February 16, CSNChicago.com, Cubs swap left-handed pitchers again

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1 February 16, 2016 ESPNChicago.com, Cubs spring preview: Top storylines to follow ESPNChicago.com, Cubs spring preview: More bullpen arms than jobs CSNChicago.com, Why Cubs think their rock-star young players won t believe all the hype CSNChicago.com, Rob Manfred: Cubs could host All-Star game in near future CSNChicago.com, Pressure? Expectations? Cubs send message to Jason Heyward: Just be yourself CSNChicago.com, Cubs swap left-handed pitchers again Chicago Tribune, Pre-spring training outlook for Cubs' 2016 roster story.html Chicago Tribune, Cubs' Gleyber Torres, White Sox's Tim Anderson on top 100 prospect list story.html Chicago Sun-Times, Rob Manfred says All-Star game could come to Wrigley following renovations Chicago Sun-Times, The heat is on for the Cubs and the White Sox, but for different reasons Chicago Sun-Times, Cubs spring training: Kyle Schwarber, Javy Baez and the fifth element Chicago Sun-Times, After winning winter, Cubs start trying to win October

2 Daily Herald, Chicago Cubs no longer a surprise Daily Herald, Cubs claim lefty reliever off waivers from Orioles Cubs.com, Bullpen spots up for grabs this spring Cubs.com, 6 Cubs prospects to keep an eye on this spring Cubs.com, Wrigley Field in line to host future All-Star-Game Cubs.com, Heyward, Mallee getting to know each other Cubs.com, Cubs claim Riefenhauser off waivers from O's ESPNChicago.com Cubs spring preview: Top storylines to follow By Jesse Rogers CHICAGO All week we ll be rolling out previews for the Chicago Cubs as they begin their quest for a championship on Friday when pitchers and catchers report in Mesa, Arizona. Today we examine some top storylines to keep an eye on this spring. Veteran starters: The Cubs have indicated all winter they have a plan to slowly roll out their veteran starters, beginning with Cy Young Award winner Jake Arrieta. His innings increase from 2014 to , including the minors and playoffs has been well documented and even though Arrieta will undoubtedly be ready to go, the Cubs will take things slowly. I think we re going to start some of our guys a little bit later, Cubs general manager Jed Hoyer said on ESPN 1000 recently. Some of the starts early in spring training probably won t be by the guys who threw a ton of innings last year. It s a marathon. We need them fresh at the end of the season. That idea probably applies to Jon Lester as well as 37-year-old John Lackey; both made each of their scheduled starts last season. When and for how long the Cubs' top pitchers take the mound this spring will be carefully watched. Improving youth: We may not see their complete improvement until the regular season, but so many young Cubs took steps in the second half last season and it ll be interesting to watch who carries it over to spring training. For example, Addison Russell developed a leg kick which provided more pop in the second half of last season. Will we see more of that this spring? Kris Bryant vowed to recognize changeups better, going to work on it back home in Las Vegas this winter. Will Kyle Schwarber perform better against lefties this spring? Don t forget the defensive improvement the Cubs are hoping to see from their corner outfielders as Schwarber and Jorge Soler were vulnerable last year. And don t sleep on starter Kyle Hendricks. Some assumed he would take the league by storm after a sensational debut in 2014, but 2015 was a learning experience. Let s see what the Dartmouth grad learned - - and can apply after a roller-coaster season.

3 Back end of the rotation: Highlighted in Monday s positional battles, there could be an opening in the back end of the rotation. Jason Hammel will be in the spotlight later this week after a rough finish to last season. Can anyone else emerge from a group of pitchers who would love to start, including Trevor Cahill, CJ Edwards, Adam Warren, Clayton Richard and even Travis Wood, who returns after a solid year in the bullpen? With late spring debuts for the top pitchers, others will be given a chance to shine in front of the Cubs' brass. It s a storyline which could play out all the way up until Opening Day unless the five incumbents simply keep their jobs. Setup man: Is this Pedro Strop s job to lose, or considering some of his issues last year will manager Joe Maddon look to another arm to get the ball to Hector Rondon? Maddon is likely to mix and match anyway, but it wouldn t be surprise to see any one of a number of pitchers emerge as the setup man, including Cahill or Warren from the right side and Richard from the left side. Either way Maddon will have to manage Strop s appearances as he s made 277 over the past four seasons. Cubs' attitude: Players will be asked daily about being World Series favorites so will Maddon. You can bet he s thought long and hard about how to approach all the attention his team will receive this spring. He s already indicated he wants them to embrace the expectations. You can also bet he ll try to keep things as normal as possible. After all, the drills don t change just because your team is more talented. In fact you can count on Maddon highlighting the details of the game even more. Everything matters when playing for a pennant. We ll see how his instructions trickle down to his young but ultra-talented team. ESPNChicago.com Cubs spring preview: More bullpen arms than jobs By Jesse Rogers CHICAGO With Chicago Cubs pitchers and catchers set to report on Friday for spring training, every day this week we ll examine the roster and answer questions as they begin their quest for a championship. Today s topic is position battles. There should be some good ones. The bullpen: This is where the fiercest competition for jobs will take place this spring, as the Cubs potentially have more capable arms than available spots in the bullpen. Assuming all are healthy, incumbents Travis Wood, Trevor Cahill, Clayton Richard, Justin Grimm, Pedro Strop, Hector Rondon and newcomer Adam Warren are favorites to make the team. Unless the Cubs take eight relievers north with them, that leaves Rex Brothers, Neil Ramirez and C.J. Edwards, among others, on the outside looking in. There s nothing that says one of them couldn t unseat one of the above names, but the way last season ended these seven might have the upper hand at least at the outset of spring training. If Edwards is stretched out he could always open the season starting at Triple-A Iowa, as well. Ramirez is somewhat of an X factor, as a return to 2014 form could have him leapfrogging others. Fifth starter: The Cubs have given no indication either Jason Hammel or Kyle Hendricks is in jeopardy of losing a starting spot in the rotation, but the fact of the matter is Warren and Cahill as well as several other pitchers would like a chance to start. The Cubs will stretch out up to 10 of them this spring, so if one of the incumbents does falter there ll be someone ready to take his spot. This is no surprise. Any back-end-of-the-rotation starter will tell you his job is almost never safe as spring begins. It s the nature of competition. Right field: There aren t many if any open spots among the starting eight, but it s possible Chris Coghlan and Jorge Soler will battle for playing time in right. The simple solution is a straight platoon, as Coghlan s OPS against right-handed pitching was.831 last year and is 155 points higher off righties than lefties for his career. In reality Soler will probably play against many righties, but with his well-documented cold-weather issues at the plate there s a good chance we ll see more of Coghlan in April than you might think. 25th man: After doing the math for a very deep team, the Cubs basically have one opening on their 25-man roster for a position player. Given Javier Baez s newfound ability to play the outfield along with Kris Bryant and Coghlan s versatility to play both infield and outfield, the Cubs have some flexibility with that final spot and could choose either an infielder or an outfielder. The early favorite might be holdover Matt Szczur. Cubs general manager Jed Hoyer recently intimated Szczur s ability to play lock-down defense in the outfield might be the edge he needs to

