September 29, CSNChicago.com, What s next for Cubs and John Lackey?

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1 September 29, 2017 Cubs.com, Cubs, Q open Reds set prepping for playoffs Cubs.com, Martin's HR-saving grab dashes Cards' WC hopes Cubs.com, Hendricks makes case for NLDS Game 1 Cubs.com, Cubs will have roster decisions ahead of NLDS Cubs.com, Maddon 'good' with Cubs being NLDS underdog Cubs.com, Cubs should lean on lefty starters in NLDS CSNChicago.com, Why Cubs could bet on Kyle Hendricks in Game 1 vs. Max Scherzer and Nationals: 'Ice in his veins' CSNChicago.com, What s next for Cubs and John Lackey? CSNChicago.com, Projecting the 2017 Cubs' 25-man playoff roster CSNChicago.com, In new world for Cubs, Ben Zobrist explains why he wasn t trolling Cardinals Chicago Tribune, Cubs eliminate Cardinals from playoff contention Chicago Tribune, Cubs plan to have playoff road-game watch parties at The Park at Wrigley Chicago Tribune, Jake Arrieta's hamstring clouds Cubs' rotation plans for division series Chicago Tribune, Newcomers shine in Cubs' extra-innings win over Cardinals

2 Chicago Tribune, Joe Maddon accepts perception of Cubs as underdogs against Nationals story.html Chicago Tribune, What time will Cubs-Nationals NLDS games start? It's complicated column.html Chicago Tribune, Kyle Hendricks and Jose Quintana should start Cubs' first two postseason games story.html Chicago Sun-Times, Cubs eliminate Cards from playoff contention behind unheralded backups Chicago Sun-Times, Underdog Cubs relish chance to make some history against Nationals Chicago Sun-Times, Why Kyle Hendricks might give Cubs best chance to beat Scherzer, Nats Chicago Sun-Times, Albert Almora Jr. improved since wall collision, eyes playoff roster Chicago Sun-Times, Mapping out the Cubs 2017 postseason schedule Daily Herald, How did Chicago Cubs claim National League Central? By focusing on big picture Daily Herald, Constable: Much has changed since Cubs last won World Series Cubs.com Cubs, Q open Reds set prepping for playoffs By Mark Sheldon As the first-place Cubs and last-place Reds prepare to play their final regular-season series of 2017, the two National League Central teams will have differing agendas during their three games at Wrigley Field. Chicago, which will play the Nationals in the NL Division Series presented by T-Mobile next week, will try to set its playoff roster, get its rotation together and stay healthy while finishing out the schedule. The Cubs have dominated the season series vs. the Reds, 10-6, while outscoring Cincinnati by a margin. Meanwhile, the Reds will seek to go into the offseason on a positive note while individual players chase personal milestones. For example, Joey Votto will not only try to finish the year having started in all 162 games; he could shore up his candidacy for his second NL MVP Award.

3 Votto, who won NL MVP Award honors in 2010, leads the Majors in times reaching base (314 entering Thursday) and is on pace to be the first player since Barry Bonds in 2004 to collect 133 or more walks in a season while striking out fewer than 90 times. Votto would be the only Reds player to ever achieve such a feat. In the series opener on Friday, Jose Quintana will pitch for the Cubs and against Reds right-hander Robert Stephenson. For Quintana, it will be his final tune-up ahead of his first postseason experience. In his last start, the lefty threw his second career shutout and held the Brewers to three hits and struck out 10. Quintana is 7-3 with a 3.50 ERA with the Cubs and 2-0 with a 1.63 ERA in September. Things to know about this game The Brewers went 1-for-12 with a single and four strikeouts against Quintana's two-seam fastball in his last start. The lefty has held opponents to a.205 average against that pitch since joining the Cubs, second lowest in MLB over that span (minimum 50 at-bats). In his past seven starts, Stephenson is 5-2 with a 2.87 ERA. On Saturday vs. the Red Sox in a 5-0 loss, he gave up four runs (two earned) with five hits over six innings. His own error in the sixth opened the door to a big inning and marred one of his more efficient outings of the year. Reds shortstop Zack Cozart, who exited Wednesday's game at Milwaukee with right quadriceps tightness and was rested on Thursday, is expected to be back in Friday's starting lineup. Don't expect to see many Cubs regulars on Friday. Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo said he'll probably take Friday off and play Saturday and Sunday to prepare for the NLDS. Cubs manager Joe Maddon also wants to give some of the relievers a break, such as Wade Davis, Pedro Strop, Brian Duening and Carl Edwards Jr. Albert Almora Jr. was not expected to be available. Almora crashed into the outfield wall at Busch Stadium on Monday and bruised his right shoulder. He had some discomfort in his back as well. Cubs.com Martin's HR-saving grab dashes Cards' WC hopes By Jenifer Langosch and Carrie Muskat ST. LOUIS In a season the Cardinals often felt so close to putting the pieces together that would ignite a push into October, their postseason aspirations perhaps fittingly, and certainly cruelly ended dramatically by falling just short one final time. There is no longer a path back to the playoffs for St. Louis, which, with a 2-1, 11-inning loss to the Cubs on Thursday, fell four games back of the Rockies for the final National League Wild Card spot. Just three games remain on the Cardinals' schedule. A day after clinching the NL Central crown at Busch Stadium, the Cubs, with a game-ending catch by outfielder Leonys Martin, finished off their season dominance over the Cardinals by robbing them of an opportunity to enter the final weekend with meaningful games left to play. "It feels like just the rug got taken out from under me," said Paul DeJong, after Martin brought back what would have been a potential game-tying home run. "The end of a season. The end of an opportunity for us to face Milwaukee and make things interesting down the stretch."

