June 16, 2015 Cubs.com Cubs to call up top hitting prospect Schwarber By Carrie Muskat CHICAGO -- Kyle Schwarber, the Cubs' top pick in the 2014 Draft, will be promoted to the big league team for six days to be the designated hitter in Interleague games at Cleveland and at Minnesota. The young catcher, who was the fourth player taken overall in the Draft, will report to the Cubs on Tuesday in Chicago. President of baseball operations Theo Epstein announced the move after Schwarber's game with Double-A Tennessee on Monday night. "Kyle has had a tremendous developmental year so far behind the plate, with the bat, and as a leader," Epstein said. "His next stop is to continue his development as a catcher at Triple-A. First, however, he is going to join the Major League team for six days to contribute as a designated hitter, as a bat off the bench, and as a third catcher." Schwarber commented on the call-up on his Twitter account: "Grateful for this opportunity that I'm going to get! Very excited to compete and learn! #Cubs" Epstein said this brief stint in the big leagues should benefit Schwarber, 22, the organization's No. 2 overall prospect according to MLB.com. "He will also use the time in the big leagues to experience first-hand all that goes into being a Major League catcher," Epstein said. "Regardless of how this week goes, Kyle will head to Triple-A after Sunday's game." The Cubs play two games against the Indians, starting Wednesday, and then have a three-game series against the Twins. One of Schwarber's teammates with Tennessee, Daniel Vogelbach, tweeted congratulations to Schwarber. Congrats to my bash brother @kschwarb12 on the call to the show. Gonna miss my boy but couldn't be more happy for a better dude. Go ball out — Daniel Vogelbach (@DanielVogelbach) June 16, 2015 Schwarber went 2-for-5 on Monday with three RBIs, and was batting .320 at Tennessee. He has hit 13 home runs, 10 doubles and one triple with 39 RBIs. In the Cubs' two games in Detroit, Miguel Montero and Mike Baxter were the designated hitters. --

Cubs.com Indians-Cubs opener rained out By Carrie Muskat CHICAGO -- The Cubs and Indians Interleague game Monday night was postponed because of inclement weather, and a makeup game will be played on Aug. 24, which was an off-day for both teams. The time for the makeup game has yet to be determined. Fans are encouraged to retain their tickets from Monday's postponed game to use for the rescheduled contest. The two teams will play Tuesday night at Wrigley Field in the second of what was scheduled to be a four-game home-and-home series. On Tuesday, Chicago's Jake Arrieta (6-4, 3.16 ERA) will start against the Indians' Trevor Bauer (5-3, 3.53 ERA). Tornado sirens sounded near Wrigley Field around 5 p.m. CT and there was heavy rain. It's the fourth game postponed by rain this season for the Cubs, who already have had games rescheduled against the Cardinals, Reds and Royals. -- Cubs.com Castro's heroics put May struggles in rearview By Carrie Muskat CHICAGO -- What's the inspiration for Starlin Castro when he steps to the plate with the game on the line? He and his teammates just want to go home. Castro has delivered back-to-back walk-off hits, and is the first Cubs player to do so since Hall of Famer Ron Santo in 1966. Castro hit a game-winning RBI single on Saturday and delivered again on Sunday to help the Cubs beat the Reds. "We want to go home -- we want to go home and win," Castro said. "We don't want to play 16 innings, 20 innings. We just try to concentrate. ... Just be ready, look middle-away and do damage." The clutch hits help after Castro had one of the worst months of his career. He batted .221 in May and committed eight of his 13 total errors that month. So far, the three-time All-Star is batting .280 in June. "He's hit in the past and at a very high level, and that tells me he's going to do it again," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said before Monday's game against the Indians was postponed because of rain. "I think he's been trying a little too hard sometimes," Maddon said. "The last two nights in big moments, [he's hit a] line drive up the middle, line drive up the gap." Maddon has talked to Castro about imagining left-center field as his left-field foul line so he doesn't pull the ball as much. Castro said part of his struggles were because he was looking too much for offspeed pitches, which made him late against fastballs. "I just try not to lose my focus and keep my concentration in the game and try to help my team win," Castro said. "We never quit and try to keep the game close." Defensively, there have been improvements, too. He was part of a perfectly executed relay throw Sunday night to get Brandon Phillips at the plate. Castro has made two errors in 12 games in June.

