March 21, 2016

Daily Herald, Cubs' Hammel's off-season work paying off http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20160320/sports/160329923/

Cubs.com, Soler, Heyward lead Cubs in front of record crowd http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/168296536/jorge-soler-jason-heyward-lead-cubs-vs-royals

Cubs.com, Lester rolling, not bothered by bone chips http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/168310962/cubs-jon-lester-not-bothered-by-bone-chips

Cubs.com, Montero sees bright future for Contreras http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/168266784/cubs-prospect-willson-contreras-praised

Cubs.com, Will Cubs' depth stunt growth of Baez, Soler? http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/168302622/can-cubs-depth-hurt-javier-baez-jorge-soler

Cubs.com, Maddon talks clubhouse with 'lead bulls' http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/168278928/cubs-joe-maddon-talks-policies-with-leaders

Cubs.com, Maddon shrugs off shaky bullpen performance http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/168313610/cubs-joe-maddon-not-worried-about-bullpen

ESPNChicago.com, Cubs beat Royals as Hector Rondon, bullpen get back on track http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/cubs/post/_/id/36970/cubs-beat-royals-as-hector-rondon-bullpen-get-back-on-track

ESPNChicago.com, Jon Lester pitches well, fields poorly in Cubs' victory Sunday http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/cubs/post/_/id/36967/jon-lester-throwing-well-fielding-poorly-in-cubs-sunday-victory

ESPNChicago.com, Joe Maddon still not concerned about (spring) bullpen meltdowns http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/cubs/post/_/id/36962/joe-maddon-still-not-concerned-about-spring-bullpen-meltdowns

ESPNChicago.com, Joe Maddon on dress code: 'If you think you look hot, you wear it' http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/cubs/post/_/id/36958/joe-maddon-on-dress-code-if-you-think-you-look-hot-you-wear-it

CSNChicago.com, Why Cubs bet $155 million on Jon Lester's left elbow http://www.csnchicago.com/cubs/why-cubs-bet-155-million-jon-lesters-left-elbow

CSNChicago.com, Cubs getting Hector Rondon ready for closing time http://www.csnchicago.com/cubs/cubs-getting-hector-rondon-ready-closing-time

CSNChicago.com, Joe Maddon lets Cubs lay down the law in clubhouse http://www.csnchicago.com/cubs/joe-maddon-lets-cubs-lay-down-law-clubhouse

Chicago Tribune, Jon Lester believes bone chip in left elbow not serious issue http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-jon-lester-bone-chips-spt-0321-20160320-story.html

Chicago Tribune, Minor-league options, injuries, trades factor into Cubs' roster decisions http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-cubs-roster-decisions-spt-0321-20160320-story.html

Chicago Tribune, Sunday's recap: Cubs 5, Royals 2 http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-gameday-cubs-spring-training-spt-0321-20160320-story.html

Chicago Tribune, Cubs' Joe Maddon staying out of White Sox business http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-joe-maddon-supports-robin-ventura-20160320-story.html

Chicago Tribune, Cubs' Jon Lester can't shuffle away his fielding woes http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-jon-lester-has-throwing-issues-20160320-story.html

Chicago Sun-Times, Maddon says Lester’s bone chip news to him; pitcher ‘looks great’ http://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/maddon-says-lesters-bone-chip-news-to-him-pitcher-looks-great/

Chicago Sun-Times, Don’t sell Cubs’ Baez short in center field — or anywhere else http://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/dont-sell-cubs-baez-short-in-center-field-or-anywhere-else/

Chicago Sun-Times, More fielding woes for Cubs’ Lester in otherwise strong outing http://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/more-fielding-woes-for-cubs-lester-in-otherwise-strong-outing/

Chicago Sun-Times, Cubs game notes: Fowler gets on, Soler goes deep, pen steps up http://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/cubs-game-notes-fowler-gets-on-soler-goes-deep-pen-steps-up/

-- Daily Herald Cubs' Hammel's off-season work paying off By Bruce Miles Jason Hammel came to spring training on a mission. It's too early to declare "mission accomplished," but Hammel's off-season work on physical fitness appears to be paying off. As the Cubs head into the final two weeks of spring training, No. 4 starting pitcher Hammel is 2-0 with a 1.90 ERA. He has walked just one and struck out 11 in 10 spring innings. Hammel, 33, has moved down to fourth in the rotation from third after the off-season signing of John Lackey. A resurgence by Hammel would be huge for the Cubs, who suffered a noticeable drop-off in quality in the rotation last year after ace Jake Arrieta and No. 2 starter Jon Lester.

A hamstring ailment hampered Hammel in the middle of last season, and a short leash from manager Joe Maddon made for a somewhat unhappy 2015 for the pitcher. According to Hammel, much of the woes centered on a lack of fastball command. "That's how I survived, by fastball command," he said. "Last year the fastball command just wasn't there. I was missing up. The direction might have been fine but my command was always down. I was always good executing the heater, and I just wasn't doing it." With it all, Hammel finished the season 10-7 with a 3.74 ERA and a decent WHIP of 1.16. He struck out 172 in 170⅔ innings, for a career-best 9.1 strikeouts per 9 innings. Most of the positive numbers went in the books in the first half of last season. Hammel seems to be in tiptop physical shape this spring after changing his workout routine, and he's also been working well with second-year man Kyle Schwarber behind the plate. Schwarber, who will see most of his time in left field, is the No. 3 catcher on the depth chart. "I think, first of all, he's a student of the game and he's ready to learn," Hammel said of Schwarber after his last start, as quoted by cubs.com. "He made a lot of adjustments over the offseason and even early this spring in game calling. You see him sticking his leg out and he's a little lower target than last year. That only helps guys like me -- tall leverage -- where I need that little extra sight line down, that helps a lot, too." Hammel's off-season workout routine has drawn the notice of Maddon. "He's in great shape," the manager said. "Oh, my God, he looks good. I know he's really focused on getting off like he did last year, really a great start, not a good start. We just have to maintain the latter part of the season. And of course last year, getting injured probably fed into him not finishing as strongly as he started." -- Cubs.com Soler, Heyward lead Cubs in front of record crowd By Carrie Muskat MESA, Ariz. -- Jason Heyward drove in two runs and Jorge Soler belted a two-run homer in a four-run fifth to power the Cubs to a 5-2 victory Sunday over the Royals in front of a Spring Training record crowd of 15,523 at Sloan Park. The previous high was 15,446, which the Cubs set March 4 in their Cactus League home opener. Jon Lester's fielding woes continued in his second spring start. The Cubs' left-hander scattered five hits over five innings and struck out four, but his throwing error led to the Royals' go-ahead run. Dexter Fowler tripled to lead off the Chicago third and scored on Heyward's sacrifice fly. Kris Bryant walked and reached third on Anthony Rizzo's single, but Royals starter Ian Kennedy then struck out Soler to end the inning. "He was a little frustrated with his command in the first but his command got better and better as he went along," Royals manager Ned Yost said of Kennedy. "I thought he had great life on the fastball." The Royals tied the game at 1 with one out in the fourth when Paulo Orlando singled, stole second and scored on Reymond Fuentes' double. Fuentes is now batting .367 with seven RBIs this spring. In the Kansas City fifth, Tony Cruz singled and reached third when Terrance Gore singled and moved up on Rizzo's throwing error. Alcides Escobar hit a comebacker to Lester, whose lob to first pulled Rizzo off the bag for an error. Lester got Mike Moustakas to ground into a double play, but a run scored. Lester's previous outing was in a Minor League game last Tuesday, and he worked on his fielding at that time.