4 With the Cardinals down to their final out, DeJong drove a 1-1 fastball to deep center. Martin, playing in a nodoubles defense, tracked it and timed his leap perfectly. As he came down with the ball, the Cubs dugout emptied in celebration. The Cardinals watched, stunned. "It just adds insult to injury," Cardinals infielder Matt Carpenter said. "It was just an ugly way to lose a game like that. The emotional side of that is what makes it tough because you think you're back in it and the guy makes a great play." According to Statcast, DeJong's ball, with an exit velocity of mph and 28-degree launch angle, is a home run more than seven out of 10 times. "I knew he put a good swing on it," Martin said. "I felt the warning track and after a couple steps, I felt it was the right time to jump, and thank God, I made it." "That's an exceptional play," added Cubs manager Joe Maddon. "The way he jumped to the wall was textbook." Martin, who also caught the final out on Wednesday in the Cubs' clinching game, gave the ball on Thursday to Jen- Ho Tseng, who notched his first Major League win with three innings of scoreless relief. "He has to get it," Martin said of Tseng. "I want to keep [the ball from Wednesday]. That's going to be like something I'll never forget in my life. To be here and catch the last out to clinch it and get to the postseason. I will try to keep it." The Cubs proved to be a nemesis to the Cardinals all season, finishing with a 14-5 record against them and 7-1 in one-run games. The rivalry has become a bit one-sided, too, with the Cubs kicking the Cardinals from the postseason in 2015, dethroning them atop the division in 2016 and delivering the knockout blow on Thursday. And this time, the Cubs did so while fielding a lineup that featured seven players who spent time in Triple-A this year. One of those, Taylor Davis, drove in the game-winning run with a two-out, RBI double off Cardinals reliever Matt Bowman in the 11th. Bowman was making his league-leading 75th appearance. "I went from the lowest of lows to literally the coolest thing I've ever done, other than marrying my wife," said Davis, who was 0-for-4 with three strikeouts before his hit. "Being able to win a game, especially against this team, in this park, it's so cool, and the atmosphere. Our fans were just as loud as theirs and it was really cool to see." Starters Lance Lynn and Kyle Hendricks both completed five innings before turning the game over to the bullpens. For Hendricks, the outing was a tuneup for an upcoming NL Division Series start against the Nationals. Lynn's appearance brought more finality. Thursday's start was likely the last of Lynn's Cardinals career. A free agent at season's end, the right-hander finishes his year back from Tommy John surgery having made a team-high 33 starts with a 3.43 ERA. "This will be my first active year not participating in the postseason," Lynn said. "It's not a great feeling. But it happens sometimes. Hopefully next year I get that opportunity, wherever it may be." MOMENTS THAT MATTERED Fast feet: After leading off the sixth with a single, Tommy Pham used his speed to help the Cardinals manufacture the tying run. He swiped his 25th stolen base of the season, advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored on Dexter Fowler's groundout to second. Pham, whose stolen-base total ranks fourth among all NL players, is the first Cardinals player to steal 25 bases in a season since Tony Womack in Striking first: Ian Happ, who had already become the fastest player in Cubs history to hit 20 home runs, tallied No. 23 to give the Cubs a first-inning lead against Lynn. Happ's line-drive solo shot just over the right-field wall snapped

5 his string of 15 consecutive games without a home run. The homer was the 27th allowed by Lynn this season, setting a career high. QUOTABLE "That's always the goal. When the season begins, I'm always looking at 90, 90-plus [wins]. That's like the benchmark. Believe me, it was not lost on me. I said that as soon as it happened, 'Don't forget boys, that was No. 90.' I love that number and you keep building on it. From where we came from at the All-Star break to now, give our guys a ton of credit for the mental effort." Maddon, on the Cubs winning their 90th game of the season "This is the first time I have to stand up here and say that [reaching the postseason] is just not going to happen. We fell short of what we wanted to do. Cardinals manager Mike Matheny SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS Thursday ends a streak of 1,131 consecutive regular-season games the Cardinals played with playoff aspirations, a streak that dates back to the start of the 2011 season. It had been the longest active streak in Major League Baseball. WHAT'S NEXT Cubs: Jose Quintana will make his final regular-season start on Friday when the Cubs open a three-game home series against the Reds. Quintana is coming off a shutout against the Brewers in which he struck out 10. He's 7-3 with a 3.50 ERA in 13 starts with the Cubs. First pitch is scheduled for 1:20 p.m. CT. Cardinals: The Cardinals will host the Brewers in their final regular-season series, which begins Friday at Busch Stadium. First pitch is scheduled for 7:15 p.m. CT. John Gant will make his second spot start for St. Louis and will be opposed by Milwaukee's Chase Anderson. Cubs.com Hendricks makes case for NLDS Game 1 By Carrie Muskat ST. LOUIS Kyle Hendricks threw five scoreless innings in his final regular-season start on Thursday night and gave manager Joe Maddon a lot to consider as the Cubs put together their rotation for the National League Division Series presented by T-Mobile. Will Jon Lester start Game 1 on Oct. 6 against the Nationals in Washington, or could Maddon go with Hendricks? Now that the Cubs know they're going to the postseason, it's time to sort out the rotation. "Nothing has been etched in anything yet," Maddon said Thursday. "It's just nice to be able to slow it down, really analyze what's going on, know that we're playing Washington and try to figure it out from there." Hendricks scattered four hits and struck out nine against the Cardinals on Thursday. Lester and Jake Arrieta will start Saturday and Sunday, respectively, against the Reds at Wrigley Field. Lester, who missed time because of fatigue in his left shoulder, hasn't been as sharp with his command, while Arrieta is still bothered by a tender right hamstring that knocked him out of his Sept. 4 start. "I do believe watching him play Sunday will be important to find out about his health," Maddon said of Arrieta. "I think Jake will be honest about it and we'll see it from the dugout. This guy is so well tuned and in shape and he really works so darn hard, you anticipate a quick healing process. We'll see." Hendricks has been looking even better than he did last season when he led the Major Leagues in ERA. Maddon noticed on Thursday that the right-hander was showing more velocity and better location with his pitches.