"The problem when I make errors is because I stay back on the ball," Castro said. "I try to attack every ball and try to catch it." Maddon said the biggest problem has been the routine play, but he likes the extra work Castro is doing. "I know when he makes a mistake it seems to be amplified," Maddon said, "but for the most part, he does a good job." -- Cubs.com Ramirez set to begin rehab assignment By Carrie Muskat CHICAGO -- Manager Joe Maddon got good news as reliever Neil Ramirez, who has been on the disabled list since April 16 with right shoulder inflammation, is scheduled to begin a rehab assignment Tuesday with Double-A Tennessee. "He could be a huge part of what we're doing," Maddon said. "Getting him back could really solidify the whole group." Maddon says he'll continue to use relievers based on matchups. "Unless you have the Royals' flush that they've had the last couple years, that's unusual," he said of Kansas City's potent bullpen combination. "For the most part, it's always made sense to me to do it like we're doing now, unless you had this spectacular group that's able to do it often and do it against anybody." • Jorge Soler, on the DL since June 3 with a left ankle sprain, played catch on Monday before rain forced the Cubs game against the Indians to be postponed. The outfielder was still wearing a giant-sized boot on his left ankle. Soler has yet to resume hitting. • Maddon reached out to Bud Black on Monday after he was dismissed as the Padres manager. "He's a really good friend," Maddon said of Black. "I feel really badly about it. We'll get in touch. He and I giggle when we talk. I wrote to him and told him I want to talk to him when he feels comfortable. He's a great guy and does a great job." • The manager has the final say as to whether a team challenges a call, but Maddon wanted to give credit to the staff that reviews the plays first. So far this season, the Cubs have challenged 22 calls and have had them overturned half the time. On Sunday, Maddon was 2-for-2 in challenges. That might prompt some to buy a lottery ticket. "Whatever they tell me to do, that's what I should do," Maddon quipped. -- ESPNChicago.com Kyle Schwarber promoted to bat as DH in AL parks, observe catchers By Jesse Rogers CHICAGO -- Cubs 2014 No. 1 draft pick Kyle Schwarber will join the Cubs from Double-A Tennessee for the next six games, which include five contests in American League parks in which he can be the designated hitter. "Kyle has had a tremendous developmental year so far behind the plate, with the bat and as a leader," president of baseball operations Theo Epstein said Monday evening. "His next stop is to continue his development as a catcher at Triple-A. First, however, he is going to join the major league team for six days to contribute as a designated

hitter, as a bat off the bench and as a third catcher. He will also use the time in the big leagues to experience firsthand all that goes into being a major league catcher. Regardless of how this week goes, Kyle will head to Triple-A after Sunday's game." Schwarber, who was 15th in ESPN MLB Insider Keith Law's most recent prospect rankings, joins fellow first-round picks Kris Bryant and Addison Russell on the team. Both made their major league debuts earlier this season. Schwarber, 22, is hitting .318 with a .439 on-base percentage to go along with 13 home runs and 39 RBIs. He was the No.4 overall pick in last June's amateur draft after a three-year career at Indiana University. In 129 minor league games, Schwarber has a .333 batting average with 31 home runs. -- CSNChicago.com Cubs promoting Kyle Schwarber to The Show By Patrick Mooney The Cubs are making another bold, aggressive move, promoting top prospect Kyle Schwarber from Double-A Tennessee for what amounts to a crash course in The Show. Schwarber will join the team on Tuesday at Wrigley Field, though the 22-year-old catcher won’t start against the Cleveland Indians. The Cubs will then need a designated hitter for five road games against the Indians and Minnesota Twins, and Schwarber is a huge left-handed bat with 31 homers and a 1.043 OPS through 129 career games at four different minor-league affiliates. The plan is for Schwarber to join Triple-A Iowa after this weekend’s interleague series in Minnesota, but the experience should set him up to at least be a September call-up, if not a contributor during a pennant race. It’s been a meteoric rise for Schwarber, last year’s No. 4 overall pick out of Indiana University. He had been hitting .318 with 13 homers and 39 RBI through 57 games at Tennessee. “Kyle has had a tremendous developmental year so far behind the plate, with the bat and as a leader,” team