March 24, 2017

Chicago Tribune, Cubs noticeably quiet after last season's spring training antics http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-cubs-spring-training-antics-20170324-story.html

Chicago Tribune, Jason Heyward hopes final days of spring training allow him to get timing of swing down http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-jason-heyward-batting-stance-timing-spt-0324-20170323-story.html

Chicago Tribune, Kyle Hendricks pitching in fifth spot a sign of Cubs' rotation depth http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-kyle-hendricks-rotation-cubs-bits-spt-0324-20170323-story.html

Chicago Tribune, Thursday's recap: Cubs 5, Diamondbacks 5 http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-cubs-spring-recap-spt-0324-20170323-story.html

Chicago Tribune, Cubs' Jake Arrieta relishes reunion with Olympics teammate Brett Anderson http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-cubs-jake-arrieta-brett-anderson-20170323-story.html

Chicago Tribune, Joe Maddon: Theo Epstein had better 2016 than Pope Francis http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-cubs-joe-maddon-theo-epstein-pope-20170323-story.html

Chicago Tribune, Theo Epstein not interested in leading the world http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/columnists/ct-theo-epstein--leading-world-20170323-column.html

Chicago Tribune, Tom Ricketts hints at design of 'most valuable' World Series ring http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/chicagoinc/ct-tom-ricketts-rings-inc-20170323-story.html

Chicago Sun-Times, Theo the world’s greatest leader? Is the pope Catholic – and 3rd? http://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/theo-the-worlds-greatest-leader-is-the-pope-catholic-and-3rd/

Chicago Sun-Times, Jake Arrieta hits long home run, Cubs settle for tie vs. DBacks http://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/jake-arrieta-hits-long-home-run-cubs-settle-for-tie-vs-dbacks/

Chicago Sun-Times, Cubs unveil what Jake Arrieta says might be MLB’s best rotation http://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/cubs-3-4-5-starters-john-lackey-brett-anderson-kyle-hendricks/

Chicago Sun-Times, MVP Kris Bryant hopes to play in an upcoming WBC http://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/mvp-kris-bryant-hopes-to-play-in-an-upcoming-wbc/

Cubs.com, See Jake rake: Arrieta crushes 465-foot HR http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/220599250/cubs-jake-arrieta-hits-465-foot-home-run/

Cubs.com, Anderson wins spot in Cubs' rotation http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/220587988/brett-anderson-wins-spot-in-cubs-rotation/

Cubs.com, Arrieta, La Stella highlight offense vs. D-backs http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/220502508/arrieta-la-stella-hit-homers-vs-d-backs/

Cubs.com, Candelario among six sent down by Cubs http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/220606888/cubs-candelario-sent-down-along-with-five/

Cubs.com, Bryant gets a chance to rest before season http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/220593178/cubs-bryant-gets-extra-rest-before-season/

ESPNChicago.com, 'Lack of ego' allows Cubs to get creative with rotation http://www.espn.com/blog/chicago/cubs/post/_/id/43466/kyle-hendricks-cubs-fifth-starter-in-name-only-brett-anderson-makes-rotation

CSNChicago.com, Jake Arrieta Expects Cubs To Have The Best Rotation In Baseball http://www.csnchicago.com/chicago-cubs/jake-arrieta-expects-cubs-have-best-rotation-baseball

CSNChicago.com, Cubs President Theo Epstein, World's Greatest Leader? 'The Pope Didn't Have As Good Of A Year' http://www.csnchicago.com/chicago-cubs/cubs-president-theo-epstein-worlds-greatest-leader-pope-didnt-have-good-year

CSNChicago.com, How Cubs Decided Kyle Hendricks Would Be Their Fifth Starter http://www.csnchicago.com/chicago-cubs/how-cubs-decided-kyle-hendricks-would-be-their-fifth-starter

-- Chicago Tribune Cubs noticeably quiet after last season's spring training antics By Mark Gonzales Aside from conditioning coordinator Tim Buss wearing a leprechaun costume on St. Patrick's Day, the Cubs haven't conducted their pregame workouts recently with the same amount of hi-jinks as last spring training. "It has been tame," observed pitcher Jake Arrieta, who witnessed an array of stunts last spring, from manager Joe Maddon driving his 1970s van onto the field while wearing a tie-dye T-shirt and headband to cubs playing with the players. "I don’t know if Joe is saving something for the season. I know he’s not short on ideas." Nevertheless, Arrieta insisted the vibe is strong as the Cubs prepare for what they hope is a repeat World Series title. "We’re a having a blast," Arrieta said. "You guys see how we stretch. We set the tone for the day pretty early, and it’s light-hearted. Everyone is giving each other (flack), cutting it up. And it breeds competition, and the camaraderie we have is a pretty special one. "Everyone says they got it, but you guys can tell better than most we like each other. And that goes a long way." -- Chicago Tribune Jason Heyward hopes final days of spring training allow him to get timing of swing down By Mark Gonzales The Cubs have reassigned most of the spring training fodder to the minor leagues, leaving Jason Heyward with more of a sampling of what he and his revamped batting stance can expect with the season approaching.