"It's obviously not what I want to do," Lester said of the error Saturday. "Once again, I didn't move my feet. If I move my feet, I think everything's fine." Changing his footwork is part of the adjustments the Cubs are trying to get him to do to make his throws more effective. Heyward's RBI single in the fifth tied the game at 2, Rizzo hit a sacrifice fly and Soler followed with his third Cactus League home run, lining a 1-1 pitch from David Huff onto the left-field berm. Up Next for Cubs: The Cubs have an off-day Monday, and will resume Cactus League play Tuesday against the Reds in Goodyear. Jason Hammel will get the start then, his fourth. So far, the right-hander has given up one earned run over 10 innings in his previous outings. First pitch is scheduled for 1:05 p.m. MT, and you can listen to a webcast on Cubs.com. Up Next for Royals: The Royals will enjoy their first off-day of the spring on Monday and then Chris Young will start on Tuesday at 8:10 CT at Surprise Stadium against the Dodgers. Joakim Soria , Kelvin Herrera and Danny Duffy also are scheduled to pitch that day. -- Cubs.com Lester rolling, not bothered by bone chips By Carrie Muskat MESA, Ariz. -- Cubs manager Joe Maddon didn't know Jon Lester has bone chips in his left elbow. Not many people were aware, but a new book revealed that detail about the left-hander and that Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein knew before signing him to a six-year, $155 million contract. "If it was a serious issue, the contract that I signed probably wouldn't be what it was," Lester said Sunday. Author Jeff Passan details the Cubs' pursuit of Lester in Chapter 7 of his new book, "The Arm." "I've watched him throw several times in camp and I think he's throwing the ball as well as I've ever seen him," Maddon said. "Regarding any kind of discomfort in his arm, I'm not aware of that. Jonny's kind of a tough guy, a quiet guy. I think he's in a good place. Until he talks to me about his arm being uncomfortable, I'm fine with what I'm seeing." In his second Cactus League game Sunday, Lester struck out four over five innings in a 5-2 win vs. the Royals, and downplayed any concern. "Regardless of what an MRI shows or anything like that, you can throw a pitch and blow out," Lester said. "I've been pitching a long time, I've dealt with different minor and even bigger things through my years. I think you can go back and look and I haven't missed any time for any elbow problems. "I know for a fact [the bone chips have] been there for a while," he said. "It is what it is. You can take any pitcher in this game who has pitched for as long as I have, and stick them in a [MRI] tube, you're going to find something." Lester has been on the disabled list twice -- for cancer treatment in 2006 and a strained lat in '11. Epstein has known the lefty since their days together on the Red Sox, which is one of the reasons the revelation of the bone chips didn't scare the Cubs' executive from signing Lester to the mega deal. Epstein is aware of Lester's work ethic and his training program. "I don't think it was a huge issue for those guys," Lester said. Some pitchers undergo surgery to remove the chips because of the discomfort. Lester isn't too concerned.

"There's been times thorugh the years you have some inflammation in your elbow or whatever, and guys are like, 'Well, you probably have a bone chip or something in there that doesn't feel too good that makes it bark a little bit,'" Lester said. "I think my track record speaks for itself. I haven't missed any time for any elbow problems, knock on wood." Maddon says Lester looks as strong as he did when he was the Red Sox ace, and predicted the lefty will have a great year in his second season with the Cubs. The emergence of National League Cy Young Award winner Jake Arrieta has helped ease the pressure off Lester, who is reunited this season with his buddy John Lackey. "Stuff like that I don't concern myself with," Maddon said when asked about Lester and the bone chips. "Just go play. A bone chip is a bone chip. If there's an issue, you attack the issue and move on from that. I have a hard time worrying about stuff like that. Right now I think he looks great. I saw him with Boston when he was really good. I think he looks as good as he did in Boston." -- Cubs.com Montero sees bright future for Contreras By Carrie Muskat MESA, Ariz. -- Miguel Montero first worked with Cubs top prospect Willson Contreras last summer during the veteran catcher's rehab stint at Double-A Tennessee. This spring, Montero saw nothing but positives from the 23-year-old catcher. "He's very talented," Montero said of Contreras, ranked No. 2 on MLB.com's list of the top 30 Cubs prospects. "I think he has what it takes to be a big leaguer. I think he could be in the big leagues right now." Contreras, though, was sent to Minor League camp on Friday. There's more work to be done, Montero said. "The tough part is handling a pitching staff at the big league level," Montero said. "The only way to learn is be in the big leagues. To me, he's the guy who, when he comes up to the big leagues, in order to learn, he has to catch, repetition, face the hitters a few times, and hopefully, when he comes to the big leagues, I'm here to help him out and teach him." Montero, who is signed through 2017, could very well mentor Contreras, but right now, the young catcher is headed to Triple-A Iowa. He batted .333 at Tennessee last season, and .357 in nine Cactus League games. He's close. "It's hard to throw a young guy into a role like that with a good ballclub, good pitching staff and throw him in like that," Montero said. "It can hurt him, too, mentally. You need to ease him into an everyday role. There's no doubt in my mind he's an everyday guy. The big leagues are a little different." Montero recalls wanting to play every day when he got to the big leagues, but then realized everything involved. He had to learn how to read a big league scouting report, find out his pitchers' strengths, weaknesses and personality quirks. Both Contreras and third baseman Jeimer Candelario, who was optioned to Tennessee on Friday, made good progress this spring. Montero was there to help. "They're such good kids -- they're so coachable," Montero said. "I'm proud of both. They opened a lot of eyes in the big league camp." --