president Theo Epstein wrote in a prepared text message. “His next step is to continue his development as a catcher at Triple-A. “First, however, he is going to join the major-league team for six days to contribute as a designated hitter, as a bat off the bench and as a third catcher. “He will also use the time in the big leagues to experience first-hand all that goes into being a major-league catcher. Regardless of how this week goes, Kyle will head to Triple-A after Sunday’s game.” Manager Joe Maddon wanted Schwarber in the conversation when the Cubs discussed their options for last week’s interleague series against the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park, calling it “a perfect window of opportunity.” The Cubs didn’t promote Schwarber at that point, and there are legitimate questions about whether he will stick at catcher or eventually move to left field. But it can’t hurt being exposed to veteran catchers Miguel Montero and David Ross, the team’s scouting/video infrastructure and the speed of the game at this level. And Schwarber has kept that door open, showing enough improvement during offseason workouts and big-league camp. “With all the work he’s done,” farm director Jaron Madison recently told The Des Moines Register, “we’re more certain than ever that he’s going to stay behind the plate long-term. We’re committed to that right now.”

In an entertaining season that has already seen the big-league debuts of mega-prospects Kris Bryant and Addison Russell, this news broke with a tweet from Daniel Vogelbach, the Tennessee first baseman and a Southern League All-Star: “Congrats to my bash brother @kschwarb12 on the call to the show. Gonna miss my boy but couldn't be more happy for a better dude. Go ball out” -- CSNChicago.com Cubs riding the ups and downs with Starlin Castro By Patrick Mooney At age 25, Starlin Castro’s already a three-time All-Star, but the Cubs don’t really know what they’re going to get out of their shortstop from one night to the next. That’s not a comforting thought for a team that’s seven games over .500 on June 15 and on pace for 90 wins. But Joe Maddon – the fifth manager Castro has played for during his six seasons in the big leagues – continues to stress the positives and defend someone the Cubs hoped would develop into a franchise player. “I know when he makes a mistake, it seems to be amplified,” Maddon said before bad weather postponed Monday night’s game against the Cleveland Indians at Wrigley Field. “But for the most part, I think he’s done a pretty good job.” May could have been Castro’s worst overall month since getting promoted from Double-A Tennessee five years ago. He hit .221 with a .539 OPS and committed eight errors in 28 games. That followed a superb April where Castro looked more engaged at shortstop and energized by the possibility of playing for a contender, hitting .325 with a .758 OPS. Maybe those walk-off hits against the Cincinnati Reds on back-to-back nights at Wrigley Field over the weekend mean things are beginning to click again. “I’ve started feeling pretty good,” Castro said. “You just (have to be) ready to hit the fastball. I can hit the slider for a strike, or a curveball for a strike. Any breaking ball for a strike I could hit. The little problem that I had was looking for too many offspeed (pitches). And when they threw me the fastball, I’d be late. Now, I’m back looking for my fastball and getting ready for whatever pitch they throw me.” After years of being the lightning rod and getting singled out for criticism, the Cubs are putting a positive spin on Castro. Probably because he is already such an accomplished player (912 career hits) with a good attitude in the clubhouse and a reasonable contract that could keep him under club control through 2020. And the marketing campaign also wouldn’t hurt in case Theo Epstein’s front office has any ideas about shaking up their middle infield at some point in the future. “I think he’s getting better,” Maddon said of Castro. “He just works so hard. His work’s been great. He’s hit in the past. He’s hit at a very high level in the past, which tells me he’s going to do it again. “We’ve talked about (how) I think he’s trying a little bit too hard sometimes. That’s where I think that rollover groundball comes from – trying to do too much. The last two nights, in big moments, line drive up the middle, line drive in the gap. And I’ve always said to him: I’d like to see left-center be his left-field foul line. Meaning to not try to pull the ball so much. “Overall, defensively, again, his biggest problem’s been a routine play. He’s made a lot of great plays, and he’s messed up on a couple routine things.”