And in Heyward's mind, the timing couldn't be better to tune up for the season with starting pitchers working deeper into games. "It's good to see a guy maybe three times in a game," Heyward said. "It's more normal. You're going to face a lefty but only after two at-bats." The Cubs have downplayed Heyward's .125 batting average in 40 at-bats this spring because Heyward devoted the offseason to adjustments in his stance that included lowering his hands and holding his bat vertically. A scout for an opposing team noted the work Heyward has put into his stance and swing and said he might get the results he's seeking by midseason. But the final week of exhibition games could serve as a harbinger because of the better pitching quality and potential familiarity. "I'm not worried about the swing anymore," Heyward said. "Timing is the thing now, and I want to perfect that and be consistently on time so the swing can work. The swing has been great." Heyward has only three extra-base hits but is hitting with more authority than last season, when he hit into numerous feeble outs while batting .230 with seven home runs. A small sampling in spring training suggests he's more willing to hit to the opposite field. "I've been able to do it comfortably and just react," Heyward said. "Timing is everything so you can do that — hit the ball where it's pitched." Manager Joe Maddon observed that Heyward hasn't chased many pitches out of the strike zone. Maddon has spoken to hitting coach John Mallee about ways Heyward can attack pitchers on certain counts or certain pitches. Heyward senses the time is now to get dialed in. "There's no more time to work on changing the swing or get the swing where it needs to be," Heyward said. "The swing is great. The work in batting practice and the other stuff to drive the ball out of the park or all over the field is great. "But to do it at game speed now and find consistency with that, that's the norm. I'd say it's in a good place." -- Chicago Tribune Kyle Hendricks pitching in fifth spot a sign of Cubs' rotation depth By Mark Gonzales The Cubs' decision Thursday to place National League ERA leader Kyle Hendricks as their fifth starter was based merely on breaking up left-handers Jon Lester and Brett Anderson. It also speaks to a rotation that Jake Arrieta believes is as deep as any in baseball. "On paper and what we've actually done on the field, it's tough to not say that," Arrieta said. "People can rank them, but time will tell once we get out there the first four or five times in the rotation. You can put a stamp on it more then than now. We stack up as well as anyone out there." Manager Joe Maddon said the alignment of the rotation — which has John Lackey pitching the third game April 5 in St. Louis, followed by Anderson on April 7 in Milwaukee — doesn't translate to a pecking order ahead of Hendricks.

Hendricks, who posted a 2.13 ERA last season, was the No. 5 starter during the regular season but started Game 2 of the NL Division Series and Games 3 and 7 of the World Series. "Kyle can be a lot of (teams') No. 2 or even some (teams') No.1 in situations," said Maddon, who was pleased no feelings were hurt by the decisions. "I get it and know it makes great writing or discussion," Maddon said. "But we don't look at it that way. I understand why people would." With left-hander Mike Montgomery dispatched to the bullpen, the Cubs must decide whether to carry a 13th pitcher — either Brian Duensing or Rule 5 pick Caleb Smith, both left-handers. Happ survives cut: Maddon said not to read too deeply into the fact second baseman Ian Happ survived the latest round of cuts, which trimmed the spring training roster to 36. "He could be here, he could be down there," Maddon said of Happ, the Cubs' first-round pick in 2015 who is batting .415 with three home runs and 11 RBIs this spring. "He's going to play in our (exhibition) games. He'll be back down there eventually. Right now he's getting a good look." Infielder Jeimer Candelario and pitchers Zack Buchanan and Alec Mills were optioned to Triple-A Iowa. -- Chicago Tribune Thursday's recap: Cubs 5, Diamondbacks 5 By Staff Willson Contreras' infield hit with two out in the top of the ninth scored the go-ahead run Thursday, but Carlos Rivero hit a sacrifice fly off James Pugliese in the bottom half that allowed the Diamondbacks to tie the Cubs 5-5 before a Salt River Fields-record crowd of 14,002. At the plate: Pitcher Jake Arrieta helped his cause by cranking a home run off Zack Greinke in the third that traveled an estimated 464 feet and landed halfway up the berm left of the center-field wall. On the mound: Left-hander Brian Duensing, making his first appearance since March 9 because of back stiffness, allowed a hit to left-handed hitter Daniel Descalso and a sacrifice fly to Chris Iannetta in the sixth. In the field: Third baseman Kris Bryant wasn't fooled by a hard grounder by Kristopher Negron that he turned into a double play in the fourth. On the basepaths: After Matt Szczur popped a bunt to catcher Iannetta, Contreras stole second as Albert Almora Jr. struck out. Key number: 34 — Cubs home runs this spring. Up next: vs. Indians, 3:05 p.m. Friday at Sloan Park. RH John Lackey vs. RH Carlos Carrasco. -- Chicago Tribune Cubs' Jake Arrieta relishes reunion with Olympics teammate Brett Anderson By Mark Gonzales Jake Arrieta was amused that he's been reunited with 2008 U.S. Olympic teammates Brian Duensing, Trevor Cahill and Dexter Fowler since joining the Cubs.

And the latest addition is Brett Anderson, who was named Thursday as the Cubs' fourth starter. "He's very cerebral, a very smart pitcher," Arrieta said. "He's like (Kyle) Hendricks from the left side. He knows how to manipulate the ball, spins it well. He’s a quiet guy, but you know he’s well prepared and the guy who is open to talk about pitching or anything. Somebody might feel they can learn from him. "Watching from afar, you can pick out quite a bit of questions to go with. Why he goes about this and that and how he goes about doing it. he's good at mixing and locating (pitches), things that are very important for all of us." Arrieta nearly pitched for Anderson's father Frank, now the pitching coach at the University of Houston. Arrieta signed a letter of intent to attend Oklahoma State, where Frank Anderson was the head coach, in the fall of 2004. But Arrieta felt he was neither ready to start playing professional baseball or Division I ball, so he attended a junior college for more seasoning before playing at Texas Christian for two years before signing with the Baltimore Orioles in 2007. "His father is a very smart baseball guy," Arrieta said. -- Chicago Tribune Joe Maddon: Theo Epstein had better 2016 than Pope Francis By Mark Gonzales Nobody's better. That's manager Joe Maddon's opinion of Cubs President Theo Epstein after Epstein was named the world's greatest leader by Fortune — two spots ahead of Pope Francis. "The Pope didn’t have as good of a year," Maddon quipped. "I’m all about the Pope. Sorry Pope Francis. I’d like to meet him some day. But after what we did last year (winning the World Series) was pretty special. "Has the Pope broken any 108-year old curses lately? He may have, but we’re not aware of any right now." Maddon mentioned that Epstein ended an 86-year World Series title drought in Boston as well as possessing the qualities necessary to be an effective leader. "He’s very good at setting something up and permitting people to do their jobs," Maddon said. "That’s the essence of good leadership, the ability to delegate well. "Also, he has the tough conversations. He sees both sides. I’ve talked about his empathy before. I think that’s sets him apart from a lot of the young groups who are leading major league baseball teams right now, as far as I can tell." Maddon added that Epstein has an open mind to ideas and isn't going to "predetermine, and I like that about him also." "He’s got so many great qualities about him, but he leads well primarily because of his empathy." Pitcher Jake Arrieta also marveled at Epstein's achievements. “That’s a pretty nice accolade there, especially by a pretty good source with a lot of people who can be on that list," Arrieta said. "It shows all the positives he’s done, not only here but before in Boston and kind of what he’s built for himself for Boston and the city of Chicago.

