October 12, 2015 ESPNChicago.com Cubs-Cards Game 3 start time announced: What to watch for By Jesse Rogers CHICAGO -- Game 3 between the Chicago Cubs and St. Louis Cardinals finally has a start time, as first pitch Monday is set for 5:07 p.m. CT. Is that considered a day game or nighttime affair? The Cubs hit 20 points higher and averaged more runs per game at night than during the day in the regular season. They’ll undoubtedly get at-bats as the sun sets on Wrigley Field during the first playoff game there since 2008. With that in mind, let’s take a look at some storylines to follow in Monday’s Game 3: Jake Arrieta vs. Matt Carpenter: There’s a good chance the two good friends will have a big say in the outcome of the game. Arrieta has a 31-inning scoreless streak going, while Carpenter posted the highest road OPS (.876) on the Cardinals during the regular season. Bur Carpenter is 0 for 16 lifetime against his former college teammate at TCU, including four strikeouts and five walks. According to ESPN Stats & Information, the Cardinals were a .500 team when Carpenter failed to reach base or reached just once in a game (non-error) this season. When he reached two or more times the Cardinals were 59-22. Not unlike with many leadoff hitters – as Carpenter goes so do the Cardinals, especially on the road. Cubs vs. Michael Wacha: The Cubs have decent numbers against the 17-game winner, including a .311 batting average and .365 on-base percentage in 115 plate appearance by current players on the team. Of the everyday players, Anthony Rizzo and Starlin Castro own identical .455 batting averages off of Wacha; both also have gone deep twice off of him. Addison Russell is hitless in five at-bats this season, while Miguel Montero is just 2 for 15 lifetime. Still, Wacha has a career 4.86 ERA against the Cubs. Kris Bryant: No one on the Cubs hits better at home than the righty slugger, who posted a 1.037 OPS at Wrigley Field this season, third best of any player in the National League in his home park, behind Bryce Harper and Paul Goldschmidt. He was third in home runs hit at home, third in RBIs and seventh in walks. One of those home runs came off of Wacha earlier this year, and Bryant was 3 for 10 off him overall. -- ESPNChicago.com Cardinals' familiar challenge: Beat MLB's hottest pitcher By Jayson Stark CHICAGO -- Wow. Here it comes, that pivotal National League Division Series duel America has been waiting for. In one corner, you have the St. Louis Cardinals, those noted October giant-slayers. In the other, you have the hottest pitcher in the solar system, a man who has lost once in the past three months. What a game. What a matchup. What a ...

Oh, wait. That was the storyline LAST year this time -- when we couldn't wait to see what happened when the Cardinals took on a gentleman named Clayton Kershaw. And this year, whaddayaknow, here we go again. Can't wait for Monday in the late-afternoon shadows of Wrigley Field: the Cardinals versus Jake Arrieta and the Chicago Cubs. Other than the ivy, it sure does feel familiar. "I swear, it feels like it's déjà vu," said Cardinals leadoff man Matt Carpenter on Sunday, on the eve of this dramatic Game 3 showdown. "Just facing a different guy." Different guy. Different year. But it really is crazy how much these storylines resemble each other. Arrieta is on one of the most insane, unhittable rolls we've witnessed in this sport in decades. But a year ago, remember, so was Kershaw. We compared him to Sandy Koufax, handed him both an MVP award and a Cy Young, and wondered where his season fit among the greatest of all time. Ring a bell? Now, Arrieta's team has gone 18-1 in his past 19 starts. And that feels as if it ought to be impossible. Except ... anyone want to guess the last time a team had a record that good over that many starts by any of its pitchers? Yessir. It was just last year, when the Dodgers were rampaging into October with a record of 20-1 in Kershaw's previous 21 starts. Well, you know what happened. Kershaw allowed a mind-blowing EIGHT runs to the Cardinals in Game 1, then came back four days later and let a seventh-inning lead evaporate in another crushing loss in Game 4. And that was that. For his year. And his team's. It was more, however, than just a statement on how little October can resemble everything that preceded it. It was a reminder that, even for the greatest pitchers on earth, postseason baseball is a whole different animal. And Jake Arrieta, spectacular and unbeatable as he has been, would never dispute that. "I think that your weaknesses and your mistakes are exposed at a level maybe slightly above where they would be in the regular season," he said Sunday, when we asked him if the October experiences of Kershaw and David Price were a reminder that anything can happen this time of year. "Everybody's attention to detail, everybody's focus, is at such a high level that when those little mistakes are made, the opposing lineups are able to capitalize on it." In the regular season, Arrieta theorized, there's a higher likelihood that a pitcher -- and especially an ace -- can get away with a mistake or two. But not in games that mean as much as these games mean. "It's a little bit different in October," he said. "It seems like [the hitters'] mentality is in that sweet spot where ... they're not really fazed by anything. Sometimes it happens with momentum changes in the game, the atmosphere, the crowd noise. But everybody is pretty locked in at this point in the season. And that's why the good teams still remain." But there are "the good teams." And then there are the Cardinals. Beating aces in October is what they do. If you're not familiar with their work, let's recap it for you: In 2011, it was Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee. In 2012, it was a white-hot Kris Medlen, and then Jordan Zimmermann, Madison Bumgarner and Matt Cain. In 2013, it was Gerrit Cole and Kershaw. In 2014, it was Kershaw yet again. And "we even had Madison [Bumgarner] down in the NLCS last year," Adam Wainwright reminded us Sunday -- before Travis Ishikawa rewrote that script. So the Cardinals have been there. They've done this. And they've lived to high-five against every one of those hallowed aces. Which means that nothing about facing the Cubs' unbeatable man will feel either new or intimidating for this group. "That's the way this goes in the postseason," Carpenter said. "You're not going to face a No. 5 starter. You're going to get the best guy. And most of the time, you're going to get him twice. Fortunately, we're only going to have to face [Arrieta] once. But we're going to have to find a way to beat him."

Oh yeah. That reminds us of one more thing. The Cardinals are one of the six teams that did beat Arrieta this year. Of course, that happened way back on May 7, before Arrieta got his Bob Gibson mojo working. So when Arrieta was asked about that loss Sunday, he said, tersely: "I don't remember anything about it." And Carpenter swept those memories under his rug even more abruptly. "This is a bigger stage," he said. "All that regular-season stuff doesn't matter anymore." What will matter, he said, is how successful he and his cohorts can be at grinding at-bats, running up Arrieta's pitch count and taking advantage of their opportunities to score -- assuming he's human enough to let them have a few. History tells us they've done those things before. Many times. Against the best of the best. So let's just say the Cardinals are well aware of the vibe that surrounds this game all over Chicago -- that the Cubs can't lose. Because Jake Arrieta is on the mound. "You know what? If anything, I'm on the opposite side of that," Carpenter said. "If you go this long, history says you're due for something not good to happen. That's just the way it works. You can't hit 1.000 as a hitter. You can't throw a perfect game every time you go out there to pitch. So if anything, he's due for the opposite." Then again, we've been saying that for weeks now. And it's been almost four weeks since Arrieta even allowed a run. So it sets up maybe the most fascinating showdown of this entire postseason. It's the ultimate ace versus the ultimate ace-beaters. On center stage at electrified Wrigley Field. And there's way too much October history in the air to forget that anything -- truly -- can happen. -- ESPNChicago.com Cubs' Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo seek first playoff hits at Wrigley By Jon Greenberg CHICAGO -- Cubs rookie phenom Kris Bryant drove in 99 runs during the regular season. He's still looking for RBI 100. He's also looking for postseason hit No. 1. Through three games, The Cubs' No. 3 hitter is 0-for-11 with one walk and four strikeouts. He’s grounded into two double plays, and almost a third. "It’s just the cycles of the games," Bryant said. "I had a really good month in August and in September, a really, really good month. So you kind of expect the valleys and the peaks. It just happens to be [a valley] at this time. Guys are picking me up, so that’s nice." So far Bryant, who hit .330 with seven homers in August and .336 with five homers in September, and cleanup hitter Anthony Rizzo (.278, 31 homers, 101 RBIs) haven’t provided the Cubs with any middle-of-the-order thump, but the hitters have a great chance to rectify that in their first home playoff game as the National League Division Series moves to Wrigley Field on Monday. Rizzo is hitless as well, 0-for-10 with a walk and a run. He’s struck out four times and grounded into one double play. Young or old, the postseason offers such a small sample size that it’s tough to judge a typically great player by these numbers. But that’s exactly what happens to great regular-season players who don’t click in October: They get judged. Such is life in a sport predicated by failure. “The game’s hard,” Bryant said. “Sometimes the pitch looks good and it just darts down. These pitchers are good. I think a little more fine approach up there, really swinging at what I want in certain situations is what I need to do. I have a lot of confidence I’ll figure it out here soon. It’s kind of one of those things where I’m down in a little valley right now, but I’ll pick myself up.”

In the 4-0 victory over the Pirates in the wild-card game, all the Cubs' action came from Dexter Fowler and Kyle Schwarber atop the lineup. They each hit home runs and knocked in and scored every run. The Cubs were blanked in the opener against the Cardinals, but in their 6-3 win in Game 2, Jorge Soler, who batted second, hit a double and a homer, driving in two runs. Fowler went 2-for-5 with an RBI, and the bottom of the order -- Miguel Montero, Kyle Hendricks and Addison Russell -- drove in runs. Cubs manager Joe Maddon worked the bunt and the running game to perfection to create runs. “Isn’t that great?” Rizzo said. “Usually we’re the ones carrying the load.” Throughout this season, Rizzo, an NL MVP candidate, hasn’t really demanded the attention requisite his standing in the lineup. Then again, after suffering through the competitive wasteland of the Cubs' rebuilding project, he's happy to share the credit. “I’ve said it all year,” he said. “It’s not about me, it’s not about Kris, it’s not about Jorge [Soler], it’s about the whole team doing what we can do to win. At the end of the day, as long as we win, it doesn’t matter.” But it wouldn’t hurt for them to hit some mistakes. Runs are at a premium in these games, and the margin for error is so slim. The Cubs haven't won a home playoff game since Game 2 of the National League Championship Series in 2003, so the crowd could get a little antsy if the team can't put some early runs on the board. In the Cubs’ previous two divisional series, their 3-4 hitters didn’t drive in a run, as the team collected just 12 in six games. In 2008, Derrek Lee and Aramis Ramirez hit a combined .363 (8-for-22) with four doubles (three by Lee), but the Cubs got swept by the Dodgers. In 2007, they had a little tougher time against the Diamondbacks, hitting a combined .167 (Ramirez hit fifth in Game 3, and cleanup hitter Cliff Floyd went 0-for-1 with two walks), grounding into three double plays. Not that they had a ton of runners to drive in. Alfonso Soriano, then the high-priced leadoff hitter, went 3-for-28 combined in those two series. The Cubs' Kris Bryant waits for his meal from a team chef on Sunday before a workout at Wrigley Field. Bryant hopes some home cooking leads to his first postseason hit on Monday. Nam Y. Huh/AP Photo But there's no time to stress. This playoffs, especially with the early start times in this series, don’t give players much time to find their games. Not that the Cubs brass wants their players stressing over their approach in the cage or the video room. “What Joe has preached at the beginning, when we played Pittsburgh, was, 'Don’t do anything different,'” Bryant said. “We still do our same routine we do before the games. If we take BP, if we don’t take BP, just do what you do. I think it’s important to do that -- don’t make the games bigger than they really are.” So, no extra film session for the prohibitive Rookie of the Year favorite to watch those 26 pretty regular-season homers or those 31 doubles? “No, no that’s a big enemy,” Bryant said. “It’s nice to to look at what you’ve done, but you don’t need to sit in front of the computer for an hour. Five minutes, tops.” The Cubs front office helps out with advance scouting this time of year, but it doesn't sound like Rizzo is poring over the details. “There’s nothing you can do,” Rizzo said. “You try to hit the ball hard, and that’s it. That’s all you can do.” --

ESPNChicago.com Cubs series rewind: Three observations from Games 1 and 2 By Jesse Rogers CHICAGO – With the Chicago Cubs back home for the first time in a week, Wrigley Field is getting ready to host its first playoff game since 2008. The tide seemed to turn in the series against the St. Louis Cardinals during the Game 2 victory. With two of the next three games at home and Jake Arrieta on the mound for Game 3, it seems to scream, "Advantage Cubs." But before we turn the page to Games 3 and 4, let’s look back at first two games. Turning point: Was Cardinals starter Jaime Garcia’s brain cramp in Game 2 – before an actual stomach cramp forced him to leave – the turning point in the series? Austin Jackson looked dead to rights at home on the squeeze bunt by Kyle Hendricks in the second inning, but Garcia’s hesitation, then errant throw to first, jump-started the Cubs' offense. After the second consecutive squeeze bunt moments later, the Cubs took the lead for good, scoring five unearned runs in a 6-3 win to tie the series. “As far as the play with the pitcher bunting, that's a well-executed bunt, and the pitcher has to be aggressively thinking right out of the box if you're going to have any chance at home,” Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said after the game. “So then at the last minute there's a lot of noise. I'm sure Yadi [Molina] at that point was calling for him to at least look at home, and it was too late at that point because he'd already made an initial move to first. And then off-balance -- off-balance throws typically end up in the outfield.” When a playoff series changes on a Little League-type mistake, it’s a reminder that fundamentals and preparation should never be taken for granted. Considering the roll Arrieta is on, the Garcia play could be the difference in the series -- and that stomach cramp Garcia had might feel a lot like an ulcer in the coming days. Cubs offense: I hate to burst anyone’s bubble, but just playing devil’s advocate here: The Cubs' offense still hasn’t come together this postseason. Maybe it won’t. Maybe this is how it’s supposed to be -- scratching and clawing and finding a different hero every night. But save for Dexter Fowler, Kyle Schwarber and Jorge Soler, there’s been very little damage done in three games. By now, you know Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo are hitless in the postseason, which is hard to imagine. Both have lined out hard at different times, so a little luck would help. Home cooking is probably a remedy for Bryant, as he had a whopping 1.037 OPS at Wrigley Field this season. He doesn’t stay dormant for long, so unless he runs into some more bad fortune, expect the rookie of the year candidate to make some noise in Games 3 and 4. The positive is the Cubs are 2-1 in the playoffs without damage from the middle of their lineup. Bullpen success: Travis Wood and Trevor Cahill took center stage in Game 2. Can Clayton Richard be far behind them? Many have wondered why the Cubs' middle-relief trio is having so much success while struggling earlier in the season. One simple reason is these three former starters accepting their roles as relievers. Remember, an average-to-mediocre starter could still be a very good bullpen arm. That’s what you’re seeing with these three. Preparing to throw six or seven innings several times through the lineup is a whole different animal than using all your bullets for a few batters. You don’t have to hold back. What was mediocre stuff as a starter becomes really good as a reliever. Turning that live arm into a 1-2 inning weapon is a way back to having success. Cahill gave credit to catcher Miguel Montero for a mental adjustment as he accepted his new role. “He’s done a good job of transitioning me back in the bullpen and getting me ready,” Cahill said. It’s a good thought going forward in acquiring relievers. Buy low on a dismal starter and send him to the bullpen. If he accepts the role -- not always an easy thing -- you can revitalize a career. It’s working for the Cubs, and it paid dividends in Game 2. --

ESPNChicago.com Changing MLB's postseason format would be complicated By Jayson Stark ST. LOUIS -- So you think it's easy to "fix" the baseball postseason, huh? Oh, really? You might find out it would actually be easier to fix, say, your carburetor. What's easy, after watching those 98-win Pittsburgh Pirates get sent home by Jake Arrieta in the wild-card game, is to say: This isn't right. This isn't fair. And in the next few days, when either those 97-win Chicago Cubs or 100-win St. Louis Cardinals lose in the NLDS and get bounced themselves, we'll be saying it again. It isn't fair. It isn't right. Commissioner Rob Manfred says reseeding playoff teams after the wild-card games is "an idea worth talking about" but added that postseason changes are unlikely. Well, you know what? We all pretty much agree on that. It isn't fair. And it's hard not to sympathize with the Pirates, who got MadBummed last year and Jaked around this year. Wrong pitcher. Wrong night. Wrong ending. But here's our first question to kick around: Do we need to "fix" the postseason because we feel sorry for the Pirates? Or are the Pirates a symptom in need of a cure? "Look, obviously, I think it is a mistake," said commissioner Rob Manfred, "to rethink the fundamentals of your format on the basis that a team had three great seasons in a row and had to play in the wild-card game, and two years in a row certainly faced a red-hot pitcher. ... "I mean, that's unfortunate," Manfred said. "But I'm not sure that's a reason to try to design a system to prevent it." It is a reason to ask questions, though. To think about the options. To seriously reflect on this format and at least kick around the question of whether there's something else, anything else, that makes more sense. So over the last week, we've done that. We've gone looking for alternatives to this system. But then we had to ask ourselves: If we change it, would we really be happy with the new system? And here's the truth: Every "solution" creates its own problems. And those problems are just as messy as the ones we have under the current system. Nevertheless, that's no reason not to reflect on all of it. So let's ask those questions now. See what you think. Why not a best-of-three wild-card series? Too bad we don't play these games on Planet Utopia, a planet with perfect weather and the power to make time stand still for some teams but zip along for others. If we did, of course we'd make the wild-card round a best-of-three. Or even best-of-five or best-of-seven. That's only "fair." "Two out of three is a very obvious solution," says Cubs general manager Jed Hoyer. "But it's not so obvious when you factor in timing. And that's where I think MLB's job is really hard. I think everyone would agree that three games is better than one game. But at the same time, where do you put them?" So what does he mean by "Where do you put them?" Think about it. The season ends on a Sunday. You need to save Monday for potential tiebreakers. Then the best-of-three could start Tuesday, but you'd need an off day in there somewhere to account for long travel or weather. In other words, you'd have to block out four more days. At least. And next thing you knew, you'd have first-place teams sitting around for close to a week.