Also remember Castro would never have gotten to this point if he didn’t have uber-confidence, mental toughness and enough control of his emotions to be the same guy every day. “That’s part of the game,” Castro said. “We get some hot (streaks), we get some cold, but the most important thing is we try to be on one level.” -- CSNChicago.com Cubs can see Neil Ramirez being a big addition to bullpen By Patrick Mooney For all the trade rumors that will trend on Twitter between now and the July 31 deadline, the Cubs could already be on the verge of a big addition. That’s if Neil Ramirez can stay healthy and regain the form that made him an elite setup guy as a rookie last season. But the hard-throwing right-hander – who’s been sidelined with shoulder inflammation since April 15 – will be taking another step in the right direction when he begins his rehab assignment on Wednesday with Double-A Tennessee. “That’s always good to get him out and about,” manager Joe Maddon said before severe thunderstorms washed out Monday night’s game against the Cleveland Indians at Wrigley Field. “He could be a huge part of what we’re doing. He is a huge part of what we’re doing here.” Ramirez made his big-league debut last season and finished with a 1.44 ERA, 17 holds and 53 strikeouts in 43.2 innings. He faced 177 batters and allowed only two home runs, with opponents hitting .184 against him. “I was really excited about all of that,” Maddon said. “You looked at the group of relief pitchers in spring training, it was pretty impressive, and then we were knocked back a little bit. But getting him back could really solidify that whole group.” The Cubs don’t have a set closer anymore, but the bullpen has actually stabilized across the last three-plus weeks, putting up a 1.54 ERA since May 23, which ranks second in the majors during that time. The Cubs recently signed former All-Star closer Rafael Soriano to a minor-league deal. Hector Rondon, Pedro Strop and Jason Motte have each picked up a save this month. Ramirez should become another weapon out of the bullpen. The Kansas City Royals became the team-building bullpen narrative during their World Series run last season, but Maddon doesn’t mind having undefined roles in the late innings. “Unless you really, really have the Royal flush,” Maddon said. “They had a lockdown six, seven, eight, nine. That’s unusual. To do that, you have to have some really resilient arms that are kind of neutral, where they get out both righties and lefties. They don’t know right-handed from left-handed. It’s not easy to find that group of arms. “For the most part, it’s always made sense to me to do it kind of like we’re doing it right now – unless you have this spectacular group that’s able to do it often and do it against anybody. “I like what we’re doing right now. If you can match our guys up in better moments for them personally – to their skillset – they’re going to show better.” --

CSNChicago.com Cubs sign Ian Happ hoping he's the next big hitter on deck By Patrick Mooney The Cubs have Ian Happ on deck, hoping he will be another college hitter who moves rapidly through their farm system. The Cubs reached an agreement with Happ, two sources confirmed Monday, giving the University of Cincinnati outfielder/second baseman a $3 million bonus and creating some financial flexibility to help sign other players from this year’s draft class. The below-slot deal – Major League Baseball assigned a value of $3.351 million to the No. 9 overall pick – will be formally announced once Happ passes a physical. After a stop at the team’s Arizona complex, Happ will likely head to Eugene, the Class-A affiliate in Oregon that begins its short-season Northwest League schedule this week. Happ certainly fits a Cubs Way profile, getting on base around 46 percent of the time during his three seasons as a Bearcat and finishing his college career with more walks (128) than strikeouts (116). Happ is a switch-hitter who climbed the draft board during a standout junior year, batting .369 with 18 doubles, 14 homers, 44 RBI and a 1.164 OPS. The Cubs didn’t draft Happ for his glove and will figure out the defensive fit later, knowing manager Joe Maddon values versatility. “I don’t think I have one position as my best right now,” Happ said last week on draft night. “I’m comfortable in the outfield. I’m comfortable at second base. I’m excited to play whatever position