"It’s hard to understate what he means to the organization and to the entire state of Illinois. It’s very impressive to be acknowledged like that is a pretty big deal, I’d say." -- Chicago Tribune Theo Epstein not interested in leading the world By Paul Sullivan It was during the Cubs’ White House celebration in January that former President Barack Obama insisted Theo Epstein had a future in politics. “He takes the reins of an organization that's wandering in the wilderness and delivers them to the promised land,” Obama said. “I talked to him about being DNC chair.” Everyone laughed at the joke, and the Cubs president of baseball operations said afterwards he had no intention of entering the ring. But two months later, Fortune Magazine named Epstein as the “World’s Greatest Leader,” beating out the likes of Chinese billionaire Jack Ma, Pope Francis, Melinda Gates and Amazon’s Jeff Bezos, who was No. 1 in 2016. Another Chicagoan, Chance the Rapper, ranked 46th. Asked about the honor, Epstein said in a text it was “absurd” and admitted "I can't even get my dog to stop peeing in the house." In a statement he also texted to other media outlets, Epstein added: "The whole thing is patently ridiculous. It's baseball — a pastime involving a lot of chance. If (Ben) Zobrist's ball is three inches farther off the line, I'm on the hot seat for a failed five-year plan. And I'm not even the best leader in our organization; our players are.” Zobrist’s tenth inning double in Game 7 of the 2016 World Series propelled the Cubs to their first championship since 1908. Epstein has received much of the plaudits for the Cubs’ title, and has unsuccessfully tried to deflect the attention back on the players, coaches and his underlings. But since he also was in charge when the Red Sox ended their own championship drought in 2004, the reputation as a curse-breaker is certain to take him to the Baseball Hall of Fame. “People who know me know I still have a good chance to screw it up,” he said. Epstein, who signed a five-year extension last year, reiterated he doesn’t plan on going into politics when his baseball career is over, but hopes to make a positive impact on society in whatever endeavor he takes. Now that he’s been named the “world’s greatest leader” the door is wide open. Maybe he can even run for pope someday. But first Epstein has to walk the dog. -- Chicago Tribune Tom Ricketts hints at design of 'most valuable' World Series ring By Phil Thompson When the Cubs hand out championship rings on April 12, chairman Tom Ricketts promises, "It's going to be snappy; very nice. It's probably going to be the most valuable ring in U.S. sports."

But does he mean "most valuable" as in expensive or "most valuable" as most coveted and historically significant? Perhaps both? Ricketts didn't say exactly how much the rings would cost or how they would be designed, but he did tell sports talk show host Graham Bensinger, "There's a lot examples of stuff to look at. Then you layer in your logos, your themes and try to get as much information jammed into the little ring as you can. So it will be really special." Bensinger caught up with Ricketts on the red carpet at the Laureus World Sports Awards in Monaco last month. Ricketts added that the players have the most say in customizing the 2016 World Series rings. "They're the ones that earned so let them design it," he said. "But I've been a little bit involved." -- Chicago Sun-Times Theo the world’s greatest leader? Is the pope Catholic – and 3rd? By Gordon Wittenmyer MESA, Ariz. — Four heads of state, a governor, a senator, the mayor of London, the chief justice of the United States, a former vice president and the pope all earned prominent places on Fortune magazine’s annual list of the world’s 50 greatest leaders. But the greatest leader on the planet was Theo Epstein, of course. Break one baseball curse, and you might get in the Hall of Fame. Break two? Get out of the way, Pope Francis. The Cubs president makes his Fortune list debut in the top spot of the magazine’s fourth annual list, just ahead of Chinese business -mogul Jack Ma and the head of the Roman Catholic Church. The greatest leader on the planet (right) hanging with Bill Murray (left). “That’s a little skewed there,” third baseman Kris Bryant said. “I think the pope should be a little higher. I mean, you’re talking about the pope. I guess it just shows the influence that we had over the last year.” In explaining its methodology, the magazine notes that the hundreds of candidates for the list were evaluated for leadership “within his or her own field of endeavor.” Still, the pope two spots back? “That’s OK,” manager Joe Maddon said. “The pope didn’t have as good of a year. Has the pope broken any 108-year-old curses?” Baseball miracles aside, Epstein kept a low profile on the matter Thursday, avoiding public dialogue about the list and issuing only a statement to media via text: “I can’t even get my dog to stop peeing in the house. The whole thing is patently ridiculous,” he texted. “It’s baseball — a pastime involving a lot of chance. If [Ben] Zobrist’s ball [in Game 7 of the World Series] is three inches farther off the line, I’m on the hot seat for a failed five-year plan. “And I’m not even the best leader in our organization; the players are.” First baseman Anthony Rizzo seemed to think Epstein deserved the lofty ranking. “He built an organization from the ground up and he won a championship,” said Rizzo, who had less to say about how the pope might have finished two spots behind baseball’s top executive.