So remember, the idea when baseball devised these one-game wild-card faceoffs, was, in Manfred's words, "to disadvantage wild-card teams." But if that means everyone else has to go on vacation for four, five or six days until the wild-card series is over, it "would actually disadvantage the division winners," Manfred said. And that's not happening. These two options were fiercely debated by owners and players four years ago, before the implementation of the second wild card. Both sides came to the same conclusion. If you're going to be "fair" to somebody, it ought to be to the teams that won their division, not the teams that couldn't. Or didn't. Why should that change? The answer is that unless we can move these games to Planet Utopia, it shouldn't. And almost certainly won't. Unless ... Does a wild-card doubleheader make any sense? Cubs president Theo Epstein has tossed out this fascinating idea: If the biggest obstacle to moving to a best-of-three wild-card series is how much time it takes, why not compress that time -- with a doubleheader? That's one less day, anyway. On one hand, a wild-card doubleheader would be awesome theater. On the other, is that really any way to decide a whole season's work? Our informal survey of players didn't take long to get a clear consensus: NOOOOOOO. "The thing about doubleheaders is, no one likes them," said one veteran player from a non-playoff team. "So now you're going to tell a team they basically have to use their backup catcher in the second game? Maybe they wouldn't. Maybe they'd play the starter in both games. But he wouldn't be the same player. If you do something like that, you're going to run players into the ground." But it isn't just the players who don't see this as workable. There's another important figure who isn't a fan of this concept -- the commissioner. Manfred's take: "I think the problem with doubleheaders -- and again, you're trying to strike a balance here -- is that if you played three games, with one of them being a doubleheader, I think your wild-card winner at that point would be so shot that their chances in the division series would be so limited that I think it would be unfair." So scratch that idea. Sorry. Let's not play two. Would reseeding work? Of course, it's not just the wild-card game itself that's drawing complaints these days. Also under fire is the fact that the format considers the wild-card team to be the lowest seed in the draw, whether that team won 97 games like the Cubs or 86 like the Astros. The result is a system that sends off those 97-win Cubs to play the 100-win Cardinals in the NLDS, while the 92-win Dodgers and 90-win Mets get to steer clear of the winningest teams in their league until the LCS. Doesn't seem right. So how about this: Why couldn't baseball stick with the one-game wild-card round but at least acknowledge all those wins in the regular season by giving a team like the Cubs a No. 2 seed instead of a No. 4 seed? Well, even the commissioner admits that reseeding after the wild-card game is a reasonable suggestion. "I think the reseeding idea, of all the suggestions that have been made, is the one that has the most appeal to me," Manfred told ESPN.com last week. "I'm not sure I would support it, but it is one that I would recognize the logic of. And I think it's consistent with, and wouldn't be too disruptive, in terms of additional games. And it is an idea worth talking about.

"I think there is a fairness," he said, "to the idea that you take a look at everything after the wild-card games and say, 'You ought to get a little something for the fact that your record might have been better than a division winner.'" But every action has a reaction. And reseeding could produce a byproduct that is never real popular: chaos. "What if you have a 101-win team playing an 88-win team in the wild-card game?" asked the Elias Sports Bureau's Steve Hirdt, long one of the strongest proponents of the one-game wild-card format. "And let's say, if the 88 team wins, the Dodgers are home [to start the NLDs], but if the 101 team wins, they're on the road. If you had to wait until midnight Wednesday to know where you were playing Friday, is that a good idea? So there are practicalities involved, apart from the purity of the format." Those practicalities were the biggest reason this idea was shot down in the past. But of all the suggestions on the table, reseeding remains the most viable one -- and the one most likely to be kicked around after this season. Couldn't MLB get radical and blow up the divisions? Now here's an outside-the-box idea you also hear from time to time -- especially from teams that play in perennially tough divisions like the AL East: Turn the clock back a century, go back to two leagues with no divisions, play a balanced schedule, add more playoff teams so no one has to wait around for their postseason to start, and then seed the teams based on wins, period. Fascinating idea. But we can sum up its chances in two words: No way. Here's Manfred on the prospect of vaporizing those six divisions: "I think divisional play is really important for us in terms of generating excitement over a very long season, maybe more so than other sports. And I think it's important to emphasize winning the division in any playoff format that there might be going forward." Now here's his reaction to expanding the playoffs in any way: "There are certain principles that I think the clubs are pretty committed to. No. 1, I think we want to remain the most selective sport in terms of postseason qualification. Our clubs are not in favor of additional wild cards, even though it might give some of them the opportunity to play in the postseason. So any format that expanded the number of playoff teams I don't think is realistic for us." And, finally, here's his firm rejection of going back to balanced scheduling, so that every team would play a comparable or identical schedule: "Balanced scheduling, to me, would exacerbate what, to me, are already really, really difficult travel issues in a sport that plays 162 times in 183 days. "So those are three principles that I think you really have to kind of take as guiding principles going forward," he concluded. "You're going to be unbalanced in your schedule to some extent. You're going to have divisional play. And you don't want additional teams." OK then. Get the picture? There's a limit to how far outside any box this sport is willing to go to "fix" its postseason. Which means we're back to contemplating the fundamental question we started with: Is the postseason, as it's structured now, really so unfair that it needs fixing? "I think it's very fair," said Hirdt. "If you think back before there were wild cards, in 1977, the Yankees won 100 games, and Baltimore and Boston both won 97. And they were all in the AL East, with no wild cards. [So the Orioles and Red Sox were eliminated and only the Yankees had a chance to win the World Series.] It happens every once in a while. The fact is that at least now, if you don't win your division, you've still got a chance [to get to the World Series] by winning that one game." Now that's what you call an excellent point. Back when there were just leagues but no divisions, between 1903 and 1968, six teams won 100 games and still didn't get to play a postseason game. Then came the division era

before wild cards, from 1969-93 -- a time, as ESPN research whiz Paul Hembekides reminds us, when five teams won 98 games or more (i.e., as many as the 2015 Pirates) and just went home. And then came the period from 1995 through 2011. Does anyone ever think about the way life was when there was only one wild card? The Cubs do. "If this was four years ago," Hoyer said, "we would be home right now and the Pirates who would go on. So I think you kind of have to look at it as glass half-full." Now does this system produce the greatest chance of the "best team" winning the World Series? Of course not. Consider this: In the wild-card era, the team with the best record in baseball has won the World Series four times. Wild cards have won it six times. But five of those wild-card titles came in the years when the wild-card teams didn't have to worry about surviving a win-or-else duel with each other. So at least, said Hirdt, "this format is more conducive to the best team winning than the previous format, when there was no disincentive at all for being the wild-card team." Right. Now, we live in an age where there's a price to be paid for not finishing first. We can argue over whether a one-or-done wild-card game is too steep a price. But when we start arguing about whether it's "fair," we're missing two huge points: 1) What's "fair" is that every team has 162 chances, over six months, to finish first and avoid that game. 2) The playoffs, no matter how they're structured, aren't "fair" to begin with, because postseason baseball bears so little resemblance to the 162 games that led up to it. "Does this format give us the best chance of the best team winning? I think, if you really want to get analytical about it, no format really does," Hoyer said. "I think that ultimately, the marathon of the regular season probably tells you who the best team is most of the time. The playoffs, a lot of time, is about the hot team, what team sort of gets on a roll. Baseball is meant for the long haul. So even a seven-game series doesn't really do much to determine the best team. But it's a better format than five. Or one." In other words, if baseball really wanted to have a format that rewarded the best team, it wouldn't have a postseason at all. But the world is a much more fun and interesting place because it does. So if you have an idea we haven't explored that could "fix" the postseason -- and still get the World Series finished before Thanksgiving -- let us know. But for now, we'll just have to make do with this one. Unfortunately for the Pittsburgh Pirates. -- CSNChicago.com Turning point for The Plan: Cubs get October close-up at Wrigley By Patrick Mooney Internally, the Cubs ran all the numbers and projected between 84 and 86 wins this year. A critical mass of young talent created a bigger variance than normal in those preseason simulations. But the organization gladly would have signed up for meaningful September games when pitchers and catchers reported. No questions asked. Near the end of spring training, president of baseball operations Theo Epstein stood in the middle of the team’s Arizona complex, turning his head between fields, watching no-name prospects and listening to a question about how he would have to take ownership of this team — and take heat on the major-league level — in Year 4. “This isn’t going to be our best team,” Epstein said, explaining the balance between the present and the future.

Fast forward to a beautiful Sunday afternoon at Wrigley Field, the Bears game showing on the 3,990-square-foot video board in left while Addison Russell and Kyle Schwarber played catch. Joe Maddon — the free-wheeling manager whose RV “The Cousin Eddie” had been parked at a satellite lot north of the stadium — gleefully called the workout “eyewash.” The Cubs had already enjoyed “Breakfast on Wrigley,” a multi-table buffet set up on the dirt track behind home plate offering eggs, bacon, waffles, doughnuts, juice and coffee. A stack of Korbel boxes sat on the concourse that leads out onto Waveland Avenue, in case the Cubs or St. Louis Cardinals end this epic National League division series on Tuesday after four games. As good as it gets? Not necessarily, but the anticipation leading into this felt like something that could never be duplicated again. Jake Arrieta having perhaps the greatest second half of anyone who’s ever thrown a baseball. The Cubs hosting their first playoff game in seven years and in position to clinch their first postseason series ever at Clark and Addison. This is supposed to be the opening of the window to contend, but the Cubs are only guaranteed two more playoff games. “Honestly, any thoughts beyond 2015 have kind of been pushed out of my mind until we’re done playing,” Epstein said. “This team has earned everyone’s full engagement, full attention, full commitment. I think we’re good enough to play all the way through October and into November.” That’s why the Cubs invited all their full-time staffers in scouting and player development — the behind-the-scenes guys who did the grunt work tracking and coaching up prospects like Russell, Schwarber, Kris Bryant and Jorge Soler — to Chicago for this. The Cubs expected a group of more than 250 people (including spouses) to gather for a dinner on Sunday and then attend Game 3 on Monday against the hated Cardinals. “They’ll get to watch the fruits of their labor,” Epstein said. Team Play Stupid obliterated expectations, winning 97 games and a wild-card showdown against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park, which set up the first playoff matchup between two iconic franchises that have been competing against one another since 1892. “It’s already crazy when Jake pitches,” said Anthony Rizzo, the All-Star first baseman who brought so much credibility to the rebuilding project. “I can’t imagine it (with) the rivalry. There’s going to be a lot of Cardinals fans there. There’s going to be a lot of Cubs fans there. It’s going to be a great time. It’s going to be must-watch television.” Maddon walked into the makeshift media room — basically a storage room underneath the stands that had been cleared out and set up with folding chairs and tables — and took his position on stage in front of the cameras. A reporter asked if the Cubs have become “America’s Team.” “I never even thought about that,” Maddon said. “We’re on TV a lot. It’s (easy) to see us. I just like the way we’re playing. If people are interested or really getting involved with us…a lot of it has to do with our young players. “We have a lot of charismatic young players that are attempting to play the game properly. I don’t think you’ve heard one excuse from any of them. They’re very accountable. “And then, of course, the candle on the cake right now is the season Jake has put together. I think he draws a lot of attention towards us.

“It’s a combination of the youth and maybe one spectacular season out of a pitcher that’s really put the spotlight here. And beyond that, the city itself.” Those young players will get older, more expensive and injured. The egos will get bigger. Maddon’s act could eventually become stale. The clubhouse chemistry created through the machine-generated fog of postgame dance parties might not stay the same. Dexter Fowler — the you-go-we-go leadoff guy — is about to become a free agent. Arrieta, a Scott Boras client, remains under club control for only two more seasons. The Cubs stayed exceptionally healthy this year and got lucky enough to win 34 one-run games and 13 in extra innings. Cubs fans and the Chicago media can’t stay giddy forever. Pretty soon, Epstein’s front office, Maddon’s coaching staff and Rizzo’s boys will be at a point in the rebuild where 84 wins could feel like total failure. So Epstein is trying to enjoy the moment and focus everything on how to beat the Cardinals on Monday at Wrigley Field. “That’s really what’s on our mind,” Epstein said. “It’s a good feeling to know that we’re positioned with a lot of hard work, some good breaks, some good decisions to make sure that we’re a regular participant in October. But we might never be as well-situated as we are right now. Who knows? “This is where it’s at.” -- CSNChicago.com Cubs counting on Anthony Rizzo and Kris Bryant to start producing in playoffs By Patrick Mooney The Cubs aren’t lucky to be here, not after winning 97 games and surviving baseball’s toughest division. Jake Arrieta turned into Bob Gibson, Kyle Schwarber launched that ball out of PNC Park and a mad-scientist manager kept selecting the right answers for a multiple-choice team. Raise your hand if you saw Joe Maddon trusting Trevor Cahill (7.52 ERA with the Atlanta Braves) in the eighth inning of a postseason game when he signed a minor-league deal this summer. But the Cubs are probably fortunate to be in this position — hosting their first home playoff game since 2008 and tied up with the St. Louis Cardinals in this National League division series — without Anthony Rizzo and Kris Bryant doing any damage. “We’re looking for them,” Maddon said. “That’s 200 ribeyes between the two of them. That’s really important.” The Cubs can’t play small ball all the way through October. Rizzo and Bryant will have to produce, starting with Monday’s Game 3 at Wrigley Field in what’s become a best-of-three grudge match. Together, Rizzo and Bryant generated 57 homers, 69 doubles, 200 RBI and 155 walks during the regular season. Combined, the two All-Stars have gone 0-for-21 with eight strikeouts through three postseason games. “We’re probably out of our zones a little bit,” Maddon said. “We’re probably playing to what they want us to swing at more than we’re swinging at what we want to swing at. “To me, it’s expansion of zone, and we’re just not adjusting back to what they’re doing yet. That’s it. Also, I think, to a certain extent they’ve been pressing just a little bit.”

Bryant grounded into seven double plays during 151 regular-season games — and has already done that twice during the playoffs. For what it’s worth, the game’s best rookie has been a far more dangerous hitter at Wrigley Field (21 homers, 1.037 OPS) than on the road (five homers, .693 OPS). “I’ve hit some balls really hard — just at people,” Bryant said. “In the playoffs, it’s definitely more pitcher-oriented. You always see the pitcher duels. But as an individual, that stuff’s all thrown out the door right now. I could care less if I strike out four times, as long as I’m helping the team win in any way possible. Then I’m doing my job — and that’s our mindset right now.” Bryant can beat teams in other ways, deflecting a line drive at third base and making a nifty catch during that wild-card victory over the Pittsburgh Pirates. He can handle all three spots in the outfield and runs the bases as well as anyone on the team. “I have all the confidence in the world,” Maddon said. “We’re facing good pitching. That’s what happens in the playoffs. You see good pitchers on a daily basis. We just have to make our adjustments. “I have a lot of faith in these guys. I don’t feel they’re fatigued. I feel they’re ready to roll. They’re definitely in the moment.” And the Cubs couldn’t play so loose and with such confidence without Rizzo’s MVP-level production at first base, clubhouse DJ spinning and we’re-winning-the-division swagger. “We have a lot to prove,” Rizzo said. “We haven't proven anything yet. We are young. We have a lot of talent. But we have to go out there and take it.” -- CSNChicago.com Jake Arrieta emerges as October star and gets locked in for Cubs-Cardinals By Patrick Mooney Jake Arrieta has emerged as a star this October, drawing comparisons to Joe Namath and Madison Bumgarner, making the Cubs believe he could become their answer to the 1969 New York Jets or last year’s San Francisco Giants. The Cubs understood they had to split the first two games at Busch Stadium to give themselves a chance in this best-of-five National League division series against the St. Louis Cardinals. Mission accomplished. Arrieta didn’t need to make any guarantees during Sunday’s news conference inside a cleaned-out storage room in the bowels of Wrigley Field. The Cubs can already hear the first-pitch roar for Monday’s Game 3 at The Friendly Confines. “We’re pretty pumped about it,” pitcher Kyle Hendricks said. “You can feel it in the clubhouse right now. There’s some energy. There’s some buzz. Having Jake on the hill? Man, I wouldn't want to have any other guy in the world right now.” Michael Wacha made his first All-Star team this year – and was the 2013 NLCS MVP – yet he is still being viewed as The Other Pitcher. Because the Cubs are undefeated in Arrieta’s last 14 starts, his 0.75 ERA after the All-Star break is the lowest in major-league history and he made it look so easy during last week’s complete-game shutout of the Pittsburgh Pirates in the wild-card game. “I’m confident in my ability to go out there (and) give us an outing that’s good enough to win the game,” Arrieta said. “Obviously on their side, Wacha has got the ability to be pretty darned good on the mound himself. You know, I just intend to keep us in the game, regardless of the circumstances, whatever comes up.

“But I like my chances to go out there and win us a ballgame.” A reporter pointed out that Arrieta lost six times this year, including May 7 at Busch Stadium, and asked if he had any particular memories from that game. “I don’t remember anything about it,” Arrieta said, his eyes darting around the room for the next question. The Cubs are still guaranteed nothing with Arrieta on the mound. Clayton Kershaw – a three-time Cy Young Award winner and last year’s NL MVP – is 1-6 with a 4.99 ERA in 12 career playoff games for the Los Angeles Dodgers. David Price – a five-time All-Star who had gone 9-1 with a 2.30 ERA since getting traded to the Toronto Blue Jays – gave up five runs and lost Game 1 to the Texas Rangers in their American League division series. “Your weaknesses and your mistakes are exposed at a level maybe slightly above where they would be in the regular season,” Arrieta said. “Everybody’s attention to detail, everybody’s focus is at such a high level that when those little mistakes are made, the opposing lineups are able to capitalize on it. “A lot of the times (with) David and Clayton, their stuff is so tremendous that they’ll get away with mistakes. But it’s a little bit different in October. It seems like (everybody’s) mentality is in that sweet spot (where) they’re not really fazed by anything. “Sometimes it happens with momentum changes in the game, the atmosphere, the crowd noise. But everybody is pretty locked in at this point in the season. And that’s why the good teams still remain. “You really, really got to be on top of your game to have success.” When the Cubs acquired a Triple-A pitcher from the Baltimore Orioles in the middle of the 2013 season, no one thought Scott Feldman would become the answer to a trivia question or Arrieta would be mentioned in the same breath as the best pitchers on the planet. “I’ve been through a lot in my career,” Arrieta said. “The failure that I’ve gone through makes me really appreciate the moments of success much more. I’ve had some pretty dark times in this game in my career. But I was dedicated to getting over the hump, to putting in the time, the effort, making any adjustments necessary to get to this point. “I don’t think anything bothers me anymore.” -- CSNChicago.com Cubs: How the Cardinals will try to beat Jake Arrieta By Tony Andracki Can anybody beat Jake Arrieta right now? The Cubs feel borderline invincible with their ace on the mound. Arrieta is clearly the best pitcher in the universe right now, but the St. Louis Cardinals believe they can get to him and take momentum back in the National League Division Series. For the Cardinals, it starts with just ensuring they keep the same gameplan.