4 stick. Remember, the team doesn t have a natural center fielder on the roster without Szczur, who s played 434 professional games there. Plus, their corner outfielders are still developing defensively. Szczur would be used often as a late-inning replacement. Arismendy Alcantara is another possibility as he s a switch-hitter and a versatile defender, as well. CSNChicago.com Why Cubs think their rock-star young players won t believe all the hype By Patrick Mooney In the middle of the champagne-soaked celebration at Wrigley Field, Theo Epstein name-dropped Eddie Vedder, comparing this team to the band that bursts onto the scene and blows up with an amazing first album. The Cubs had just eliminated the St. Louis Cardinals from the playoffs, and the president of baseball operations understood this joyride through October wouldn t last forever. It would only get more complicated, the way it once did for Pearl Jam, having to deal with new expectations, extra pressure and the backlash. There would be more money involved and even bigger egos. Tanking had given this front office a kind of artistic freedom during the rebuilding years. And after getting swept by the New York Mets in the National League Championship Series last season, there will be more creative differences. This is the end of the innocence, the Cubs reporting to spring training this week as a World Series favorite. Anything less than the franchise s first title since 1908 will be considered a major disappointment. Our priorities are clear, Epstein said. I don t have any worry whatsoever that having accomplished so much (last) year that our players and our young players will show up complacent (or) take things for granted, thinking they re going to sort of walk their way through the regular season and then sprint towards the postseason. Baseball doesn t work that way. I think the opposite s true from looking at their eyes (as) they watched the Mets celebrate and seeing their feelings in the clubhouse after we were done playing. They re going to come back extremely hungry and extremely focused and in great shape and ready to take this to the next level. This is an organization, a media market and a social-media environment that treats prospects like rock stars. And a city that caters to Cubs players and makes it easy to feel like you ve already made it. I just think in general our young players are really mature, really grounded and are in it for the right reasons, Epstein said. (They) have experienced a lot already in their young careers, and that will help them avoid the quote-unquote sophomore slump and help them adjust to playing with some greater expectations on their shoulders. We re aware of sort of the new expectations this year and how a team might respond. But we re not concerned about it, because we really trust the makeup of these players. At this time last year, Kris Bryant, Addison Russell and Kyle Schwarber hadn t even made their big-league debuts yet. A reasonable prediction would have been the Cubs winning 84 games and calling it a great learning experience with Russell and Schwarber getting September call-ups. You can t really coast on your past, said Schwarber, who within about four months last year went from playing at Double-A Tennessee to becoming the franchise s all-time leader in postseason home runs (five). You get a big head. And that s not me. I m just a down-to-earth guy. I want to work hard. I want to bust my butt. And I want to help this team win. Bryant is now an All-Star third baseman and a Rookie of the Year. But nonstop attention is pretty much the default setting for a player hyped as a franchise savior from the moment the Cubs drafted him No. 2 overall in This is

