulled Anthony Rizzo off first base and cost Jose Quintana an inning-ending double play and five extra pitches in the first. Baez, who took over full-time at shortstop when Russell went on the 10-day disabled list on Aug. 2, said it has taken him awhile to get accustomed to playing shortstop again after spending so much at second base. In 39 games at shortstop this season before Monday, Baez has committed 10 errors, compared with four errors in 70 games at second base. "I still want to play short and I'm sure I'm going to play short, but not as much as I am right now," said Baez, who came through the farm system as a shortstop before moving to second in 2014. Despite Baez's occasional errors on routine plays, Maddon strongly defends his preference to live with the talented 24-year-old's mistakes. "The method we've chosen to run with him eventually will pay dividends for many years," Maddon said. "Had someone chosen to go a different route, he might be in Triple-A right now. You might not hear from him two to three years from now." Hoyer defended Maddon's handling of Baez. "The good outweighs the bad," Hoyer said, "and he's won a lot of games for us with his unbelievable natural talent." No hurry: As part of Maddon's annual "American Legion Week," when players are encouraged to arrive to the park later than usual, the manager said he would fine his players a $100 bottle of wine if they arrive before 4 p.m. for a 7:05 p.m. game, unless they require medical treatment. -- Chicago Tribune It's time for the Cubs to wake up By David Haugh Surely dreading four straight day games at the end of this Wrigley Field homestand, Cubs manager Joe Maddon will allow players to show up all week whenever they want. You know, like his team has all season. That's not entirely fair, but not too far off for the defending World Series champions whose summer has been no vacation. The Cubs have been more on-again, off-again than a teenage romance, flirting with the idea of running away from the division after the All-Star break only to be sucked back toward the inconsistency that defined the first half. They returned to Chicago to play the Reds on Monday clinging to a narrow lead over the surging Cardinals in the National League Central with the Brewers and Pirates close enough to make the next seven weeks more suspenseful than expected. At least the Cubs should be well-rested for the stretch run, with Maddon relaxing pre-game reporting times in honor of his annual "American Legion Week."

"I want them to come out and play, just like they did as kids," Maddon said of the homestand that follows a West Coast swing. "Don't overthink it. Don't overwork it. Don't over-video it. Don't over-data it. Just go play baseball." If Maddon wanted a gimmick more appropriate for the occasion, he would scrap American Legion week and put alarm clocks in the lockers of players before they arrived — as long as they weren't Hawk Harrelson Alarm Clocks. It's time for the Cubs to wake up, and stay alert until a playoff berth is more than just a lazy assumption almost everyone has made. "We can't assume we're in October," Jake Arrieta said correctly after Sunday's win. "We've still got to get there." The upcoming schedule offers yet another opportunity. For the next 13 games, they could throw the first pitch at 1:20 p.m. or 1:20 a.m. and Maddon couldn't complain. They come against the lowly Reds, Blue Jays and Phillies, giving the Cubs a chance to create a cushion heading into September. The combined winning percentage of those next four series opponents before the Pirates visit Aug. 28 is .422. Flip the switch, fellas, and keep it on this time. Warts and all, the Cubs remain a team easy to believe in based on history. During the 2015-2016 seasons, the Cubs played .654 baseball at Clark and Addison, going 106-56. With basically the same team this year, they have dipped to 29-26 heading into Monday, a .527 clip conventional wisdom says will improve as the meaning of the games increase. Consistency starts at home. FanGraphs agrees that the Cubs eventually will resemble the team so good to start the second half and gave them a 77.5 percent chance of winning NL Central. The Cardinals, who went 14-6 after the Cubs series, pose the biggest threat after an eight-game winning streak restored their swagger. The Brewers gave their fans reason to feel excited about the future before beginning a fade likely to continue. The Pirates, who have won 11 of their last 16 against divisional foes, can't be dismissed — but can their bullpen be trusted? Meanwhile, some promising signs for the Cubs emerged recently as they wait for new Cubs pitchers Jose Quintana and Justin Wilson to supply the steadiness they were acquired to provide. Jake Arrieta, Sunday's winner against the Diamondbacks, has gone 5-2 with a 2.10 earned-run average