Cubs.com Will Cubs' depth stunt growth of Baez, Soler? By Phil Rogers MESA, Ariz. -- Can a baseball team have too much talent? Impossible. Astros skipper A.J. Hinch speaks for managers everywhere when he says, give him the options and he'll take the sleepless nights. But Cubs manager Joe Maddon's not likely to turn into an insomniac at this point. He just doesn't vibrate at that frequency, as you probably know. But with or without visible anguish from the manager, the next couple of weeks will be fascinating for the Cubs. It's time to sort through the over-sized inventory of players and determine how to fit the pieces together. While the bullpen remains the area of concern, there are intriguing questions to ask about a lineup that should be the best in the National League. The Cubs have never had so many options -- at least not good options -- in their history, and Maddon has seen it every day in the Cactus League. "It's obvious just by making the daily lineups now,'' he said before Sunday's 5-2 victory over the Royals. "When you give guys a day off playing but the team that goes to play that day is pretty thick still. That's what has hit home with me. … The depth is really intriguing. You need that to be successful during the course of a long season. You're going to have things happen. No question.'' Eleven of the 12 or 13 roster spots for hitters are already set. But there are another 15 players who could play roles during the season, including a group of veterans (Shane Victorino, Tommy La Stella, Munenori Kawasaki, Matt Murton and others) and the next wave of prospects (Jeimer Candelario, Willson Contreras, Albert Almora, John Andreoli, Dan Vogelbach, Billy McKinney, Ian Happ and others). Because of the versatility of many of Maddon's regulars, the two-deep plan at positions isn't clear-cut. For instance, if a corner outfielder was to be injured, Kris Bryant could shift from third base to the outfield, opening up a spot for Candelario. Or Ben Zobrist could cover out there, with Javier Baez playing second base. Kyle Schwarber could move from left field to catcher at times, opening up more at-bats for Jorge Soler or Baez. Speaking of Baez, can he get enough work as Maddon's super utility man to continue his development? The Rangers used 20-year-old Jurickson Profar in a similar role in 2013 and it started a backward trend for him. "I think we can [make it work],'' Maddon said. "Of course that's a concern. Guys that young, we don't retard their development at all just through inactivity.'' Kawasaki, Arismendy Alcantara (9-for-27 with five stolen bases this spring) and Kristopher Negron are available as middle-infield options if the Cubs decided they wanted Baez to continue his development in Triple-A. But there have been no indications they're thinking that way. Baez grounded out in his only plate appearance Sunday and is hitting .200 with one home run and eight strikeouts in 30 at-bats. "I think his at-bats have been a little bit more mature this camp,'' Maddon said. "Defensively he's been all over the place -- made great plays in center, first base, up the middle. The Robinson Cano play up the middle … he's actually had a pretty good camp.'' Maddon said he'll try to stay two series ahead in planning out a template for playing time after going only one series ahead last season. He's also got to worry about getting work for the 24-year-old Soler with Jason Heyward in right and Schwarber in left.

Heyward joins Anthony Rizzo, Addison Russell and Bryant as the Cubs in line for the most starts, followed by Dexter Fowler and Zobrist. As a right-handed hitter, Soler would be on the secondary side of a platoon with Schwarber in left field. What happens to him if Schwarber starts hitting left-handers like he did in the Minor Leagues last season? There's a school of thought that says Schwarber could become a personal catcher for Jason Hammel, which would put Soler or Baez in the lineup instead of Miguel Montero some days. But there are still some skeptics in the scouts' seats who aren't sold Schwarber can be adequate behind the plate. And what about the lineup? Having unexpectedly retained Fowler after adding on-base mavens Heyward and Zobrist, Maddon has options aplenty. Fowler seems certain to open the season as the leadoff man but nothing else is clear. Maddon could stack Fowler, Zobrist and Heyward at the top, but does he really want his three biggest power hitters -- Rizzo, Bryant and Schwarber -- to potentially have to wait until the second inning to bat? Probably not. There's probably a better chance he goes with Rizzo second and Bryant third. But the guess is he'll juggle Heyward and Zobrist between the second and sixth spots depending on whether it's a lefty or righty opposing starter (Zobrist is a switch hitter but has been more productive right-handed than left-handed). Maddon also hasn't determined if he's going to again hit the pitcher eighth and Russell ninth, as he did last year. He's got a little bit longer to consider his options before he and Theo Epstein's baseball operations department have to start making decisions. Many will be expected. Some will be surprising. And some will be dictated by events that haven't happened. "I believe in developing your plans this time of the year but understand that it's probably not going to work that way,'' Maddon said. Roger that. -- Cubs.com Maddon talks clubhouse with 'lead bulls' By Carrie Muskat MESA, Ariz. -- Manager Joe Maddon met Sunday with about a dozen hand-picked Cubs players who he has dubbed the "lead bulls" to discuss travel, clubhouse decorum and dress code. What does Maddon want players to wear? "If you think you look hot, you wear it," Maddon said. "That's the dress code." That sums up the attitude for Maddon's policies -- he doesn't like the word "rules." He presented last year's list to the players, and they talked about what they wanted to change and what they would keep. "It's pretty much status quo," Maddon said. "Some new suggestions, too. The new clubhouse presents differently than the old one because it's a huge circular clubhouse compared to a rectangle in the past. I thought it was good and I appreciate the feedback. It was outstanding." The Cubs will have a new 30,000-square foot clubhouse at Wrigley Field this year, part of the ballpark's four-year renovation plan. Maddon had preferred to limit the "bulls" to eight, but said he felt good about everyone who was part of the meeting.

"I love the fact that they're willing to tell me what they think in front of me," Maddon said. "I take that as a compliment." When he was a Minor League manager, Maddon said he was uncomfortable with all the rules regarding a player's hair or whether or not he could wear earrings. "I'm here to manage a team, not make rules," Maddon said. "I learned my lesson from that." It will be up to the "lead bulls" to make sure the policies are followed. Maddon says he's gotten better results that way than having an authoritative figure bossing the players. The hot topic? Whether or not players could wear shorts on the road. "The $5,000 suit on the airplane ride makes no sense to me whatsoever unless you're trying to impress -- and I don't know who you're trying to impress," Maddon said. -- Cubs.com Maddon shrugs off shaky bullpen performance By Carrie Muskat MESA, Ariz. -- If you only looked at the boxscore, Cubs relievers Justin Grimm and Neil Ramirez both had rough outings Saturday night. Manager Joe Maddon saw much more. Grimm gave up four runs on two hits and two walks in two-thirds of an inning against the Indians, while Ramirez was charged with five runs on three hits and one walk and didn't retire a batter. Maddon said he thought Grimm might have had better luck if he mixed up his pitches more rather than rely on the fastball. "He just challenged with the fastball," Maddon said Sunday. "That's why a lot of times in Spring Training you'll see guys hit better than they do in the regular season because they are seeing more fastballs [now], and that's what happened with him." Three of the balls hit against Ramirez were choppers on the infield, and Maddon told the right-hander to "evaluate what happened properly. "He didn't throw the ball badly at all," Maddon said. "He was making pitches, they put the ball in play. "My takeaway is, I go up to them and say, 'How do you feel?' and they say, 'I feel great,' and that's it," Maddon said. "I can't say it often enough -- don't be deceived by Spring Training performances." • Javier Baez made a couple outstanding catches in center field Saturday night against the Indians. He's played center, first, second and shortstop so far this spring. "I have no concern with him on defense at all at any position," Maddon said. "He's just a good baseball player and a really good athlete. He has a calmness about his play." • The rest of the Cubs have Monday off, but John Lackey will pitch in a Minor League game at 1 p.m. MT at the team's complex. Lackey, who has pitched in two Cactus League games so far, was scheduled for Monday to stay on schedule for the regular season. • The top prospects of the Cubs and Rangers will square off Wednesday in Surprise, Ariz., after the two big league teams meet in a Cactus League game. The rosters have not been announced yet.