5 the pitchman who had his own adidas billboard across from Wrigley Field and shot a Red Bull commercial with a goat all before his first at-bat in the big leagues. Russell got only 14 career games on the Triple-A level before the Cubs forced him to learn how to play a new position in the big leagues and then watched him seamlessly transition from second base to back shortstop in the middle of a pennant race. He turned 22 in January but has a chill personality that makes him come across as much older. This guy looks like he s a vet nothing bothers him, pitcher Jon Lester said. I ve seen over the years how successful players go about their routines and figure out ways to get ready for a game. And all these guys had it from Day 1. That s something that took me probably two or three years in the big leagues to harness and understand what works, what makes me tick. These guys had it from Day 1. But that first impression glosses over how Bryant had to wait until his 21st game before hitting his first home run in The Show and bounce back from a July (.639 OPS) where he looked physically tired and mentally drained, working through 199 strikeouts to finish with 26 homers and 99 RBI. Russell paid attention, made some mechanical fixes and boosted his OPS by almost 100 points after the All-Star break. Before Schwarber s playoff laser show, his last home run came on Sept. 12 against the Philadelphia Phillies, a team that lost 99 games and has this year s No. 1 overall pick. With experience, Kris is going to make better adjustments, hitting coach John Mallee said. You saw Schwarbs struggle for a little bit there (last year) and then he made the adjustment back. The more times they face (good pitching), they know how this guy gets them out. They know what to expect now from that long season, how to train their bodies. Can Javier Baez become the next Ben Zobrist and play all over the field as a super-utility guy? Can Jorge Soler finally stay healthy and live up to his enormous potential? Those talented young hitters will deflect some of the attention and become storylines in spring training. The Cubs also have a manager in Joe Maddon who loves to be the frontman and perform in front of the cameras. Joe makes the environment so conducive for them not to have stress, Mallee said. That really has helped these young kids, because if you had a dictatorship-type manager in there, they could have folded. And the core of the veteran (clubhouse is there) to help these guys through, (Anthony) Rizzo and David Ross saying: Hey, we ve been through this, bro. It s going to happen. Just hang with it and you re going to fight through it. Winter is almost over for the hottest team in baseball. Cubs pitchers and catchers officially report to camp on Friday in Arizona. Believe the hype or not, it s time to get the band back together again. CSNChicago.com Rob Manfred: Cubs could host All-Star game in near future By Staff It's been 25 years since the Cubs last hosted an All-Star game, but that drought may be coming to an end sooner rather than later with the renovations taking place on the north side. The Cubs appear to have three more years of work after this offseason, but that would put them in line for an All- Star game maybe in the 2019 or 2020 season.

6 MLB commissioner spoke Rob Manfred about the proposition as a guest on "Inside the Clubhouse" on 670 The Score on Saturday. I think that it makes most sense for the All-Star game to occur after the renovations are complete," Manfred said. I think it provides the Cubs and the Ricketts family an opportunity to showcase the unbelievable renovation for Wrigley Field. "I think that what we're going to be looking to do is have a open and competitive process to allow cities to compete for games before we announce any further locations for the All-Star games." CSNChicago.com Pressure? Expectations? Cubs send message to Jason Heyward: Just be yourself By Patrick Mooney Joe Maddon will have a simple message for Jason Heyward in spring training: Just be yourself. No one around the Cubs will be asking Heyward to step up and be a leader or become the face of the franchise or whatever other buzzwords hover around a new free agent with a huge contract. The Cubs have the National League s reigning Cy Young Award winner (Jake Arrieta), Rookie of the Year (Kris Bryant) and Manager of the Year (Maddon). Anthony Rizzo is already a two-time All-Star first baseman, MVP candidate and clubhouse spokesman. Until two months ago, $155 million lefty Jon Lester had the richest contract in franchise history. As part of a $276 million spending spree this offseason, the Cubs also added two World Series champions to set an example for their young hitters (Ben Zobrist) and bring an edge to their pitching staff (John Lackey). I don t know about a final piece, Heyward said. I m happy to be a part of it, though. I know, as a baseball player showing up every year in spring training, we re only as good as the cards we re dealt. Our job is to show up every day, go to work and try to make the most of what we have. It s just a great thing to be a part of an organization that says they want to do something and then they follow through with it. The marketing department doesn t have to force Heyward onto billboards or use him as a distraction from the rest of the on-field product. Coming off a 97-win season, the Cubs reported a 98-percent renewal rate for season tickets. This team also drove TV ratings, with Comcast SportsNet Chicago posting a 121-percent increase from 2014 to Heyward will be surrounded by corner outfielders who will turn 24 this month (Jorge Soler) and 23 in March (Kyle Schwarber) and a shortstop who turned 22 last month (Addison Russell). Bringing in Jason is sort of a perfect solution for us, general manager Jed Hoyer said. We get a guy that is an impact player right now, but we also get a guy that fits in perfectly with our young core. The fact that it could serve both masters was something that was incredibly important to us. We could get younger and also get better. Jason said it several times and he s totally right: We play in an environment in the NL Central that was incredibly competitive. Trying to win the division and trying to avoid the one-game playoff is something that s really important to us. The rest of the National League is going to get better. We felt, in order to compete, we had to continue to get better as well. And I think we did that with our offseason.

7 Heyward isn t Hank Aaron, a player he was compared to while coming up with his hometown Atlanta Braves. But Heyward also doesn t have to be a middle-of-the-order force at Wrigley Field. Led by Rizzo (31) and Bryant (26), the Cubs had nine players finish last season with double-digit homers. The Cubs guaranteed Heyward eight years and $184 million because of his prime age, patient approach at the plate (.353 career on-base percentage) and Gold Glove defense. It s very unique to see a free agent at 26 years old with the kind of career he s already been able to have, Arrieta said. He can hit the ball out of the yard. He can be a.280-to-.300 hitter (and) he plays incredible defense in the outfield. That s something for me (where) I understand with my stuff I can go out there and pitch to contact knowing I have a guy like that out there behind me. Heyward s 27-homer, 82-RBI season with the Braves in 2012 might wind up being the total outlier on the back of his baseball card. He may never become the superstar predicted when Baseball America named him the game s No. 1 overall prospect heading into the 2010 season. But the St. Louis Cardinals still wanted him to stay so much they reportedly offered him $200 million. He s got all the potential to hit balls in the seats, Maddon said. He s done it (before), so the big thing is to get in a count and not miss your pitch. That s where power really comes from. So I think as he continues to understand what he s doing in the batter s box (with) age on his side (and) physicality on his side eventually you re going to see the ball go in the seats. But that s still not my concern. He s going to hit whatever he hits home runs. I want him to come ready to play, work the at-bat, get on base 36 percent of the time or better (and) play that defense and throw like he can. (Because) he s a winner. CSNChicago.com Cubs swap left-handed pitchers again By Tony Andracki Edgar Olmos has had a busy offseason. The 25-year-old left-handed pitcher has been designated for assignment five times this winter, being claimed off waivers on four separate occasions. The Cubs accounted for two of those claims (once on Dec. 4, then again on Dec. 23), but they opted to designated Olmos for assignment Friday afternoon to make room for waiver claim C.J. Riefenhauser. Olmos even came to Cubs Convention in January. Riefenhauser turned 26 last month and has appeared in 24 games for the Tampa Bay Rays over the last two seasons, posting a 6.30 ERA and 1.55 WHIP in 20 innings. Riefenhauser had a career 2.77 ERA in the minors, including some work as a starting pitcher (42 starts, 149 relief appearances). Chicago Tribune Pre-spring training outlook for Cubs' 2016 roster By Mark Gonzales