"We understand there's a pitcher on their side that's been throwing the ball very well," St. Louis manager Mike Matheny said before his team's workout at Wrigley Field Sunday. "We need to just come out and do what we do." The Cardinals have done this before. They know what it's like to take down the game's best pitcher in the postseason after beating Clayton Kershaw four times in four games the last two Octobers. Kershaw — the ace of the Los Angeles Dodgers — sported a ridiculous 1.80 ERA and 0.889 WHIP to go with a 37-12 record in the regular season between 2013-14. But once he got to the playoffs, the Cardinals touched him up for 18 earned runs in 22.2 innings (a 7.15 ERA). "I think there's something to be said about that," Matheny said. "We've gone up against a number of teams and a number of pitchers where everybody kind of ruled us out and said 'you can't do this or that.' "And I think this team has responded well in the past. Yeah, it's something to have kind of in the archives, but that doesn't necessarily automatically turn into any kind of production. "I think, more so than anything else, it keeps our club from being overwhelmed by maybe all the noise that comes along with a matchup like this." Arrieta shut down the Pirates Wednesday, hurling a complete-game shutout at a team that won 98 games and was playing on their home field. But the Cubs ace has also seen Kershaw's postseason struggles the last couple seasons against this Cardinals team and how they've exploited mistakes. Mistakes are exactly what the Cardinals are looking for when they face Arrieta in Game 3 Monday evening at Wrigley Field. "[We approach this] like you have to do against anybody — get him in the zone and try to hit the mistakes," Cardinals outfielder Jason Heyward said. "Take what they give you." Arrieta has had some issues this season fielding his position and throwing to first base, committing four errors on the year. He's also allowed 27 stolen bases this season, the fourth-highest total in the big leagues. We saw how important a pitcher's defense is in Game 2, as the Cubs racked up five unearned runs off Cardinals starter Jaime Garcia when the left-hander had troubles fielding a bunt. The Cubs know Arrieta can't pitch at this historic level forever. They refuse to get complacent, especially with so much on the line right now, returning home to host the first playoff game at Wrigley Field in seven years. "Honestly, I'm so not that guy to just expect that it's going to keep happening," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. "I'm always pretty much the same at the beginning of the game and then you watch him and he'll pretty much show you everything is OK. And then he'll just keep showing you it's OK for nine innings and you just keep watching and watching. "I don't take anything for granted. I don't think any of us do. I hope not. The team we're playing tomorrow is very good. So you can't assume anything. You don't take anything for granted. "... You know, I know the work [Arrieta has] done. I know he's ready for the day [Monday]. Of course you're wanting good to happen, but regardless, you know that Jake is prepared." --

Chicago Tribune Playoffs return to Wrigley Field, and a city is waiting to explode By Paul Sullivan The bunting has been hung, the ivy's starting to turn and Jake Arrieta is primed for the Cubs' first postseason home game since 2008. Wrigley Field is ready for its close-up, with 101 years' worth of memories leading up to this once-in-a-century matchup. So what can we expect Monday when the Cubs and Cardinals meet for Game 3 of the National League Division Series? Plenty of pregame hoopla, an emotional seventh-inning stretch and a critical game that should have both cities on edge all day. "These fans have been waiting for this for a long time, so, you know, it's just going to be nice," Arrieta said. "It's going to be a boost, if anything, (Monday) night, pitching in front of the city of Chicago here at Wrigley. I think it's only going to benefit us." The buzz was already starting to build Sunday. Catcher David Ross was walking to the park for the off-day workout when he was spotted on the street. "I got a couple of people that just started clapping for me and stuff," Ross said. "It's going to be exciting. Everybody is really, really worked up, so that's good." Ross has been there before. He won a World Series with the Red Sox in 2013, and a long October run at Wrigley would make for a nice bookend. "This is the mecca," he said. "I got a chance to be in another museum of baseball in Fenway and this is right there. I'm excited about the fans. They've got some pent-up energy watching us play on the road, and all those nervous moments. "Now we come home and they'll let that energy out in support of us, and that's going to be a lot of fun. In this place? I can't wait." The atmosphere at Wrigley will be much different than it was at Busch Stadium for Games 1 and 2. The Cardinals had cheerleaders on the field between innings hurling T-shirts into the stands with slingshots. The Cubs don't have cheerleaders in the park, unless Ronnie Woo-Woo snags a ticket. Cardinals fans were treated to a bunch of horses tromping around the field before the games advertising a beer company. The only animals on the field at Wrigley this year were the penguins, flamingos and cheetahs Joe Maddon brought out before a couple of games a few weeks ago. And Busch Stadium's video board exhorted fans to "get loud," while Wrigley Field's video boards tell no one how or when to cheer, thanks to an edict from Chairman Tom Ricketts when the boards were installed this year. You're on your own, Cubs fans, so use your best judgment. "It'll work to our advantage," Anthony Rizzo said. "The fans here are unbelievable. I can't wait to see how loud it is. I want to see if we can get louder than it was in Pittsburgh, because that place was unbelievably loud." General manager Jed Hoyer agreed, saying he was "impressed with how loud it is at the right moments" this year.

"They love this team and it's going to be really loud at Wrigley," Hoyer said. "Our guys expect that and I'm sure they'll get it." The build-up can work against the Cubs, too, as we saw in Game 1 of the 2008 NLDS against the Dodgers, when Wrigley was rocking until James Loney's fifth-inning grand slam off Ryan Dempster erased a 2-0 deficit. The crowd was muted the rest of the way in a 7-2 loss, and when the Dodgers scored five runs in the second inning of Game 2, a feeling of dread set in almost immediately. But that's not a concern for Arrieta or this team, which has learned to ignore the ghosts of Wrigley. On the day before his first playoff game at Wrigley, rookie Kris Bryant reminisced about watching Cubs games on TV as a kid in Las Vegas, courtesy of the WGN superstation. "Cubs games would always be on when I got home from elementary school," Bryant said. "And they were always day games, too, so ... I grew up watching quite a bit of them." Now Bryant is here in the first of what he hopes are many Octobers to come. "It really is a dream come true," he said. "And I didn't expect my first year in the big leagues to have this type of whirlwind season." Before 2015, the cheering started and ended in the stands. In the video board era, it can begin in the dugout and spread through the park, as happens with the rhythmic clapping during Starlin Castro's walk-up song, which now involves the entire ballpark. Rizzo said the "personality of our team is expanding to our fans," making for an interactive experience that's closer to a high school football stadium than a major-league ballpark. This moment has been building since Wednesday's wild-card win in Pittsburgh, when Arrieta shut down the Pirates. "The reaction (in Chicago) to the wild-card game was pretty insane, and that was just for a wild-card game," Rizzo said. "Cubs-Cardinals?" For years we could only imagine. Now it's finally here. -- Chicago Tribune As good as he has been, it's not good enough for Jake Arrieta By Mark Gonzales As dominant as Jake Arrieta has pitched over the last 31/2 months, the Cubs' 22-game winner is aware of the recent failures of All-Stars Clayton Kershaw and David Price in the playoffs. "It's kind of a red flag when they aren't as successful as we're used to seeing them be," Arrieta said. "But there are good teams in October right now, and you've really, really got to be on top of your game to have success." Arrieta is eager to raise his performance level and put the Cubs in the driver's seat against the Cardinals when he faces Michael Wacha on Monday before an energized crowd at Wrigley Field in Game 3 of the National League Division Series. "We exceeded a lot of people's expectations, and I don't think that there's any reason we can't continue to do so, regardless of how people outside of the organization or our clubhouse feel about our team," Arrieta said. "We know we can play with anybody, and I think we're a pretty scary team for anybody to play right now."

The Cubs were delighted to earn a split of the first two games of the series in St. Louis, largely because Arrieta was lined up to start the third game with a 12-game winning streak and a 17-1 record and 0.81 ERA in his last 21 starts dating to June 21. Arrieta carries a 31-inning scoreless streak into Monday's game highlighted by a five-hit, 11-strikeout shutout over the Pirates in a 113-pitch effort Wednesday in the NL wild-card game. Wacha won 17 games but was 2-3 with a 7.88 ERA in five starts in September, including two losses to the Cubs. "Wacha has the ability to be pretty darned good on the mound himself," Arrieta acknowledged. "I just intend to keep us in the game, regardless of the circumstances, whatever comes up. "But I like my chances to go out there and win us a ballgame." A victory over the Cardinals would bring the Cubs one victory closer to the NL Championship Series. And Arrieta is in position to add luster to what already is one of the greatest seasons in franchise history. "Superhuman," first baseman Anthony Rizzo said of Arrieta's work. "Just a good work ethic, a competitor. He expects way more than I've ever seen out of anyone else. "He tries to do better. I don't know how that's possible." Arrieta lost to John Lackey and the Cardinals 5-1 on May 7, but one of Arrieta's few flaws may be a brief loss of memory. "I don't remember anything about it, honestly," Arrieta said with a straight face. It was the only loss the Cardinals have handed Arrieta, who is 4-1 lifetime against them with a 4-1 record and 1.63 ERA in nine starts. With Arrieta leading the way, Rizzo didn't knock the suggestion that the Cubs could become baseball's version of "America's Team." "I don't see why not," Rizzo said. "This team has very good character. We're young and have a good time. "Who knows how many times this is going to come around in our lifetime. We're going to enjoy it." -- Chicago Tribune Cubs President Theo Epstein emphasizes human element in personnel moves By Paul Sullivan When the Cubs signed pitcher Trevor Cahill to a minor-league deal in mid-August, it barely registered a blip on the transactions list. The 27-year-old right-hander had been released by the Braves a month earlier, and no one was knocking down his door to give him another chance. Cahill was 0-3 with a 7.52 ERA in 15 appearances and was at the end of a four-year, $30 million deal. "I knew coming to a winning team as a minor-leaguer I'd have to do really well and throw some shutout innings," Cahill said. "I didn't know what my role would be coming up here."

Cahill eventually made it up from Triple-A Iowa, pitched well out of the bullpen and made a big contribution Saturday in the Cubs' 6-3 victory over the Cardinals in Game 2 of the NL Division Series. He pitched a perfect eighth inning, including strikeouts of Matt Carpenter and Stephen Piscotty. Cahill, Austin Jackson, Fernando Rodney and Clayton Richard may have been cast-offs from their last teams, but the Cubs' major-league scouts all saw something that was salvageable, and now they're instrumental parts of a winning team. Cubs president Theo Epstein gets most of the credit, but he knows the amateur and pro scouts and development people all helped create the team that's shocked the baseball world. He's invited all the full-time baseball operations staff to attend Game 3. "They'll all be there with their wives, which will be a really cool moment because they were all a part of it," he said. As much as the Cubs rely on analytics, Epstein insisted they're "not just numbers crunchers." When he came to the Cubs in 2011, one of the storylines was whether he'd bring along "Carmine," the name of the database he used in Boston. Epstein admitted the "computer geek" stereotype of the Cubs' front office gets "under my skin" at times. "I don't think it's fair," he said. "Like Carmine, we have one here called 'Ivy.' But that's half the equation. Internally, I think if we're good at anything it's understanding the game is played by human beings, and to get ahead these days you have to take a humanistic approach to player development. And we do. "I feel like that's one of the reasons we've had a lot of success in player development, we don't just look at players as a stat line. We look at them as human beings and try to support them during adversity and keep them grounded during the success." -- Chicago Tribune Expectation, yearning, hope: It's a lot for Cubs to carry By Bernie Lincicome The Cubs souvenir gear stretched from the door to the back wall, all the fine young animals, numbers and names, ready for purchase and pretending. "What are you going to do with all those 'Take October' shirts if the Cubs lose," I asked the clerk, his garment of choice the classic striped jersey with 'Schwarber' on the back. "Hopefully, we won't have to worry about that," he said. Hopefully. Is there a better word for it? A Cub word that is, hopefully. A more mournful word? Lives are lived with that word. Dreams are renewed with it. Hopefully. When does hope become certainty, want become swagger, wishes become demands? Sooner than later, it turns out. The Cubs now face that strangest of visitors, not unwelcome but ever unnoticed. Hey, you, lurking there in the back. Step up. Name please. "Confidence." First name. "Over."

One big, bizarre inning. One efficient assist from the fickle bullpen. One Jake Arrieta waiting, and, viola, the Cubs are in charge and on the way. Oh, yes. With a manager who cannot do anything wrong, the heart of a lineup that can't do anything and somewhere, somehow, the empathy of the ages allowing it to work from the edges in, all that's left is the bliss of home, an unexpanded strike zone and something to spray. Why not just move right ahead to the World Series? Nothing is going to get more certain than this. Too soon? Of course it is. Of course. It is too soon if we're talking about what is real, but what about this Cubs team is real? A team too young, a team too irregular, a team without jealousy or egos? Ah, success will change all of that. One bad pitch can change all of that. One misplayed ball, one wrong hunch, maybe the most likely thing for a team that is run on hunches. Eccentricity becomes idiocy when it doesn't work. The Cubs have archivists combing dusty records to find out when something last happened. The pitcher batting eighth in October? Hmmm. Nope. Who treats batting practice like an elective? Who keeps track of such things except weathermen and wonks? Squeeze bunts? First let's figure out exactly what's being squeezed and why. And then we'll count by ones until we get to two and by innings until we get to one and throw our hands up and say, that's a new one. That old chucklehead, Joe, he's done it again. Who takes out his hottest hitter and replaces him with another rookie and then gets a two-run homer as if it is exactly what he expected to get? Manager Joe Maddon, the mad alchemist, that's who. He shakes his beaker and pronounces today's brew ready and darned if it isn't. What has no business being anything is not only good enough, not only remarkable enough but satisfying enough. The fallacy is that the Cubs need only to win. Too late for that. Surely, the winner of Game 3 will win the series, but winning will only amplify the ache. The Cubs will always have the burden of universal and inescapable yearning, a demand that must be met, to succeed extraordinarily or to fail grandly. Any Cubs team brings a fated aura to these infrequent sniffs at what a team like the Cardinals takes for granted. Between curses and the calendar, the Cubs are not allowed to just play baseball. They also have the bases loaded with assumption and perception and expectation. Success is inevitably a rest stop on the way to distress. At some point baseball will decide what happens with these Cubs, runs, hits, errors, balls and strikes. But the notion that some sort of cosmic blessing is at work is just irresistible. Much handier and to the point, however, is the brilliance of Arrieta and the inevitability of Anthony Rizzo and Kris Bryant doing what they must. Perspective and poetry can wait for a result. Hopefully. --

Chicago Tribune First pitch for Cubs-Cardinals Game 3 set for 5:07 p.m. By Mark Gonzales Game 3 of the National League Division Series between the St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs will start Monday at 5:07 p.m. at Wrigley Field. Cubs' 22-game winner Jake Arrieta will oppose 17-game winner Michael Wacha. The game will be televised by TBS. -- Chicago Tribune Anthony Rizzo, Kris Bryant don't mind teammates carrying load By Mark Gonzales After carrying the Cubs offense during the regular season, neither Anthony Rizzo nor Kris Bryant is fretting over their combined 0-for-21 performance through three playoff games. "People are going to magnify whatever they want," Rizzo said. "At the end of the day, it's not about me and Kris. It's about this whole team and organization. As long as we keep winning, it doesn't matter what I do or Kris does or Jake (Arrieta) does. It's about what we do." Bryant, who made two impressive stops in the ninth inning of Saturday's 6-3 win over the Cardinals in the second game of the National League Division Series, agreed. "Anthony and I know we don't have to be the ones every night," Bryant said. "There are plenty of guys capable in this locker room, and that's what's gotten us to where we are. There's a new hero every day." Crossing the line: Several Cubs shared their thoughts about Dodgers infielder Chase Utley's slide that broke the leg of Mets shortstop Ruben Tejada in Saturday's NLDS game in Los Angeles. Utley drew a two-game suspension from Major League Baseball on Sunday night. Cubs catcher David Ross was bothered by the lateness of Utley's slide. "If we're out there to protect catchers and putting in rules, then we need to start protecting everybody," Ross said. Rizzo also was critical of Utley's slide. "I think it was a little high," Rizzo said. "But it's playoff baseball. So many different ways there, but it's so unfortunate that Ruben got hurt. "(Utley) definitely has the reputation of going in hard, but I wouldn't say dirty. You know as a middle infielder you better get it and get rid of it and get out of the way. I'm not a middle infielder, and I know I go in hard. I stay low and there are ways to do it and ways not to do it." Extra innings: Manager Joe Maddon said he knows who is going to start Game 4 but hasn't informed him yet. Jason Hammel looms as a candidate, although Kyle Hendricks threw only 66 pitches Saturday. ... Reliever Jason Motte threw a 25-pitch simulated game and reported no discomfort. Motte has been on the 15-day disabled list since Aug. 24 with a right shoulder strain and wouldn't be eligible to be activated until the NL Championship Series at the earliest. ... Catcher Taylor Teagarden was added to the 40-man roster and left-hander Tsuyoshi Wada was designated for assignment. --