-- ESPNChicago.com Cubs beat Royals as Hector Rondon, bullpen get back on track By Jesse Rogers MESA, Ariz. -- The Chicago Cubs beat the Kansas City Royals 5-2 on Sunday in front of a spring training record crowd of 15,520. Jon Lester: He pitched five innings and other than some fielding woes he threw well. He struck out four and gave up five hits but his stuff was very good. Hector Rondon: A much-needed short outing for Rondon as he threw a perfect seventh inning that included a foul pop-up and two strikeouts. After several poor outings in a row, Rondon looked like himself getting through a quick inning of work. He lowered his spring ERA to 17.36. Pedro Strop: Another key reliever took the mound for only the second time this spring and easily got through his inning of work. Strop took over for Jon Lester and induced two ground-outs and a strikeout in a 1-2-3 sixth inning. Lefty-on-lefty damage: Jason Heyward and Anthony Rizzo produced RBIs in a key fifth-inning rally, both coming off lefty David Huff. Soler deep: Jorge Soler followed Rizzo’s RBI with a two-run home run, his third of the spring. Up next: Monday is the lone off day for the Cubs this spring, though John Lackey will take his usual turn on the hill in a minor-league contest open to the public at 3 p.m. CT/1 p.m. MT. Jason Hammel starts Tuesday against the Cincinnati Reds. -- ESPNChicago.com Jon Lester pitches well, fields poorly in Cubs' victory Sunday By Jesse Rogers MESA, Ariz. -- It was a typical Jon Lester performance. The Chicago Cubs lefty threw well in helping his team beat the Kansas City Royals 5-2 in a spring game on Sunday afternoon, but his fielding and throwing issues to first base popped up again as the Royals stole two bases and forced two errors, allowing them to score both of their runs. “Once again I didn't move my feet,” Lester said of a bad throw to first base. “If I move my feet, I think everything is fine." After forcing Anthony Rizzo to field a bunt instead of fielding it himself -- Rizzo threw the ball away, putting men on second and third with no outs in the fifth -- Lester was forced to field an Alcides Escobar comebacker. Lester checked the runner before throwing wide of first base, pulling Rizzo off the bag. “If I moved my feet, it’s a better throw,” Lester explained after the game. “I do it in practice. It’s just when you get to the game you don’t think you have as much time as you do in practice. “I feel fine with it. It’s just a matter of mechanically doing the right things and remembering to do the right things. Just continue to work on them.” Joe Maddon thinks Lester will be better at throwing to first and fielding his position because he’s more willing to acknowledge it this year. Two stolen bases in the inning before contributed to the first Royals run, but once again,

Lester was able to pitch around most of the damage. With a man on third and one out in that fourth inning, he struck out the next two hitters looking. “As the game went, I made some good pitches,” Lester said. “Curveball was not so good. Fastball command was good. Threw a couple good changeups, so that was good. Physically I felt good.” His manager says it’s the best he has seen Lester in a Cubs uniform, or even going back to his days in Boston. He sailed through the first two innings; it was when men got on base that things started to go south. He recovered, as he did often last season, but will opposing teams try to take better advantage of his weaknesses now that the cat's out of the bag? Lester thinks a step-off move to first base will help keep runners honest. “Last year, we know guys were taking pretty big leads off me, so we think that’s going to be the best one,” Lester said. “Mix in some slide-steps.” But fielding bunts or comebackers is still an issue. There’s no way he can replicate every move to first base after fielding a ball. If a bunt lands on the first-base side, he can underhand throws to the bag, but if the bunt is toward the third-base side, he’ll have to figure out how to execute better. It didn’t work for him on Sunday. “I checked the runner and stuck my feet into the ground instead of moving,” Lester said. “That’s not the proper way to do it. Not a good throw.” -- ESPNChicago.com Joe Maddon still not concerned about (spring) bullpen meltdowns By Jesse Rogers MESA, Ariz. -- They rank 35th, 37th and 39th in ERA out of 39 pitchers who have appeared in a Cactus League game for the Chicago Cubs this spring but manager Joe Maddon isn’t concerned with Neil Ramirez, Justin Grimm or closer Hector Rondon. As long as they’re healthy the numbers don’t mean much. “I always go up and say ‘how do you feel?’” Maddon said Sunday. “’Are you fatigued?’ ‘No, I feel really good.’ ‘Ok, good.’ "That’s where I’m at.” Maddon was speaking the morning after Grimm and Ramirez gave up a total of nine runs in 0.2 of an inning against the Cleveland Indians. And to be fair, those ERA rankings are meaningless considering the body of work as some hurlers have thrown less than an inning while the trio themselves have only been on the mound for a handful. But anytime regulars struggle there's always going to be some pause for concern -- at least among fans. The manager also pointed out the pitchers are still mostly throwing fastballs. “If the guy you were evaluating was not good last year and he’s struggling right now then I’m probably going to anticipate he’s not going to be good again,” Maddon said. “But if the guy that is struggling now had been good last year and he’s young and not injured I’m anticipating good.” That philosophy means Maddon isn’t worried about Grimm and Rondon who had ERA’s of 1.99 and 1.67, respectively, last season. But what about Ramirez? That’s a murkier situation as he was injured last year, has lost some velocity on his fastball and is out of minor league options. He also has great potential as evidence by his breakout season in 2014. “It was three infield choppers,” Maddon said of Saturday night’s outing. “He probably could get a walk back but he didn’t throw badly at all.” The bottom line is Maddon urges calmness no matter what spring statistics look like.