8 Sure things Barring a major injury, this appears to be the least suspenseful of any Cubs spring training in recent memory. After compiling a taxing workload that carried into the playoffs, expect Jake Arrieta, Jon Lester and John Lackey to be eased into games. Lester will have a better idea of pacing himself and avoiding the dead-arm symptoms that stunted his progress last spring. That should allow Adam Warren, Trevor Cahill, Clayton Richard and perhaps Travis Wood to build endurance in the event of injury. Ample attention will be given to catchers Miguel Montero, David Ross and Kyle Schwarber and the pitching staff in an effort to slow opposing running games. Schwarber might be the busiest player, with plenty of work devoted to improving his defense in left field and behind the plate. Jorge Soler can learn a lot about improving his defense in right field from Jason Heyward, who will start spring training in center field. Pitchers Jake Arrieta: Preparing for marathon, not spring. Trevor Cahill: Will try to prove September wasn't a fluke. Justin Grimm: Could be primary specialist vs. left-handers. Jason Hammel: Bigger test starts during regular season. Kyle Hendricks: Won't take 32 starts for granted. John Lackey: Biggest asset for Lester, won't need many innings. Jon Lester: Should be more comfortable in second Arizona spring. Clayton Richard: Little difficulty handling multiple roles. Hector Rondon: No Jason Motte, no insurance. Pedro Strop: 1.91 ERA when not facing Cardinals. Adam Warren: Will get a chance to start. Travis Wood: Limited right-handed batters to.228 mark. Catchers Miguel Montero: Slowing running game a priority. David Ross: Last spring, plenty of wisdom. Infielders Kris Bryant: Priorities include reducing strikeouts, fielding miscues. Anthony Rizzo: Batted.172 last spring,.278 for season. Addison Russell: Wants to steal more bases. Ben Zobrist: Younger players can learn plenty from him at the plate.

9 Outfielders Jason Heyward: Outfield teammates should watch his defense. Kyle Schwarber: Determined to prove he's not one-dimensional. Jorge Soler: Defense, health primary issues. Good bets Neil Ramirez said at the Cubs Convention he has a better understanding of building and maintaining a strong right shoulder. That could help him garner a share of the closer's duties if he can regain his 96 mph fastball. Manager Joe Maddon has downplayed the need for a left-handed specialist, but Rex Brothers has limited left-handers to a.224 batting average, and he has averaged 10.3 strikeouts per nine innings. The left-handed-hitting Tommy La Stella was 6-for-14 as a pinch hitter, and any defensive improvement by La Stella at third base could allow Bryant to play more in the outfield. Many teams, including the Rays, will continue to take a long look at Javier Baez. With Bryant, Russell and Zobrist entrenched at their positions, excelling in the outfield might be Baez's best chance of staying with the Cubs. Chris Coghlan also will get a look from teams seeking a left-handed hitter. Pitchers Rex Brothers: Could gain more consistency under pitching coach Chris Bosio. Neil Ramirez: Health should allow him to regain 96-mph fastball. Infielders Javier Baez: Priorities include increased contact, versatility. Tommy La Stella: Improved versatility will help chances of sticking. Outfielders Chris Coghlan: Playing time might not be abundant in regular season. Matt Szczur: Speedster out of minor-league options. Long shots After using the bullpen frequently in the first month and final two, Carl Edwards Jr., Jean Machi, Edgar OImos and Spencer Patton will get extended looks. There are plenty of potential midseason reinforcements with major-league experience who are recovering from surgeries. The team has waited patiently for Armando Rivero, 28, who struck out 18 and walked two in 141/3 innings for Aragua in the Venezuelan Winter League. This marks a prime opportunity for catcher Willson Contreras to work with the Cubs' starting pitchers and learn from coach Mike Borzello, as well as pitcher Duane Underwood gaining knowledge from the major-league starters as Pierce Johnson did with Arrieta last spring. Several opposing scouts haven't raved about Albert Almora in the same tone as team officials. But he will get a long look this season, as will Jeimer Candelario. Pitchers Andury Acevedo: Throws mph from unusual arm slot. Dallas Beeler: Needs to stay healthy this spring.