Chicago Tribune Cardinals ready for anything in 1st playoff game at Wrigley Field By Fred Mitchell The first postseason game between the Cubs and Cardinals at Wrigley Field in the 123-year history of the rivalry promises to create its own peculiar brand of quirkiness. The Cardinals insist they are ready for fairly indomitable Cubs starter Jake Arrieta and the raucous Wrigley Field fan environment in Monday night's Game 3 of the National League Division Series. "I don't know if you can actually tell yourself it's just another game," Cardinals Game 3 starter Michael Wacha said Sunday. "I mean, you have to, I guess, try your hardest. "But just show up to the field, stay within your same routine that you've been doing all year. The night before, pregame stuff, just approach it like any other game." Wacha said the chippiness that marked some late-season Cubs-Cardinals games that included pitchers throwing at batters, will not affect how he approaches Monday's game. "I wouldn't say that," Wacha said. "Just stick to my game plan going in. If that's pitching inside, sticking with it, if it's staying away, then staying with that." The Cubs beat the Cardinals five out of nine games at Wrigley Field during the regular season, while going 3-7 against them in St. Louis. Cardinals manager Mike Matheny knows Wrigley Field's unique qualities in terms of dimensions, wind current and fan proximity to the field could affect how he manages. "You know, with the dimensions, it's just a very unique field that plays a little different than a lot of others," Matheny said. "You always have to be conscious of what the wind is doing. We're always conscious, too, that things can happen here at any point in the game." You mean something bizarre could happen at Wrigley Field in the postseason? What could possibly go wrong? "Just kind of talking to our guys to just stay the course, and that kind of goes hand in hand with how those flags are blowing," Matheny said. "They're blowing out … anything can happen, and no lead seems like it's enough. "There have been many games that we've had here, even with the wind pretty still ... there's just crazy things that can happen at any point, and especially at the end of the game. So we just continue to tell our guys to keep the throttle down, keep playing the game, and don't take anything for granted on the positive side or on the negative side, because you know if you stay the course you've got a chance to finish this thing." How will Matheny try to get his players to handle the big-game atmosphere? "The same boring way we've been doing it all year," Matheny said. "That's part of the beauty of ... you talk about is there any advantage to having experience, and guys who have been here before and been able to play in different settings. Maybe not necessarily in Wrigley, but they've been in a lot of other cities where it's a lot of excitement. Part of it is the experience of understanding as much as it's built up, that we go play the game." Meanwhile, Matheny is playing it close to the vest when it comes to naming a Game 4 starter. "We're just going to look at everybody," Matheny said. "We don't have to make that decision right now, and always have our options open without hemming ourselves in right now." --

Chicago Tribune Baseball and breakfast at Wrigley Field By Mark Gonzales The Cubs’ workout Sunday at Wrigley Field had the feeling of a glorified picnic. As Jason Motte was throwing a 25-pitch simulated game, many of his teammates and coaches were treated to an elaborate breakfast with donuts, a boar’s head and an omelette station on the warning track against the backstop while the NFL pre-game show and Bears-Chiefs game was shown on the videoboard. “It was actually 'Breakfast at Wrigley,' ” manager Joe Maddon quipped. “It was outstanding. Our guys killed it.” Kris Bryant, however, admitted he shied away from eating the pork. “It kind of creeps me out a little bit,” Bryant said. “But you never know what to expect from Joe.” Motte admitted it seemed strange pitching a simulated game with a batting cage. But he knew the cage came in handy. “You can’t have a (foul) ball break up someone’s pancakes,” Motte quipped. “I’m not used to throwing in a tunnel.” Motte said he didn’t get a chance to sample the food because he had to prepare for his simulated game. “I didn’t get any donuts,” Motte said. “I’m sure they were great.” -- Chicago Sun-Times Jake Arrieta allegedly spotted riding his bike around Wrigleyville, Cubs fans petrified By Matthew Schwerha A Redditor who was quick to the draw with their camera captured Chicago Cubs ace Jake Arrieta riding his bike around Wrigleyville this weekend. The photo, posted to Imgur, received all sorts of petrified comments from Cubs fans. Via Reddit: ryemort: Dear god please don’t run over a pebble and eat s***. makeshiftcoffeetable: We are in the postseason – for the love of G-d put on a helmet. hokieseas: Why isn’t he wrapped up in a huge bubble of bubble wrap? And one not-so-worried fan: po822000: No one else can hit him, and you think the freakin’ pavement can? Arrieta has the ball for the Cubs at Wrigley Field against the St. Louis Cardinals starting at 5 p.m. on Monday. The five-game series is currently tied 1-1. --

Chicago Sun-Times Cubs-Cardinals Game 3 first pitch set for 5:07 p.m. By Rob Ogden Postseason baseball will return to Wrigley Field for the first time in seven years tonight at 5:07 p.m. With the NLDS between the Cubs and Cardinals tied at one game a piece, Jake Arrieta’s first pitch of Game 3 will be the first postseason pitch thrown in Wrigley Field since Oct. 2, 2008. Had Texas won last night’s ALDS game against Toronto, Chicago would have played at 3:37 p.m. Opposing Arrieta will be Cardinals 17-game winner Michael Wacha, who holds a 3.38 ERA. With the divisional series tied at 1-1, the winner of Game 3 has gone on to win the series 25 of 32 times. Arrieta, who hasn’t allowed a run in 31 consecutive innings, was 2-1 with a 2.42 ERA in in four regular-season starts against St. Louis this year. -- Chicago Sun-Times Aces in the hole: Cubs postseason history stacked against Jake Arrieta By Daryl Van Schouwen What little there is of Cubs postseason history since their last World Series championship in 1908 includes, as you might expect, only a smidgen of pitching prowess – especially since they last appeared in the Fall Classic in 1945. Might Jake Arrieta, who pitches in Monday’s pivotal third game of the NLDS against the 11-time champion Cardinals, carry the Cubs to World Series glory? Many have tried but few Cubs have succeeded in putting a team on his back as Madison Bumgarner did with the San Francisco Giants last season. Rick Sutcliffe and Greg Maddux couldn’t for the Cubs during the 1980s. Nor could Mark Prior and Kerry Wood in the 2000s. And perhaps Lou Piniella’s quick hook denied Carlos Zambrano an opportunity in 2007. As Ted Lilly, who slammed his glove to the ground that year after giving up a three-run, go-ahead homer to Arizona’s Chris Young in Game 2 of the National League Division Series said, “That was a nightmare. I don’t care how many games I won in the regular season [15 in 2007]. It’s the postseason that matters.” As Arrieta attempts to keep his remarkable hot streak going into the playoffs, let us be reminded of how difficult Cubs postseasons have been for Cubs aces since 1908. 2008: After going 17-6 with a 2.96 ERA for the 97-win Cubs, All-Star Ryan Dempster finished sixth in NL Cy Young voting, but in Game 1 of the NLDS he walked seven batters, gave up a grand slam to James Loney and failed to finish the fifth inning. The Cubs were swept three games to none. 2007: Staff ace Carlos Zambrano pitched six innings of one-run but was lifted from a tie game with the Arizona Diamondbacks as manager Lou Piniella tried to preserve him for a Game 4 that never happened. The D-backs swept the Cubs in three games. 2003: All-Star Mark Prior was 18-6, with a 2.43 ERA and finished third in Cy Young voting. With a 3-0 lead over the Florida Marlins in Game 6 of the NLCS at Wrigley Field, Prior was five outs away from putting the Cubs in their first World Series since 1945. The rest is maybe the greatest Cubs horror story of all time, as Steve Bartman got in the way, shortstop Alex Gonzalez bobbled a double-play grounder, Prior became unglued and the Marlins erupted for eight runs and went on to win the series.

1998: This wild card team didn’t have a clear ace, although Opening Day starter Kevin Tapani won 19 games with a chunky 4.85 ERA. Tapani pitched seven strong innings in a 2-1 loss in Game 2 of the NLDS with the Braves, who swept the Cubs 3-0. 1989: Greg Maddux, 19-12 with 2.95 ERA to finish third in Cy Young voting, made two starts against the Giants in the NLCS and went 0-1 with a 13.50 ERA. 1984: Cy Young winner Rick Sutcliffe, 16-1 after coming over in a trade with the Indians, pitched seven scoreless innings and homered against the Padres in Game 1 of the NLCS. When the Padres tied the best-of-five at two games each, the Sun-Times back page headline read, IT’S UP TO SUTCLIFFE. Protecting a 3-2 lead in the seventh, “The Red Baron” gave up four runs and the Cubs lost 6-3. 1945: Acquired from the Yankees at the All-Star break, Hank Borowy went 11-2, led the NL with a 2.14 ERA and threw a shutout against the Tigers in Game 1 of the World Series. But he lost Game 5, and after getting the win in Game 6 in relief, lasted only three batters in a five-run Tigers first in Game 7. He is the last Cubs pitcher to win a World Series game. 1938: Bill “The General” Lee (22-9, 2.66) lost Games 1 and 4 of the World Series, lasting only three innings in the finale as the Yankees swept the Cubs. 1935: After the Cubs went 100-54 in the regular season, Lon Warneke did his part in the World Series, going 2-0 with an 0.54 ERA over two starts and one relief appearance, but it wasn’t enough to prevent the Tigers from winning four games to two. 1932: Warneke (22-6, 2.37) gave up five runs in his start in Game 2 as the Yankees swept the Cubs in a World Series best known for Babe Ruth’s famous called home run shot against Charlie Root at Wrigley Field. 1929: Root lost Game 1 and gave up six runs in a Game 4 loss for the Cubs, beaten by the Philadelphia Athletics four games to one after going 98-54 in the regular season. 1918: Hippo Vaughn went 22-10 with a 1.74 ERA but in the World Series he lost a 1-0 duel to Boston Red Sox left-hander Babe Ruth in Game 1 – played at Comiskey Park — and suffered a 2-1 loss against Carl Mays in Game 3. Vaughn won Game 5 but the Red Sox won in six games. 1910: Mordecai “Three Finger” Brown won 25 games with a 1.86 ERA for the 104-50 Cubs but he went 1-2 with a 5.50 ERA in the World Series, won by the A’s in five games. -- Chicago Sun-Times Cubs thrilled to give fans playoff games at Wrigley Field By Gordon Wittenmyer The Cubs haven’t come close to checking off the big boxes on their postseason to-do list. Except this one: Assuring a home playoff date. Game 3 of the National League Division Series on Monday is the first postseason game at Wrigley Field since the errors-around-the-horn Game 2 loss to the Dodgers in the 2008 division series. “That was something that everyone in the organization wanted, from ownership to the front office to the players,” team president Theo Epstein said. “We really wanted to give our fans a playoff experience at Wrigley because of how supportive they’ve been and what they’ve had to go through the last three-plus years.” After three tanked seasons that resulted, in part, in the first-round draft selections of rookie sensations Kris Bryant and Kyle Schwarber, the Cubs arrived at least a year early by most projections — but only after sweating out a wild-card victory in Pittsburgh.

“That was one of the things I was thinking about afterwards in Pittsburgh,” Epstein said. “I hope this is the start of a magical, deep run into October. But we also know it means giving our fans playoff baseball at Wrigley and how exciting that’ll be, how much they deserve it. It’s a great feeling.” Home cooking Bryant, the presumptive NL Rookie of the Year, might be the Cub most looking forward to playing at home for the first time in two weeks, after nine consecutive road games. He’s 2-for-30 with nine strikeouts since the Cubs’ last home game Sept. 28, including 0-for-11 in the playoffs. “I’m definitely excited to get back home and get some good food in Chicago and all that stuff,” said Bryant, whose home cooking includes a .311 average, .408 on-base percentage and 1.037 on-base-plus-slugging percentage at Wrigley Field. His slash line is .243/.333/.693 on the road. “I think you always hit better at home just because you play more games there and you’re in front of your fans,” Bryant said. “I’ve hit some balls really hard, just right at people. I think in the playoffs, it’s definitely more pitcher–oriented.” Breakfast workout Maddon wasn’t kidding about having breakfast at Wrigley on Sunday. Buffet tables were set up behind home plate and along the third-base line with an array of food and beverages, including a carving station and hot offerings. “It was actually breakfast on Wrigley,” Maddon said with a smile. The large video screen also was showing the Bears-Chiefs game, as Maddon suggested a night earlier. NOTES One more victory by the Cubs would give them 100 for the season, including the playoffs, which would be a 70-year first for the franchise. The 1945 team won 98 games in the regular season and three in the World Series loss. The only home postseason clincher in Chicago baseball history was the White Sox’ Game 6 World Series victory in 1906 — against the Cubs. -- Chicago Sun-Times Fans’ belief Cubs will win Game 3 may be as historic as Jake Arrieta’s pitching By Rick Telander You want some pressure? Become Jake Arrieta right now, preparing for the biggest game of his life, one of the biggest games in Cubs history. The old saying is that Game 3 of a tied-up five-game series is the critical game, the one that swings the pendulum for good. If Arrieta can win Monday at Wrigley Field against the St. Louis Cardinals, it means the Cubs only have to win one more game to advance to the National League Championship Series, and the Cardinals must win two without losing any.

That’s pivotal. And the real pressure? Everybody in the vast realm of the Cubs Nation — from Wrigleyville to Pigleyville, from sea to shining sea and thereon into the outer universe — expects Arrieta to win. Not just expects. Knows. Is dead solid certain. Would stake their lives on it. After all, the guy is historically unhittable. His numbers and successes and unbridled dominance virtually guarantee a win. Arrieta just had the best pitching season in Cubs history. His second-half numbers are so ridiculous that even a first-ballot Hall of Famer such as Greg Maddux never came close to this stuff. It’s possible Arrieta’s final charge was the best ever in baseball history going back to when statistics were first kept in the early 1900s. How does a 22-6 regular-season record sound, with an ERA of 1.77? How does giving up four earned runs for the months of August and September and zero in October sound, counting playoffs? How about just 14 walks in his last 12 games? How about going 15-1 to finish the regular season — 16-1 when you add the wild-card win over the Pittsburgh Pirates? It just goes on and on. Arrieta is dialed in the way a hungry wolf is dialed in on a wounded rabbit. It’s reached the point where it doesn’t seem fair. The transformation of Arrieta from an average pitcher with the Baltimore Orioles — a 29-year-old who spent six years going back and forth to the minors — seems almost magical. Like, where is the fairy godmother? The pixie dust? Dumbo’s feather? No matter how it happened, Arrieta is now a near-perfect pitching machine. And he doesn’t plan to change anything for Game  3. It may be the pivotal NLDS game, but to him it’s just another night at the ballyard. ‘‘I think it’s foolish to approach it any other way,’’ he said Sunday after manager Joe Maddon’s ‘‘Breakfast at Wrigley’’ workout and banquet. Arrieta, with his 6-4, muscular body, Abe Lincoln beard and stony glare, isn’t easily intimidated. He went so far as to trash-talk Pirates fans who’d taunted him on Twitter. ‘‘Well, I mean, that’s just certain people’s opinions,’’ he said of the Twitter smack-fest. As for this game? ‘‘I like my chances to go out there and win us a ballgame.’’ If he performs as he has — as he can — he will have written himself not just into Cubs history but into Cubs fans’ hearts. It is an axiom that pitchers have failed the Cubs in postseason play going back to 1908. Well, it’s never all just on the pitcher, the sad losses to end every Cubs season for 106 years. But the pitchers’ bad work has been notable. Bad work that was worsened because the pitchers sank, rather than rose, to the occasion. Ryan Dempster, a control pitcher, gave up seven walks in an NLDS Game 1 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2008. Fireballing reliever Carlos Marmol and starter Ted Lilly both failed in the 2007 NLDS. In 2003, it was superstars Mark Prior and Kerry Wood falling down in the NLCS. In 1984, ace Rick Sutcliffe couldn’t snag the deciding Game 5 against the Padres in the NLCS. Then we get back to stuff in 1969, when the Cubs never made it to the postseason after swooning in September to the Mets. Cubs pitchers faded at the end, likely from day games and overuse by nasty manager Leo Durocher.

Starters Bill Hands and Ferguson Jenkins pitched more than 300 innings. Dependable loser Phil “the Vulture” Regan was a plucked bird by October. And so the glory is out there, waiting for Arrieta. Of course, the Cubs must hit. And their defense must stay solid. Because they will need it all. The Cardinals are a ferocious organization, one that chews up other teams’ would-be heroes. The pressure’s on. And Arrieta knows it and shrugs. “I’ve been through a lot in my career,” he said. “Some pretty dark times. So I don’t think anything bothers me anymore.’’ We’ll find out soon enough. -- Chicago Sun-Times 108 years ago today: Cubs win first World Series By Rob Ogden As the Cubs prepare to face the Cardinals in perhaps their most important game of the past decade, today marks 108 years since Chicago clinched the 1907 World Series. With Mordecai “Three Finger” Brown on the mound, Chicago shut out Ty Cobb and the Tigers 2-0 in Game 5 to clinch its first championship. After Game 1 – a 3-3 tie – was called due to darkness, the Cubs won the next four games to capture the first of back-to-back world titles. Famously, Chicago hasn’t won since. The Cubs’ 107 wins in 1907 rank among the most regular-season wins in MLB history, and came when professional baseball still used a 54-game schedule. Brown, a Hall-of-Famer with a career 2.06 ERA, lost most of his index finger in a childhood accident involving his farm’s feed chopper, according to MLB.com. -- Chicago Sun-Times Underestimating St. Louis against Arrieta could be Cardinal sin By Gordon Wittenmyer Not a team in baseball in more than 2½ months has beaten Jake Arrieta. Not a team that has allowed the Cubs even a single hit has done it since June. Not the Mets, not the Dodgers, not the Cardinals, not the Pirates – before or during the playoffs. So the Cardinals on Monday, at home, in Game 3 of the Division Series? Not a chance? Not so fast. If there’s one team in baseball who knows how to beat the best pitcher on the planet in the playoffs, it might be the Cardinals – who did it four times over the past two postseasons.