“Can’t say it enough don’t be deceived by spring training performance,” he reiterated. “Good guys going bad or bad guys going good. You get it both ways.” -- ESPNChicago.com Joe Maddon on dress code: 'If you think you look hot, you wear it' By Jesse Rogers MESA, Ariz. -- Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon met with his “lead bulls” on Sunday to go over team rules as 11 players and their boss discussed everything from a dress code to kids in the clubhouse. “The biggest topic of discussion was shorts or not on the road,” Maddon said after the meeting. Maddon isn’t a stickler for a lot of written rules, instead preferring a common-sense approach. He believes players know the line not to cross. He used last year’s policies -- his first on the team -- as a guideline. They worked out pretty well. “You have like a force field, not an actual fence. Guys know if they go past a certain point you might get stung a little bit, but you don’t have to see the fence there,” Maddon explained. “I like that.” The Cubs manager has always had a more liberal stance on team policies, learning early on there are enough organization and league rules for players to follow that there’s no reason to add to them. It starts with the dress code for road trips. “If you think you look hot, you wear it,” Maddon said smiling. “I’ve always rallied against the fact that [the] previous generation really frowns upon non-collared shirts, which I’ve never understood. They’ve always been in favor of the collared shirt and that being more acceptable than the non-collared shirt. I’ve never understood that logic when it comes down to dress. “The $5,000 suit on the airplane ride makes no sense to me.” As for kids in the clubhouse, a controversy which popped up on the White Sox last week, Maddon says they’re usually not allowed from three hours before the game until after it's over, but it’s hardly a steadfast rule. The key is not abusing any team policies, as Maddon was quick to point out it’s not fifth grade, high school or even college. That’s when more stated rules might be needed. “Exercise common sense with all this stuff,” he said. “There are so much archaic stuff that baseball stands for.” Maddon and players even discussed family on the road as the manager believes it can be unfair to send a spouse home on her own instead of coming on the team plane. It was this kind of back and forth with nearly half the team which will set the foundation for the season. “It’s unusual to have that many guys on a team that you feel like you want to put in that meeting,” Maddon explained. “The interaction was fantastic. I love the fact they’re willing to tell me what they think in front of me. I take that as a compliment. “I’m here to manage the team, not make rules. I learned my lesson with that to not go nuts about it.” -- CSNChicago.com Why Cubs bet $155 million on Jon Lester's left elbow By Patrick Mooney

MESA, Ariz. — Jon Lester doesn’t worry about what-if scenarios or how his $155 million contract might end with the Cubs. Medical technology has advanced to the point where reading MRIs is essentially just as much art as science, trying to make an educated guess when the ticking time bomb might explode. As Lester said: “You can take any pitcher in this game that’s pitched as long as I have and stick him in a tube – you’re going to find something.” That’s what happened early in Lester’s free-agent process after the 2014 season, as first reported by Yahoo! Sports baseball columnist Jeff Passan in his upcoming book “The Arm: Inside the Billion-Dollar Mystery of the Most Valuable Commodity in Sports.” “The ultrasound on Lester’s elbow confirmed the presence of something he long suspected lurked inside: a bone chip,” Passan wrote. “The UCL itself looked fine, thankfully, and the range of motion…was better than expected, but a little grenade floated near his ligament, and at some point it would warrant surgery.” Lester understood the questions after throwing five innings during Sunday afternoon’s 5-2 win over the Kansas City Royals at Sloan Park. He recently read the chapter – “Pay the Man” – that reconstructs how the Boston Red Sox insulted him with a lowball offer and why Theo Epstein’s front office made such a personal recruiting pitch. “There is stuff that every other pitcher in this game has to manage,” Lester said. “We all know that there are partial tears and ligament weaknesses and bone chips and any other thing you can imagine that’s probably wrong with us. “But it’s all about what you can do effectively on that mound.” The Cubs wanted Lester’s big-market, big-game experience – he won two World Series rings with the Red Sox – and bet on his left-handed delivery and 6-foot-4, 240-pound body. Lester has topped the 200-inning mark in seven of his last eight seasons, making 30-plus starts for eight consecutive years and earning three All-Star selections. “Regardless of what an MRI shows, you can throw a pitch and blow out,” Lester said. “That’s the risk of the game. I’ve been pitching a long time. I’ve dealt with different (things) through the years. “I think my track record speaks for itself. And I haven’t missed any time for any elbow problems. Knock on wood.” The Cubs went into this with their eyes wide open, knowing the history of nine-figure contracts for pitchers is littered with bad investments and understanding they would have to overpay someone to front the rotation and accelerate this rebuilding process. Epstein’s Boston-centric baseball-operations department had unique insight and a comfort level after watching Lester grow up in the Red Sox organization and beat a form of lymphoma. Lester is now 32 years old, with full no-trade rights and a guaranteed contract that runs through the 2020 season. “I read what Theo said,” Lester said. “He hit the nail on the head when it comes down to knowing me — and knowing my strength program — and how I go about my work. And what I try to do in between starts — and the offseason — to maintain a healthy body and a healthy arm. “To be honest, I don’t think I would have failed the physical. But I think that (eased) Theo’s mind, knowing where I came from, being with him for so long and what I’ve been through and the work that I put in every five days to be prepared to pitch.

“If you look back on (my) DL time (in) the big leagues, it’s been for two things — cancer and a lat strain — so there hasn’t been any elbow problems. I don’t think it was a huge issue for those guys.” Lester’s mental block throwing to first base is an issue, and he made another error on Sunday against the Kansas City team that forced the tempo during the 2014 American League wild-card game. But Lester still looked sharp enough against the defending World Series champs, allowing two runs (one earned) with four strikeouts and one walk in front of a record crowd (15,523) for spring training. “I think he’s throwing the ball as well as I’ve ever seen him,” said manager Joe Maddon, who guided the Tampa Bay Rays as Lester began to make his mark in the AL East. “His delivery is as good as I’ve seen. It’s clean. The arm stroke is beautiful. The cutter is there. “Regarding any kind of discomfort in his arm, I’m not aware of that. I’m not aware of that at all. Jonny’s kind of a tough guy. He’s a quiet guy. I think he’s in a good place. So until he talks to me about his arm being uncomfortable, I’m fine with what I’m seeing.” -- CSNChicago.com Cubs getting Hector Rondon ready for closing time By Patrick Mooney MESA, Ariz. — Hector Rondon earned the benefit of the doubt, the luxury of not having to go full throttle every time in spring training. The Cubs watched him evolve from that Rule 5 guy on a 96-loss team to the closer for a World Series favorite. So there wouldn’t be an overreaction to some bad Cactus League numbers, as much as Cubs fans and the Chicago media remember what happened with Carlos Marmol and Jose Veras and how those ex-closers lost control in Arizona and never seemed to get it back. Rondon needed only seven pitches to get through the seventh inning during Sunday’s 5-2 win over the Kansas Royals at Sloan Park, getting Drew Butera to pop out in foul territory and striking out Tony Cruz and Terrance Gore to lower his ERA to 17.36. Rondon watched the video from his rough outing against the Royals last week and determined he wasn’t tipping his pitches. But in his last three appearances, he had given up nine runs on 13 hits. “I’m not going to make an excuse for him,” Maddon said, beginning an explanation that sort of sounded like an excuse. “The biggest thing is the ninth inning in Surprise (or) Hohokam. This guy is used to an adrenaline rush. From where I’m standing, I think the stuff looks really good. Probably not commanding it exactly where he wants it. “As long as he tells me he’s healthy — and he is — and he feels good about himself, that’s all I’m concerned about. I really mean that.” This time in Mesa, Rondon got a record crowd for a spring-training game (15,523). He doesn’t draw attention to himself because he doesn’t have the eccentric personality expected from closers. But he dominated last year, especially after Maddon gave him a midseason breather and moved him out of closing time. “He did me a favor,” Rondon said. “Because in that moment, my arm didn’t feel good, my mind wasn’t right. But when he (did that), I took the moment to think about (my position on the team) and start working. “He didn’t put me in the ninth inning with pressure. Just come into the game and pitch. That helped me a lot.”