6 "When you watch him and he's going good, you see the take and no argument because the hitter knows it's a strike," Maddon said. So, will it be Lester, Arrieta, Hendricks, John Lackey or Jose Quintana? "They all are [candidates]," Maddon said. "We haven't decided yet." Lackey was solid over six innings on Wednesday against the Cardinals. Maddon was touched by Lester's toast to Lackey during Wednesday's postgame celebration. "When Jonny Lester came up to the coaches and said, 'I want to do this,' I thought it was a great tribute," Maddon said. "You can see how sincere [Lester] was in regards to how he feels about Johnny Lackey. John does all the little histrionics on the field on occasion, but when you're with him all the time and he's not performing, he's an entirely different person. He's a softie outside of what you see on the field." Hendricks now has a 2.19 ERA in 13 starts since returning from the disabled list on July 24. That warrants consideration. Is he ready to start Game 1 if asked? "Yeah, 100 percent, I'm ready," Hendricks said. "I've taken the mindset now, when you're locked in you take every game as another game. Even if it's Game 1, my focus is just make good pitches. Whenever I'm out there, read the situation, know what I have to do, know the game plan, rely on my preparation and the game plan with the catcher and just execute from there. "I'm right where I need to be going into the playoffs," Hendricks said. "If they want to give me the ball in Game 1 great, but whenever they give it to me, I'm ready. Every game in the playoffs is big." Hendricks did party a little on Wednesday night when the Cubs clinched, but he then returned to his hotel room to rest. "I said, 'Hopefully, there's more to come,'" Hendricks said. Cubs.com Cubs will have roster decisions ahead of NLDS By Carrie Muskat ST. LOUIS Once the Cubs return home on Friday, manager Joe Maddon will likely have lots of stats to study to help determine the 25-man playoff roster for the National League Division Series presented by T-Mobile. The Cubs don't have to make a final decision until before Game 1 of the NLDS on Oct. 6 against the Nationals in Washington. That's a lot of time for the so-called "geeks" in the baseball-operations department. Maddon's toughest picks will be who's in, and who's not in the starting rotation. Top 5 roster decisions Who starts? Last year, the Cubs relied on four starters and they will likely do the same this postseason. The key pitcher is whoever starts Game 1, because he also could start a deciding Game 5. Jon Lester and Kyle Hendricks are in, and Jake Arrieta should be but he's not 100 percent recovered from his right hamstring injury. Do the Cubs decide to give Arrieta more time and go with John Lackey, who was solid in the clinching game Wednesday against the Cardinals? Or do they pick Jose Quintana? Lackey was roughed up at Wrigley by the Nats on June 28, giving up

7 eight runs on nine hits, including three homers, over 5 1/3 innings. Quintana has never faced them but the Nationals are second in the NL in batting average against lefties. Who's in the bullpen? The Cubs carried 11 pitchers in the postseason last year, which would mean seven relievers. Wade Davis, Pedro Strop, Hector Rondon, Carl Edwards Jr., Brian Duensing and Mike Montgomery are set. If they want another lefty, Justin Wilson could be added. Wilson had a solid outing Saturday against the Brewers but then struggled to throw strikes against the Cardinals on Tuesday. Another option would be to have whoever isn't in the rotation among the starters shift to the bullpen. Lackey did that last year. Who's on the bench? The Cubs have plenty of movable parts. If Maddon decides to start Javier Baez at second, that would likely put Ben Zobrist either in the outfield or on the bench. Having a super-utility player like that handy who also was the 2016 World Series MVP can help a manager when he makes double-switches. Tommy La Stella is a solid left-handed bat, and rookie Ian Happ, a switch-hitter, is a mini-zobrist who can play all outfield positions and second base. Albert Almora Jr. has been the No. 1 bat off the bench against lefties and is solid defensively. Outfielder Leonys Martin, a left-handed hitter, may be an option as a defensive sub. Who's in left field? This is more of a lineup decision than roster decision, but Maddon has said the toughest spot to fill on his card is left field. The choices include Zobrist, Happ and Kyle Schwarber. Schwarber had the most success against the Nats this season, batting.286 with one homer and one double. Zobrist only played two games against them because of injuries and was 1-for-6, and Happ was 4-for-23. Defensively, Happ is the most athletic. Who's the backup catcher? Willson Contreras has survived a hamstring injury that sidelined him for a week and taken several foul balls off his body. He provided the spark in the second half, batting.311 with 10 home runs and 29 RBIs in 23 games from July 14-Aug. 9. Who will the Cubs pick between Alex Avila and Rene Rivera? Avila is a left-handed hitter, Rivera is righthanded. Rivera has had more success offensively since joining the Cubs. Both are good defensively. The Cubs do like having a veteran catcher matched up with Lackey, and Rivera caught the right-hander on Wednesday against the Cardinals. Cubs.com Maddon 'good' with Cubs being NLDS underdog By Carrie Muskat ST. LOUIS The Cubs may be the defending World Series champs but the Nationals have a better record. Chicago may be the underdog in the best-of-five National League Division Series presented by T-Mobile beginning Oct. 6 in Washington. "It's very understandable," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. "It's kind of fun. I'm good with that. I never pay attention either way. It doesn't matter. It makes for good conversation and I get it. I understand why they'd say that about us. I feel really good about our guys and where they're at mentally. The Nationals edged the Cubs, 4-3, in the season series, splitting four games in Washington, June 26-29, and taking a three-game set at Wrigley Field, Aug "The Nationals are good, they're very good," Maddon said. "I love their pitching, their starters are that good. They really improved their bullpen with those acquisitions, [general manager Mike Rizzo] did a nice job. The team on the