“I think there’s something to be said about that,” Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said, when asked how their success against Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw in the playoffs the last two years will help Monday against Cy Young favorite Arrieta. “We’ve gone up against a number of teams and a number of pitchers where everybody kind of ruled us out,” Matheny said. And this team has responded well in the past.” It is the Cardinals, in fact, who are disproportionately responsible for tagging Kershaw – the most dominant pitcher in baseball in recent years – with the label of postseason flop. Kershaw, the Dodgers’ powerful left-hander, won the last two NL Cy Young Awards, going 37-12 with a 1.81 ERA in 60 starts over those two seasons – and went 0-4 with a 7.15 ERA in four playoff starts against the Cards, two in the ’13 NLCS, two in last year’s Division Series. “I feel like we’re a different ballclub with Jake on the mound; he sets the tone,” Cubs first-baseman Anthony Rizzo said. “But that’s a great team. They find ways to win against any pitcher, any time. So we’ve got to show up on Monday and be ready to play.” Before those four run-ins with the Cardinals the last two years, Kershaw was 1-1 with a 2.59 ERA in four postseason starts. And they didn’t do it with any single hitting hero or secret weapon off the bench or power binge. In Game 1 of the Division Series last year, they did it like this (trailing by four): opening the seventh with a single, single, single, single, strikeout, single, strikeout and double. Kershaw didn’t make it out of the inning; the Dodgers didn’t make it out of the series. Five of the six Cards with hits that inning are on this year’s playoff roster. “It’s something to have in the archives,” Matheny said, “but that doesn’t necessarily, automatically turn into any kind of production. “More so than anything else, I think it keeps our club from being overwhelmed by maybe all the noise that comes along with a matchup like this.” The Cardinals also represented a rare speed bump in Madison Bumgarner’s historic postseason run for the world-champion Giants last year (1.03 ERA in 52 2/3 innings). He gave up as many earned runs in an eight-inning start against the Cardinals during last year’s NLCS (three) as he did the entire rest of his postseason, with the Cardinals leading most of that game until losing after the bullpens took over. Advantage against lefties? The Cardinals hit left-handers slightly better than righties last year. This year? They’ve hit right-handers better than lefties by a bigger margin (.261-.230 batting, .326-.307 on-base percentage, .736-.662 OPS). “I don’t take anything for granted. I don’t think any of us do,” Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. “I hope not. The other teams are really good. The team we’re playing tomorrow is very good. So you can’t assume anything.” The Cards already handed Arrieta one of his six losses, though it came on May 7, almost seven weeks before his record-setting run of 21 consecutive quality starts through last week’s wild-card game (17-1, 0.81). “Obviously, going up against Arrieta, he’s a great pitcher,” Cardinals starter Michael Wacha said, “but you just have to worry about your own game. You can’t worry about who’s on the other side.”

He should know the blueprint. Despite a miserable September (2-3, .788) that included two losses to the Cubs, Wacha has played this role before—the winning pitcher as a rookie in both 2013 postseason wins against Kershaw, including a 1-0 game. Not that any of this means the Cardinals will look any better against Arrieta than anyone else has lately. “I just intend to keep us in the game,” Arrieta said, “regardless of the circumstances, whatever comes up. But I like my chances to go out there and win us a ballgame.” -- Chicago Sun-Times These Cubs can handle the circus that will be Wrigley Field for Game 3 By Rick Morrissey Well now, what have we here? Wrigley Field on an October day, its ivy red, its earnestness pure, its liver about to be compromised. Wrigley on Monday for Game 3 of a National League Division Series against the hated Cardinals. The first home playoff game for the Cubs in seven years. Hope running crazy-legged up and down Clark Street. Did I mention the hated Cardinals? Insane. “It’s going to be fun,’’ Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo said. “We’re going to enjoy it. We’ll be ready. Can’t wait to see what Wrigley’s like. It’s already crazy when Jake (Arrieta) pitches. I can’t imagine with the rivalry. There’ll be a lot of Cardinals fans there and a lot of Cubs fans there. It’s going to be a great time. It’s going to be must-watch television.” And if the unsinkable Arrieta wins Monday and the Cubs can clinch the best-of-five series at home the following day … Good Lord. Wrigleyville’s streets? Awash with beer and bros. Cubs fans are not used to this. They have been allowed glimpses of playoff baseball over the years, though apparently for the sole purpose of haunting them all the way to the grave. And here they are again, bowl in hand, asking for more. Could this be the year? Asking the question out loud means inviting a mental-health intervention. Are. You. Crazy? Perhaps, but there’s something about this team. Previous versions have said they didn’t care about the club’s sad history, then ended up staggering into the offseason with vacant eyes. This team doesn’t stress out. When the Cubs lost 4-0 to the Cardinals in the series opener Friday, it wasn’t because of bats gripped too tightly or strange events that only seem to happen to Cubs teams. It was because St. Louis’ John Lackey was great. So the Cubs shrugged. It happens, those shrugs said. Then the team bounced back in Game 2, the type of thing it has done all season.

And now Game 3 at Wrigley in the type of atmosphere that has brought past Cubs teams to their emotional knees. This one hugs it. “I just can’t wait to get back and hear the crowd at Wrigley, with Jake on the mound,’’ Rizzo said. “It’s already electric. Us 1-1 coming in, huge game – it’s going to be electric there. I can’t wait for it.” The moment is indeed massive, and it will be up to Arrieta to cut it down to size, to make it more manageable for his teammates. By the time he’s done Monday, it could look like a ship in a bottle. That’s how dominant he has been this season. That’s how cruel his fastball has been and how humiliating his sinker and slider have been. In 2003, I was convinced the Cubs were going to the World Series for the first time since 1945, no matter what a lifetime of close observation had taught me. They had come back to Wrigley with a 3-2 lead over Florida in the N.L. Championship Series. Mark Prior and Kerry Wood were on the docket for Games 6 and 7 at home, which is to say it was over for the Marlins. Until it wasn’t. Until, with five outs left in Game 6 … well, you’ve probably heard this one before. You won’t see me with the same ironclad confidence again. Anything is possible, including a swarm of bees mistaking Arrieta’s beard for a hive Monday. But I don’t think so. If the Cubs lose, it likely won’t be because of pressure or historical weirdness. It will be because St. Louis proved it was the better baseball team. The Cardinals are what the Cubs want to be when they grow up. They win year after year. Their fundamentals are always rock solid. They carry on no matter what. Injuries are treated as an opportunity, free-agent departures as a challenge. The Cubs are as talented as St. Louis but lack the experience and the precision born of repetition. In their youthful rush, they have skipped a few steps. This was supposed to be a season with some growing pains. There was only growth. The precociousness doesn’t mean that the Cubs have to wait their turn. They showed in the wild-card game in Pittsburgh that they believe their turn has arrived. They showed in their victory Saturday in St. Louis that they might be right. Will they be? I have no idea. But I think – think — that the wild scene at Wrigley won’t be too big for them, which would be borderline amazing. I’ve seen a lot with the Cubs over the years. I’ve never seen that. -- Chicago Sun-Times Cubs enjoy football and Sunday brunch between NLDS games By Kyle Thele Thousands of people throughout Chicago had the same plan Sunday morning. They woke up, went out for brunch, and watched the Bears game. Among those thousands were the Cubs players and coaches. Manager Joe Maddon told the press following Saturday’s win over the Cardinals that the team would have breakfast at Wrigley Field. Not only was food provided, but the Bears played on the video board. The Cubs, who led baseball with the most walk-off wins, may have given the Bears a little luck. With the young Cubs team watching, Jay Cutler and the Bears came back from an 11-point deficit to win. Jake Arrieta and the Cubs take the field for the first time at Wrigley Field in the playoffs Monday against the Cardinals. The series is tied at one game each. --

Chicago Sun-Times Cubs game time set for Monday night's NLDS Game 3 at Wrigley Field By Kyle Thele The Cubs knew they would be playing Game 3 against the Cardinals, they knew it would be at Wrigley Field. They didn’t, however, know what time the game would be. Game time wasn’t set for the NLDS matchup until Sunday night, after the Blue Jays and Rangers game. With the Blue Jays winning, the Cubs will start at 5:07 p.m. Monday night. 5:07 p.m. it is. See you tomorrow! #FlyTheW pic.twitter.com/qTWBKeiZyz — Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) October 12, 2015 Had the Rangers won, the game would have started shortly after 3:30. While the game time likely wouldn’t change the thousands of fans with tickets to Game 3, it does slightly help fans watching on TV. Fans stuck at work will likely only miss a small portion of the game instead of the majority, had it started earlier. Cubs fans heading to Wrigley Field may want to leave a little earlier. The combination of a Cubs playoff game mixed with Chicago traffic could have ugly consequences. -- Chicago Sun-Times Cubs-Cards series heads to North Side — and Wrigleyville's ready By Jon Seidel The Wrigley Field speakers pumped a little rock ’n’ roll Sunday as fans lingered outside the ballpark, hoping to score an autograph while crunchy autumn leaves tumbled down Waveland Avenue. Days like these don’t come around too often in October. Not on the North Side. But merchants who make their living near Clark and Addison say they’re excited — and ready for the first postseason game at Wrigley Field since 2008. “It’s kind of a big surprise to all Chicago,” said Victor Rodriguez, who sells souvenirs at Waveland and Sheffield. The Chicago Cubs evened their best-of-five series with the St. Louis Cardinals on Saturday, stealing home-field advantage as the National League Division Series heads to Wrigley Field for Games 3 and 4 on Monday and Tuesday. Jake Arrieta, the hottest pitcher in baseball, is set to start Game 3 for the Cubs. The two teams didn’t face off Sunday, but Cubs fans still lingered around Wrigley Field. They took selfies with the statues honoring Cubs of yesteryear. They gathered on Sheffield to peek inside at players practicing on the field. And an artist stood near Clark and Addison, painting a picture of the Friendly Confines. Freddy Fagenholz, general manager at Murphy’s Bleachers, said he may have a few extra workers on hand Monday. But for the most part, he said, “We just expect more people.” And he said he’s excited to see more fans in Cubbie blue. “It’s nice seeing, wherever you go, Cub T-shirts again,” Fagenholz said. “The ‘W’ flags are out.”

Rodriguez, who helps sell souvenirs at a stand nearby, said Sunday was spent making sure everything was restocked. “It’s been good for business, as well,” Rodriguez said. “It’s attracted a lot of tourists.” The Chicago Transit Authority offers increased train and bus service during Cubs home games, CTA spokeswoman Catherine Hosinski said. As of Sunday afternoon, she said that same level of service can be expected Monday. The Chicago Police Department had no comment Sunday about its plans for Monday’s game. Cubs fans hope to have some celebrating to do when it’s over. To them, Fagenholz simply said, “Be safe, respect people’s properties and have a good time.” “I just think the atmosphere’s going to be unbelievable,” Fagenholz said. “I think people have been waiting for this for a long time.” -- Chicago Sun-Times Anthony Rizzo challenges Cubs fans before NLDS games at Wrigley Field By Kyle Thele Anthony Rizzo is the unquestioned leader of the 2015 Cubs. As such, it’s become his responsibility to help make sure everyone is ready for the big moments. That includes the fans. Sunday, Rizzo spoke with the media after practice. The All-Star first baseman said he has high hopes for Cubs fans and the noise level for the next two games in Chicago. He then challenged Cubs fans to live up to the high standard he heard to start the postseason. Wrigley Field will undoubtedly be loud when the Cubs take the field. But challenging the fans and using a division rival as the bar-setter could take things to a next level. Noticeably left out of the conversation was the Cardinals fan base. Rizzo made no mention of how loud it was in St. Louis during the first two games of the series. -- Chicago Sun-Times Chris Coghlan received death threats following controversial slide By Kyle Thele The benches cleared between the Cubs and Pirates during the Wild Card game, but tension between the rivals had been brewing for weeks. Roughly three weeks ago, a Chris Coghlan slide resulted in Pirates shortstop Jung Ho Kang breaking his leg. Saturday, a Dodgers second baseman Chase Utley slid into the leg of Mets shortstop Ruben Tejada, ending with a similar result. With hordes of media members flooding into Chicago for Monday and Tuesday’s NLDS games, Coghlan was asked about the situation. He told USA Today’s Bob Nightengale he was receiving death threats from South Korean fans, Kang’s home country.

“I got a bunch of death threats,’’ Coghlan said quietly after the Cubs’ workout, “from Korean people everywhere. It’s just tough to deal with. People just don’t understand.’’ “I get it as a fan. You’re a fan of a player, you never want to see someone get hurt, especially when you have a whole nation behind you. “But my slide was not dirty, and it’s completely legal. So I have no remorse over the slide. I just wish he hadn’t gotten hurt. I wish he would have jumped over me or gotten out of the way.’’ The threats were so severe that Kang and his attorney felt it necessary to provide a statement absolving Coghlan of any wrongdoing. After the slide, Coghlan finished the season on a four for 28 skid. He hasn’t played at all in the postseason. -- Daily Herald Lester: The rundown on Cubs anthem singer's faith, recovery By Kerry Lester The darkest hour is just before dawn, the saying goes. For professional singer Wayne Messmer -- who will perform the national anthem at the Cubs' first home playoff game against the Cardinals today -- that time was spring and summer of 1994 after he was shot in the neck by a teenager trying to rob him. The bullet struck him in the throat, leaving doctors to doubt his booming baritone would be heard again. Amid all the darkness and doubt, Messmer found solace in the pews of St. Emily Catholic Church in Mount Prospect, where he lived in the 1990s before moving to Glenview. Daily, he said, he'd sit alone in the mornings looking for divine direction. 'Spiritual time' "I really had to have the conversation with God of what if the voice doesn't come back," he tells me. "It was just a tremendously spiritual time that I spent there." He eventually gained a sense of peace, and his voice healed, too. Six months after the shooting, Messmer belted out the national anthem at the first Chicago Wolves game at Allstate Arena in Rosemont. Decades later Two decades later, St. Emily holds a special place in his heart. "Even when I just drive by, even today, I will still slow down and always take a look and make the sign of the cross," he says. House shakeup could benefit Roskam Top GOP operatives tell me that Republican Rep. Kevin McCarthy's surprise announcement that he would not run for House Speaker could bode well for Peter Roskam of Wheaton, who's made a habit in recent months of taking actions to unite the fractured Republican caucus. That included organizing a special conference meeting after Speaker John Boehner announced plans to step down at the end of the month. Roskam isn't saying yet whether he will re-enter the race for the post now that McCarthy is out. But if it happens, it could bring a sense of déjà vu to the suburbs. Dennis Hastert of Plano, who was indicted by the feds this summer

on charges he lied to the FBI and tried to hide financial transactions, was chosen as Speaker in 1998 after the post unexpectedly opened up. Supermagnetic experience On the other side of the aisle, Democratic Rep. Bill Foster, who has a doctorate in physics, tells me he's worked on a number of massive superconducting magnets like the one that recently was moved from New York to Fermilab National Laboratory in Batavia. He applauded those who worked on the delicate move. New Trier GOP gets leader, finally Cook County GOP Chairman Aaron Del Mar of Palatine has named Marc Levine of Wilmette as committeeman for New Trier Township -- the home base of two top Republican officeholders, Gov. Bruce Rauner and U.S. Sen. Mark Kirk. The group went several months without a formal leader -- an embarrassment to some establishment Republicans. Del Mar had blamed Levine for not filling out a formal application. All's apparently well now, as the two have reported an "outstanding" conversation strategizing how to move the Cook County Republican organization forward, Del Mar said. Sweet treat Central Continental Bakery in Mount Prospect is among the suburban bakeries with a case of Cubs fever. It has a full roster of team jersey cookies flying off the shelves. It's the latest of creations for Central, which once made a detailed newspaper-themed cake for an engagement party I hosted for digital editor Travis Siebrass and wife, Kim. It came complete with "Paddock blue" icing forming the Daily Herald nameplate. Musical chairs With Chris Hage of Wheaton stepping down as a member of the DuPage Election Commission, Republican blogger Dave Dierson has the scoop that Chairman Dan Cronin has selected Jamie Lowe to fill the vacancy and that Lowe will be resigning his position as the chairman of the Lisle Township Republican Organization. Alma mater State Treasurer Mike Frerichs will be at Elmhurst College Tuesday to rally for Gov. Rauner and lawmakers to release Monetary Award Program grant funding, which has been tied up because of the state budget impasse. The program provides financial support for roughly 130,000 students at public and private colleges across the state. About a quarter of Elmhurst's 3,200 students get grants. Watch for Frerichs (a Yale grad) to be sporting one of the dozen-plus orange ties he owns as a nod to his hometown institution, the University of Illinois. Mangels on the move Mangel's Gifts in Long Grove has moved from its longtime spot in the village's historic downtown to a new spot nearby. Owners Mark and Amy Charlesworth of Rolling Meadows tell me the space is smaller, but the rent is much lower. Amy also is the longtime director of the Rolling Meadows Park District. --

Daily Herald Lifelong Cubs fan from Palatine recalls attending '45 World Series By Eric Peterson Many Cubs fans today have spent their entire lives dreaming of their favorite team reaching the World Series, without ever having seen any evidence it could happen. Palatine resident Ron Kennedy has no such handicap. As a 15-year-old high school student, he was in the stands of Wrigley Field to watch the Cubs host the Detroit Tigers in Game 5 of the 1945 World Series. "For many years, I carried the ticket stub in my wallet, but it got so long (after the Series) it disintegrated," Kennedy said. "I wish I still had it. ... I always like to brag I'm one of the last few World Series veterans." What he does still have 70 years later is a commemorative brick from Wrigley Field that proclaims his attendance at the World Series, as well as memories that are priceless to any Cubs fan. But there's even more to his personal connection to Wrigley Field. After graduating from Steinmetz High School in Chicago in 1948, Kennedy was signed to the White Sox's farm team in Kentucky, but was cut after a couple of weeks. Shortly after that, he was among about 50 players offered a tryout for the Cubs' organization at Wrigley Field. "I grounded a single to right field," Kennedy recalls. "So as far as Wrigley Field is concerned, I'm batting 1.000." Ironically, his contract to play in Kentucky -- as brief as it was -- meant he was labeled a professional and couldn't play on the Purdue University team when he later attended to major in civil engineering. His interest in a baseball career and attendance of the 1945 World Series was all consistent with who Kennedy was as a teen. During the regular Cubs season in 1945, he estimates he was at a quarter of the 77 home games. He still can recite that season's starting lineup. "Now I've kind of outgrown it, but at the time I was a dyed-in-the-wool fan," he said. Kennedy admits the team's long losing streak after the '45 World Series finally began to try his patience during the 1980s. Before 1945, the team managed to have winning seasons every three or four years -- despite frequently falling to the Tigers or New York Yankees in the World Series, he said. And so, as disappointed as Cubs fans were to see Game 7 go to the Tigers in 1945, no one imagined a seven-decade drought, Kennedy said. "I have pessimism as far as the Cubs are concerned after all these years," he said. "In fact, I thought they were going to lose" the wild card game. His pessimism was never strong enough to stop him watching, however, even though he hasn't been to Wrigley Field in more than 20 years. Speaking on Friday, Kennedy knew exactly what he needed to see to restore his long-lost optimism -- the Cubs taking the lead in their series with the St. Louis Cardinals. While his growing reluctance to deal with the crowds at Wrigley Field has had a lot to do with his long absence from The Friendly Confines, he's not closing the door on attending another World Series if the Cubs get there.

