October 11, 2017

Cubs.com, Cubs try to advance to NLCS behind Arrieta http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/258058364/cubs-try-to-advance-to-nlcs-behind-arrieta

Cubs.com, Cubs 'ready to play,' no matter the day http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/258184226/cubs-not-worried-about-nlds-g4-postponement/

Cubs.com, Extra day for Arrieta to rest can only benefit Cubs http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/258192972/extra-day-for-jake-arrieta-to-rest-helps-cubs/

Cubs.com, Arrieta to remain starter for G4 as NLCS calls http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/258013560/cubs-jake-arrieta-healthy-for-game-4-start/

ESPNChicago.com, Dusty Baker sticking with Tanner Roark as illness, 'AC' and 'mold' affecting team http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/20982955/2017-mlb-postseason-washington-nationals-chicago-cubs-game-4-postponed

NBC Sports Chicago, Are the Nationals crazy for not starting Stephen Strasburg in Game 4? http://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/cubs/are-nationals-crazy-not-starting-stephen-strasburg-game-4-nlds-roark-dusty-baker-scherzer

NBC Sports Chicago, Respect this: How Anthony Rizzo owns October http://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/cubs/respect-how-anthony-rizzo-owns-october

NBC Sports Chicago, Strasburg? Scherzer? Kershaw? Cubs still have the pitching to be unstoppable in October again http://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/cubs/strasburg-scherzer-kershaw-cubs-still-have-pitching-be-unstoppable-october-again

NBC Sports Chicago, Why wasn't Cubs-Nationals Game 4 played earlier in the day? http://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/cubs/why-wasnt-cubs-nationals-game-4-played-earlier-day-nlds-torre-dusty-baker-maddon

NBC Sports Chicago, Game 4 postponed to Wednesday: Could postseason rain go against the Cubs this time around? http://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/cubs/game-4-postponed-wednesday-could-postseason-rain-go-against-cubs-time-around

Chicago Tribune, Joe Maddon believes excellent Cubs pitching deciding factor in NLDS http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-joe-maddon-great-cubs-pitching-spt-1011-20171010-story.html

Chicago Tribune, Forget record, manager in October only as good as outcome of last decision http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/columnists/ct-playoff-managers-under-microscope-sullivan-spt-1011-20171010-column.html

Chicago Tribune, Nationals stick with Game 4 starter Tanner Roark over Stephen Strasburg http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-tanner-roark-nationals-side-spt-1011-20171010-story.html

Chicago Tribune, Game 4 rainout favors Nationals — unless they foolishly ignore opportunity http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/columnists/ct-dusty-baker-stephen-strasburg-haugh-spt-1011-20171010-column.html

Chicago Tribune, Joe Maddon insists Anthony Rizzo still an underrated player http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-anthony-rizzo-underrated-cubs-spt-1011-20171010-story.html

Chicago Tribune, Rain washes out NLDS Game 4 between Cubs, Nationals; rescheduled to Wednesday http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-cubs-nationals-nlds-game4-live-updates-20171010-htmlstory.html

Chicago Tribune, Postseason brings out the best in Cubs' Albert Almora Jr. http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-albert-almora-postseason-star-cubs-spt-1011-20171010-story.html

Chicago Tribune, TBS did not nix 1 p.m. Cubs-Nationals start time, despite reports http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-cubs-tbs-rain-delay-20171010-story.html

Chicago Tribune, Nationals name Tanner Roark starter for NLDS Game 4 http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-nationals-cubs-starters-stephen-strasburg-4-20171010-story.html

Chicago Tribune, Eddie Vedder tosses souvenirs to bleacherites from Murphy's rooftop http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-eddie-vedder-tosses-souvenirs-to-bleacherites--20171010-column.html

Chicago Sun-Times, Will postponement rain on Cub rotation’s victory parade against Nats? https://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/will-postponement-rain-on-cub-rotations-victory-parade-against-nats/

Chicago Sun-Times, Joe Maddon wants the Dodgers? He’s got them if Cubs can win one more https://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/joe-maddon-wants-the-dodgers-hes-got-them-if-cubs-can-win-one-more/

Chicago Sun-Times, MORRISSEY: Have the Cubs put a curse on the Nationals? https://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/morrissey-have-the-cubs-put-a-curse-on-the-nationals/

Chicago Sun-Times, Nats sticking with Tanner Roark, not Strasburg, in Game 4 https://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/nationals-sticking-with-tanner-roark-not-strasburg-in-game-4/

Chicago Sun-Times, Cubs, Nationals rained out, Game 4 rescheduled for Wednesday 3:08 p.m. https://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/mother-nature-could-force-cubs-to-face-strasburg-in-game-4/