10 Luis Cruz: 136 starts over eight minor-league seasons. Carl Edwards Jr.: Encouraged to throw changeup. Stephen Fife: Missed all of 2015 after elbow surgery. Brandon Gomes: 4.20 ERA in five seasons with Rays. Pierce Johnson: Needs a successful, injury-free season. Eric Jokisch: Limited to 14 starts in 2015 because of oblique injury. Jack Leathersich: Isn't expected to be ready until July because of arm surgery. Jean Machi: 2.58 ERA for 2014 World Series champion Giants. Spencer Patton: 28 strikeouts, 24 hits allowed in 24 innings for Rangers. Felix Pena: 149 strikeouts in 1292/3 innings at Double-A Tennessee. Jonathan Pettibone: Returning from right shoulder surgery. C.J. Riefenhauser: Lefty traded twice in offseason, then waived; made 17 MLB appearances in '15. Armando Rivero: Still waiting for return on $3 million investment. Zac Rosscup: 57 strikeouts but 5.40 ERA in 462/3 big-league innings. Drew Rucinski: Pitched for Rockford in Frontier League in Duane Underwood: First big-league camp should be great experience. Catchers Willson Contreras: Prime opportunity to work with big-league staff. Taylor Davis:.311 batting average in 104 games in Double and Triple A. Tim Federowicz: Started 42 games for Dodgers in Infielders Arismendy Alcantara: Better fit for another organization. Jeimer Candelario: Will get a long look from other teams. Jesus Guzman:.247 hitter over parts of five MLB seasons. Munenori Kawasaki:.234 batting average over parts of four MLB seasons. Kristopher Negron: Can play five positions, 92 games with Reds in Christian Villanueva: Out of minor-league options, faces logjam at third. Dan Vogelbach: Left-handed bat is intriguing.

11 Outfielders Albert Almora: Will another impressive spring carry over to regular season? John Andreoli: 33 stolen bases,.372 OBP at Iowa in Matt Murton: Reunion with Epstein/Boston connection. Juan Perez: Played 61 games for 2014 World Series champion Giants. Chicago Tribune Cubs' Gleyber Torres, White Sox's Tim Anderson on top 100 prospect list By Mark Gonzales Shortstops Gleyber Torres and Tim Anderson highlight the Chicago Cubs and White Sox's selections on Baseball America's Top 100 Prospect list announced Friday night. Torres, 19, was listed as the 41st overall top prospect. Torres is projected to start the 2016 season at Class-A Myrtle Beach. Anderson, 22, was ranked 45th and is slated to start 2016 at Triple-A Charlotte. The other local selections were catcher Willson Contreras (45th) and second baseman Ian Happ (87th) of the Cubs and pitcher Carson Fulmer (70th) of the Sox. Infielder Corey Seager of the Los Angeles Dodgers was listed as Baseball America's top prospect. Chicago Sun-Times Rob Manfred says All-Star game could come to Wrigley following renovations By Rob Ogden It s not quite 1908, but Cubs fans have been waiting a while for an All-Star game to return to Wrigley Field. The Cubs last hosted the game in 1990, but according to MLB commissioner Rob Manfred, the Midsummer Classic could be back in Chicago in the near future. Speaking to CBS Bruce Levine, Manfred said the 2019 game isn t out of the question. It makes sense the Cubs get an opportunity ahead after the new renovations are complete, Manfred said. This will provide the Cubs and Ricketts family a chance to showcase the unbelievable renovation they are in the midst of doing for Wrigley Field. Timing wise, we have the schedule of cities set through Washington. We will have an open and complete competition for the All-Star Game beyond that time. The 2016, 2017 and 2018 games are set for PetCo park in San Diego, Marlins Park in Miami and Nationals Park in Washington, and the location of the 2019 game is expected to be announced this spring. By the time 2019 rolls around, only the Dodgers and A s will have gone longer than the Cubs without hosting an All-Star game. Three teams the Pirates, Mariners and Padres will each have hosted multiple games since According to the Cubs, Wrigley renovations are supposed to last through 2018, so the timing might be right for the All-Star game to return in 2019 or Prior to 1990, Wrigley also hosted the game in 1962 and 1947.

12 Chicago Sun-Times The heat is on for the Cubs and the White Sox, but for different reasons By Rick Morrissey Jeez, is it hot. Why, yes, I do know that this is February in Chicago and that it s not unusual for someone to stumble upon a perfectly preserved 1970 Ford LTD in the permafrost. And I am indeed aware that there s a groundhog somewhere that wants to tell us we have six more weeks of winter. But spring officially starts this week for Cubs and Sox pitchers and catchers in Arizona. And, man, is it toasty in Chicago. The traditional spring-training theme of hope does not apply here. This year s theme is heat. The heat of incredible expectations for the Cubs to finally finally win a World Series. The heat on Sox manager Robin Ventura and his team to turn things around, or else. Desert heat. Chicago heat. Whatever you want to call it. It s hot. The Cubs are the favorites to win the World Series. That is not opinion. That is fact. Many experts, from baseball writers to Las Vegas bookmakers, are picking the Cubs to be the last team standing in October standing meaning rolling around like children in an infield celebration. They made it to the National League Championship Series last season, and signed Jason Heyward and John Lackey away from the Cardinals in the offseason, thus weakening St. Louis in the NL Central. Cubs fans might lose their minds for good this season, one way or the other. The admonition to act like you ve been there before doesn t apply because 99.9 percent of those people haven t been here before. There is probably a wrinkled handful of supercentenarians (110 and older) that remembers anything about the last Cubs title in To be the favorites, to be the frontrunners, well, that s not something anyone is used to. That s where manager Joe Maddon comes in. Never mind his mad-scientist act with lineups and pitching changes. Never mind his very public gimmicks, whether it be having his players wear pajamas on a flight home or hiring a magician to entertain the team. He does his best work behind the scenes. Players love playing for him because he convinces them that he believes in them. If one of the best managers in the game believes in you, it follows that you should believe in you too. That s going to be especially important this season, when the Cubs will get more national attention than they ve ever gotten before. It helps that Kris Bryant played in the bright lights of the All-Star Game last year and that Kyle Schwarber shined in the postseason. But neither young player has seen what he s going to see this year. There will be no sneaking up on anybody. Maddon has to be the calm in whatever storm blows through town. The main criticism of Ventura is that he d be the calmest person at a convention of cadavers. OK, he s not fiery. Fair enough. But he didn t get much help from his players last season, when the Sox finished Veteran Adam LaRoche had 26 home runs and 92 runs batted in for the Nationals in 2014, then came to the White Sox and had 12 homers and 44 RBI. That s not the manager s fault. Like a late surge at the polls, there is growing optimism on the South Side. The rationale for it goes like this: Last season s underachieving players surely will have bounce-back years. The top of the rotation Chris Sale, Jose Quintana and Carlos Rodon is as good as any in baseball. And the Sox acquired Todd Frazier to hit home runs and play a mean third base.