He still has high praise for Wrigley Field, which he recognizes as a major part of the Cubs' appeal even during years when team was not successful in the standings. "There's a great cadre of fans," Kennedy said. "Wrigley Field draws a lot more fans than the White Sox. At Wrigley Field, it's a happening." If that theory ever needed a test, Kennedy points to the White Sox's 2005 World Series victory and how little it affected the popularity sweepstakes in Chicago. As upset as he became by the Cubs' long dry spell after the World Series he attended, Kennedy doesn't blame or believe in any curses. He thinks the long failure to become a strong contender has more to do with a mindset the team fell into after a while. But if he's seen anything in the past 70 years that could change that negative mindset, Kennedy believes it's the Ricketts family's ownership of the team and everything done to forge a new tradition. -- Daily Herald Wrigleyville bars feed Cubs fever for Monday's home game By Ross Forman Wrigleyville during Cubs season is "one giant party," says Lakeview resident Matt Schwartz. Add in a playoff run for the long-overdue Cubs -- and the first home game against the Cardinals falling on Columbus Day -- and the bar-filled area around Wrigley Field will be sheer madness come Monday. "Holy cow," said Jim Ammirati, owner of Wrigleyville's Merkle's Bar and Grill. "I think Monday will be crazier in Wrigleyville than I've ever seen. It will be nuts; I can't even put it into words." The bars in Wrigleyville seem like an ever-flowing, endless beer garden, with countless waiters and bartenders serving beer, burgers and more. North Clark Street south of Wrigley Field has about 35 bars alone. And if you expand to include Sheffield Avenue, plus some Cub-crazy areas such as Southport Avenue to the west and Halsted Street to the east, there are plenty of hot spots for Monday night -- when the city will be focused on the area for game three in the best-of-five National League Division Series between the Cubs and their archrival, the St. Louis Cardinals. Merkle's has temporarily changed its name in honor of Cubs manager Joe Maddon, who once said that one of his goals in life -- off the field, that is -- is to someday own a bar called The Pink Flamingo. So for the duration of the team's playoff run, Merkle's, located at 3516 N. Clark St., has been renamed The Pink Flamingo, with specialty flamingo-inspired drinks, pink signage, lighting and more. Maddon has even been named an honorary owner of The Pink Flamingo, and yes, Ammirati has reached out to Maddon multiple times to inform him, though Maddon has yet to reply, Ammirati said. "We want to help Joe achieve all of his goals," Ammirati said. "We thought we could support Joe by helping him achieve one of them, for The Pink Flamingo, and thus allow him to concentrate on his main goal, which is winning a World Series for the Cubs." The Pink Flamingo will feature specialty, handmade cocktails including Maddon's Mule and its three newest cocktails infused with beer and named "The Winston," "The Warren" and "The Clementine" -- all on top of the newly created, "Joe's Nachos."

Proceeds from the sales of all three flamingo-named drinks will go to Susan G. Komen, a nonprofit organization supporting breast cancer research and outreach. Merkle's isn't the lone Wrigleyville hot spot jumping aboard the Cubs craziness. At The Butcher's Tap, 3553 N. Southport, for instance, they are trying to reverse the Cubs curse by offering goat tacos throughout the playoff run. Meanwhile, at Sheffield's Beer & Wine Garden, 3258 N. Sheffield, owner Rocky Albazi confirmed that they will be serving Cubs-themed slushy drinks. Plus, Sheffield's will have a battle of the hometown beers between Chicago and St. Louis favorites. And at D.S. Tequila Co., 3352 N. Halsted Street, the popular restaurant-bar a short walk from Wrigley Field, throngs of patrons have enjoyed a special Cubs margarita, said D.S.' Pete Augusta. The Electric Blue Margarita is made with house tequila, blue Curacao, lime juice, orange juice and a blueberry red bull floater. One thing for sure, come Monday, Wrigleyville will be rocking. So get there early, stake out a chair -- if you can claim one -- and brace for hours of emotions. "The social scene and festive atmosphere of 'The Friendly Confines' is often equaled by the Wrigleyville neighborhood that surrounds it," said Mike Tenay, a Las Vegas resident who was glued to his TV for the Wednesday win over Pittsburgh and recalls past trips to Wrigleyville. "The bars and restaurants in the area are great pre- and postgame hangouts and, if you can't get a ticket to Wrigley Field, a bar stool at the Cubby Bear or Murphy's is the next best thing. And how can I forget about Sluggers, which has batting cages." Reeve Hauff-Lazar, a Cubs fan since 1983 who lives in Logan Square, celebrated the win over Pittsburgh at Slugger's, 3540 N. Clark St., and was among the thousands who, after the final out was made, flooded the streets around Wrigley Field. "The streets were overflowing with joy," he said. "We've been kicked so many times in so little post season chances that Wrigleyville came together to celebrate ... even it was only after one game. It was a celebration of hope ... of what could be." Besides Merkle's/The Pink Flamingo, here are a few of the must-see spots near Clark and Addison: • Cubby Bear, 1059 W. Addison St. Though the address is Addison Street, this truly is a Clark Street staple. Directly across from the Wrigley Field marquee. Large space. Hosts concerts. Popular among tourists. • Slugger's, 3540 N. Clark St. Welcome to batting cages, skee-ball and several arcade games. Plus, you can redeem tickets for candy and more. ESPN tagged Slugger's as the No. 1 Baseball bar in Chicago and the No. 3 in the country. • Goose Island Wrigleyville, 3535 N. Clark St. Known for its food and beer, which includes Wrigleyville White and Cubby Blue, a blueberry ale. • Mullen's on Clark, 3527 N. Clark St. Darts and Tater Tots are two of the appeals of this establishment. Fried ravioli also is popular, and two sizes of pizza are served, too. • Old Crow Smokehouse, 3506 N. Clark St.

Beef is the specialty. BBQ beef, to be specific. Dining room features a retractable roof. Many drinks are served in Mason jars, and one of the most popular is Kentucky Breakfast, featuring Maker's 46 Kentucky Bourbon. • Casey Moran's, 3660 N. Clark St. Six bars, a rooftop garden and 52 TVs are among the draws. Other spots to watch and cheer the Cubs within a 15-minute walk of Wrigley Field: • Murphy's Bleachers, 3655 N. Sheffield Ave. • Sports Corner Bar & Grill, 952 W. Addison St. • Dark Horse Tap & Grille, 3443 N. Sheffield Ave. • Mystic Celt, 3443 N. Southport Ave. • D.S. Tequila Company, 3352 N. Halsted St. • Sidetrack Chicago, 3349 N. Halsted St. -- Daily Herald Baseball over easy, Joe Maddon style By Bruce Miles Home cookin'. The Chicago Cubs are getting some of that, both literally and figuratively. They returned to Wrigley Field on Sunday to be treated to breakfast by manager Joe Maddon, who arranged for a spread, including an omelet and egg station, behind home plate before the Cubs held a very light workout in advance of Monday's Game 3 of the National League division series against the St. Louis Cardinals. "It was actually breakfast on Wrigley," Maddon corrected your intrepid reporter. "It was outstanding. Our guys killed it. They killed it. They exceeded expectations." Expectations now are high for the Cubs, who beat the Cardinals on Saturday at Busch Stadium to even the NLDS at one game apiece. For the last few weeks, Maddon has talked of playing a home postseason playoff game for the Wrigley Field fans. Games 3 and 4 will be at Clark and Addison, where the fan base is sure to be fired up and hungry for victory. "Yeah, I mean, listen, to get back home and be able to play in front of our fans is really a unique experience for me, obviously, and for a lot of our players," Maddon said. "I could feel the excitement within the city. "Again, I say it maybe too often, but I feel really fortunate to be a part of this moment, so I think it's going to be a wonderful, whatever, afternoon or early evening. We don't know what it's going to be yet tomorrow, but very exciting. "To imagine it being crazier is difficult because we're kind of like that almost nightly. We don't get to really observe what's going on outside the walls, but I know that it's pretty raucous regardless." To use a sports cliché, this is a "pivotal" Game 3 of the series. The Cubs couldn't ask for a better "pivot man" than ace pitcher Jake Arrieta, who opposes Michael Wacha.

Arrieta went 22-6 with a 1.77 ERA during the regular season before he dominated the Pittsburgh Pirates in last Wednesday's wild-card playoff-game victory at PNC Park. He knows the series could turn on him. "Yeah, I think it's foolish to approach it any other way, but obviously we know this is a big game for us," he said. "You know, mindset is really obviously getting 2 (victories) in St. Louis would have been great, but coming out of St. Louis with 1 is, you know, puts us in a good situation to do some special things here at Wrigley the next couple days. "We're in a great spot. Everybody is prepared. Two really good teams, obviously, with a lot on the line. Everybody is going to be prepared, focused mentally, and looking forward to an incredible crowd tomorrow night here." Whichever team captures Monday's game can close it out Tuesday at Wrigley Field. Arrieta got under the skin of many Pirates fans last week when he urged them to bring the noise at PNC Park. Things seemed quieter this week, but Arrieta isn't lacking for confidence. "Well, I mean, that's just certain people's opinions," he said of the reaction of the Pirates' fans. "I think that I'm confident in my ability to go out there tomorrow and give us an outing that's good enough to win the game. "Obviously on their side, you know, Wacha has got the ability to be pretty darned good on the mound himself. You know, I just intend to keep us in the game, regardless of the circumstances, whatever comes up. "But I like my chances to go out there and win us a ballgame." The last time the Cubs won a home playoff game was in 2003, when they beat the Marlins in Game 2 of the NL championship series. The Cubs are an upstart team this year, and people have gotten behind them. So Chicago should be rocking the next couple of days. "I just like the way we're playing," Maddon said. "If people are interested or really getting involved with us, obviously a lot of it has to do with our young players. I think we have a lot of charismatic young players that are attempting to play the game properly. "I don't think you've heard one excuse from any of them. They're very accountable. All of that, and then of course the candle on the cake right now is the season Jake has put together. I think he draws a lot of attention toward us. "So I think it's a combination of the youth and maybe one spectacular season out of a pitcher that's really put the spotlight here. And beyond that, the city itself. I mean, when you're opposition and you get a chance to go play in Chicago, you always look forward to that moment just to come to the city. "So I think it starts with the city itself, the people, and then of course this ballpark and the franchise, but then more specifically our young players that I believe are charismatic, and they do portray well. And then Jake is the guy that's really attracting the attention." -- Daily Herald Arrieta aiming to stay spectacular for Cubs in Game 3 of NLDS By Scot Gregor Jake Arrieta has not lost a game since July 25, a span of 14 starts. Let that marinate for a moment. "He's been pitching ... what can I even say?" Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. "You've all been watching. He's been spectacular."

Spectacular might not be a strong enough adjective to describe Arrieta, who was 11-0 with a 0.41 ERA in 12 starts from Aug. 4 through the end of the regular season before pitching a complete game shutout against the Pirates in the National League wild-card game. "It's been a little hard to really sit back and reflect on everything, just because of what we have in store for us the following day," Arrieta said during Sunday's workout day at Wrigley Field. "We've had so much that we've had to prepare for. Obviously trying to win the division about a month, month and a half ago, still really in the mix for the division title, Pittsburgh right behind St. Louis, ahead of us. So we've been trying to chase some guys and just trying to come out every day and win our next game regardless of who we've been playing. "That's been the primary focus, but I think obviously once the season comes to an end, hopefully the beginning of November, then I'll really be able to enjoy it a little bit further and kind of put some of those memories on display and talk about them and try and enjoy it." For as historically spectacular as he's been the past three months, Arrieta is taking nothing for granted as he prepares for Game 3 of the NL Division Series against the St. Louis Cardinals Monday at Wrigley. The Cubs and Cardinals are tied at 1-1. Arrieta is well aware that Toronto Blue Jays ace David Price was shelled in Game 1 of the ALDS by the Texas Rangers, and he knows Los Angeles Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw labored in Game 1 of the NLDS against the New York Mets. While the Cubs' 29-year-old righty has every right to be supremely confident, he is taking nothing for granted. "It's a little bit different in October," Arrieta said. "It seems like everybody, their mentality is in that sweet spot where they're not really fazed by anything. Everybody is pretty locked in at this point in the season and that's why the good teams still remain." The Cubs seem to have a big advantage in Game 3 with Arrieta opposing slumping St. Louis starter Michael Wacha. The MVP of the 2013 NLCS after pitching 13.2 scoreless innings in 2 starts against the Dodgers, Wacha was limited last October by a shoulder injury. He came out of the bullpen in Game 5 of the NLCS against the Giants and served up a 3-run walkoff homer to Travis Ishikawa that put San Francisco in the World Series. Wacha was 17-7 with a 3.38 ERA this season but faded in September while going 2-3 with a 7.88 ERA. "Honestly, I've been feeling good," said Wacha, who last pitched on Sept. 30. "I'm excited about getting out there on Monday and getting back out on the mound. It's been a while, but I'm definitely excited to get back out there. Just overall, I've been feeling good body-wise, arm-wise, and I'm just ready to get out there." -- Daily Herald No one too concerned about hitless Bryant, Rizzo By Bruce Miles The Cubs have won two of three playoff games, and they've done so without Kris Bryant or Anthony Rizzo getting a hit. Each player was hitless in last Wednesday's wild-card playoff-game victory at Pittsburgh, and neither had a hit through two games of the National League division series against the Cardinals.

"Me and Anthony, obviously, we haven't done much this series," Bryant said Sunday as the Cubs held a light workout at Wrigley Field. "It's pretty cool to see that we've come out with a win, and the series tied." The Cubs beat the Cardinals Saturday at Busch Stadium to even the best-of-five NLDS at one game apiece. Rizzo did not seem concerned that neither he nor Bryant has had a hit in the postseason. "People are going to magnify whatever they want, but at the end of the day, it's not about me and Kris," Rizzo said. "It's about this whole team, this whole organization. As long as we keep winning, it doesn't matter what I do, what Kris does, what Jake (pitcher Arrieta) does, it's what we do." Manager Joe Maddon was asked what he saw with Bryant and Rizzo. "We're probably out of our zones a little bit," Maddon said. "We're probably playing to what they want us to swing at more than we're swinging what we want to swing at, if that makes sense. To me it's expansion of zone, and we're just not adjusting back to what they're doing yet. That's it. "The nice part is that we've done this well without them contributing. I thought KB had a great game at third base the other day. That's what I look at, I look at the entire thing, the entire event. They've just been pitched that hard." It's called hardball: The Cubs talked carefully of the hard takeout slide by the Dodgers' Chase Utley in Saturday's NLDS game against the Mets. Utley went in high and hard against Mets shortstop Ruben Tejada, breaking Tejada's leg. "Everyone's playing hard right now," Anthony Rizzo said. "I personally don't agree with the slide. I think it was a little high. It's playoff baseball. There's so many different ways there, but it's really unfortunate that Ruben got hurt there." Addison Russell has played both second base and shortstop for the Cubs this year, his rookie season. "As a second baseman-shortstop, your initial thought is you don't want to get hit," Russell said. "He (Tejada) did a good job of getting off his feet. As far as the slide, even during the regular season, you're trying to break that play up, and you try to do anything to help your team. I think it's a little tricky. I think he (Utley) did a good job of trying to break it up, and I think Tejada did a good job trying to get off his feet." Roster move: The Cubs made a roster move Sunday. They designated left-handed pitcher Tsuyoshi Wada for assignment and selected the contract of catcher Taylor Teagarden from Class AAA Iowa. Wada did not make the postseason roster, while Teagarden was up for 8 games this season. Staying ready: Reliever Jason Motte, who has been on the disabled list since late August because of a shoulder strain, threw a simulated game Sunday. It was his second simulated game. "It all felt good, the ball's coming out good, threw some good cutters," Motte said. "I was able to get ahead of guys. It felt good." --

Daily Herald Cardinals aren't afraid of Wrigley By Scot Gregor The St. Louis Cardinals have finished first in the NL Central for three straight years and they are in the postseason for the fifth straight season. The Cardinals always seem to handle playoff pressure better than most teams, but the energy level at Wrigley Field in Games 3 and 4 of the National League Division Series promises to present a unique challenge. "That's part of the beauty of it," St. Louis manager Mike Matheny said. "You talk about is there any advantage of having experience, and guys who have been here before and been able to play in different settings, maybe not necessarily in Wrigley but they've been in a lot of other cities where it's a lot of excitement. Part of it is the experience of understanding as much as it's built up, we go play the game." The Cardinals might be a bit robotic in their approach, but Matheny said they enjoy the October environment. "We don't deny that this stuff is special," Matheny said. "We don't deny that not everybody gets to play on this stage, so don't be afraid to look around and take advantage of the atmosphere and take advantage of how unique this is. "But when it comes down to it, it's baseball. And when it comes down to it, our best chance to be successful isn't to try and be superhuman. It's to go out and do exactly what we've been doing all season long." Bryant, Rizzo silent: In the first two games of the NLDS, Cubs sluggers Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo are a combined 0-for-14 with 5 strikeouts. "We go hitter to hitter," manager Mike Matheny said. "Guys have been executing pitches and sometimes you make mistakes and guys jump all over them. Sometimes players are off just a little when you do make a mistakes and you get away with it. (Bryant and Rizzo) are a couple good hitters, and we know that they're going to get theirs if we make too many mistakes. So far guys have made good pitches against them." Game 4 starter: Much like the Cubs, the Cardinals aren't tipping their hand about Tuesday's Game 4 starter at Wrigley Field. The options appear to be bringing back Game 1 starter John Lackey on short rest, going with Lance Lynn, who pitched 1 inning of relief in Game 2, or letting Adam Wainwright pitch a few innings and match up after that. "We're just going to look at everybody," Mike Matheny said. "We don't have to make that decision right now and we have all of our options open without hemming ourselves in right now." -- Daily Herald $275 could get you a Cubs playoff ticket By Steve Zalusky If you're in the market for tickets for either of the next two playoff games between the Cubs and Cardinals at Wrigley Field, you might find the prices relatively affordable. But if the Cubs reach the World Series, be prepared to max out your credit cards.