“I’m just a baseball player,” he said. “Who’s No. 2?” He had even less to say about Ma. And when told Melinda Gates was fourth, he said, “Who’s that?” That would be Bill Gates’ wife and the co-chair of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. “Where’s Bill?” Rizzo said. Bill Gates didn’t make the list. “Where am I?” Uh, let’s just call Rizzo No. 51. Epstein helped break the 86-year Curse of the Bambino as the general manager in Boston in 2004, won another ring there in 2007 before starting a bottom-to-top rebuild of the Cubs’ baseball operation in the fall of 2011 — culminating with last fall’s dramatic end of the Billy Goat Curse. Sports Illustrated’s Tom Verducci described Epstein’s leadership style as “evolving” since Boston, including more focus on the more human qualities of the players and chemistry within the team. “What he’s built for himself and for the city of Boston and the city of Chicago,” pitcher Jake Arrieta said, “it’s hard to overestimate what he means to the organization and to the entire state of Illinois.” But two spots ahead of the pope? “Maybe his head might get a little too big,” Bryant said. “I think he’ll be OK though. He seems motivated to keep winning. “Hopefully, he stays up there,” Bryant added, “because whatever he’s doing it’s working. It’s impressive.” -- Chicago Sun-Times Jake Arrieta hits long home run, Cubs settle for tie vs. DBacks By Gordon Wittenmyer Catcher Willson Contreras’ two-out, infield single in the top of the ninth drove home the go-ahead run from third. But a walk, single and sacrifice fly in the bottom half against prospect James Pugliese left the Cubs with their fifth tie this spring. Monster mash On his first swing of the year, right-hander Jake Arrieta belted what Statcast measured to be a 465-foot home run to left-center field in the third inning against Diamondbacks ace Zack Greinke. He also drove in a go-ahead run in the sixth on an infield chopper with the bases loaded. “Decent first day at the plate,” said Arrieta, who departed after 77 pitches with a 3-2 lead in the sixth. “On the mound it was pretty good, too. Time was really good; effort was really low. I threw some good changeups, and the curveball’s spin is back to where it was last year. That’s a good sign.” Duensing back Veteran left-hand Brian Duensing, who had been sidelined two weeks with back stiffness, returned to pitch an inning in relief. He gave up a single and a sacrifice fly, then got a weakly hit ball to the mound and foul pop. If he stays healthy, he would be the key to the Cubs keeping a 13-man pitching staff.

Spring cleaning The Cubs sent seven more players out of camp, trimming the spring roster to 36. Jeimer Candelario and right-handers Alec Mills and Jake Buchanan were optioned to Class AAA Iowa. Non-roster pitchers Dylan Floro, Williams Perez and David Rollins were re-assigned to minor-league camp. Right-hander Jim Henderson was released. On deck Indians at Cubs, Mesa, 3:05 p.m., cubs.com audio, Carlos Carrasco vs. John Lackey. -- Chicago Sun-Times Cubs unveil what Jake Arrieta says might be MLB’s best rotation By Gordon Wittenmyer MESA, Ariz. — Cubs manager Joe Maddon unveiled his full rotation for the start of the season, and he might be making more history after it goes through one turn. After left-hander Jon Lester and right-hander Jake Arrieta start the first two games in St. Louis, Maddon has right-hander John Lackey scheduled to pitch the third game, lefty Brett Anderson starting the series opener in Milwaukee and right-hander Kyle Hendricks starting the fifth game. Yes, you read that right: The major-league ERA leader last year is opening as the fifth starter. Part of that is to split up the two lefties, Maddon said. It also might be a sign of the quality of what Arrieta suggested could be the best rotation in baseball. At least it looks historic. A quick glance through major-league history suggests Hendricks might be the first league ERA leader to open the next season as his team’s fifth starter. The Athletics’ Steve Ontiveros led the American League in ERA in 1994 and started the team’s fourth game in ’95. The Giants’ Scott Garrelts led the National League in ’89 and opened as the team’s fourth starter the next year. The Braves’ Buzz Capra led both leagues in 1974 and started the team’s fourth game the next year (he also pitched the final inning of the opener in relief). “Everybody’s always concerned about picking the order regarding what you perceive to be best to least-best,” said Maddon, who explained that he wanted Lackey, the ex-Cardinal, pitching in more of a comfort zone in St. Louis and then wanted to break up his lefties. “Kyle could be a lot of people’s No. 2s, or even a 1 in a certain situation right now, too. He’s definitely better than a No. 5 starter. It just happens that we’re going to slot him in the 5-hole coming out of camp. But it’s not a pecking order regarding ability by any means.” The easy-going Hendricks had no problem with the decision. “Obviously, Kyle could be a 1 or 2 just about anywhere — not that he’s not here,” Arrieta said. “It’s just that we’ve got several of those, which is a good problem to have.” Problem, as in the best five-deep rotation in baseball? “On paper and what we’ve actually done on the field, it’s tough not to say that,” said Arrieta, who was part of a rotation in 2016 that had the majors’ best ERA. “People can rank them. But time will tell. Once we get out there,