in his last eight starts and looks ready for a run likely to please agent Scott Boras as much as Maddon. Kris Bryant, who was overdue for an outburst, provided a timely one in Arizona in Willson Contreras' absence by reaching base in 13 of 15 plate appearances. The reigning National League MVP, one of several Cubs stars enduring seasons not up to his standard, can change the complexion of the divisional race if he stays hot. John Lackey has been a solid fifth starter since July. ReIiever Carl Edwards Jr., who Maddon never doubted, appears to have responded well to adversity. Catcher Alex Avila could turn into the Cubs' most important midseason acquisition. Ian Happ's versatility and pop with the bat have been a revelation. Jon Jay, one of the most underrated reasons the Cubs woke up Monday in first place despite the struggles, keeps coming up with big hits and received Maddon's endorsement as the most likely leadoff hitter for the playoffs. By then, maybe Kyle Schwarber will be making contact again. Schwarber, who struck out seven straight at-bats against the Diamondbacks, looks like a platoon player for the rest of 2017 until he proves otherwise. It also would be nice for the Cubs if Ben Zobrist could cause a stir for doing something other than striking out looking and sparking a debate about robot umpires (a smart, inevitable idea, by the way). And shortstop Addison Russell needs to get healthy so Javier Baez can get some rest to avoid the occasional defensive lapse between all those spectacular plays. Occasionally, Baez's mind drifts. Every now and then, so do the Cubs. But a tight division race they never had to worry about the past two seasons now demands their full attention — and deserves yours too. This could be as much fun as a Bears exhibition game. -- Chicago Tribune Cubs minor-leaguers told to 'Respect 90 like KB' By Mark Gonzales

Carmelo Martinez, manager of the Cubs' Arizona League team, sent a simple and clear message without saying a word to his players prior to their game last Wednesday in 107-degree heat at Sloan Park. In the middle of the Rookie league team's work schedule for that day was a photograph of Cubs star Kris Bryant with the headline, "Respect 90 like KB." It was a reminder to keep hustling regardless of the challenging conditions for the youngsters playing in their first or second professional season in the U.S. "I think they're getting the message," Martinez said. Jonathan Sierra, 18, a 6-foot-3 left-handed hitting outfielder who signed a $2.5 million bonus out of the Dominican Republic in 2015, has helped set the tone. "He's off the charts with the work ethic," Martinez said. "He's the best we have. It's not that he wants to get better. He wants to do more to learn. He's one of the best outfielders in the league. He wasn't at the beginning. He likes to challenge himself." Martinez observed that Sierra, who is batting .248 in 129 at-bats, has learned to quit trying to pull every pitch. "What he's doing in practice, he's now doing in the game," Martinez said. "He's a great kid who is very respectful." Many player-development officials are excited about infielder Yonathan Perlaza, who signed a $1.3 million bonus out of Venezuela. "He's got some tools," Martinez said. "He's raw but got gap power." Perlaza, 18, runs very well and can play shortstop, third base and second base, which may be better suited for him. "But there's something there," Martinez said. "The more at-bats he takes, the more you say, 'Wow.'" While most of the Cubs' top 2017 draft picks have advanced to short-season Class A Eugene, outfielder Nelson Velazquez has remained in Arizona polishing his skills after the Cubs took him in the fifth round out of Puerto Rico. Velazquez, 18, worked out for team officials at Wrigley Field before they drafted and signed him. "There are special tools there," Martinez said. "He hits with power to all fields. He runs well and has a good arm." Dillon Maples, RHP, Triple-A Iowa: Opposing scouts continue to marvel over Maples' wipeout slider, which has helped produce 20 strikeouts in 12 2/3 innings at Iowa. The reliever, 25, was promoted twice this season, which he began in Class A. Brendon Little, LHP, Class A Eugene: After getting roughed up for nine runs in his first two starts, the Cubs' first-round pick, 21, pitched four shutout innings Friday against Spokane. -- Chicago Tribune Stretch run another chance for Joe Maddon to prove his worth By Paul Sullivan Joe Maddon is one of the best managers in baseball, not to mention the only one in our lifetimes to lead the Cubs to a championship. But something obviously is missing from this year's team, which is fighting the Cardinals, Brewers and Pirates for the National League Central Division title when they should've pulled away from the pack after their post-All-Star break surge.