8 field is just solid they can play defense, they can run a little bit, they have power. It really is a well-conceived ballclub. There are no holes. "You have to just play them straight up and play better than them," Maddon said. "You have to pitch better than them, and that's a big part of it, because they're going to pitch good. They're a really wonderful opponent." Javier Baez, Victor Caratini and Rene Rivera got together with Maddon to create T-shirts to sell to raise money for relief efforts in Puerto Rico, which was damaged by Hurricane Maria. The shirts say, "Puerto Rico Fuerte," and were available on KorkedBaseball.com. "Fuerte" is Spanish for "strong." The Cubs also announced that proceeds from Saturday's Cubs Charities 50/50 Raffle at Wrigley Field will be donated to hurricane-relief efforts in Puerto Rico. Fans can purchase the raffle tickets from uniformed sellers starting two hours before the game until the middle of the seventh inning. Additionally, proceeds from Saturday's sales at the Cubs Authentics kiosk will be combined with the Cubs Charities 50/50 Raffle donation to help the hurricane-relief efforts. Cubs outfielder Albert Almora Jr. was not available Thursday because he still felt some soreness in his back from his collision with the outfield wall at Busch Stadium. "I feel a lot better than [Wednesday], but I don't think it's good enough to put myself out there," Almora said Thursday. He tried to hit and run, but wasn't comfortable. Throwing is not a problem, which is good because Almora suffered a bruised right shoulder. Cubs.com Cubs should lean on lefty starters in NLDS By Phil Rogers CHICAGO Talk about a great barroom argument. How to line up the Cubs' starting rotation for the National League Division Series is a question without a clear answer, and that's by no means bad. You can argue for Chicago manager Joe Maddon to line up Jon Lester, Jake Arrieta, Kyle Hendricks and Jose Quintana in almost any order and not be wrong. All of them are arguably worthy of starting Game 1 and thus maybe a deciding Game 5 and that's why they're probably more likely to knock off the Nationals than conventional wisdom would seem to suggest. Speaking on MLB Network Radio, Jim Bowden said he likes the Nats' Max Scherzer, Stephen Strasburg, Gio Gonzalez and Tanner Roark over whoever the Cubs run out against them. That's a bold statement given that it's the Cubs, not the Nationals, who have had the best rotation ERA (3.45) in the NL since the All-Star break, and that the Cubs have the edge in postseason experience (and success). While Lester's 4.79 ERA in the second half raises concerns, the only real unknowns for Maddon are Quintana and the Cubs have won seven of his past eight starts and the status of Arrieta's right hamstring. Quintana is untested in the postseason, but he handled his first start after arriving from the White Sox with class, throwing seven shutout innings at Baltimore back in July. He inspires trust. Arrieta knows how to get himself ready for the starts that matter the most. Here's how I'd line up the Cubs' starters: Game 1 in Washington: Lester vs. Scherzer

9 Lining up left-handers to face the Dodgers was a no-brainer last season, as they had hit only.213 against southpaws. The Nationals are much more balanced than that with Anthony Rendon and Ryan Zimmerman in the middle of the lineup, but I'd still set up lefties to start three of the five games. Lefties gain a platoon advantage against Daniel Murphy and Bryce Harper and move switch-hitter Trea Turner to the right side of the plate, where he has a.293 on-base percentage (vs..347 hitting left-handed). Keeping Turner off base is the best way to keep him from running wild, as Nats skipper Dusty Baker is sure to push the action when he has a chance. What about Lester's problem throwing to bases? The Cubs threw out two of four Nationals runners attempting to steal off him on June 29. It's an issue, but it hasn't stopped the Cubs from going in Lester's starts the past two years, including a 5-1 record last postseason. One other thing: Lester has the mental toughness to go toe to toe with Scherzer at Nationals Park, which will be a hostile environment. So do Arrieta and Hendricks, but they're right-handers. Game 2 in Washington: Quintana vs. Strasburg Not only has Quintana never pitched in the postseason, but he's never faced Washington. He'll have nerves to deal with, for sure, but it should help him to get into action this early. Quintana has been on a roll in September (2-0, 1.63 ERA in four starts with 31 strikeouts and only four walks in 27 2/3 innings). One benefit of starting him in Game 2 is he can be used as an extra lefty out of the bullpen in Game 5, if he's needed. Strasburg, who will be making only his second career postseason start, has put together an 0.98 ERA in 55 innings since the All-Star break. Game 3 in Chicago: Gonzalez vs. Arrieta The Cubs wouldn't have won the World Series if Arrieta didn't pitch well in Games 2 and 6 last fall, and they may not have established themselves as a postseason force had he not shut down the Pirates in the NL Wild Card Game two years ago at PNC Park. He's a good fit for this start no matter what happens in Washington. Arrieta's 2.28 ERA in the second half is the best among NL starters who have worked at least 60 innings. The Nationals will try to take advantage of Arrieta's slow time to the plate, but they were running at least as much on catcher Miguel Montero as Arrieta when they stole seven bases on June 27, including four by Turner and two by Michael Taylor. Willson Contreras should help keep order. This could be an extremely emotional night for Arrieta, who is on the verge of free agency. Game 4 in Chicago: Roark vs. Hendricks Hendricks' biggest moment as a Cub came when he won the clinching Game 6 of the NL Championship Series over the Dodgers, sending the Cubs to the World Series for the first time since Hendricks has a 2.38 ERA in seven postseason starts the best among a Cubs four-man rotation that has combined for a career record in postseason starts and he has a 2.34 ERA in 12 second-half starts. He's probably not a No. 4 starter in any rotation other than the one he's in. That's a sign of why the Cubs are going to be hard for any team to beat. CSNChicago.com Why Cubs could bet on Kyle Hendricks in Game 1 vs. Max Scherzer and Nationals: 'Ice in his veins' By Patrick Mooney