13 The Cubs will swallow the city this season. That, too, is fact. Everything they do will be big, whether it be winning or losing. But the Sox have to win, as well. They ve finished a combined 66 games out of first place the past three seasons. They need to win, and win fast. I ve made the argument that, given those poor results, Ventura s job ought to be in jeopardy but might not be with ultra-loyal Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf in charge. But there should be a hot seat, and Ventura might want to think about padded pants. So it s blazing around here. We don t need to look toward Arizona and try to imagine a fully operational sun. We don t need to warm ourselves with thoughts of a Jake Arrieta fastball as we shovel snow or grit our way through the Chicago winter. You might have seen the Cubs-themed Next Year Is Here T-shirts last season. Turns out next year is actually this year. For both teams, for very different reasons. Hot enough for you yet? Chicago Sun-Times Cubs spring training: Kyle Schwarber, Javy Baez and the fifth element By Gordon Wittenmyer As pitchers and catchers report to Mesa, Ariz., this week, a few Cubs spring training items: Three Spring Issues Field-good story? The Cubs are counting so much on the left-handed bat of Kyle Schwarber to pick up where it left off after a powerful 2015 debut that they ve chosen left field as a sacrificial lamb of a position for Schwarber s lessthan-gold glove. Schwarber, whose struggles in his first, limited foray into outfield play, was immortalized on Deadspin last October (complete with faceplant), has worked hard this winter on outfield play, and his progress there could be one of the most important storylines of the spring for a team that committed $184 million to upgrade a shaky outfield with Gold Glover Jason Heyward. Assuming Schwarber closes a sizeable production gap in his left-right splits, his glove in left could be in play 150 or more games. Super Javy? A year ago Javy Baez s exceptional infield skills and unrefined hitting skills created the biggest internal debate among team officials over a roster spot in camp. This time around, Baez is viewed as a potential linchpin for the Cubs bench a possible super-utility player in the mold of new teammate Ben Zobrist, team president Theo Epstein suggested. Already the best overall defensive infielder on the club, Baez said he adjusted quickly to center field during work there in games during winter ball in Puerto Rico. He has the next six weeks to define his role for a projected contender or start another debate about his future. Taking the fifth: With the addition of John Lackey to slot into the starting rotation behind Cy Young winner Jake Arrieta and Jon Lester, the back end of the starting five suddenly takes on a look of potential depth and an actual job-battle drama. Despite some outside suggestions that Jason Hammel s spot is in jeopardy, the Cubs are counting on the right-hander to be their No. 4 and produce more like the 2.86-ERA pitcher he was before a July knee injury hampered him for the rest of the year (5.10 after that). That would make the No. 5 job a spirited battle between newcomer Adam Warren (3.66 in 17 starts for the Yankees in 2015) and incumbent Kyle Hendricks (whose 15-9, 3.49 performance in 45 career starts looks especially impressive for a No. 5). Lefty Clayton Richard could be a fallback in that battle. Comings and Goings Arrivals: CF/RF Jason Heyward, RHP John Lackey, 2B/OF Ben Zobrist, RHP Adam Warren, LHP Rex Brothers, LHP Edgar Olmos. Departures: SS Starlin Castro, CF Dexter Fowler, OF Chris Denorfia, IF Jonathan Herrera, OF Austin Jackson, RHP Dan Haren, LHP Tsuyoshi Wada, RHP Jason Motte, RHP Fernando Rodney, RHP Tommy Hunter.

14 Key Dates Friday: Pitchers and catchers report (first workout Saturday) Feb. 24: First full-squad workout March 3: Spring training opener vs. Brewers at Maryvale, Ariz. (2:05 p.m.) March 31-Aprl 1: vs. New York Mets in Las Vegas (7:05 p.m., CSN; 3:05 p.m., Ch. 9) April 4: Season opener, at Los Angeles Angels (9:05 p.m. ABC-7) Chicago Sun-Times After winning winter, Cubs start trying to win October By Gordon Wittenmyer That the Cubs will carry a target on their backs every time they take the field this year is clear to everyone from the clubhouse to front office, a challenge manager Joe Maddon plans to embrace. But the biggest fight the Cubs might have on their hands as spring training opens this week is the sheer magnitude of expectations inside and outside the organization after winning 97 games, beating the Pirates and Cardinals in the playoffs and then pulling off $276 million of acquisitions that have made the Cubs America s favorites to win the 2016 World Series. Can this season be considered successful if the Cubs don t win it all? That s been one of the most common conversations about the team on social media and among on-air talking heads since the Cubs finished winning the off-season with their $184 million signing of outfielder Jason Heyward. On paper s one thing, another Cubs newcomer, John Lackey, said. We ve got to go out and get it done. Lackey, who won World Series clinchers for two different teams, knows the fragile nature of baseball expectations as well as anyone in the clubhouse part of Boston s epic 2011 September collapse and leader in an odds-beating 2013 Boston championship two years later. That s part of why he was signed. Cubs president Theo Epstein certainly didn t set out to win anything during the winter. It is an unbelievable dynamic the last few years how the winners of the offseason tend to be miserable the following September, he said even before the team s flurry of moves in December. I look forward to one day when we might lose the offseason altogether because it ll probably mean that we had so many different options internally to address whatever needs arose during the previous season. We re not in that position yet. But they are sitting on an enviable lode of talent and potential as pitchers and catcher report Friday in Mesa, Ariz. one of the biggest national storylines in baseball as they chase their 108-year-old ghost. The only certainty at this point is how foolish it is to count on expectations to unfold according to plan for 162 games much less to make the only measure of success a title in a sport almost unique for how many of the best teams often fall short. Injuries? Ask the 1985 Cubs, who had four starters on the disabled list at the same time and failed to live up to their magical 84. Wrong division at the wrong time? Ask the 1993 Giants, who won 103 games and missed the playoffs.