the first four or five times through the rotation, I think you could probably put a stamp on it then, a little bit more than now.” The rotation decisions also mean that Anderson officially gets the last available job over the more versatile lefty Mike Montgomery. “We had a nice conversation with Montgomery,” Maddon said. “He totally understood, and he’s got a great attitude about all of this. I could see him starting, pitching in long relief, short relief. He could do a variety of different things for us. It’s nice when you have guys that can do that and then are willing to do that.” -- Chicago Sun-Times MVP Kris Bryant hopes to play in an upcoming WBC By Gordon Wittenmyer MESA, Ariz. – The merits and fan interest of the World Baseball Classic continues to be debated in the aftermath of the United States’ victory over Puerto Rico in Wednesday night’s tournament final. But the reigning National League MVP doesn’t seem to waver in his opinion. “It was unbelievable, especially for the United States,” said the Cubs’ Kris Bryant, who passed on playing in the WBC after the Cubs’ lengthy postseason run that didn’t finish until November. “It is something I would love to do at some point,” Bryant said Thursday. “But this year just wasn’t the year. It was really fun to watch and really good for the game.” Wednesday’s victory marked the first U.S. championship in the four-time event. Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred vows to keep the WBC going. It would next be played in 2021. Puerto Rico star second baseman Javy Baez, by the way, is expected rejoin Cubs camp Friday. -- Cubs.com See Jake rake: Arrieta crushes 465-foot HR By Carrie Muskat SCOTTSDALE -- Jake Arrieta led Cubs pitchers with two home runs last season, and got his swing tuned up on Thursday in his first at-bat in an eventual 5-5 tie against the D-backs. Making his third Cactus League start, Arrieta launched a 1-2 pitch from Arizona's Zack Greinke onto the berm in left-center field leading off the third inning. It was his first at-bat; the Cubs used the designated hitter in Arrieta's previous starts. "You never know what to expect early," Arrieta said. "I was just trying to pick up the ball, put good swings on the ball and try not to look too foolish up there. I see the ball pretty well -- people, especially like Anthony Rizzo -- laugh at that, but I see it OK." It was quite the shot. According to Statcast™, the ball sailed 465 feet, and had an exit velocity off his bat at 104 mph with a launch angle of 29 degrees That's almost normal for Arrieta, who holds the record for longest regular-season home run by a pitcher in the Statcast™ era (2015-present), a 440-foot blast off Shelby Miller on April 10, 2016. "It was not one of my better pitches," Greinke said. "He hit it really well."

Arrieta came up in the sixth with the bases loaded, and was thinking grand slam. "When you hit a homer in your first at-bat, you're like, 'It'd be cool to do it again,' especially with the bases loaded," he said. "I got a little overzealous with a changeup and tried to leg it out. It was a decent day at the plate." It also was a decent day on the mound in the Cubs' 5-5 tie with the D-Backs. Arrieta struck out four and gave up three runs on eight hits and one walk over five-plus innings. "My timing was really good, effort was really low," Arrieta said. "I threw some good changeups, the curveball spin is back to where it was last year, more 1-to-7, 12-to-6, with some pretty good power. That's a good sign. The sinker is starting to have more of the late-action down movement. That's good." He did serve up a home run himself to Jake Lamb in the first. "It was just an elevated sinker, too much of the plate," Arrieta said. "That's what I'm working on here is trying to drive the ball down through the bottom of the strike zone to create the downward action. For the most part it was pretty good." -- Cubs.com Anderson wins spot in Cubs' rotation By Carrie Muskat MESA, Ariz. -- Not many teams have the luxury of having the Major League's ERA leader as their No. 5 starter, but the Cubs can do just that. On Thursday, manager Joe Maddon announced Brett Anderson had won a spot in the Cubs' rotation, but will be inserted into the fourth spot while Kyle Hendricks, who led the Majors last year with a 2.13 ERA, will be fifth. The Cubs will open the season with Jon Lester starting on Opening Day followed by Jake Arrieta, John Lackey, Anderson and Hendricks. The Cubs wanted to avoid having two lefties, Anderson and Lester, start in back-to-back games against opponents. "Everybody's always concerned about pecking order regarding who you perceive to be best or least best," Maddon said. "It's just more or less balancing it out. I don't even know how important that is either. Some teams only have righties -- you see righty, righty. Is that a benefit to the other side? I don't know. We're just going to do that to break it up a little bit." Hendricks did just fine as the No. 5 starter last year, winning a career-high 16 games and finishing third in the National League Cy Young Award voting. "If he does the same thing, we'll be pretty happy with that," Maddon said. When Hendricks wasn't named the Opening Day starter, Maddon joked that the right-hander was so upset, he started throwing things around the clubhouse. What was Hendricks' reaction to being No. 5 again? "I heard things rattling, so it must have been that," Maddon said. "That's the point about our group -- everybody buys in, everybody's good and they understand about being a part of the puzzle in their own unique way. It's kind of neat when you can have these conversations, knowing ego is not going to play a part of it coming from the player back at you. They know it's part of the overall picture, they know the purpose is to do what we did last year. It's a unique situation." Anderson signed as a free agent this past offseason after pitching last year with the Dodgers, although he was limited to four games because of a back problem that required surgery in March 2016. Mike Montgomery, who also was being considered for the rotation, will go to the bullpen. --

Cubs.com Arrieta, La Stella highlight offense vs. D-backs By Scott Gilbert and Carrie Muskat SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. -- Jake Arrieta's 465-foot homer off Zack Greinke may have stolen the show, but the pair of pitchers also put on a pretty good display on the mound in a game that ended in a 5-5 tie in front of a record crowd of 14,002 at Salt River Fields. The D-backs jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first when Brandon Drury singled with two outs and Jake Lamb followed with a home run to left-center. Arrieta cut that deficit in half with a homer of his own to left-center in the third in what was his first at-bat of the spring. Arrieta came up again in the sixth with the bases loaded and admitted he was thinking grand slam. "When you hit a homer in your first at-bat, you're like, 'It'd be cool to do it again, especially with the bases loaded,'" Arrieta said. "I got a little overzealous with a changeup and tried to leg it out. It was a decent day at the plate." The Cubs tied things up at 2 in the fifth when Kris Bryant doubled home Munenori Kawasaki. Arrieta allowed three runs on eight hits over five innings. The right-hander struck out four and walked one in his second-to-last start before the regular season. Greinke, who will make one more spring start before pitching on Opening Day for the D-backs, gave up three runs on six hits over five innings. "I felt pretty strong out there today," Greinke said. "I made a couple of mistakes, but that was definitely the highest percentage of executed pitches so far. I felt pretty good, for the most part. The last inning got a little sloppy. Besides that, it was solid." With the two teams out of pitching options, the game was called after the D-backs tied things up in the bottom of the ninth. Cubs Up Next: John Lackey will make his second Cactus League start on Friday when the Cubs play host to the Indians at Sloan Park in Mesa. Lackey has started two other spring games, but those have been exhibition games against World Baseball Classic teams The game is scheduled for 3:05 p.m. CT and can be heard via an exclusive webcast. D-backs Up Next: In an effort to keep the Dodgers from getting another look at Patrick Corbin this spring, the D-backs will start him in a Minor League game. Reliever Andrew Chafin will start against the Dodgers at Camelback Ranch in what will be a "bullpen game." First pitch is scheduled for 3:05 p.m. CT and can be heard on Gameday audio. -- Cubs.com Candelario among six sent down by Cubs By Carrie Muskat MESA, Ariz. -- The Cubs released pitcher Jim Henderson on Thursday, and optioned Jake Buchanan, Alec Mills and Jeimer Candelario to Triple-A Iowa. Williams Perez, Dylan Floro and David Rollins also were assigned to Minor League camp, trimming the number of players in camp to 36.