Ticket brokers say the range of tickets for the next two games runs from $275 for the worst seat in the house to as much as $1,700 to $1,900 for seats in the first couple of rows behind the dugouts. John Goran, owner of Prime Time Tickets in Chicago, believes good deals will be available Monday. "I would think the prices are going to be coming down, myself. I think there are still a lot of seats out there," he said. "Within the first 10 rows, you can pick something up for $800 or $900." Chris Leyden, a content analyst at New York-based SeatGeek, has been keeping an eye on the secondary market. "Within the 12 hours after the Cubs won the wild card game, ticket prices in St. Louis went up 50 percent, because there was suddenly that influx of demand from Chicago for people who want to drive down to St. Louis," he said. The games in Chicago will be even hotter. "Definitely, the games in Chicago are far more expensive than the first two games in St. Louis. And even game five in St. Louis would be far cheaper than the two Chicago games will be," Leyden said. "The Cubs are the hottest ticket in baseball for this round, and will be the hottest ticket in baseball as far as they advance. The only team that even comes remotely close so far has kind of been the (Toronto) Blue Jays. "The demand for the Cubs is really exceeding everyone by a mile," he added. Tickets for Monday's game are selling for an average price of $507, Leyden said. For Tuesday's matchup, the average price as of Sunday was $442. Prices could drop during the day Monday as brokers become more eager to sell their inventory. "So if a fan waits until (Monday) morning, they may end up saving money, but they might not get the seats in the spot that they wanted," Leyden said. If the Cubs continue to advance, fans can expect to see ticket prices soar in the later rounds. "Right now, what we're seeing, we don't have a ticket for less than $3,000 on our site right now for the World Series," Leyden said. "We don't have an abundance of inventory yet, mainly because a lot of those tickets haven't been sold yet." Leyden predicts the cost of a potential Cubs World Series ticket will surpass any baseball game SeatGeek has tracked since 2010. And it will easily outpace the average resale price for Game 6 of the 2015 Stanley Cup Final at the United Center, which was $1,426. -- Cubs.com Focused Arrieta confident ahead of Game 3 By Greg Garno CHICAGO -- Jake Arrieta's teammates call him the "best pitcher on the planet." His coaches are equally optimistic about the right-hander's ability. Really, it's tough to find someone who isn't confident he can pitch well. But is Arrieta himself, before Monday's pivotal Game 3 of the National League Division Series against the Cardinals at 6 p.m. ET on TBS, feeling that same confidence? And does the Majors' win leader during the regular season think he can continue his stretch of success? "I think that I'm confident in my ability to go out there tomorrow and give us an outing that's good enough to win the game," Arrieta said in his news conference on Sunday afternoon. "You know, I just intend to keep us in the game, regardless of the circumstances, whatever comes up.

"But I like my chances to go out there and win us a ballgame." Otherwise, Arrieta isn't focusing on the words of others, as he has all season. He spent the day before his first start of the NLDS in his usual workout routine of Pilates or yoga. The 29-year-old will take the hill with the series tied at 1-1, following his shutout of the Pirates in the NL Wild Card Game on Wednesday. He finished the second half of the season going 12-1 with a 0.75 ERA in 15 starts. "I can't be surprised what he does," Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo said. "I've heard for the last three years about how nasty he is from every catcher, every guy who gets on first base. It doesn't surprise me." The last time Arrieta took a loss came on July 25 against Philadelphia, when opposing pitcher Cole Hamels threw a no-hitter. He's thrown a quality start in every outing since June 16 vs. the Indians, when he allowed four runs in five innings. While Arrieta's teammates have supreme confidence in him, they refuse to be complacent in his starts. "Just because Jake's on the mound doesn't mean we're unbeatable," Rizzo said. "We've got to go out and win the game." Added shortstop Addison Russell: "You definitely have to be on your toes. You can't be in the mindset that he's going to go out there and get the job done. You prepare yourself for the worst-case scenario. I think that's the way he prepares himself, and that's the way I prepare myself." Even Arrieta's manager isn't one to sit back and watch. This season, Joe Maddon has waited for Arrieta to prove he can keep going and then let's him go to work. "I'm so not that guy to just expect that it's going to keep happening, Maddon said. "I don't take anything for granted. I don't think any of us do. I hope not. The other teams are really good. The team we're playing tomorrow is very good. So you can't assume anything." Arrieta is 2-1 with a 2.42 ERA in four starts against St. Louis this season, suffering his lone loss on May 7. He remembers nothing from that day, though. This situation, he says, is different anyway. "I think it's foolish to approach [Monday] any other way," he said, "but obviously this is a big game for us." -- Cubs.com Maddon yet to name Game 4 starter By Carrie Muskat CHICAGO -- Jake Arrieta is set for Game 3 of the National League Division Series on Monday at 6 p.m. ET on TBS, but Cubs manager Joe Maddon wasn't ready on Sunday to name his Game 4 starter. "I have an idea of what we're going to do, but I haven't spoken to the person yet, so I don't want to say it in advance of talking to the player," Maddon said Sunday. The Cubs' choices include Jason Hammel (10-7, 3.74 ERA) or having Game 1 starter Jon Lester (11-12, 3.34 ERA in regular season) go on three days' rest, which he has done twice in his career but never in the postseason. The most recent of those came at the end of the 2011 season when, four days after throwing just 2 2/3 innings, he took a no-decision against Baltimore, allowing two runs over six innings. In 2008, he allowed four runs over five innings of a loss vs. the Rangers on short rest. Hammel has yet to appear in a postseason game with the Cubs, but he did pitch in the Division Series in 2009 with the Rockies and '12 with the Orioles, as well as the 2014 American League Wild Card Game for the A's.

Game 4 will be Tuesday at Wrigley Field. The Cubs and Cardinals are tied at 1-1 in the best-of-five series. • It was breakfast at Wrigley Field when the Cubs players arrived for Sunday's abbreviated workout. The Cubs, who have not played at home since a makeup game on Sept. 28, were greeted by an omelet station, platters of fruit and a pig's head on a table surrounded by different sausages and meats. Of course, there were donuts, including some with white frosting and a blue "W" on top. "That was great, wasn't it?" Cubs catcher David Ross said. "That's the first time I've ever had breakfast on the field, that's for sure -- that wasn't in a McDonald's wrapper. That was a lot of fun. Juts a beautiful day out there. It's nice to get out there on the grass and just lay around, watch a little bit of football, eat some breakfast." The Bears' game against the Kansas City Chiefs was on the video scoreboard at Wrigley. Jason Motte threw a simulated game while his teammates filled their plates with avocados and scrambled eggs prepared by the team's chefs. "It was weird at times," Motte said. "The weirdest part for me was throwing with the turtle or the batting cage there. You're not used to that. You had to have it -- there's people eating omelets and hanging out. You can't have a ball go and break someone's pancakes." Rookie Kris Bryant went straight for the omelet station, as well as the donuts. "You never know what to expect here," Bryant said. • Motte, sidelined since Aug. 24 with a right shoulder strain, threw his second simulated game in his rehab on Sunday. "It all felt good, the ball's coming out good, I threw some good cutters," Motte said of his 25-pitch session. "I was able to get ahead of guys. It felt good." Motte, pitching coach Chris Bosio and the athletic trainers will meet to discuss the next step. The right-hander is still hoping to be able to pitch in the postseason, but the Cubs would likely have to advance to the NL Championship Series for that to happen. Motte's wife Caitlin had a busy Sunday, running in the Chicago Marathon. She finished in four hours, 52 minutes and 39 seconds. • Catcher Taylor Teagarden joined the Cubs on Sunday, but was not added to the postseason roster. The 31-year-old spent most of this season at Triple-A Iowa, where he batted .305 in 63 games. He was added to the 40-man roster, and left-hander Tsuyoshi Wada was designated for assignment to make room. -- Cubs.com Arrieta's run arguably greatest in MLB history By Anthony Castrovince This is the age of exaggeration, a time when "Everything is Awesome" if you choose to believe it is, a time when facts can easily be conflated with myths in the immediacy of our social media consumption, a time when NBC has a TV program called "Best Time Ever." So just know that this next thought is not delivered to poke or provoke but rather, hopefully, to engage and enlighten:

If you examine the numbers and consider the narrative, Jake Arrieta, who gets the ball for Game 3 of the Cubs' National League Division Series against the Cardinals on Monday night (TBS, 6 p.m. ET), is in the midst of as great a prolonged period of superior pitching as this game has seen. Ever. Now, before we get to the (hopefully) convincing calculations, let's just offer a not-so-subtle reminder of a not-so-secret fact: The Cubs have not won the World Series since 1908 and haven't even been to it since 1945. Nine out of 10 historians agree that's a pretty long time, and that, of course, colors any conversation about these Cubs and the men trying to guide them to baseball's Promised Land. Pitch a team into and through a postseason, and you're a hero. Pitch the Chicago Cubs into and through a postseason, and you've crossed the line into legend terrain. Arrieta, clearly, has a ways to go on that front. But he has already posted the lowest second-half ERA in history and followed it up by becoming the first pitcher ever to throw a postseason shutout with double-digit strikeouts and zero walks. In doing so, he's enlivened this organization in a way a notable Cub of October's past can appreciate. In 1984, Rick Sutcliffe played the role of Arrieta, joining the club in a midseason trade with Cleveland and winning each of his last 14 regular-season decisions to conclude a Cy Young season as the club clinched the NL East. Thus ended a 39-year October drought that had been prolonged by the September collapse of the 1969 team. "I'll never forget Ron Santo standing in front of me and grabbing my shirt with big crocodile tears in his eyes and thanking me for helping those fans to forget about 1969," Sutcliffe said. "Honestly, I didn't really even know about '69. I had never heard of the black cat, and I didn't know what had happened. But I hope that when this postseason is over with, I can walk up to Jake, as well as Jon Lester and David Ross, and do the same thing to them that Ron Santo did to me." Of course, Sutcliffe and the Cubs ran into trouble in the ensuing NLCS with the Padres. And that's what made Arrieta's Wild Card clout so special. It's one thing to inspire so much breathless anticipation for your postseason debut by doing what Arrieta did down the stretch of the regular season; it's another to back it up with such a heroic, historic performance -- especially in a loser-goes-home setting. And that postseason start, singular though it may be at the moment, is enough for us to assert that what Arrieta has done these past couple months is as good as anything the game has seen. Consider the following: • Over his last 10 starts, including that one-and-done Wild Card Game presented by Budweiser, Arrieta has gone 9-0 with a 0.24 ERA and .132 opponents' average. Per the Elias Sports Bureau, in the time since earned runs became an official statistic in 1913, the number of other pitchers who have had an ERA that low and an opponents' average that low over that many starts is precisely zero. • In each of those 10 starts, Arrieta has gone at least six innings without allowing more than one earned run. The only longer such streak in history belongs to Bob Gibson, who had 11 such outings from June 6-July 30, 1968 (0.27 ERA over 99 innings). The only knock on Gibson's run, compared to Arrieta's, is that it took place on a higher mound and did not include a postseason start. The fact that Gibson's '68 season is invoked at all here ought to tell you how special Arrieta's surge has been. • Also in every game of this 10-start stretch, Arrieta has compiled a Game Score of at least 68. The only guys to compile a longer such streak all did it in 11 straight -- Johan Santana (2004), Jack Morris (1983) and Gaylord Perry (1975) -- but none of those streaks included a postseason outing.

• It goes back further. Arrieta has made 13 starts since the beginning of August, allowing just four earned runs total to compile a 0.37 ERA. That's the lowest ERA for a starting pitcher from August onward by a long shot -- the next-closest is Spud Chandler, who had a 0.78 mark in 1943. • Arrieta's regular season ended with 20 consecutive quality starts (three earned runs or less over six innings or more), the longest such streak ever to end a season. His teammate Lester had 19 straight with Boston and Oakland last year but gave up six earned runs in 7 1/3 innings in his only postseason start. The game has some runs that compare to Arrieta's current one. A few that immediately come to mind … Pedro Martinez began his 2000 season (right in the thick of an era of inflated offense) in Boston by posting a 0.99 ERA and striking out 121 batters in 91 1/3 innings over 12 starts. But that was obviously not in the thick of the postseason chase. Mike Scott ended his 1986 season with the Astros by compiling a 1.64 ERA over 11 starts, including two in the postseason. But that ERA actually looks inflated next to Arrieta's. Madison Bumgarner had an incredible 1.03 ERA in 52 2/3 postseason innings last year. But he was substantially more human (3.08 ERA) in four starts that September. Really, the best comparable to what Arrieta is doing is Orel Hershiser in 1988. Hershiser ended that season with a 59-inning scoreless streak and a 0.44 ERA over his last nine starts. He followed that up by owning October (1.05 ERA over 42 2/3 innings). And if you add up his last 13 appearances, he went 12-0 with a majestic 0.39 ERA. That's an inordinately high bar, and, again, credit to Arrieta for inspiring us to even bring it up. But here's the thing: Hershiser's August that year began with three subpar showings, as he allowed 14 earned runs in 15 innings. Add those in, and he had a 1.48 ERA over his last 16 games. So at the very least, Arrieta has a head start on Hershiser as he ventures into his next October outing. That he's doing it for a franchise looking to shake off such an ignominious streak just makes it all the more fascinating. "It's easy to talk about momentum, but it's harder to maintain it," Hershiser said. "Every day you put in the work to look to lengthen the run. Does it get easier? I'm not sure it does. It's a mental challenge to keep it going as much as a physical challenge, knowing that the baseball probabilities will get you. So you just keep your focus knowing that you can make one more sinker low and away and one more breaking ball in the dirt." Arrieta keeps defying the probabilities. And it's no exaggeration to say we can't wait to see how far he can take this remarkable run. -- Cubs.com Maddon an adept tactician with the media By Adam Berry CHICAGO -- Cubs manager Joe Maddon walked out of the visitors' clubhouse at Busch Stadium early Saturday afternoon, weaving through the bowels of the ballpark in his Cubs-blue hooded sweatshirt. He had just left behind his players, but he stepped into the Cardinals' news conference room with those 25 men on his mind. At that point, the Cubs were down, 1-0, in the National League Division Series against the Cardinals. Some players, coaches or managers might have tightened up. Not Maddon. Coming across as calm and casual as ever, he wanted to let everyone know he wasn't hitting the panic button. Maddon has never been big on team meetings. He speaks with his players one-on-one, getting to know the person behind the player. But since taking over as manager of the Devil Rays in 2006, Maddon has discovered that he essentially sets the tone for his club twice every day of the season.

"This is a team meeting right now," Maddon told the media before the Cubs won Game 2 on Saturday evening. "We're conducting a team meeting for my entire group right now." The Cubs have held three team meetings this season: before Opening Day, at the All-Star break and just before the postseason began. First baseman Anthony Rizzo thought they might have been in store for a fourth in New York, but it turned out Maddon had just invited a magician to perform in the Cubs' clubhouse. And, really, why bother with the formality of a team meeting? If he wants to send a message to his team -- or perhaps to the entire Cubs' fan base -- Maddon is adept at doing so through the media before and after games. "Every manager or coach, the way this is set up these days, has the opportunity on a daily basis to conduct a team meeting," Maddon said. "Because I know [the players] listen or hear or read everything that is said and done." Rizzo, for instance, doesn't read much on Twitter but said he frequently peruses the stories on cubs.com. Catcher David Ross gets his news updates through social media every day. "Twitter's my newspaper. It's how I read in the morning. I wake up and see what's going on in the world or the sports world," Ross said. "You'll see his quotes and stuff. You see where he's at." Shortstop Addison Russell prefers to "stay away from the printing press," but he often seeks out video of Maddon's interviews. Occasionally, Russell will listen for questions that he had for Maddon about his in-game strategy, curious to hear the answer. "I think it's a good thing, because we get a feel for Joe, too," Russell said, "Just listening to him talk and hearing his thought process is very cool." Maddon is uncommonly thoughtful, articulate and creative when dealing with reporters. He also knows how to send a message. When the Cubs thought the Cardinals were intentionally throwing at Rizzo last month, Maddon made it clear his team wouldn't be pushed around, as he often did with the Rays when they were trying to push back against the Red Sox and Yankees. "I think he's been sending messages since Spring Training. He's been gaining trust and sending messages since Spring Training," Ross said. "That's what he does a really good job of, communicating through the media or to us personally. "You get a sense of his calm or where he's at and what his take on the team is. It's always nice to know where your manager stands on the team." But Maddon isn't totally an open book with a microphone in front of him. If he needs to talk to a particular player, Maddon will call him into the manager's office and address the issue one-on-one. When the Cubs benched Starlin Castro in early August, for example, Maddon met with Castro and clearly explained the situation to the 25-year-old infielder before informing reporters of the decision. That kind of honest communication goes a long way inside a baseball clubhouse -- even if the players are listening to Maddon's daily press briefings. "He does a really good job of communicating that way. And then if he has to get the point across in the media, he will," Ross said. "He goes about things the right way." --