10 ST. LOUIS The Deadspin headline this summer said it all: Max Scherzer Is An Intense Weirdo. The featured clips showed the Washington Nationals ace snarling at a hitter and barking out stream-of-consciousness curse words at the beginning of his violent delivery. Kyle Hendricks has such a blank look on his face when he pitches that it s hard to tell if it s spring training or the playoffs. That s exactly why the Cubs would have as much confidence in Hendricks starting a big game as Jon Lester or Jake Arrieta, the same way the Nationals expect to win when Scherzer grips the ball and unleashes the fury and the arsenal of pitches that got him a $210 million megadeal. Absolutely, first baseman Anthony Rizzo said. He pitched Game 7 of the World Series with ice in his veins. Hendricks vs. Scherzer would be a fascinating clash of styles in a Cubs-Nationals playoff series already loaded with personalities, star power and pressure points. But whether it s a game that means everything to generations of fans around the globe or a Thursday at a dead Busch Stadium the night after the Cubs celebrated their National League Central title it doesn t matter to Hendricks. He might be pitching as well as anybody in the National League right now, Maddon said before watching Hendricks throw five scoreless innings against a desperate St. Louis Cardinals team that got eliminated from the wild-card race when a Cactus League crew closed out a 2-1 win in the 11th inning. Maddon insisted he hasn t been floating trial balloons, even though it almost sounded like a Game 1 endorsement for a pitcher who has put up a 2.19 ERA in 13 starts since coming off the disabled list (right hand tendinitis) in late July. Everybody s in play, Maddon said. We haven t decided anything yet. I ve been saying consistently that I think he s throwing the ball as well as I ve ever seen him pitch. Even though he went through a potential Cy Young year last year which was outstanding I have not seen this combination of velocity/location. Earlier in the year when his fastball was (mph), I was concerned about deception off the fastball to the changeup. Now you see that wider spread, and you see these guys just taking strikes. When he s really going good, that s what you see, the take and there s no argument. The hitter knows. Now we re seeing 88s, 89s and that s why the changeup and the curve have gotten so much better. At a time when Lester is going through inexplicable control issues and insisting he s fine physically, and Arrieta is still recovering from the Grade 1 right hamstring strain he suffered on Labor Day, and Jose Quintana has never started a playoff game before, the Cubs have a clear idea of what they can expect from the Dartmouth College graduate with an economics degree. A hundred percent, I m ready, said Hendricks, who struck out nine of the 19 hitters he faced while walking only one. When you re locked in, you take every game just as another game. Even if it s a Game 1, my focus is just make good pitches. Whenever I m out there, read the situation, know what I have to do, know my game plan and rely on my preparation. I m right where I need to be going into the playoffs. If they want to give me the ball Game 1, great, but whenever they give it to me, I m going to be ready. Because Hendricks already started the biggest game of his life and has grown from the experience, resembling the pitcher who led the majors with a 2.13 ERA last year and beat Clayton Kershaw and the Los Angeles Dodgers on the night the Cubs won their first NL pennant in 71 years. He s steady, Rizzo said. He s consistent. Good start, bad start, indifferent, he s doing his homework before the games. He has a plan out there and he sticks to his plan. If he doesn t have one of those pitches one night, he can make in-game adjustments. He spots up all the time.