Henderson, 34, had played for Team Canada during the World Baseball Classic, and appeared in five games in relief for the Cubs. "He's a good guy," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. "It just wasn't working for him. He'll be the first person to tell you he wasn't at the top of his game. You hope he lands somewhere and has a great season. He's a wonderful man. It's unfortunate it did not work out any better." Candelario, on the other hand, had another impressive spring. "His time is coming on a consistent basis," Maddon said of the third baseman. "Like a lot of our young players, they need opportunites, but they also need to go kill it in the Minor Leagues a little bit. I really believe in players earning their right to be in the Major Leagues. His time is coming, he's really that good." Candelario batted .350 in 15 games last year, and hit .235 in 22 games this spring. He played solid defense at third. "I said, 'You had a great spring last year, and another great spring this year, and the difference is I think you believe you belong here now,'" Maddon said of his message to Candelario. "Last year, he had a great camp, but his eyes weren't the same. He's had a chance to be up there [in the big leagues]. He's had two good camps, he knows what a Major League player looks like, and he knows he is one now. I really harped on that in the meeting." Worth noting • On Thursday, Ben Zobrist said he was feeling better after being out with a stiff neck, and could return to action Saturday. The World Series Most Valuable Player, Zobrist was 6-for-30 in 12 Cactus League games. "My conversation was there's no need to rush anything," Maddon said. "He looked really good at the plate prior to this, so let's make sure everything is calmed down. There's no rush necessary." • Even though Jason Heyward is batting .125 in 15 games this spring, Maddon likes what he sees. "I just want him to keep doing what he's been doing," Maddon said. "I like the approach a lot -- not a little bit. I want him to keep doing what he's doing, I don't want him to do anything differently." Heyward spent most of the offseason in Mesa, working with hitting coaches John Mallee and Eric Hinske on his swing after batting .230 last year. "The results are going to eventually show up, I absolutely believe that, in regards to batting average or numbers," Maddon said. "His work is spectacular, he can't care any more than he does. He'll do the things on defense, he runs the bases. I believe the numbers will pop in a positive way." The adjustments now are more mental in regards to how to attack pitchers, Maddon said, than the outfielder's stance. • The Cubs expect Javier Baez back in camp on Friday after playing for Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic. • Wednesday's Cubs game in Goodyear against the Reds was called in the fifth inning because of rain, although the way the wind picked up made it feel like a dust storm, which is known as a haboob. "It really felt like one of those," Maddon said. "It got really freaky fast." -- Cubs.com Bryant gets a chance to rest before season By Carrie Muskat

MESA, Ariz. -- For the first time since he moved into his new house in Las Vegas in January, Kris Bryant will have a chance to sit by the pool. The reigning National League Most Valuable Player Award winner got permission to go home Thursday night and spend some extra time in his hometown before the regular season begins. The Cubs third baseman will take part in the weekend split-squad games in Las Vegas against the Reds. He was looking forward to sleeping in his own bed, which is one of the few pieces of furniture he has. "I love going home," Bryant said Thursday. "For me, it's like a vacation before the season starts." Before Spring Training last year, Bryant took a vacation in Hawaii and didn't do any baseball-related activities. Veteran David Ross advised him to take advantage of the time "before the craziness starts," Bryant said. Bryant's wife, Jessica, has been busy thanking family, friends and fans for all the wedding presents. During a TV appearance on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" in the offseason, Bryant mentioned where they were registered, and fans went shopping. "I can't believe how many presents we got from fans," Bryant said. "It was unbelievable. Jess is going to have to write all the thank you notes and I'm signing my name on them. We have, literally, 700 thank you notes." The generous fans will get Bryant's autograph. "I said [to Jessica], 'You need to get the generic thank you note,'" Bryant said. "She said, 'No, I feel they took the time out of their day to buy a present.' She's been writing. I said, 'This is going to take you the whole year.' If there's anybody out there waiting for a reply, that's why." While they have plenty of dishes and towels, they're lacking in furniture. Bryant said they have a couch, a bed and a bean bag chair. He's not asking for more gifts -- they'll furnish the house at some point. He does have a swimming pool, and planned on taking advantage of it on Friday. "It's the only time I'll ever get to use it, ever," Bryant said. "It's cold in the winter." The Bryants did send a thank you note to Bryce Harper, who also got married over the offseason. The two couples attended each other's weddings. Bryant remembers when Harper was featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated magazine at the age of 15. "It's very impressive to have that type of attention put on you at 15 years old and live up to it," Bryant said. "All the props to him. It's a lot of pressure on yourself when you're that young and you're on the cover of a magazine." Bryant and Harper lived on opposite sides of Las Vegas, and rarely crossed paths. They did play against each other when they were younger. "I don't think we ever got him out," Bryant said of his Bonanza High School team. "Bryce is a good player now, but you should've seen him when the competition wasn't as good and he thrived in that situation. He would never get out. Then he'd get on the mound and throw 100 mph and then he'd catch. He was literally unbelievable." So, who's the best player to come out of Las Vegas? "It's got to be Greg Maddux," Bryant said. "There's a lot of potential in terms of Vegas talent playing now, and not just me and Bryce. There's a ton of talent up and coming. It's fun for me to see because I played with these guys growing up. It's fun to see how their careers progressed and fun to follow them." -- ESPNChicago.com 'Lack of ego' allows Cubs to get creative with rotation By Jesse Rogers