Cubs.com Cardinals, Cubs comment on Utley's slide By Adam Berry CHICAGO -- After seeing Chase Utley's hard slide lead to a fractured right fibula for Mets shortstop Ruben Tejada in the Dodgers' 5-2 win on Saturday night, the topic of keeping middle infielders safe was a prevalent issue as the Cardinals and Cubs reported to Wrigley Field on Sunday afternoon. Neither side came to a particularly strong conclusion, but both were in agreement that Tejada's injury was unfortunate for him and the Mets. Trying to break up a double play at second base in Game 2 of the National League Division Series, Utley slid wide of second base and slammed into Tejada, who suffered the severe leg injury as he flipped and landed awkwardly. "I think that was a very negative outcome and a very unfortunate situation, but as far as the slide goes, I didn't really have a problem with it," said Cardinals infielder Matt Carpenter. "I think Utley plays the game as hard and as old-school as any guy, and he came in trying to break up a double play and it ended in an unfortunate deal." Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo took greater issue with Utley, saying, "I personally don't agree with the slide." Rizzo thought Utley came in to second base too high. Cubs shortstop Addison Russell echoed Carpenter's sentiment about the slide itself, though Russell noted that Utley should have started it farther away from second base. "Even during the regular season you're trying to break that play up. You're trying to do anything you can to help your team win and get on base," Russell said. "I think it's a little tricky. I think he did a good job trying to break it up, and I think Tejada did a good job to get off his feet." Cardinals second baseman Kolten Wong called the injury "scary," and he suggested that Major League Baseball could "tinker with," but not overhaul, the rules regarding slides into second base on force plays. Kolten said doesn't want to ban takeout slides completely, but like everyone else, he believes there's a safer way for those slides to be executed. Cardinals manager Mike Matheny was a vocal proponent of the recent rules that have helped protect catchers from home-plate collisions. Matheny expects a similar discussion this offseason regarding middle infielders. "We're trying to keep our players on the field and put a better product out there," Matheny said. "Can we maintain the deep roots of this game by small adjustments that keep players, or at least increase the odds, of keeping them safe and on the field?" The debate hit somewhat close to home for the Cubs, who were involved in a notable collision at second base last month. Cubs leftfielder Chris Coghlan took a hard slide into second base to break up a double play, crashing into Pirates rookie Jung Ho Kang, and ending Kang's season in the process. Cubs catcher David Ross said Coghlan "still feels terrible" about the resulting injury Kang suffered. Ross added he believes there is a "night and day" difference between Coghlan's slide and Utley's. Kang was in the act of throwing the ball, whereas Tejada was still turning around to make a throw to first base. "I was brought up to play hard and break up a double play at all costs, especially when you got that situation where it would tie the ballgame with that run. I understand it," Ross said. "I think there's a better way. Maybe it's an instant replay thing, where if it's so late that if they replay it and they see if this guy wasn't intending for the bag, then he's out and it's a double play." --

Cubs.com Young studs: Cubs rookies making history By Adam Berry Tied at 1-1, the National League Division Series won't be won on Monday at Wrigley Field, but afterward we'll have a very good idea about who is likely going to the NL Championship Series to face the winner of the Mets-Dodgers NLDS. Jake Arrieta, the pitching Paul Bunyan of this October, starts for the Cubs against Michael Wacha for the Cardinals at 6 ET on TBS. It's a great setup for the home team, as they haven't lost a start behind Arrieta since Cole Hamels was still with the Phillies. Hamels' no-hitter on July 25 stands as the last time the Cubs didn't win behind Arrieta, the 22-game winner who takes a streak of 31 consecutive scoreless innings into Game 3. That's the kind of run that builds confidence, which counts double in the postseason. "Getting Jake pitching the next game is kind of a good thought for us, obviously,'' Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. "He's been pitching -- how can I even say it? You've all been watching? He's been spectacular.'' Cardinals manager Mike Matheny was asked after Saturday's 6-3 loss in Game 2 if he would consider bringing back Game 1 winner John Lackey on short rest to work Game 4 at Wrigley Field. "We've got a game in between that we're mostly focused on right now,'' he said. "We go out and play. Then we figure things out when we get to that point.'' Beating Arrieta would be huge for the Cardinals, as it would guarantee the series returns to Busch Stadium for Game 5. But more than that, the game on Monday at Wrigley -- a shrine where the Cubs have lost their last five postseason games, beginning with the infamous loss to the Marlins in Game 6 of the 2003 NLCS -- will give the winner a firm control on advancing to the NLCS. In best-of-five Division Series tied 1-1, the Game 3 winner has won the series 25 of 32 times. That's a 78-percent chance. The Cubs won two of three against the Cardinals in an emotional weekend series in September. They head into Game 3 as arguably the hottest team around, having won 10 of their last 11, with eight of those wins coming on the road. Wrigley Field, which hasn't been the site of a postseason game since the Cubs dropped the first two games of the NLDS to the Dodgers in 2008, is certain to be rocking for Arrieta's first pitch. Three things to know about this game • The Cubs have won two of three postseason games despite Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo being hitless. Bryant is stuck in a 3-for-34 slump dating back to the regular season and Rizzo was 0-for-10 against the Pirates and the Cardinals. "They haven't gotten a hit yet, but I know they're totally engaged in the game,'' Maddon said. "I know they're going to hit. The thing is to keep this rolling long enough to get them back in the groove a little bit. But I have all the faith in the world in both of those guys, so honestly, I'm not concerned.'' • While the Cubs outhomered the Cards, 171-137, in the regular season, the Cardinals are leading the NLDS in long balls, 5-1. Rookie Stephen Piscotty has gone 3-for-8 with a homer and a double. Matt Carpenter, Tommy Pham, Kolten Wong and Randal Grichuk have also homered. • Maddon is improvising in his bullpen, in part because the Cardinals have owned Pedro Strop. He bypassed Strop in favor of converted starter Trevor Cahill in the eighth inning of Game 2. The winning pitcher was another former starter, lefty Travis Wood, who worked 2 1/3 scoreless innings. But don't look for the bullpen to play a major role

in Game 3. Arrieta threw 113 pitches in his five-hit shutout in the Wild Card Game, and Maddon joked his pitch limit was "infinity.'' Wacha, on the other hand, was 2-3 with a 7.88 ERA in five September starts, lasting beyond the fifth inning only once. -- Cubs.com Cubs ready for raucous Wrigley atmosphere By Greg Garno CHICAGO -- David Ross has been in Chicago one year, but he is already feeling the playoff atmosphere in Chicago. On his walk to the ballpark, Ross had fans stop him and clap in the street. It's been seven years since the city of Chicago last saw playoff baseball at Wrigley Field, when the Cubs fell in the first round of the playoffs. And understandably, they are excited for the players. When the Cubs host the Cardinals in Game 3 of the National League Division Series on Monday at 6 p.m. ET on TBS, it will return and the atmosphere that permeates into a vibrant neighborhood is sure to bring in a crowd. And players and coaches are excited for what will be an even busier and louder atmosphere than before. "Well, to imagine it being crazier is difficult because we're kind of like that almost nightly," said Cubs manager Joe Maddon. "We don't get to really observe what's going on outside the walls, but I know that it's pretty raucous regardless. You can only fit so many people in here, and they're always -- our fans are always the same way." Added Monday's starter, Jake Arrieta: "I think the postseason environment is really the one adjustment probably versus the regular season. There's a lot of added variables there. But you know, pitching in Wrigley, being able to do that, first playoff game here in a long time -- it's going to be hard to not be amped up and ready to go tomorrow night." But this season's roster is young -- with five rookies -- and has yet to experience an atmosphere like the one anticipated on Monday. Only a handful of players have been around to see an atmosphere so loud, and fewer have been able to go further into the postseason. Before their victory in the NL Wild Card Game, the Cubs had last won a playoff game in 2003, when more than half of the roster was in high school. "It's going to be fun," said rookie Addison Russell. "There's going to be a lot of hype. There's going to be a lot of crowd chanting and stuff. I'm looking forward to it." Added 26-year-old Anthony Rizzo: "I have no idea [what the experience will be like]. I'm excited for it. We've got the whole city rallying around us. Keep winning, we can get the whole nation rallying around us." Wrigley Field, which holds 41,072 fans, has sold all tickets days in advance of the playoffs. Even when they weren't at home, playing at Pittsburgh, fans stormed the streets outside the ballpark. "These fans have been waiting for this for a long time, so, you know, it's just going to be nice -- it's going to be a boost, if anything," Arrieta said. "Tomorrow night, pitching in front of the city of Chicago here at Wrigley. I think it's only going to benefit us." --

Cubs.com Tale of the tape: Arrieta vs. Wacha By Greg Garno Two of the National League's leaders in wins square off in a pivotal Game 3 as the Cubs and Cardinals enter tied at one in the National League Division Series. The league leader, Jake Arrieta, takes the mound for Chicago in one of the best seasons of his career. St. Louis sends Michael Wacha, who also set career highs en route to finishing fifth in the NL with 17 wins. The game will be played at 6 p.m. ET (5 p.m. CT) on TBS. We take a look at how those winning pitchers stack up against each other before they face off from Wrigely Field. Jake Arrieta, Cubs Against the Opponent 2015: 4 GS, 2-1, 2.42 ERA Career: 9 GS, 4-1, 1.63 ERA Loves to face: Matt Holliday, .067 (1-for-15); Matt Carpenter, .000 (0-for-16) Hates to face: Jason Heyward, .333 (6-for18) Game breakdown Why he'll win: In his last start in the National League Wild Card Game presented by Budweiser, Arrieta didn't give up a run in a complete game, striking out 11 batters over 113 pitches. He has not been fazed by his heavy workload this season (238 innings pitched in the regular season and postseason). He has allowed just four earned runs since August began as picked up a career best 22 wins in the regular season. Pitcher beware: The Cardinals have gotten to Arrieta before, putting up five runs through 5 1/3 innings of work before they chased him for the loss on May 7. He has lost three games since then. Bottom line: Arrieta pitched well under pressure in the postseason and regular season so far and won't be fazed on Monday. Michael Wacha, Cardinals Against the Opponent 2015: 4 GS, 1-2, 6.86 ERA Career: 8 GS, 3-3, 4.86 ERA Loves to face: Miguel Montero, .133 (2-for-15), 4 K's Hates to face: Starlin Castro, .455 (10-for-22) 2 HRs, Anthony Rizzo, .455 (10-for-22) 2 HRs Why he'll win: He may not have had the same dominant season as his opponent, but Wacha put up 17 wins, including a 10-4 mark on the road. He was able to limit damage in the regular season and has also been backed by his offense, which averaged 5.96 runs per game. He's also got the experience in the postseason that should keep him from being affected by the crowd. Since 2013, Wacha has made six postseason appearances.

Pitcher beware: September was Wahca's toughest of the season, statistically. He struggled with his command, walking 18 batters while allowing seven home runs -- both higher than any other month over the regular season. The Cubs have had his number this year, too, which doesn't make the it any easier to bust out of his slump. Bottom line: Wacha can keep a game close against one of the Majors' best pitchers and let his offense do the rest. -- Cubs.com Despite slump, Bryant flashing steady glove By Carrie Muskat CHICAGO -- Kris Bryant led all Major League rookies in nearly every offensive category -- including RBIs, doubles and runs scored -- yet the Cubs' third baseman has been known for his glovework in the postseason. Bryant is hitless in 12 at-bats over three playoff games with one walk. He's not alone. Anthony Rizzo, who has batted fourth behind Bryant in all three postseason games, is 0-for-11. And yet, the Cubs won the National League Wild Card Game and are tied, 1-1, with the Cardinals in the NL Division Series, which continues Monday at Wrigley Field at 6 p.m. ET on TBS. "Isn't that great?" Rizzo said Sunday. "Usually, we're the ones carrying the load. I've said all year, it's not about me, it's not about Kris, it's not about [Jorge Soler] hitting a home run -- it's about the whole team and doing what we can do to win. As long as we win, we have one goal here and that's to win a World Series." Rizzo wasn't saying it was great that he and Bryant are hitless, but liked the idea that it takes all 25 on the roster. Bryant agrees. "We're here for the team," Bryant said. "I know Anthony hasn't gotten a hit either, but we've won games and that's what it's all about -- play good defense, help the team win, be a good teammate, cheer the team on. It really doesn't matter my individual accomplishments. "There are plenty of guys capable in this locker room, and I think that's gotten us where we are today," Bryant said. "There's a new hero every day. All the talk early about our walk-off hits -- I think there are nine different people with walk-off hits. That says a lot about our team. Me and Anthony haven't done much this series, but it's pretty cool that we've come out with a win and the series tied." However, Bryant was in a little funk at the end of the season. After picking up his 99th RBI on Sept. 27, he finished the campaign 3-for-23. He and Rizzo are the fifth and sixth players in Cubs history to start their postseason careers 0-for-10, joining Hippo Vaughn (0-for-10 in 1918), Phil Cavarretta (0-for-12, 1935), Carl Reynolds (0-for-12, 1938) and Jimmy Sheckard (0-for-21, 1906). Cubs manager Joe Maddon doesn't see Bryant pressing. "He's hit a couple ground balls in situations that he normally doesn't, and that tells me he might be off timing-wise," Maddon said. "He's fine. You saw the defense in Pittsburgh [in the Wild Card Game]. He's definitely in the moment." Maybe being back at Wrigley Field will help. Bryant batted .311 at home, hitting 21 of his 26 home runs there. "I think it helps all of us," Bryant said about being home. "I think we all play better at home in front of our fans. I think we're all excited to be here. The crowd should be pretty lively and it should be pretty exciting." So Bryant will continue to stick to his routine, hit in the cage and come ready for Game 3 on Monday. "There's other ways to win a ballgame than hitting the ball over the fence," Bryant said. "Right now, I'm known for my defense. I enjoy it. It's just funny that early in the season, there were some questions about my defense. I've been able to show everybody what I can do there. I love to play third base and help the team when possible."

-- Cubs.com Arrieta trade could be reverse of Brock's By Phil Rogers CHICAGO -- Three words haunt a generation of Cub fans: Brock for Broglio. Mention of the 1964 trade that sent future Hall of Famer Lou Brock to the Cardinals for pitcher Ernie Broglio causes lips to purse, heads to shake and eyes to roll. But these days, there are three other words that are being spoken more often: Fifty-one years after Brock for Broglio, the four-player trade that sent pitcher Scott Feldman and catcher Steve Clevenger to the Orioles for pitchers Jake Arrieta and Pedro Strop is flipping the script for modern fans. This time around, it's the Cubs who get the last laugh. The only question that remains is: How loud will that laugh become over time? Could the Arrieta trade become as much of a positive for the Chicago franchise as the Brock deal was a negative? Off the top of your head, you'd think it wouldn't, that it's asking way too much. But when you look at the relative value of players through the lens of WAR, you see that, well, it's got a chance. If the Cubs can keep Arrieta, and he stays on track, they can get as much from their 29-year-old ace as they lost when Bing Devine, then the Cardinals' general manager, fleeced John Holland for Brock, who was then 24 and had been rushed to Wrigley Field after one season in the Minor Leagues, in a Class C league. To make the math work, Arrieta has to pitch at the same level over the next four seasons that he has in his 67 regular-season starts since the 2013 trade. This means that Theo Epstein and Tom Ricketts will have to find a way to work out a long-term contract with Arrieta and his agent, Scott Boras, as he's headed for free agency after 2017. That could be problematic, even given how Arrieta loves playing in Chicago and credits the Cubs' open-mindedness for helping him tap into his potential. Trickiest of all, probably, given the attrition factor for pitchers, is that Arrieta will have to continue to generate rWAR at a pace of .218 per start. He's done that in going 36-13 with a 2.26 ERA since joining the Cubs. Arrieta's ERA shrunk to that level from 2.75 when he turned in his historic 0.75 ERA over 107 1/3 innings in the second half of this season, helping the Cubs raise their win total to 97 games. This run is going to end at some point, so maybe it'll take five or six more years to generate as much WAR for the Cubs as Brock did for the Cards. Surprisingly, given that Brock stole 938 bases, scored 1,610 runs and was a complete player for most of his 16 seasons in St. Louis, his total WAR for those years was only 41.6, among the lowest for position players to reach the Hall of Fame while playing after World War II. Arrieta has already produced 14.6 WAR for the Cubs. Four seasons of 30-plus starts at Arrieta's current performance level would generate another 26 WAR, putting him right on Brock's heels. And if his arm held up for a longer stay with the Cubs, well, he might fly past Brock. Brock was also a legendary performer in the World Series, hitting .391 over 87 at-bats while helping the Cardinals win the seven-game World Series over the Yankees in 1964 and the Red Sox in '67 and losing a seven-game series to the Tigers in '68. So you can say Arrieta also has to make his bones in October with the Cubs to truly reach Brock's level, but if ever there was a modern pitcher prepared to lead the Cubs into an extended run of postseason appearances, it's Arrieta. He's as high on his organization, manager and the talent around him as they are on him.

"We exceeded a lot of people's expectations, and I don't think that there's any reason we can't continue to do so, regardless of how people outside of the organization or our clubhouse feel about our team,'' Arrieta said at a Sunday workout before his Game 3 start against the Cardinals. "We know we can play with anybody, and I think we're a pretty scary team for anybody to play right now. We've got nothing to lose. We're playing well. We've got a lot of young guys with a lot of tremendous energy. … I think we're going to be a tough team to beat.'' He was speaking in the present tense, having earlier said he won't truly be able to reflect on the staggering success of his 2015 season until "once the season comes to an end, hopefully the beginning of November.'' But this is a Cubs team that should be good for years to come, so maybe Arrieta will even earn some jewelry, like Brock. There's a story to be flushed out about how the Arrieta trade came to pass, but the basic storyline is similar to the one behind the Brock trade. One organization did a better job realizing the potential of a player -- and tapping into that potential -- than his original team. Brock, miscast by the Cubs as a right fielder, was hitting .251 with only two home runs when he was dealt to the Cardinals at the June 15 deadline in 1964. The Cubs' owner, Phil Wrigley, and Holland gushed about the 24-year-old Broglio, but Ernie Banks and others in the clubhouse knew what they losing in Brock. "All they had to do was leave the kid alone, and he was going to be a great player,'' Joe Macko, who had managed Brock in St. Cloud, Minn., once said. "I told everyone to just give him some time, that he had so much talent and knew what he was doing.'' At the time of the Arrieta trade, Cubs GM Jed Hoyer cited the chance to acquire power arms from the Orioles and made the point that in getting Arrieta out of the American League East and into "our environment,'' they were giving him a chance to turn the corner in a career in which he had flashed his potential since Team USA. This was a smart move based on good reports from pro scouts, to this point unnamed, but as hopeful as the Cubs were, they didn't envision that he'd transform into one of the best starters in the National League. The Cardinals probably didn't think Brock was on his way to Cooperstown when they made the trade in 1964. "When we made that trade, the Cubs were taking a chance and we were taking a chance,'' Devine wrote in his memoirs, published in 2004. "You win some, you lose some … sometimes you get lucky.'' --