15 Face the hot pitcher in a short series? Ask anyone who faced Madison Bumgarner in October of Or catch the dreaded hot team in October? Ask the heavy favorites beaten by the 1973 Mets, 1987 Twins or 2006 Cardinals. Epstein admittedly pooled a lot of resources into this offseason to take advantage of both the deeper markets of available players as well as what looks like an especially strong window of immediate opportunity for the Cubs. But he also is the first to admit the tenuous nature of best-laid plans in his business. Our goal all along is to win the World Series, Epstein said when asked about what seems like an accelerated timeline for a title. But you have to prioritize shorter-term goals in order to get there. The first goal is just to come together as a team and grind through the season, knowing there s going to be a lot of adversity along the way, knowing we have to connect as a unit in order to play well and persevere. That s as much what this spring training will be about for this team as cutoff drills and pitchers fielding practice. A youth-veteran mix that grew together into a 2015 National League force integrates several new personalities among key additions that include Heyward (third team in three years after a trade from the Braves and free agency from the Cardinals), second baseman Ben Zobrist (from the Royals by way of the A s by way of the Rays) and Lackey (who at least has the comfort level of former World Series-winning Red Sox teammates Jon Lester and David Ross). Then you want to make sure you get into October, and the best way to do that by far is to win your division, Epstein said. So like last year our goal is to win the division. And there s no doubt every player who had to watch the Mets celebrate on the field is extraordinarily hungry to win eight more games in October than we did last year. We re unified by that common goal, he said. It s the most important thing in the lives of a lot of people fans, players, front office alike. And we re out to reach our goals this year and make a lot of people happy, knowing that there s going to be a lot of ups and downs along the way. Daily Herald Chicago Cubs no longer a surprise By Bruce Miles Something awaits the Chicago Cubs that hasn't awaited them in years: expectations. Just 12 months ago, the Cubs were expected to be an "improved" team, one that might win games on the road back to respectability. Instead, they shocked the baseball world by winning 97 in the regular season before beating the Pittsburgh Pirates in the wild-card game and the St. Louis Cardinals in the National League division series. That magical run ended with the New York Mets sweeping the championship series. As the Cubs head to spring training in Mesa, Arizona, this week, they won't be sneaking up on anybody, either in the desert or when regular-season play begins in April. That seems to be OK with the Cubs, who finished third in the NL Central last year, but with the third-best record in major-league baseball. Much will be expected and rightly so this season. With that in mind, here are five topics of discussion before pitchers and catchers report to Sloan Park on Friday: Forget 97 wins:

16 Each year is different, and fans shouldn't worry about the Cubs matching their victory total from a year ago. Team management isn't necessarily looking to do that. The 2015 Cubs had a run differential of plus-81, contributing to an "expected" win-loss record of "Getting to 97 was a pretty amazing accomplishment," general manager Jed Hoyer told fans during last month's Cubs convention. "It's something that has to be taken in context. I think a normal run differential for a 97-win team would be considerably higher. "That's one of our goals: We're trying not to focus too much on 97 wins. There's a chance that we have a better, more complete team coming up and aren't able to get to that kind of win total. "I think the dynamics of the National League (this) year will be that it will take a lot of wins to make the playoffs, and we know that. We're very focused on our run differential, very focused on possibly having a more dominant team. Wherever our win total ends up, I think that's really the most important thing." If history's a guide, the 2003 Cubs won 88 games and made it to Game 7 of the NLCS. The 2004 club won 89 games and didn't make the playoffs. Beware the X-factor: Injuries are the X-factor for any team in any sport. The Cubs' pitching staff last season, especially the starting rotation, made it through virtually unscathed. Jon Lester battled a shoulder ailment late in spring training, and Jason Hammel had a hamstring problem for a time during the season, but that was about it. The Cubs can't count on that this year. Again, looking at history, the 1984 Cubs won the NL East, but the '85 season was blown apart by injuries to the starting rotation. Making sure the Cubs are prepared is one reason you'll see at least eight pitchers "stretched out" in spring training. The Cubs made an important signing this winter, adding John Lackey as a free agent to fill the No. 3 spot behind Cy Young winner Jake Arrieta and Lester. Behind Lackey are Hammel and Kyle Hendricks, who had his ups and downs last year during his first full major-league season. Adam Warren came from the New York Yankees in a trade for Starlin Castro. He will push the back part of the rotation. The Cubs also may stretch out Travis Wood and Trevor Cahill, a bullpen mainstay during the stretch drive of The next step: One of this management team's favorite sayings is that "progress is not always linear." In other words, sometimes the team, and/or its players, will take a step backward before taking another step forward. The Cubs have made steady progress during the Epstein/Hoyer regime. Now we'll see how the young players perform after having success in Specifically, can players such as Kris Bryant, Addison Russell and Kyle Schwarber avoid the dreaded "sophomore jinx" in 2016? There's no such thing as a "jinx." More likely, players who fall off in their second season do so because opposing pitchers have adjusted to them, and the hitters have been slow to adjust back.