Rondon finished with 30 saves, eight holds, a 1.67 ERA and 15 walks against 69 strikeouts — the numbers that actually matter. “Seriously, I don’t really feel like (the man),” Rondon said. “(But) I can relax a little bit more, working on little things I need to work on. That is a really big difference. Right now, I feel good and I’m really happy with the situation I’m in.” -- CSNChicago.com Joe Maddon lets Cubs lay down the law in clubhouse By Patrick Mooney MESA, Ariz. — The Adam LaRoche retirement drama will either bring the White Sox clubhouse together or tear that franchise apart. Trying to end a bizarre story that’s drawn worldwide attention, White Sox chairman Jerry Reinsdorf gave a vote of confidence to his baseball leadership team on Sunday, releasing a statement that wrote off the LaRoche situation as a misunderstanding. Reinsdorf also issued a gag order to all White Sox employees, telling them to stop commenting on the LaRoche decision and extending a news cycle that has the rest of the industry talking. Right around the same time, Cubs manager Joe Maddon met with his “Lead Bulls,” a group of about 12 established players, to reinforce everything from the dress code (“if you think you look hot, you wear it”) to rules for kids in the clubhouse (out of the room three hours before game time). Maddon believes White Sox manager Robin Ventura – a calm presence and a universally respected player who’s now in the final year of his contract – will guide his team through this media storm. “Your focus wants to be on getting your team ready to play the season,” Maddon said at the Sloan Park complex. “And then you get the noise coming from different directions, it can be distracting, there’s no question about it. “We’re not focused on them. We have our own way of doing things here. I would never want to interfere with anybody else’s clubhouse or their organization. That’s up to them. “But I just know from (Robin’s) perspective, it’s got to be distracting. But I also believe he’ll do a great job with it, because that’s who he is.” The 15 minutes of fame is just about up for Drake, LaRoche’s 14-year-old son who constantly hung around the team and had his own locker before White Sox executive vice president Kenny Williams intervened (either unilaterally or on behalf of others inside the organization bothered by the workplace arrangement). At the age of 62, Maddon knows who he is and understands what is important to him. Modern players will begin to tune out a lot of that stuff, anyway, if you try to lay down the law. “Back in the day, when you’re a minor-league manager, you put all these rules up on the wall,” Maddon said. “And then you have the organization stuff (where the) hair is at a certain length and no facial hair. And if you can’t have an earring, take it out and then put it back in after the game. “I’m here to manage the team, not make rules. So I learned my lesson with that – to not get nuts about it. Furthermore, it’s just counter to what I am inherently as a person.” Maddon expects his veteran players to police the clubhouse and believes he will get more accountability by including his players in the process. But even “Respect 90” – a fancy way to say run hard to first base – is an all-inclusive policy on some level.

“I often kid about how we don’t have any rules around here,” Maddon said. “But you do. You have almost like a force field that’s not actually a fence. Guys know if you go past a certain point, you might get stung a little bit. But you don’t have to actually see the fence there. “Whether somebody from the outside looking in considers it lenient, wise, revolutionary, whatever, I just think it’s the right way to do things.” -- Chicago Tribune Jon Lester believes bone chip in left elbow not serious issue By Mark Gonzales Jon Lester knows he's pitching with a chip in his prized left elbow. It was discovered during an MRI recommended by his agents before his free-agent sweepstakes in November of 2014 and revealed in "The Arm," a book to be released next month in which author Jeff Passan devotes a chapter to the behind-the-scenes negotiations of Lester and the celebration after he signed with the Cubs the following month. "If it was a serious issue, the contract I signed wouldn't be what it was," said Lester who enters the second season of a six-year, $155 million contract. "If you stick anybody my age with the innings I've been able to throw in a tube, you're most likely going to find something that you can put a finger on and say, 'We really don't like that.' " Lester, 32, admitted he has pitched with inflammation at times in his career. But he pointed to his durability (31 starts or more during the last eight seasons) and President Theo Epstein's knowledge of his workout routine and medical history dating to their days with the Red Sox. "I've had time (on the disabled list) for two things — cancer and a lat strain," Lester said. "No elbow problems. I don't think it was a huge issue for those guys." Passan's account described the chip as "a little grenade floated near his ligament, and at some point it would warrant surgery." Cubs ace Jake Arrieta underwent season-ending surgery in August of 2011 with the Orioles to remove a bone spur the size of a peanut, according to the Baltimore Sun. Arrieta earned the Orioles' opening-day start the following season and earned 2015 National League Cy Young Award honors with the Cubs. White Sox slugger Paul Konerko coped with a bone chip in his left wrist for several seasons before requiring surgery after 2012. "There's stuff that every other pitcher in this game has to manage, and we all know there are partial tears and ligament weaknesses and bone chips and any other thing that's wrong with it," Lester said. "But it's all about what you can do effectively on the mound." Extra innings: In the wake of the Adam LaRoche controversy with the White Sox, Cubs manager Joe Maddon said kids would be allowed in the clubhouse up until three hours before the game, with exceptions for family emergencies. Maddon also frowned on rules from decades ago forbidding non-collared shirts. "If you think you look hot, wear it," Maddon said. "That's the dress code." ... John Lackey and Ryan Williams will pitch in a minor-league game at 3 p.m. Monday. --

Chicago Tribune Minor-league options, injuries, trades factor into Cubs' roster decisions By Mark Gonzales th a deep playoff run in their sights, the task of equipping a major-league roster for the long run appears more important for the Cubs than finalizing their 25-man roster for opening night. There are plenty of roster gymnastics to be performed regarding minor-league options, injuries and potential trades — for the start of the season, midseason and beyond. Here's a look: Minor-league options Reliever Neil Ramirez and outfielder Matt Szczur are out of options, and plenty of second-division teams are keeping a close watch on them in case they're placed on waivers. If the Cubs elect to carry eight relievers on their opening-night roster, Ramirez would seem to have a reasonable chance of earning a spot. But Ramirez has yet to regain the 96-mph velocity he possessed in 2014 before suffering a shoulder injury. One scout clocked his fastest pitch at 93 mph twice Saturday against the Indians, and most of his fastballs were clocked in the 91-92 mph range. Ramirez's slider has looked sharp at times this spring, and manager Joe Maddon said Ramirez was victimized by three choppers that resulted in hits and led to four runs Saturday against the Indians. There may not be a spot for the speedy Szczur because of the acquisition of Shane Victorino and Javier Baez's improved play in center field. Szczur is at peace with his status and hopes to make a late but strong impression in the final week. Injuries Victorino wasn't signed until Feb. 27, and then has missed most of the spring because of a sore calf. But Maddon likes Victorino's experience and versatility as a reserve. Left-handed hitter Tommy La Stella hasn't lost his stroke despite a sore calf, but he must show he can play the infield without limitations. Szczur hopes to play in his first exhibition game Tuesday against the Reds after being slowed by a pulled oblique muscle. "I can't dwell on the past," Szczur said. If the Cubs opt for an extra bench player over an eighth reliever, the final spot could come down to La Stella or Victorino, who was signed to a minor-league contract. Shane Victorino, who could be on the fringe of making the Cubs' roster, prepares to head out to the field during a preseason game at Sloan Park in Mesa, Ariz., on Saturday, March 5, 2016. (Chris Sweda / Chicago Tribune) Potential trades The Padres and Phillies are among the teams who have taken an extended look at the Cubs' younger players, with one of the Padres' top evaluators watching Cubs minor leaguers on Saturday. The only issue — albeit a big one — is that the Padres are insistent on a large return for players like pitcher Tyson Ross.