the Cubs want me to play. I can’t wait to see where they want me.” The Cubs have now used first-round picks on college hitters in each of the last three drafts, trying to build a relentless lineup that could play in the American League. Kris Bryant – the No. 2 overall pick in 2013 – is already in the National League Rookie of the Year conversation. Kyle Schwarber – the No. 4 overall pick last year – is on his way to Wrigley Field. So there will be big expectations for Happ, who’s listed at 6-foot-0 and 205 pounds and could wind up being a super-utility guy. “I don’t see him being Kris Bryant or Kyle Schwarber in terms of the home-run power,” said Jason McLeod, the Cubs executive who oversees scouting and player development. “But at the same time, this is a guy who’s pretty physical. “We definitely feel that there is strength there, and that he is a guy that’s going to be able to run into 15 home runs-plus, hitting for a high average. As you know, we’re really big on guys that control the strike zone and show that plate discipline. We trust our process and our evaluation on hitters, especially with college hitters. “(After) all the workup that we did on him, we really feel that he was one of the top – if not the best – college hitter in this year’s draft. We feel really confident with that, and especially confident with who he is as a person. We feel he’s going to fit right in, along the lines of Kris Bryant and Kyle and some of the other guys that we’ve taken.” --

Chicago Tribune Cubs calling up catcher Kyle Schwarber for upcoming interleague games By Mark Gonzales In a strong sign the Cubs are serious about winning at any cost, top hitting prospect Kyle Schwarber will be promoted Tuesday from Double-A Tennessee for six games. Schwarber, 22, the Cubs' first pick in the 2014 draft (fourth overall), will handle designated-hitter duties as well as pinch hit and serve as a third catcher, President Theo Epstein said. The Cubs (34-27) are a season-high seven games above .500 and play five consecutive interleague games at Cleveland and Minnesota starting Wednesday. Schwarber is batting .320 with 13 home runs and 39 RBIs for Tennessee. "Regardless of how this week goes, Kyle will head to Triple-A (Iowa) after Sunday's game," Epstein said. The Cubs have been extremely pleased with Schwarber's development as a catcher, hitter and leader. They also want him to experience all that goes into becoming a major-league catcher over the next six days. Schwarber hit a grand slam in his first at-bat in spring training, and he spent one month in the major-league camp. The big-league promotion, albeit brief, will help Schwarber get acclimated to the majors in the likely event he's called up later this season to help the Cubs' playoff efforts. -- Chicago Tribune As back-to-back game-winning hits show, Starlin Castro making strides By Mark Gonzales Be ready. Take charge Those are simple phrases, but shortstop Starlin Castro is applying them in his quest to cure some of his problems and help the Cubs push toward a playoff berth. At the plate, Castro said he has less vulnerable on fastballs after waiting for an assortment of breaking and off-speed pitches. It has paid off in each of the last two games, as Castro has delivered walk-off hits in consecutive games against the Reds. "I can hit the slider or curve or any breaking ball for a strike, but a little problem I had was looking at too many off-speed pitches," Castro said before Monday night's game against the Indians was postponed because of rain and rescheduled for Aug. 24. "And when they threw me the fastball, I would be late. Now I'm back on the fastball and ready for whatever pitch they throw.'' Castro kept a mental notebook on Reds reliever Burke Badenhop — who struck him out Thursday — that he said helped him hit the game-winning single Sunday night. "I knew what he was going to throw me," Castro said. "Just be ready, look middle away and try to do damage.'' The streaky Castro is 5-for-14 and has raised his batting average five points to .269. Since committing 10 errors during a 34-game span, Castro has worked with coach Gary Jones on moving forward before each pitch, and he hasn't been charged with a miscue in his last six games. "The problem when I make errors is because I stay in back of the ball," Castro said. "You let the ball travel, something bad can happen. I try to attack every ball and catch it."