Does Maddon bear any of the blame for this underachieving year, or is there nothing he could've done to make the Cubs the dominant club everyone expected them to be? "Collectively, from top to bottom, obviously we haven't had the same kind of year as last year or even the year before," general manager Jed Hoyer said before Monday's game against the Reds. "I think that assessment is on everybody. I wouldn't single anything out about Joe that he hasn't done. "But in general, as a group, starting with Theo (Epstein) and me, I think we haven't played as well, we haven't been as sharp. And that's something we have to find. But the good thing about baseball is we still have 46 games left to find it, and starting now we're in a race with three other teams, and we have to find it." True, hardly anyone from the champs has had a strong year, including most of the guys who've left, including Aroldis Chapman, Travis Wood, Jason Hammel and Dexter Fowler. The only returning player from 2016 having a better year than last year is Willson Contreras, who is now on the disabled list, leaving a gaping hole in the lineup. Jake Arrieta and Kris Bryant may be returning to form, but it's doubtful they can match their production from 2016. Fortunately the Cubs are in a weak division, and everything starts over if they make it to October. Let's face it, the Cubs are who they are at this point, but so is everyone else in the division. None of them are having great seasons, and it's really a coin toss as to which one will come out on top. Even if this Cubs Lite edition makes it into the postseason, they certainly will go in as underdogs, meaning Maddon is going to have to pull something out of his hat to beat the Nationals and probably the Dodgers to get back to the World Series. Everyone is always asking which players will step up in a pennant race, but rarely does anyone mention the possibility of managers stepping up. They can, of course, and it's up to Maddon, the Cardinals' Mike Matheny, the Brewers' Craig Counsell and the Pirates' Clint Hurdle to pull the right strings and put their respective teams in the best position to win. So who has the edge? • Maddon has two World Series appearances, including last year's title, and seven seasons of 90 or more wins from 2008-2016. He's won with low payrolls in Tampa Bay and with a young team on the North Side. Maddon got a lot of credit for changing the culture in the Cubs' clubhouse, and he also received plenty of criticism for his World Series pitching moves, particularly involving Chapman. • Matheny took the Cardinals to the World Series in his second year in 2013, and his .563 career win percentage (522-406) is 19th all-time. But last year's Cards missed the playoffs for the first time since 2010, and many of the natives are restless, calling for Matheny to be fired until their recent hot streak. At this point St. Louis fans have more faith in the Rally Cat than their embattled manager. • Hurdle is in his 15th season of managing despite a sub-.500 career record (1,101-1,147) and not a single division title. He took the Rockies to the 2007 World Series as a wild-card team, only to get swept by the Red Sox, and watched his Pirates lose to the Cardinals in the 2013 NL Division Series, and then in wild card games to the Giants in 2014 and to the Cubs in 2015. • Counsell is in only his second full season of managing the Brewers. He's done a nice job in 2017, but this is still an organization in the middle of a rebuild, and the Brewers have played above their heads most of the season. Counsell deserves credit for that, but they're 11-18 in the second half after taking a 51/2-game lead into the break.