Theo Epstein has retained his top prospects while building a playoff contender in his four seasons as the Cubs' president of baseball operations. But prospects including Jeimer Candelario (who is blocked by Kris Bryant at third base) could be in play in the coming months as the Cubs look for young and controllable starting pitching. Maddon has tried to protect the bullpen this spring, but the Cubs could seek more help in the minors with Carl Edwards Jr. or via trade. -- Chicago Tribune Sunday's recap: Cubs 5, Royals 2 By Mark Gonzales Before a spring training-record crowd of 15,523, the Cubs scored five times in the fifth inning Sunday to beat the Royals 5-2. Jorge Soler cranked a two-run homer off left-hander David Huff to cap the rally. At the plate Dexter Fowler is getting closer to being ready for the start of the season. Fowler drew a walk in the first and then ripped a triple and scored on a sacrifice fly by Jason Heyward in the third. On the mound After manager Joe Maddon reiterated his support for Justin Grimm and Neil Ramirez after their unsuccessful outings Saturday night, relievers Pedro Strop and Hector Rondon retired all six batters they faced. In the field Addison Russell showed he can throw to first base in a hurry as evidenced by his strong throw to retire Omar Infante in the fifth. Key number 8 — times Fowler has reached base safely in his last 14 plate appearances. The quote "I have no concerns with (Javier Baez) on defense at any position." — Maddon Up next At Reds, 3:05 p.m. Tuesday. RH Jason Hammel vs. RH Alfredo Simon. -- Chicago Tribune Cubs' Joe Maddon staying out of White Sox business By Mark Gonzales Manager Joe Maddon’s meeting with his “Lead Bulls” was larger than expected but went smoothly Sunday regarding the Chicago Cubs’ policies.

The timing seemed a tad strange in the wake of the White Sox’s debacle involving the decision to ban the 14-year-old son of Adam LaRoche and LaRoche’s subsequent retirement. But Maddon’s meeting was planned well before the LaRoche debacle surfaced. Maddon also lent his support to White Sox manager Robin Ventura. “He’s such a good fellow,” Maddon said. “He’s doing a great job with it. We’re not focused on that. We have our own way of doing things here. I would never want to interfere with anyone’s clubhouse or organization. That’s up to them. That’s what I preach here.” The biggest topic for the Cubs, according to Maddon, wasn’t whether kids would be allowed in the clubhouse but whether shorts would be allowed on the road. “If you were to wear shorts on the road, I’d never recognize that,” Maddon said. “So you would get away with it. The $5,000 suit on the airplane ride makes no sense to me whatsoever unless you’re trying to impress whoever you’re trying to impress.” Maddon said kids would be allowed in the clubhouse up until three hours before the game, with exceptions for family emergencies. Maddon also frowned on rules from decades ago forbidding non-collared shirts. “If you think you look hot, wear it,” Maddon said. “That’s the dress code.” Maddon said 11 players participated in the meeting, and that last season’s set of policies were reviewed. “Everyone that was in that meeting I feel good about,” Maddon said. -- Chicago Tribune Cubs' Jon Lester can't shuffle away his fielding woes By Mark Gonzales After devoting much of his time Tuesday to working on ways to improve his fielding, Chicago Cubs left-hander Jon Lester immediately knew the cause of his throwing error that cost him a run Sunday against the Kansas City Royals. "I didn't move my feet," Lester said of his poor setup that led to him sailing a sidearm throw to first base that pulled Anthony Rizzo off the first base bag in the fifth inning. "I move my feet and everything is fine. I continue to work on it. I feel fine with it. It’s just a matter of mechanically doing the right things and remembering to do the right things mechanically." With runners at second and third with no out, Lester fielded a grounder by Alcides Escobar and made sure Tony Cruz stayed at third. But Lester didn't turn properly before making his errant throw. The Royals took a 2-1 lead on a double play by Mike Moustakas, but the Cubs scored four times in the bottom of the fifth inning to roll to a 5-2 win. "No matter how good you are at throwing the bases or anything like that, that’s not the proper way to do it. I didn’t move my feet, and it’s not a good throw. Lester said he continues to feel more comfortable about throwing to bases in practice as long as he moves his feet. But he's aware that the speed is quicker in games.

Speedy Paulo Orlando and Reymond Fuentes stole bases off Lester in the fourth. Lester said he will continue to employ a slide step and vary his times to home plate to disrupt the timing of base runners. He didn't employ a move he's become more comfortable with - stepping off the rubber with his back left foot and throwing to first base. "I don’t know if it’s secret if people keep talking about it," Lester quipped. -- Chicago Sun-Times Maddon says Lester’s bone chip news to him; pitcher ‘looks great’ By Gordon Wittenmyer MESA, Ariz. – Cubs manager Joe Maddon said Sunday he wasn’t aware of the bone chip in Jon Lester’s pitching elbow that has likely been there for much of the left-hander’s career. And he doesn’t care. Even though the nature of that condition suggests the chip may suddenly dislodge and create an injury that requires surgery? “And you never know when a young pitcher’s going to have Tommy John surgery,” Maddon said. “I don’t concern myself with stuff like that. Nothing I can do about it. You go play, and if there’s an issue with it, you attack the issue and you move on forward from there. Right now I think he looks great.” The existence of the bone chip was first reported in a soon-to-be-released book, The Arm, by Yahoo Sports baseball columnist Jeff Passan, who refers to it as a “little grenade float[ing] near his ligament.” Two days after Lester talked with the Sun-Times about the bone chip, Lester addressed it again with media after his spring training start Sunday. “Regardless of what an MRI shows or anything like that, you can throw a pitch and blow out,” he said. “It’s the risk of the game. “I think if it was a serious issue, the contract that I signed probably wouldn’t be what it was,” he added, referring to the six-year, $155 million deal the Cubs gave him, with full knowledge of the chip. Lester has not gone on the disabled list for anything related to his elbow and has made at least 31 starts in eight consecutive seasons (with more than 200 innings in seven of those). Team president Theo Epstein downplayed the potential issue Friday. In the book, he is quoted saying: “The chip doesn’t bother me at all. It’s not going to be debilitating. It can only [screw] you for part of the season with bad timing.” Which, obviously, would be the reason for concern in a season as anticipated and significant for the Cubs as this one is. “There’s stuff that every other pitcher in this game has to manage,” Lester said. “And we all know that there’s partial tears and ligament weaknesses and bone chips and any other thing you can imagine that’s probably wrong with us. But it’s all about what you can do effectively on that mound.” --