11 He ll be ready for any atmosphere or any environment. Any situation that he s put in, he ll be ready. The Cubs left St. Louis as a 90-win team, ending the flickering playoff hopes for the Cardinals with Taylor Davis getting the game-winning double, Jen-Ho Tseng earning his first big-league win and Leonys Martin making a spectacular, leaping, game-ending catch at the center-field wall to steal a home run from Paul DeJong. The Cubs will now have a week to decompress, break down the Nationals from every angle and then ramp it back up again on Oct. 6 at Nationals Park. Don t be surprised if it s Hendricks vs. Scherzer. He assimilates his adrenaline in different methods as opposed to most other people, Maddon said. His manifestation is different. That was like effusively happy out there all night long. He s just so able to control. He s just that guy that channels his inner energy so well. His focus is so strong and his mental commitment to himself is so strong. He s a different animal. CSNChicago.com What s next for Cubs and John Lackey? By Patrick Mooney ST. LOUIS The Cubs can at least rule out John Lackey turning into Grandpa Lackey and doing a David Ross-style retirement tour, going on Dancing with the Stars and writing a book that turns into a movie where Bill Murray plays manager Joe Maddon. Jon Lester tipped off Lackey s future plans during Wednesday night s postgame toast inside Busch Stadium s visiting clubhouse, saluting what was probably the final regular-season start of a career that earned him three World Series rings and roughly $140 million, according to the Baseball-Reference salary database. Lackey ended September with a 2.51 ERA in five starts, beating the St. Louis Cardinals and earning the win that clinched a National League Central title, setting the stage for a best-of-five battle against the Washington Nationals. Could a strong finish and big-game experience create a spot in a playoff rotation that already appears to be full with Jake Arrieta, Jon Lester, Kyle Hendricks and Jose Quintana? We haven t gotten there yet, Maddon said Thursday. Jonny Lester came up to all of the coaches and said, Listen, I want to do this. I thought it was a great tribute. You could see how sincere he was in regards to how he feels about Johnny Lackey. John does all the little histrionics on the field on occasion. But when you re with him all the time, and when he s actually not performing, he s an entirely different person. Watch him with his family and his kids, he s really a softie outside of what you see on the field. You could understand where Johnny Lester was coming from. I m not prepared to say anything about the roster yet. We re just going to continue to talk about it. We haven t really sat down and decided anything yet. It s not just that the Cubs are trying to avoid an awkward conversation with Lackey. Lester hasn t looked sharp since the All-Star break (4.79 ERA), struggling to regain his feel and command after spending two-plus weeks on the disabled list with left lat tightness/general shoulder fatigue. Lester who will start Saturday against the Cincinnati Reds at Wrigley Field has given up 32 hits and 14 walks in 27.1 innings this month. Arrieta still has to test his right hamstring again and make it through Sunday s Game 162. Meaning the Cubs may need Lackey in case of emergency or use him in a scripted piggyback role.

12 Now you get to take your time and really analyze what you think is right, Maddon said. We got to play this all the way through, make sure that these guys are healthy, and then you make your best decisions. CSNChicago.com Projecting the 2017 Cubs' 25-man playoff roster By Tony Andracki Now that the Cubs have locked up the National League Central, the attention has turned to the postseason. The Cubs will head to Washington D.C. for a date with Bryce Harper and the Nationals in the National League Division Series beginning Oct. 6. There are still a couple question marks regarding health and effectiveness on several players, but here's how the Cubs' 25-man roster could look for that NLDS showdown. Note: This isn't a projection of a lineup for Game 1 of the NLDS. I don't envy Maddon deciding which three outfielders to sit each night (assuming Javy Baez and Addison Russell are set at middle infield). CATCHER Willson Contreras Alex Avila This is an easy call. Contreras figures to start every postseason game he's healthy for with his unique blend of arm strength to control the running game, energy and offensive prowess. Avila is a steady veteran who would be the starting catcher on the roster of almost every other playoff team, but instead will contribute off the bench as a left-handed bat and clubhouse presence. INFIELD Anthony Rizzo Javy Baez Addison Russell Kris Bryant Tommy La Stella Not including Ben Zobrist or Ian Happ here because the assumption is Baez takes over at second base with Russell at short for every postseason game (and possibly every inning in October). That's how things ended up last fall as Baez emerged as a national star while starting all 17 playoff games at second base and displacing Zobrist from the infield to the outfield. Of course, Rizzo and Bryant will start every single playoff game at the corners (with good health). OUTFIELD Ben Zobrist Kyle Schwarber Albert Almora Jr. Jason Heyward Jon Jay Ian Happ

13 This is where Maddon will make his money. There's a legitimate shot for all six guys to start each game, yet clearly that won't happen. Does Zobrist deserve to start every game? Maddon has turned him into a part-time player at age 36 and Zobrist is hitting just.238 with a.705 OPS. Against left-handed starting pitchers (like Washington's Gio Gonzalez), Schwarber will not start and Almora (if he's fully over his recent shoulder issue) almost assuredly will man center. Will Jason Heyward also sit vs. LHPs, leaving an OF of Happ-Almora-Zobrist left-to-right? Heyward has been only slightly better offensively this season (.707 OPS) compared to 2016 (.631 OPS), but is the best defensive outfielder in the game. How much will Schwarber play? We know he'll sit against all LHPs, but he's also only been starting sparingly against RHPs in important games down the stretch despite 5 HR and a.970 OPS in 46 September at-bats. STARTING ROTATION Jake Arrieta Jon Lester Kyle Hendricks Jose Quintana I tell you what, I would not want to be the person who has to tell John Lackey he's not going to make the playoff rotation. But if all of these guys are healthy, I don't see how Lackey makes the cut, even if he does have a 2.51 ERA in 28.2 September innings and 26 career playoff outings under his belt. Lester took a step forward Monday after a startling stretch of ineffectiveness (5.91 ERA,.948 OPS against in four starts between Sept. 2-20). He has one more start to continue to right the ship but regardless of the outcome in that game, Cubs have to feel pretty good about a guy with a 2.63 ERA and 1.03 WHIP in career postseason innings. The only true question with the rotation comes in how they line up. While Lester has been struggling, Arrieta has picked up where he left off pre-hamstring injury, Kyle Hendricks has been a stud and Jose Quintana just pitched the game of his life over the weekend to neutralize the Brewers. My bet is Arrieta and Hendricks Games 1 and 2 in D.C. and then Lester in Game 3 at Wrigley Field. Quintana would go Game 4 assuming there is no sweep. BULLPEN Wade Davis Carl Edwards Jr. Mike Montgomery Pedro Strop Brian Duensing Hector Rondon Justin Wilson Justin Grimm Here's where things get a bit hazy, as well. With Koji Uehara still unable to get past a knee and back injury, he's essentially out of the mix. Rondon is also nursing a sore elbow, but has thrown 2.1 dominant innings over the last week and hasn't allowed a run since Aug. 23. Wilson has been an enigma since coming over from the Detroit Tigers at the trade deadline, going from one of the elite late-inning options in baseball to a guy who has allowed 35 baserunners in 15.2 innings in a Cubs uniform. But he's done it before and he did have an outing over the weekend that was encouraging, retiring all four Brewers he faced, including three strikeouts. Then there was Tuesday, when Wilson walked the only two batters he faced against the Cardinals and was removed in the middle of an at-bat.