MESA, Ariz. -- Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon tabbed right-hander Kyle Hendricks, last season’s MLB ERA leader, as the team’s No. 5 starter out of spring training. And while that may seem odd, given that Hendricks has been every bit as good this spring as he was last year -- when he produced a nifty 2.13 ERA -- he'll be the No. 5 starter in name only. Maddon is getting creative with the deployment of his staff and he cites Hendricks' "lack of ego" for allowing him to do so. “Everyone gets hung up on numbers,” Maddon said Thursday afternoon. “He’s definitely better than a No. 5 starter. It just happens we’re going to slot him in the 5-hole coming out of camp. It’s not a pecking order of ability by any means.” Managers basically get to set their order only twice a year, in April and out of the All-Star break, so the Cubs are being strategic. Maddon chose to pitch Hendricks in their second series of the year, versus the Milwaukee Brewers, against whom he has a career 2.11 ERA. Here's how the rest of the rotation shakes out: Jon Lester will pitch Opening Day,Jake Arrieta slots in as the No. 2 starter and John Lackey will start Game No. 3 against his former team, the St. Louis Cardinals. Brett Anderson will pitch Game 4, in order to separate himself from Lester, a fellow lefty. Hence, Hendricks penciled in as the "fifth" starter. “It makes great writing or discussion,” Maddon said of labeling starters 1 through 5. “We don’t look at it that way.” Anderson “won” the final starter job over Mike Montgomery, but he always was going to be in the driver’s seat as long as he was healthy. Maddon stated several times this spring that it would be hard to imagine Anderson as a reliever due to past injuries, which include a bad back. Getting him ready mid-game just wasn’t feasible. So even though Montgomery looked really good this spring, he’ll start the year in the bullpen. “We had a nice conversation with Montgomery,” Maddon said. “He understood. He had a great attitude about all of this.” However, Maddon doesn’t envision Anderson making 32 starts and pitching 200 innings, so there’s a good chance Montgomery will be in the rotation at some point. The Cubs also have indicated a desire to use a six-man starting staff when the dog days of the season approach. “I could see him starting,” Maddon said of Montgomery. “Long relief, short relief. All of it.” Meanwhile, Maddon believes Hendricks can reach the next plateau of his career: 200 innings pitched. “I’d like him to be able to take that step,” Maddon said. “Just a natural progression for him.” Ultimately, it’s a testament to the Cubs, and Hendricks, that they can throw him into game No. 5 and not think twice about it. How many healthy ERA leaders didn’t pitch in one of their team’s first four games the next season? The Cubs have an embarrassment of riches both on the mound and around the diamond. They plan on taking advantage of it. “[Hendricks'] ego doesn’t force you to attempt to try and do something different,” Maddon stated. “I like it a lot. It sets up really well.” -- CSNChicago.com Jake Arrieta Expects Cubs To Have The Best Rotation In Baseball By Patrick Mooney SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. – Jake Arrieta is a Cy Young Award winner who won't get the Opening Night assignment. John Lackey is a No. 3 starter already fitted for his third World Series ring. Kyle Hendricks led the majors with a 2.13 ERA last year and won't start until the fifth game of this season.

Do you feel like this is the best rotation in baseball? "We're up there, yeah," Arrieta said after homering off Zack Greinke during Thursday afternoon's 5-5 tie with the Arizona Diamondbacks at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick. "I think on paper – and with what we've actually done on the field – it's tough to not say that. "We like the guys we have. People can rank them, but time will tell. Once we get out there the first four or five times through the rotation, I think you can probably put a stamp on it then, more so than now. "But, yeah, we stack up just as well as anybody out there, for sure." Arrieta made it through five innings against the Diamondbacks, giving up three runs and eight hits in what figures to be his second-to-last Cactus League tune-up before facing the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium on April 4. The New York Mets blew away Cubs hitters with their power pitching and game-planning during that 2015 National League Championship Series sweep. The Washington Nationals are trying to keep Max Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg healthy and already watched Tanner Roark deliver for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic. The Cubs dreaded the idea of facing Johnny Cueto in a possible elimination game at Wrigley Field last October. The Los Angeles Dodgers almost became a matchup nightmare for the Cubs with lefties Clayton Kershaw and Rich Hill during the 2016 NLCS. But slotting Hendricks at No. 5 – five months after he started a World Series Game 7 – is a luxury few contenders can afford. "That just speaks to our length in the rotation," Arrieta said, "and being able to keep relievers out of the game, longer than most teams. That's a big deal, especially when you get into July and August. "Obviously, Kyle could be a 1 or 2 just about anywhere. Not that he's not here. We've got several of those, which is a good problem to have. It's going to be favorable for us when there's a No. 4 or No. 5 guy in our rotation going up against somebody else's. Our chances are really good, especially with our lineup." Arrieta talked up No. 4 starter Brett Anderson as "a little bit like Hendricks from the left side" in terms of his preparation, cerebral nature and spin rate, a combination that makes him an X-factor for this rotation and an organization starved for pitching beyond 2017. The if-healthy disclaimer always comes with Anderson, who played with Arrieta on the 2008 Olympic team and has been on the disabled list nine times since then. Coming out of high school, Arrieta initially signed to play for Anderson's father, Frank, the Oklahoma State University coach at the time, before going in a different direction in a career that wouldn't truly take off until he got to Chicago. "We're all looking forward to seeing how we pick up where we left off," Arrieta said. "Judging by what we've done this spring and the shape guys are in and the health – I don't see any reason we can't jump out to an early lead like we did last year and sustain it throughout the entire season." -- CSNChicago.com Cubs President Theo Epstein, World's Greatest Leader? 'The Pope Didn't Have As Good Of A Year' By Patrick Mooney MESA, Ariz. – Cubs president Theo Epstein showed zero interest in playing along with Fortune magazine putting him on the cover and ranking him No. 1 on the list of "The World's 50 Greatest Leaders," or two spots ahead of Pope Francis. "The pope didn't have as good of a year," manager Joe Maddon said Wednesday, channeling Babe Ruth.