Manager Joe Maddon, one of Castro's staunchest defenders, believes his shortstop is improving. "He has hit at a very high level in the past, which tells me he's going to do it again," Maddon said. "We talked about (him) trying too hard sometimes, and that's where that rollover grounder comes from. "I know when he makes a (defensive) mistake, it tends to be amplified. But for the most part, he has done a pretty good job." Ramirez's return: Neil Ramirez, who has been on the 15-day disabled list for two months because of right shoulder inflammation, will start a minor-league rehabilitation assignment Wednesday with Double-A Tennessee. "As soon as he comes here, we'll get better," reliever Hector Rondon said. Ramirez had a 1.44 ERA in 50 appearances for the Cubs in 2014. "Getting him back can really solidify that group," Maddon said. But the Cubs' nine-man bullpen could be reduced as soon as Tuesday because Monday's rainout gave the relievers a much-welcomed breather. "You only keep (nine) as long as you need it," said Maddon, who currently has only three bench players. All in the family: Glenbrook South High School pitcher Fitz Stadler said he expects a contract offer from the Cubs this week before deciding whether to sign or fulfill his commitment to Arizona State. "Nothing is for sure," said Stadler, a 32nd round pick who worked out at Wrigley Field two weeks ago. Stadler's brothers, Walker and Sullivan, pitched to Kyle Schwarber, the Cubs' first pick in the 2014 draft, when the three were teammates at Indiana. The brothers all were recruited by coach Tracy Smith, who just completed his first season at Arizona State. Meanwhile, first-round pick (ninth overall) Ian Happ ($3 million) and fifth-rounder Ryan Kellogg ($376,000) agreed to terms. -- Chicago Tribune Storms scratch Cubs game -- and 7-year-old's first trip to Wrigley By Tony Briscoe Monday night was supposed to be 7-year-old Angelo Delhierro's first Cubs game. The soon-to-be second-grader from El Paso, Texas, had been planning to see the game at Wrigley Field with his dad, Gabriel Delhierra, who attends pharmacy school at Roosevelt University's Schaumburg campus. Angelo and his father rode their bikes to the ballpark from the father's Old Town home Monday afternoon. But the game was postponed because of severe storms, and workers closed the gates where the two had been standing under an awning waiting for the rain to clear. "This kind of stinks because he was so adamant on coming," said Delhierra, who got his son a Cubbie blue poncho. "We came here to watch the baseball game and the hockey game because they advertised they were gonna put it on the big screen. So I was really hyping him up." Like many of the baseball fans who had tickets to the Cubs-Indians game, the two looked for somewhere in Wrigleyville to watch the Blackhawks game.