17 All of the Cubs' youngsters endured some growing pains during the 2015 season, and they'll be challenged again this year. Where to fit them all: Javier Baez came up last September, and the natural shortstop saw time all over the infield late in the regular season. When starting shortstop Addison Russell was hurt in the playoffs, Baez stepped in. Russell returns to spring training healthy, and the Cubs signed Ben Zobrist to play second base. They also signed Jason Heyward to a eight-year, $184 million contract. Heyward is a Gold Glove right fielder, but he may have to open in center field because the Cubs still have Jorge Soler. Baez and Soler have been the subject of trade talk. These things have a way of working themselves out. Don't worry about the pen: One year ago, the names Clayton Richard and Trevor Cahill were not on the minds of Cubs fans or anyone who covered the team. But they played huge roles in the bullpen after being acquired during the season. The bullpen is the most fickle and finicky aspect of any team. The Cubs got good work from closer Hector Rondon, who saved 30 games in 34 opportunities last year. Setup men Justin Grimm and Pedro Strop were mostly good. The Cubs would love to have hard-throwing right-hander Neil Ramirez healthy for a full season. Lefty Wood was a big plus after being demoted from the starting rotation. Veterans Jason Motte, Phil Coke, Rafael Soriano and Fernando Rodney also contributed at various times last year. Bet on another parade of relievers making their way through Wrigley Field in That's just the nature of the game. Daily Herald Cubs claim lefty reliever off waivers from Orioles By Staff Adding to their bullpen depth, the Chicago Cubs have claimed a left-handed relief pitcher off waivers on Friday. Taking a spot on the team's 40-man roster is 26-year-old C.J. Riefenhauser, who was placed on waivers by the Baltimore Orioles. To make room, the Cubs put Edgar Olmos, another lefty reliever, on assignment. Here's a glance at some of Riefenhauser's numbers, provided by the Cubs: With Triple-A Durham in 2015: 4-2 with a 2.86 ERA in 29 appearances. With Tampa Bay: 1-0 with a 6.30 ERA in 24 appearances. Cubs.com Bullpen spots up for grabs this spring By Carrie Muskat

18 MESA, Ariz. The Cubs weren't the first team to move starting pitchers to the bullpen full time, but they definitely had success doing so in 2015 with Travis Wood, Clayton Richard and Trevor Cahill. Manager Joe Maddon knows a little bit about such conversions. He switched Wade Davis, now the Royals' successful closer, to the 'pen when they were together in Tampa Bay. Pitchers and catchers officially report on Friday to the Cubs' camp, with the first workout scheduled for Saturday, but pitching coach Chris Bosio has been busy with bullpen sessions for at least two weeks. The biggest competition the Cubs will have this spring concerns who will be in the bullpen on Opening Day. There are plenty of choices. Besides Wood, Richard and Cahill, the list of returning relievers includes closer Hector Rondon, Justin Grimm, Neil Ramirez and Pedro Strop. Among the new guys on the roster are Adam Warren, acquired from the Yankees in the Starlin Castro trade. The 28-year-old righty went 6-6 with a 3.66 ERA in 17 starts, and he posted a 2.29 ERA in 26 relief outings. Warren was one of the early birds in Cubs camp. The Cubs also added two lefties, Rex Brothers and C.J. Riefenhauser, who was claimed off waivers from Baltimore last week. Brothers, 28, has held lefties to a.224 average in his career. Riefenhauser, 26, has spent parts of the past two seasons in the Majors with the Rays, going 1-0 with a 6.30 ERA in 24 appearances. He recorded a 2.86 ERA in 29 appearances for Triple-A Durham in '15, fanning 34 batters in 34 2/3 innings while walking only seven. Also in the mix is right-hander Spencer Patton, 27, who compiled a 9.00 ERA in 27 relief appearances with the Rangers, and a 1.67 ERA in 26 games at Triple-A Round Rock. Among the non-roster invitees: Jonathan Pettibone, 25, is coming back from multiple right shoulder surgeries. Lefty Jack Leathersich, 25, posted a 2.31 ERA in 17 relief appearances with the Mets in '15, while Jean Machi, 34, held left-handed batters to a.160 average pitching for the Red Sox. Southpaw Edgar Olmos, who was designated for assignment to make room for Riefenhauser, could be a non-roster invite if he clears waivers. Maddon feels a team can never have enough quality pitchers in the bullpen. "My concept is having at least four 'even or ahead guys,' meaning you have a relief pitcher who comes in the game and pitches comfortably when the score is tied or you have the lead," Maddon said. "There are a lot of guys who can pitch really well when you're behind. Those guys are nice to have to suck up some innings when things aren't going that well. "When things are going well, which you anticipate to happen a lot this year [with the Cubs], you want 'even or ahead guys.' I believe we'll have seven guys in the bullpen who can pitch with the lead we're that good, we're that talented." Cahill turned down a two-year deal with the Pirates and a chance to return to the rotation to stay with the Cubs. He posted a 2.12 ERA in 11 relief appearances last season with Chicago. Wood began '15 in the Cubs rotation (2-2, 5.06 ERA in nine starts), then was moved to the 'pen and compiled a 2.95 ERA in 45 appearances. "We have guys who have four pitches, some guys five," Bosio said. "Other teams coveted guys we had, but they wanted to come here because they're comfortable with what we're doing." And they'll get started this week. Pitchers and catchers report Friday Full squad reports Feb. 23 First Spring Training game Away vs. Brewers, March 3, 2:05 p.m. CT