Epstein essentially bit his tongue, responding to reporters with a copy-and-paste text message that reflected his self-awareness and PR savvy. "Um, I can't even get my dog to stop peeing in the house," Epstein wrote. "The whole thing is patently ridiculous. It's baseball – a pastime involving a lot of chance. If (Ben) Zobrist's ball is three inches farther off the line, I'm on the hot seat for a failed five-year plan. "And I'm not even the best leader in our organization; our players are." Epstein obviously has a big ego. No one becomes the youngest general manager in baseball history and builds three World Series winners without a strong sense of confidence and conviction. But he genuinely tries to deflect credit, keep a relatively low profile and stay focused on the big picture. Fortune's cover art became an older image of Epstein standing at the dugout, surrounded by reporters during a Wrigley Field press gaggle. (This was not Alex Rodriguez kissing a mirror during a magazine photo shoot.) The text borrowed from Tom Verducci's upcoming "The Cubs Way" book. Fortune still hit an Internet sweet spot and generated a lot of buzz, ranking Epstein ahead of Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos (No. 4), Army Lt. Gen. H.R. McMaster (No. 7) and German Chancellor Angela Merkel (No. 10). "I'm all about the pope," Maddon said. "Sorry, Pope Francis. We're buds. I'd like to meet him someday. But after all, what we did last year was pretty special. "Has the pope broken any 108-year-old curses lately?" Epstein also ended an 86-year drought for the Boston Red Sox, putting the finishing touches on the immortal 2004 team and winning another championship in 2007 with eight homegrown players. No matter how the Cubs try to airbrush history now, that five-year plan featured lucky breaks, unexpected twists and turns and payroll frustrations as the franchise went from 101 losses in 2012 to 103 wins last season. But even after the biggest party Chicago has ever seen, no team in baseball is better positioned for the future. And there is no doubt that Epstein is a Hall of Fame executive. "He's very good at setting something up and then permitting people to do their jobs," Maddon said. "That's the essence of good leadership, the ability to delegate well. But then he also has the tough conversations. "He sees both sides. I've talked about his empathy before. I think that sets him apart from a lot of the young groups that are leading Major League Baseball teams right now. You know if you have to talk to him about something, he's got an open ear and he's going to listen to what you say. He's not going to go in there predetermined. "You can keep going on and on, him just obviously being very bright, brilliant actually. He's got so many great qualities about him. But he leads well, I think, primarily because of his empathy." That blend of scouting and analytics, open-minded nature and pure guts led to the Cubs: drafting Kris Bryant and Kyle Schwarber; trading for Anthony Rizzo, Kyle Hendricks, Jake Arrieta, Addison Russell and almost their entire bullpen; and signing transformative free agents like Jon Lester and Zobrist. Chairman Tom Ricketts locked up Epstein before the playoffs started last October with a five-year extension believed to be worth in the neighborhood of $50 million. Arrieta didn't laugh off the Fortune rankings. "It just shows you all the positive that's he done," Arrieta said. "Not only here, but beforehand in Boston and what he's built for himself and for the city of Boston and the city of Chicago. It's hard to understate what he means to the organization."

-- CSNChicago.com How Cubs Decided Kyle Hendricks Would Be Their Fifth Starter By Patrick Mooney SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — When Joe Maddon made the obvious choice and named Jon Lester as the Opening Night starter, the Cubs manager joked about Kyle Hendricks reacting to the news by throwing stuff around the weight room. So imagine how last year's ERA titleholder and a World Series Game 7 starter responded to the idea of being slotted fifth in the rotation. "I heard things rattling in there," Maddon said with a laugh. The Cubs revealed their alignment before Thursday afternoon's Jake Arrieta vs. Zack Greinke matchup at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick, confirming Brett Anderson will work as a starter (for as long as he's healthy) while Mike Montgomery moves to the bullpen for the defending champs. The Cubs want John Lackey to face the St. Louis Cardinals, so he will open as the No. 3 starter at Busch Stadium. To break up the lefties in the rotation, Anderson — who once tweeted: "Kyle Hendricks looks like he'd celebrate a World Series win with a glass of 2% milk, Oreos and a book" — will start Game 4 against the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park. Whether or not the Cubs are overthinking this and overplaying their hand with a mild-mannered personality, don't expect Hendricks to rage against the pitching infrastructure. "That's the point about our group," Maddon said. "Everybody buys in. Everybody's good. They understand being a part of the puzzle in your own unique way. "It's kind of neat when you can have these conversations, knowing that ego's not going to play a part of it from the player coming back at you. They know it is part of the overall picture. They also know that the purpose is to try to do what we did last year. "It's a unique situation. I'm not saying we're taking advantage of it, because everybody kind of digs it." Whether or not Hendricks repeats his 2.13 ERA and third-place finish in the National League Cy Young Award vote, the Cubs see 200 innings as his next level after throwing 180 in 2015 and 190 last season (plus seven playoff starts combined). "Everybody gets hung up on numbers," Maddon said. "He's definitely better than a No. 5 starter. It just happens that we're going to slot him in the five-hole coming out of camp. It's not a pecking order regarding ability by any means. "A lot of it is just comfort zone for us with Kyle doing so well there last year. But, listen, Kyle can be a lot of people's No. 2s or even a 1 in a situation right now, too." All along, the Cubs have coached up and managed Hendricks to the point where he could beat Clayton Kershaw and the Los Angeles Dodgers to clinch the franchise's first pennant in 71 years. "Why mess with that?" Maddon said. "As long as his ego doesn't force you to attempt to try to do something differently, and it doesn't, outside of throwing things a little bit. He's beautiful. We're all good." --