The Cubs said the baseball game will be made up Aug. 24. The Cubs now have four makeup games: July 7 vs. St. Louis (as part of a split-doubleheader), July 22 at Cincinnati (DH), Aug. 24 vs. Cleveland and Sept. 28 vs. Kansas City. -- Chicago Tribune Maddon praises replay department By Mark Gonzales Manager Joe Maddon admits that some of his requests for a video challenge have only a 50 percent chance of getting overturned in his favor. But he made no secret about his appreciation for the Chicago Cubs' video department that has played an instrumental role in getting calls overturned in their favor. "I have nothing to do with it," said Maddon, who has won half of his 22 challenges. "Sitting downstairs, reviewing video - those are the guys making the call. I’m not saying this to denigrate them if they’re wrong. A lot of times they’ll say it’s 50-50, and a lot of times I’ll challenge it because of the inning, the moments of the game, take a shot. But our guys downstairs are doing a good job." The Cubs won a challenge Sunday night in the sixth inning of a 2-1 win over Cincinnati when replays showed that Chris Coghlan's drive down the right field line actually was fair after being ruled foul. With the luck that the Cubs have experienced in the instant replay department, it was suggested to Maddon that he purchase a lottery ticket. "No, I think whatever they tell me to do, that’s what I should do," Maddon smiled. -- Chicago Sun-Times Kyle Schwarber gets call for 6-game promotion to Cubs during DH stretch By Gordon Wittenmyer After weeks of discussing it, the Cubs made the decision after Monday’s rainout to call up touted hitting prospect Kyle Schwarber to make his major league debut this week against American League opponents. The left-handed slugger travels from Jacksonville, Fla., where his Class AA Tennessee Smokies played Monday night, to join the team Tuesday for a six-day stretch, during which the Cubs play five games in American League parks, with the designated hitter. Schwarber, the No. 4 overall pick in last year’s draft, already was ticketed for a promotion to Class AAA Iowa this week. And that’s where he’ll report after Sunday’s game in Minnesota, regardless of big-league performance this week, team president Theo Epstein said through a statement Monday night. His promotion will put the Cubs’ top four hitting prospects all on the big-league roster at the same time, joining Kris Bryant, Addison Russell and Jorge Soler (on the 15-day DL). Schwarber is Baseball America’s No. 19-ranked prospect overall, No. 4 in the Cubs’ system. “Kyle has had a tremendous developmental year so far behind the plate, with the bat, and as a leader,” Epstein said. He’ll be used as a designated hitter, bat off the bench and as a third catcher, Epstein said.

Schwarber, who went 2-for-5 Monday night, is hitting .320 at Tennessee with 13 home runs and a 1.017 OPS. He’s 6-for-18 in his last five games with a home run and a three-walk game. The roster opportunity opened for Schwarber when Monday’s game against the Cleveland Indians was postponed by severe weather, giving a much-needed rest to a heavily worked bullpen – allowing the Cubs to reduce a bloated, nine-man bullpen back to the eight-man strength they’ve used most of the season. The Cubs added a ninth reliever before Sunday’s game. Neither Matt Szczur nor Junior Lake – the last two position players sent back to the minors – was eligible for promotion Tuesday, anyway. Neither had spent the requisite 10 days in the minors to allow a recall for reasons not involving a DL move. The move requires adding Schwarber to the 40-man roster, a possible sign the Cubs consider him a candidate to be in play for a major-league job next year. For weeks the potential Schwarber move had been a topic of speculation and public conversation with manager Joe Maddon — who said repeatedly he considered Schwarber an option for an additional bat during a 13-game stretch, starting last Tuesday, that included seven DH games. Maddon said he discussed options with Epstein just ahead of the first game in that stretch but that Schwarber was not considered then. “It would require a lot of manipulation in order to have that done right now,” Maddon said then. Sources say top Cubs officials talked about adding Schwarber to the 40-man roster at that time but rejected the idea in part because he’s still far enough away defensively as a catcher that his only feasible big-league position for even an inning would be DH. But Cubs catching coordinator Tim Cossins said on Monday that Schwarber has made impressive progress even since the off-season and spring training with his catching and doesn’t necessarily believe his defensive skills are further from being ready for the majors than his hitting. Could the former Indiana University star be competitive for a big-league job as early as next spring? “I wouldn’t rule anything out with anybody like him,” Cossins said, “because of his gifts and his makeup.” -- Chicago Sun-Times Method behind Maddon? Cub pen rolls with no roles By Gordon Wittenmyer Things have been going so well for the Cubs lately, they even got a series of violent storms through the area Monday that they might as well have requested. It gave them a rainout just about the time the bullpen could use it most, and it won’t even get hit with a doubleheader Tuesday, since Monday’s game was rescheduled for what had been a mutual off day Aug. 24. Manager Joe Maddon suggested even before the game was called that a day off might return his well-used pen to “solvency.” But even before the helping hand from the heavens, a funny thing was happening to a relief corps that had been a shaky, work in progress since April: A bullpen with no designated closer and no identifiable eighth-inning ace, which added a ninth arm Sunday, has a 1.54 ERA over its last 20 games – second-lowest in the majors during that span.