All things being equal, Maddon should come out on top in this baseball version of Game of Thrones. He knows how to motivate, and has been there before. -- Chicago Sun-Times Cubs’ Kris Bryant brings the heat from Arizona desert to Wrigley By Steve Greenberg It turns out that Kris Bryant, the 2015 National League Rookie of the Year and 2016 NL Most Valuable Player, is pretty good with a baseball bat in his hands. Who knew? Bryant rolled into the game Monday against the Reds, the opener of a four-game series and a seven-game homestand, after an off-the-charts weekend in Arizona. In three games against the Diamondbacks, the third baseman reached base 13 times in 15 plate appearances and had back-to-back-to-back three-hit outings. What happened in the Cubs’ 15-5 victory against the Reds? More of the same. Bryant ripped a double off the left-field wall in his first at-bat, homered to left in his third and walked in his fourth before Ian Happ pinch-hit for him in the eighth inning. Kris Bryant watches his fourth-inning long ball leave the yard Monday at Wrigley Field. (David Banks/Getty Images) ‘‘He’s just looking more like KB,’’ manager Joe Maddon said. ‘‘That’s the best way to describe it.’’ There’s a bit more to it than that, of course. Bryant is lifting the ball again — a sight for sore eyes for Cubs fans — after struggling in that department for weeks as he dealt with soreness in his hand. When the angle of Bryant’s swing is locked in, big things tend to happen. Think the Cubs, embroiled in a tight division race, could use a hot finish from their best player? No need to answer that one. The blame game General manager Jed Hoyer didn’t quite take the bait when asked about Maddon’s performance this season. ‘‘From top to bottom, we haven’t had the same type of year as last year or even the year before,’’ Hoyer said. ‘‘I think that assessment is on everybody. I wouldn’t single anything out about Joe that he hasn’t done.’’ Hoyer included himself and president Theo Epstein in his criticism of a team that, 4½ months into the season, has yet to find its mojo. ‘‘We haven’t played as well, we haven’t been as sharp, and that’s something we have to find,’’ he said. ‘‘But the good thing is, we still have [45] games left to find it.’’ Pain in the neck The Cubs scratched Ben Zobrist from the lineup shortly before the start of the game, putting Tommy La Stella in his place at second base. The reason? A familiar foe: a stiff neck. The 36-year-old Zobrist had a run-in with neck stiffness back in spring training. He missed games with stiffness in his neck earlier in his career, before joining the Cubs. This hardly is a regular thing with Zobrist, but it’s certainly something to monitor.

-- Chicago Sun-Times Will the Cubs take advantage of a schedule that couldn’t look easier? By Steve Greenberg Say it slowly, Cubs fans. Savor the words. Maybe even take comfort in them: The 15-5 demolition Monday of the Reds at Wrigley Field was the first of 24 consecutive games the Cubs will play against teams that currently have sub-.500 records. OK, so it’s a bit of a mouthful. But this sure is a sweet stretch of the schedule for a team that entered a seven-game homestand leading by a nose in a four-horse National League Central race. By the time the Brewers visit Wrigley next month, who knows how far out in front the Cubs might be? Or, you know, they might be in fourth place. ‘‘Anything can happen,’’ veteran pitcher Jon Lester said. ‘‘That’s why you play the whole season. But of course we’d like to take advantage of this part of the schedule.’’ There are any number of pleasant ways to spin the slate of remaining regular-season games. For example, Monday kicked off 13 games in a row against opponents (Reds, Blue Jays, Reds again, Phillies) that currently are in last place in their divisions. And having 31 of the final 46 games against teams from the Central — a down division the defending World Series champs should be able to handle, right? — can’t possibly be a bad thing. Unless, you know, it is. ‘‘You just don’t know,’’ said pitcher John Lackey, another guy who has seen it all. Come to think of it, ‘‘you just don’t know’’ would’ve been a fine and fitting slogan for the 2017 season. It isn’t as evocative as ‘‘embrace the target,’’ which helped get the Cubs over the top in 2016, but it would be right on the money. Knowing the Brewers, Cardinals and Pirates would be hovering near .500 in mid-August, wouldn’t pretty much everyone have guessed that the Cubs would be coasting toward the finish line? Or to borrow from first baseman Anthony Rizzo’s metaphor: Shouldn’t the Cubs be charging toward the top of the mountain without a threat in sight? ‘‘It’s a different journey [than in 2016],’’ Rizzo said. ‘‘We’re trying to climb the same mountain with a different route. The route we took last year was maybe the easier side, if people are looking at it from the outside. This year, we’re taking the steeper route. It’s a different journey, but we just want to get to the top.’’ They made some progress by crushing the Reds, as Rizzo started things off with a two-run single in the first inning, launched a solo home run onto Sheffield Avenue in the fourth and drove in five runs in all. There’s still time for the Cubs to get everything going in a championship direction, though they don’t have many more steps to waste. ‘‘We’ve got six, seven weeks left to win the division,’’ Rizzo said. ‘‘We’re in position to do it. That was the goal in spring training — to win the division, get into the playoffs and win the World Series. ‘‘If you win by one game or you win by 15, it doesn’t matter. There are no style points. Last year, we won with a lot of style points, getting doubted every step of the way. It’s no different this year. That’s just the way it is.’’ Were the Cubs really doubted a year ago, when they flew out of the gate in April and maintained a huge division lead for most of the way? Short answer: No, they weren’t. But this season is different. Any doubts about these Cubs have been well-earned.