14 There's also the Justin Grimm factor. He's got a 5.57 ERA and 1.35 WHIP in 48 appearances, but the Cubs don't really have any other trustworthy options in the 'pen and the worst thing a team could do in October is somehow wind up without enough pitching if a game extends to extra innings or a pitcher is only used for one hitter. Over the last three years, Grimm has held lefties to a.597 OPS against and did make six appearances last October. If not Grimm for the 25th man on the roster, the Cubs do have the option of keeping an extra position player, but nobody really stands out right now. Leonys Martin could be a pinch-runner, but the roster has plenty of left-handed bats and outfielders as it stands, so Martin doesn't hold a ton of value. Victor Caratini can catch or play first/third base, but he's a rookie in his first MLB season and has hit just.240 with a.681 OPS in 56 plate appearances. Rene Rivera is a wily veteran who can do some damage against left-handed pitchers, but do the Cubs really need a third catcher in the postseason? CSNChicago.com In new world for Cubs, Ben Zobrist explains why he wasn t trolling Cardinals By Patrick Mooney ST. LOUIS Ben Zobrist is too diplomatic to completely troll the St. Louis Cardinals and too honest to pretend that celebrating at Busch Stadium wouldn t mean something for a Cubs organization that for so long had been Little Brother in this lopsided rivalry. Zobrist gave the Cardinal clubhouse bulletin-board material and moved the needle for the St. Louis media heading into the last week of the regular season when he said: We intend to clinch there. And I think for a lot of the guys that have been around here for a long time, it s going to be very satisfying. First reaction: Wow. Second reaction: Obviously (when the Cubs are about to play a four-game series against their archrivals and the magic number to eliminate both the Cardinals and Milwaukee Brewers from the division race had dropped to two). But Zobrist gets it as someone who grew up in downstate Illinois. This is a self-made, super-utility player with a World Series ring from the 2015 Kansas City Royals and a 50th anniversary edition convertible Camaro for last year s World Series MVP performance. Between his age (36) and his natural personality, Zobrist doesn t treat each interview like a chore and suspiciously view every question as a trap. It s really nothing personal, Zobrist said Wednesday night amid the champagne-and-beer celebration, just before Jon Lester toasted John Lackey and broke the retirement story. I would have said that no matter where we were going. But I do think it s extra special to be able to do it here for a lot of Cubs fans (who) for a long, long time haven t experienced a lot of winning in this particular city. For those guys that have been in the organization for a long time, too, I know it means a little bit more. I ve only been here for two years, so I can t quite understand that the way those guys can. But they ve expressed that to us. And this means something extra special for those people. Zobrist is also the type of guy who shook hands, signed autographs and took pictures with the fans who swarmed his North Center home and lined up around the block hours after the Cubs flew back from Cleveland after beating the Indians in last year s epic World Series Game 7. We know that the fans are even more pumped, I m sure, about (clinching in St. Louis) than those of us in this room, Zobrist said. We appreciate our fans. We know that they re very loyal and very passionate about this ballclub. Definitely we know that some of them are celebrating just as much as we are today.

15 Going for a personal three-peat, Zobrist s regular season reflected the 2017 Cubs as a whole, from the slow start to the nagging injuries to the strong finish to the enormous sense of confidence heading into October. We feel excited for another opportunity to make a push in the postseason and to defend our title, Zobrist said. But we re going to celebrate this. This is a huge accomplishment, a big step. It s a very, very long season, and we re going to celebrate this tonight because it needs to be. It s a lot of work just to get to this point. And a lot of teams haven t been able to do that after winning the previous year. But now it s just adrenaline, baby. Let s get it going. Chicago Tribune Cubs eliminate Cardinals from playoff contention By Mark Gonzales The Cubs lineup Thursday night resembled that of a mid-march game in Mesa, Ariz. But it was all business for Kyle Hendricks as the Cubs pulled out a 2-1 victory in 11 innings Thursday night at Busch Stadium to eliminate the Cardinals from playoff contention. Hendricks, in his final start of the regular season, struck out nine and allowed only four hits in five scoreless innings. At the plate The Cubs lineup included four players with catching experience veteran Alex Avila, Kyle Schwarber and rookies Victor Caratini and Taylor Davis. But it was another rookie Ian Happ who hit a home run in the first off Lance Lynn for the Cubs first run. Davis doubled with two outs in the 11th to score Kyle Schwarber with the go-ahead run. On the mound Justin Grimm, battling for a spot on the postseason roster, didn t help his chances as he allowed two hits and threw a wild pitch that enabled the Cardinals to tie the game in the sixth. Rookie Dillon Maples struck out three in the seventh with an 88 mph slider. Justin Wilson walked the leadoff batter in the eighth but struck out the next three batters to end the eighth. Jen-Ho Tseng pitched three scoreless innings to earn his first major league victory. In the field Caratini gave Anthony Rizzo a break at first base, and Davis spelled Kris Bryant at third. Rizzo said he might not return to the lineup until Saturday. Center fielder Leonys Martin robbed Paul DeJong of a game-tying home run to end the game. Key number 10 Seasons the Cubs have scored at least 800 runs. Up next Vs. Reds, 1:20 p.m. Friday at Wrigley Field. LH Jose Quintana vs. RH Robert Stephenson. Chicago Tribune Cubs plan to have playoff road-game watch parties at The Park at Wrigley By Paul Skrbina Wrigley Field won't be open while the Cubs are playing games on the road during the playoffs.