Chicago Sun-Times Don’t sell Cubs’ Baez short in center field — or anywhere else By Gordon Wittenmyer MESA, Ariz. – An especially strong game in center field by infielder-by-trade Javy Baez in Saturday’s late-night game still had manager Joe Maddon buzzing about it Sunday. “There were some tough plays out there in center field,” Maddon said. I thought some of those balls were going to be over the wall when they left the bat. But he went back well on the baseball. “I have no concern with him on defense at all, at any position,” added Maddon, who has started Baez at first base, second, shortstop and center field this spring. He’s just a good baseball player. “He’s a really good athlete. He’s got a calmness about his play. All that stuff’s there.” On Saturday night, on a dimly lit field in Goodyear, Ariz., against the Indians, Baez went a long way for an over-the-shoulder catch of a Michael Brantley drive at the warning track in the first inning, went even farther in the fourth to track down a Yan Gomes drive and in between threw out Will Venable from right-center at second trying to stretch a single. By Sunday, Baez came off the bench to play short against the Royals. “I think his at-bats have been a little bit more mature this camp, and defensively he’s been all over the place,” Maddon said of perhaps the most important player on his bench. “He’s made great plays in center, first base, up the middle. He’s actually had a pretty good camp.” -- Chicago Sun-Times More fielding woes for Cubs’ Lester in otherwise strong outing By Gordon Wittenmyer MESA, Ariz. – By yip or by chip, Jon Lester remains one of the most intriguing stories in Cubs camp this spring. Two days after he talked to the Sun-Times about recent revelations in a new book of a dormant bone chip in his elbow, the more immediate issue of his fielding struggles reared again in a Cactus League game against the Royals on Sunday. But manager Joe Maddon seems convinced that the way Lester has faced the public scrutiny with calm and frankness all spring bodes well, regardless of any measurable progress on the field. “I think that’s a really good indicator that he’s going to have a great year,” Maddon said. How well Lester actually has pitched this spring has something do to with that, too: “He’s throwing the ball as well as I’ve ever seen him,” Maddon said. As much as Lester isn’t hiding from the media on all matters of fielding and bone chips this spring, he certainly won’t be able to hide from National League base runners trying to exploit his weakness when they’re on the bases or batters trying to force him to field bunts. “It’s just a matter of mechanically doing the right things and remembering to do the right things mechanically,” he said. “I’ll just continue to work on it.” Lester retired the first six batters in his five-inning start Sunday and navigated around enough traffic to allow just two runs (one earned) and leave with the lead.

But in the Royals’ fifth, he allowed a bunt to roll past him to first baseman Anthony Rizzo, whose rushed throw sailed past first for an error that put runners at second and third. And on a tapper near the mound by the next batter, Lester tossed a soft throw high and wide of first for another error that loaded the bases with none out. “Obviously, not what I wanted to do,” said Lester, who blamed it on the fact he didn’t move his feet like he should have on the play. That made the run that scored on an ensuing double play grounder unearned. The Royals also got aggressive on the bases in the fourth. Paulo Orlando took second easily on a delayed steal (then consequently scored on a ground-rule double), and Reymond Fuentes baited a throw with a huge secondary lead off second and wound up on third when David Ross threw behind him. He struck out the next two batters to end the inning. Lester, who did not throw to a base to hold a runner, continues to put in extra daily work on the fielding and throwing. He said he thinks he’s found a step-off move to first that works for him. “That’s probably going to be the best one as far as those leads, and then mix in some slide steps,” he said, “and Rossy throws the ball really well, and [Miguel Montero] throws the ball really well. So if I give them a chance with the slide step and a decent lead, I think we’ve got a good formula.” Said Maddon: “I love the fact that he is attacking this head on. That’s the only way to get over it. If there is a road to recovery, I think we’re on it right now.” More than that, Maddon is impressed with a more comfortable-looking Lester a year after their first spring together. “Last year coming into this situation, trying to be the savior of the staff, whatever, and all the expectations attached to it – I think he probably felt that a little bit early on and eventually got through it,” the manager said. Maddon, staff, execs, teammates and media all have picked up on a more relaxed, settled-in version of Lester this spring. “Absolutely,” said Lester, whose $155 million contract made him the focus of attention and expectations last spring. “Being in the kind of situation I was in last year and all that, yeah, obviously it’s a little bit easier to come in [this year]. You spend six, seven, eight months with these guys, you obviously feel more comfortable around them. That’s definitely eased the tension for me personally.” -- Chicago Sun-Times Cubs game notes: Fowler gets on, Soler goes deep, pen steps up By Gordon Wittenmyer MESA, Ariz. — Starter Jon Lester pitched around enough traffic and a few of his own fielding issues to complete five productive innings to earn the win in the Cubs’ 5-2 Cactus League victory over the Kansas City Royals on Sunday. He’s down with OBP Cubs leadoff man Dexter Fowler reached base Sunday on, in order, a walk, a triple into the right field corner and a pitch that hit him. He later grounded a 3-2 to pitch to first in his final at-bat. That gave him a 14-plate-appearance stretch that included a single, two triples, four walks and an HBP (.571 on-base percentage).

What a relief Setup ace Pedro Strop, making just his second appearance of the spring (because of workload restrictions) pitched a quick 1-2-3 sixth, and closer Hector Rondon – who got battered in his two most recent outings – added a 1-2-3 seventh. Rondon seemed especially pleased, smiling large and high-fiving as many teammates as he could find upon reaching the dugout. Soler power Outfielder Jorge Soler’s two-run homer well out to left field in the fifth was his third homer of the spring. He has only four hits all spring, and the other is a double. Soler’s Cactus League resume this year also includes four walks and 10 strikeouts in 33 plate appearances. Kid energy Shortstop Addison Russell, the youngest player on the projected opening day roster, and two other 2015 rookies (Kris Bryant, Soler) were the only Cubs to return from Saturday’s late-night starting lineup to start Sunday. All reached base. Russell went singled in three at-bats (.276 this spring). Crowd sourcing The Cubs broke their own all-time spring training attendance record for the second time this spring (15,523). On deck The Cubs take their lone day off from the Cactus League schedule Monday, although John Lackey makes his scheduled start Monday on the minor-league side of camp. The Cubs resume play Tuesday at Reds, Goodyear, Ariz., 3:05 p.m., mlb.com audio, Jason Hammel vs. Alfredo Simon. --