Ah, but then there’s that upcoming schedule. It couldn’t be friendlier. Or so one would think. -- Chicago Sun-Times MORRISSEY: Watching the up-and-down Cubs is exhausting By Rick Morrissey The next chapter in the story is the part where the Cubs, emboldened by a two-week menu of feeble resistance, morph back into the tough-talking team that swashbuckled through the underwhelming Orioles, Braves and White Sox after the All-Star break. I’d suggest a pirate dress-up day for the players so they can get into the spirit of things, but I’m probably late to the party. Here’s guessing that loosey-goosey manager Joe Maddon already is pricing black eyepatches. I don’t know how you people do it. I’m talking to Cubs fans. The ups and downs of this season, the absence of anything firm to grab onto, the teases, the constant assurances of prosperity right around the corner, and the results that argue otherwise. It looks exhausting. The team that offered fun at every turn in 2016 isn’t completely devoid of joy this year, but delivery of the stuff has been spotty. A hangover after winning the World Series is understandable. What the Cubs did last season wiped out all the bad memories of all those previous bad seasons. It gave them a pass going forward in this city for, what, years? Decades? So it seems ridiculous to be hard on them after last year’s momentous accomplishment. But right now, an opportunity could be slipping away, and for no good reason. The Cubs still have more talent than most teams in baseball. Their starting pitching has found life. Their front office has gotten them help to make a second-half push. And still, mediocrity comes creeping back like crabgrass. The Cubs continue to talk about a long winning streak that will finally show everyone that the 2016 champions are back. They had that nice stretch after the All-Star break, winning 11 of 13 games, including two of three against the not-yet-resurgent Cardinals, and suddenly they were strutting again. Everything was different now, they said. The real Cubs had pulled into town. Not long after came the good teams, the Diamondbacks and the Nationals. Six games later, the Cubs crawled out of Wrigley Field with only two victories. Then they lost two of three to the lowly Giants, a last-place team. When they bounced back and won two of three against the Diamondbacks in Arizona over the weekend, they whined about the umpiring in the one loss. They also found time to let everyone know they weren’t happy about the news that they’ll have to play a game the Thursday after next season’s All-Star Game, taking away an opportunity for more consecutive days of rest. The Cubs talking about next year is a time-honored tradition, but this was absurd. The whole thing is hard to understand — the mindset, the results, the season. Do you recall Maddon or his players getting as angry at themselves during this frustrating season as they were at umpire Mark Wegner the other day? I don’t, either. They’re not acting like World Series champions, not carrying themselves with the bearing of a defending champion. They want all that comes with having those championship rings, but they’re not doing their part to give themselves the best chance to repeat. Ben Zobrist isn’t. Kris Bryant isn’t, at least with runners in scoring position. Pick a player, and you probably won’t be wrong. So now they’re about to fill up on the Reds, the Blue Jays, the Reds again and the Phillies. It’s not until the Cubs arrive in Pittsburgh on Aug. 28 for a three-game series that they’ll face a team that isn’t in last place in its division. And the mighty Pirates are all of 58-60.