16 But The Park at Wrigley will be. Cubs president of business operations Crane Kenney told the Tribune on Thursday the team plans to have watch parties for postseason away games at The Park, which opened at the beginning of this season. Kenney said the team is working with the city and Chicago Police Department on details. Tickets will be required for entry, though it has not yet been determined whether there will be a charge. A team spokesman said there could be a Cubs Charities component attached to the tickets. "We want to host these," Kenney said. "We think it would be really fun for the neighbors." Kenney said exact plans for how people would be admitted still are being ironed out and should be finalized sometime next week before the Cubs open the National League Division Series against the Nationals next Friday in Washington. Chicago Tribune Jake Arrieta's hamstring clouds Cubs' rotation plans for division series By Mark Gonzales Performance won't mean as much Saturday and Sunday to Cubs manager Joe Maddon as the physical condition of Jon Lester and especially Jake Arrieta. "You need to see health, and then after that make your decisions," Maddon said Thursday night regarding the shape of the Cubs rotation for their best-of-five National League Division Series against the Nationals. The biggest question surrounds Arrieta, who lasted only three innings Tuesday and admitted he has had to alter his delivery to compensate for a right hamstring that isn't fully healed after he missed 21/2 weeks because of a Grade 1 strain suffered Sept. 4. "I do believe watching him play Sunday will be important to find out his health," Maddon said. "And I think Jake will be very honest with us. We'll be able to see it from the dugout, and you'll be able to make your conclusions at that point. "This guy is so well-tuned and in shape and worked so darn hard, and you anticipate a quick healing process. We'll see. We'll find out." Despite a 2-0 record in the 2016 World Series, Arrieta's health likely will rule him out of consideration to start in either of the first two games of the division series, especially because the Game 1 starter would be in line to pitch a possible Game 5. After Tuesday's brief outing, Arrieta believed the rest before and after Sunday's start would allow him more time to regain strength for the playoffs. Maddon acknowledged John Lackey remains an option if it's determined Arrieta can't pitch effectively because of his leg. "We'll make our best guesses by Monday or Tuesday," Maddon said after the Cubs' 2-1 victory eliminated the Cardinals from wild-card contention. Lackey seems assured at least of a spot on the postseason roster because of the condition of Arrieta and Lester, who was on the disabled list for the second half of August with left shoulder fatigue. Lester pitched six innings of one-run ball in his last start Monday against the Cardinals, though he has been inconsistent since he returned. Lester and fellow left-hander Jose Quintana match up well against the Nationals' formidable left-handed hitters.

17 "We first have to figure out how many pitchers and position players to deal with and the length of the bullpen," Maddon said. The NLDS roster doesn't need to be finalized until the morning of Game 1 on Oct. 6. For the second time in less than a week, Maddon didn't rule out the possibility of Kyle Hendricks starting the playoff opener. "He might be pitching as well as anybody in the National League right now," Maddon said before Hendricks struck out nine and allowed four hits in five innings in his postseason tuneup. "That's all I meant by it. I didn't mean anything to run more deeply into it." Said Hendricks: "I'm right where I need to be going into the playoffs. If they want to give me the ball for Game 1, great. But whenever they want to give it to me, I'll be ready." Since Hendricks returned from the disabled list July 24, Maddon noticed he has regained his 89 mph velocity, allowing his curveball and changeup to become more effective. "We'll make up our minds, put it all down on paper, look at the other team and try to break it down, what's the best route to take and we'll take that," Maddon said. "Watching (Hendricks), even last year in a Cy Young (caliber) year, I think he's pitching as well now as he did at any time last year." Chicago Tribune Newcomers shine in Cubs' extra-innings win over Cardinals By Mark Gonzales Taylor Davis sat in the dugout in disbelief Thursday night as he told teammates Mike Freeman that he struck out three times for the first time in his professional career. But Davis, along with teammates Jen-Ho Tseng and Leonys Martin, made late-inning contributions to help the Cubs eliminate the rival Cardinals from postseason contention with a 2-1 win in 11 innings. "I went from the lowest of lows to the literally the coolest thing I've done, other than marry my wife," Davis said after ripping a double down the third base line with two outs in the 11th to score Kyle Schwarber. "Being able to win a game, especially against this team in this park, it s so cool." None of the three players joined the Cubs until after Sept. 1, when rosters could be expanded from 25 players. Davis loved the fact he could attain cult hero status among Cubs fans for helping eliminate the rival Cardinals. "Good, that s awesome," Davis said. "(Cardinals fans) probably hate me, and rightfully so." Tseng, making his second major league appearance, appeared more comfortable than he did when he lasted only three innings in his first major league start two weeks ago. Tseng pitched three hitless innings to earn his first major league win and got the game ball as a memento. "I m not nervous as much as in my debut because my debut," Tseng said. "(Coach Lester Strode) gave me the scouting report, and I pitched as if it were a normal start." Martin preserved the victory by leaping over the top of the center field wall to catch a drive by Paul DeJong to end the game.