It’s .183 batting-average-against in that span is best in the majors. Why? Nobody knows – as in nobody out there knows when he’s going to get the call to warm up anymore. Since Hector Rondon had his closer title pulled more than a week ago, the Cubs have gone with committee approaches to almost every role in the pen. “I think it helps a lot,” Maddon said. “I think for the most part it’s always made sense to do it like we’re doing it right now – unless you have this spectacular group that’s just able to do it often and do it against anybody.” The Cubs looked briefly like they might have the start of something like that, when Rondon and Pedro Strop came off of strong finishes in 2014 to take the back-end roles out of spring training, and Justin Grimm and Neil Ramirez made it four power guys in the late-inning mix. Early injuries and poor performances derailed the best-laid plans quickly. Grimm has since returned strong from an early-season forearm injury. And Ramirez (shoulder) is scheduled Wednesday to start an injury-rehab assignment at AA Tennessee, nearly two months after going on the DL. “He could be a huge part of what we’re doing,” Maddon said. “Getting him back could really solidify that whole group.” Meanwhile, the mix-and-match, any-inning approach has helped overcome short and poor starts in recent weeks by Tsuyoshi Wada, Jon Lester and Kyle Hendricks, helped cover extra-inning affairs two of the last three games and helped the Cubs reel off a 6-2 mini-run that has them a season-high seven games over .500. “They probably don’t like it in the beginning, but at least they understand and they know,” Maddon said of guys having to adjust their game routines when they don’t know their daily roles. “I don’t want to said I don’t care that they [understand], but I don’t expect them do. It’s just a matter of us trying to win games, ad this is how we’re set up right now.” “You have to be ready at all times,” said Jason Motte, who’s back up to 97-mph nastiness after recovering last year from Tommy John surgery (and produced 12 straight scoreless outings). “That’s the way it is, regardless. I don’t know if guys are cool with it, or not cool with it, but we’re down there ready to go whenever the phone rings.” NOTES: The Cubs reached agreement over the weekend on a $3 million bonus for first-round draft pick Ian Happ, the University of Cincinnati switch hitter taken ninth overall. Like top-pick Kyle Schwarber a year ago, the Cubs signed Happ for an “under-slot” price, allowing them to be more competitive signing players with signability issues drafted lower than sheer talent projections might suggested. Happ’s bonus is $351,000 less than the restricted allotment MLB assigned to the No. 9 slot. … –The Cubs won’t use Monday’s rainout to skip the struggling Wada (who had been scheduled Tuesday), opting instead to keep the rotation in line, pushing everybody back one day. Jake Arrieta (6-4, 3.16) now starts Tuesday. -- Chicago Sun-Times Cubs-Indians game postponed to Aug. 24 By Gordon Wittenmyer Fresh off a four-game series victory over the Cincinnati Reds, the Cubs got an unexpected day of rest Monday when rain and tornado warnings postponed the opener of a two-game series against the Cleveland Indians at Wrigley Field.

The game has been rescheduled for what had been a mutual off day, Aug. 24. No start time has been announced for the makeup date. Monday’s scheduled starter, Jake Arrieta (6-4, 3.16), starts Tuesday. And the Cubs say struggling starter Tsuyoshi Wada, who follows Arrieta in the rotation, won’t be skipped. He’s now scheduled to pitch Wednesday as the Cubs and Indians move to Cleveland for two more games – with Wada potentially pitching for a last chance to keep his starting job. It was the Cubs’ fourth postponement of the season, third at home. The new schedule for this game, along with the Sept. 28 makeup of a rained-out game against the Royals eats up two of the Cubs’ final five off days of the season. --