The Cubs have been talking about banding together and somehow making up for the loss of catcher Willson Contreras, who is out four to six weeks with a hamstring injury. If the loss of Contreras sinks the team’s playoff hopes, then it wasn’t much of a team. This is a player no one was counting on to be a star. It’s to his credit that he became one. But if the Cubs can’t recover from his absence, that doesn’t say much for them. If they hang on and win the division, the knowing looks say, watch out. No one would want to face such a dangerous team, a team that knows how to win in the playoffs. That’s become the mantra of this season. Maybe that’s exactly how this will play out and the Cubs will have the last laugh on all of the people who trudged, weary and somber, through this season. But that won’t make this experience any more fulfilling. Why is life so hard for such a talented team? No one has come up with a satisfying answer yet. And, no, “baseball is hard” doesn’t cut it. -- Chicago Sun-Times Who’s more effective, Jose Quintana or Jon Lester? Depends who you ask By John Grochowski For those who are unfamiliar with metrics, the gap between pitching WAR at Baseball-Reference.com and Fangraphs.com can be difficult to fathom. By Baseball-Reference metrics, Jose Quintana has been the most effective starting pitcher in Chicago this season (through Sunday) with a 1.4 bWAR, 1.2 with the White Sox and 0.2 with the Cubs. Kyle Hendricks is next at 1.3, with fellow Cubs starters Jake Arrieta at 1.1, Jon Lester at 0.9 and John Lackey at 0.3. At Fangraphs, however, Lester is No. 1 at 2.8, followed by Quintana at 2.3, Arrieta at 2.1, Hendricks at 1.1 and Lackey at -0.1. The difference is in fielding-dependent wins. Baseball-Reference’s bWAR includes them, and Fangraphs’ fWAR doesn’t. That’s because of what the metrics are designed to do. The Baseball-Reference version reflects what has happened while a pitcher was on the mound. Fangraphs attempts to balance that with a predictive element. Hendricks (3.70 ERA, 3.81 runs allowed per nine innings) has allowed fewer runs than Lester (3.99, 4.73), so Hendricks has a better bWAR. That’s influenced by defense, as seen in part by 12 unearned runs against Lester and only one against Hendricks. Fangraphs factors out defense by basing its fWAR on fielding-independent pitching — walks, strikeouts and home runs allowed. Lester, who matches Hendricks with 1.2 homers allowed and 2.8 walks per nine innings, strikes out 9.5 per nine innings against 7.5 for Hendricks. So Lester, with a 3.69 FIP to Hendricks’ 4.21, has a better fWAR. That brings us back to fielding-dependent wins. Fangraphs breaks the total into balls-in-play wins and left-on-base wins. Balls-in-play wins calculates how many more or fewer runs normally would score given balls in play against a pitcher. The formula is complex, includes park factors and a runs-to-wins conversion factor and uses linear weights that change from year to year: ((((H-HR)*(w1B * p1B + w2B * pxBH)) / (TBF – HR – BB – HBP – SO)) – lgwBABiP) * (TBF – HR – BB – HBP – SO) / PF / RtW * -1. That boils down to high BIP-Wins if a lower-than-average portion of balls in play drop in for hits. Left-on-base wins will be high if a higher-than-usual percentage of runners are left on base.

Unusually high BIP-Wins and LOB-Wins usually don’t hold up from year to year, so Fangraphs omits them from its WAR calculation. But if you add those two factors to fWAR, you get runs allowed WAR, which is very close to bWAR. In Lester’s case, BIP-Wins (-0.2) and LOB-Wins (-1.2) are both negative, so his runs allowed-based WAR will be lower than the FIP-based fWAR. Hendricks is on the positive side with 0.4 BIP-Wins and 0.2 LOB-Wins, so fWAR will be lower than runs-allowed WAR or bWAR. Both runs-based and FIP-based WAR give us valuable information. BWAR reflects what has happened so far, while fWAR is a strong indicator of near-future performance. In a Lester-Hendricks comparison, your choice depends on what you want from the metric. -- Chicago Sun-Times David Ross to skydive at Chicago Air and Water Show By Madeline Kenney Former Cubs catcher David Ross is seeking a new thrill or maybe more attention. Ross will open the 59th annual Chicago Air and Water Show by tandem jumping out of a plane with the U.S. Army Parachute Team Golden Knights. He will touch down in front of the Boat House at North Avenue Beach after the show opens at 10 a.m. on Aug. 19. It seems Ross doesn’t know the definition of retirement. In fact, he’s done the exact opposite of that since the Cubs won the World Series last November. Since entering “retirement,” Ross took a position as a special assistant to the Cubs baseball operations, was an intern for Bryzzo Souvenir Co. and he published a memoir. Ross also finished as the runner-up of last season’s Dancing With the Stars on ABC and he became an ESPN baseball analyst. Seriously, is there anything Ross can’t do? --