Chicago Sun-Times, Cubs’ Hendricks ready for next big-game start — if he isn’t overlooked https://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/cubs-hendricks-ready-for-next-big-game-start-if-he-isnt-overlooked/

Chicago Sun-Times, Cubs, White Sox urged to extend safety net to protect fans https://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/cubs-sox-urged-to-extend-safety-safety-net-to-protect-fans/

Daily Herald, Will rainout help Chicago Cubs eliminate Nationals? http://www.dailyherald.com/sports/20171010/will-rainout-help-chicago-cubs-eliminate-nationals

Daily Herald, Baffling Baker won't send Strasburg against Cubs in Game 4 http://www.dailyherald.com/sports/20171010/baffling-baker-wont-send-strasburg-against-cubs-in-game-4

Daily Herald, Maddon: 'Respect'-seeking Rizzo is underrated http://www.dailyherald.com/sports/20171010/maddon-respect-seeking-rizzo-is-underrated

Daily Herald, Rozner: Do Nationals really lack respect for Chicago Cubs' Rizzo? http://www.dailyherald.com/sports/20171010/rozner-do-nationals-really-lack-respect-for-chicago-cubs-rizzo

Daily Herald, Imrem: Baker deserves more respect than he gets http://www.dailyherald.com/sports/20171010/imrem-baker-deserves-more-respect-than-he-gets

-- Cubs.com Cubs try to advance to NLCS behind Arrieta By Mark Feinsand The Nationals and Cubs spent Tuesday at Wrigley Field wondering whether they would play Game 4 of their best-of-five series. After a lot of rain and a lot of waiting, they'll finally get that chance today. Despite getting outstanding efforts from both Stephen Strasburg and Max Scherzer against the Cubs, the Nationals find themselves facing a two-games-to-one deficit in the National League Division Series presented by T-Mobile, their backs against the wall and their season on the line. The Cubs will be attempting to reach their third straight National League Championship Series and set off another raucous celebration at the Friendly Confines. "You're playing the most important games of the year; you want to play in better weather," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said after a terrible forecast forced the postponement. "Whatever it is, you've just got to get ready and go ahead and do it. There is no crying. You just go play." First pitch today is slated for 4 p.m. ET/3 p.m. CT on TBS. The Nationals will try to stave off elimination and force a decisive Game 5 on Thursday in Washington. Both teams have an identical 2.08 ERA in the series, but the Cubs have come up with the timely hits in Games 1 and 3. "We've won two games in a row before; it's not a record," Nationals third baseman Ryan Zimmerman said. "It's not an ideal situation to be in; obviously, I'd rather be up 2-1. It's playoff baseball. We'll come back out tomorrow, play a game, hopefully come out on top and go home and have an exciting Game 5." As a team, the Nationals are slashing .121/.200/.231, while the Cubs have a slightly better .179/.274/.298 line. Scherzer carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning Monday night, but the Cubs answered with runs in the seventh and eighth to escape with a 2-1 victory in front of a raucous home crowd. Wrigley Field was alive and rocking, immediately evoking memories of last year's remarkable run. The Cubs know that taking care of business sooner than later is important in October. Momentum can swing in crazy ways, much as it did in last year's World Series, when they overcame a 3-1 deficit against the Indians. "I wouldn't use the word urgency," Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant said. "One game at a time, all that stuff, I still believe in that. I believe everybody here believes in that. We've got a good manager leading the way. It is nice to get the first win at home and use home-field advantage to your advantage. It would be nice [to clinch]. I can't wait to see Jake [Arrieta] out there tomorrow. We know what he does in the postseason. It's going to be fun." Arrieta will make his eighth career postseason start, looking to lower his 3.64 ERA in those games. A free agent after the season, Arrieta hopes to help the Cubs extend this playoff run as long as possible, but he said Monday that he's making sure to soak it all in, just in case this winds up being his final start for Chicago.

"Just trying to take everything in, look around a little bit more," Arrieta said. "Trying to kind of capture some mental images of Wrigley and the fan base and my teammates, and just to try and remember as much as I can about these last couple weeks if it's my last time in this uniform." Rather than turn to Strasburg on regular rest -- manager Dusty Baker said the pitcher had been "feeling under the weather" Tuesday -- the Nationals will stick with their scheduled starter, Tanner Roark. Roark will make his second career postseason start, his fourth appearance overall. Roark allowed two runs over 4 1/3 innings against the Dodgers in last year's NLDS. He'll hope to have some run support from an offense that has scored seven runs in three games, five of them coming in the eighth inning of Washington's Game 2 win. "We have all the confidence in the world in Tanner," catcher Matt Wieters said. "We've pitched the ball and thrown the ball great; we just have to score some runs and find some holes." The Cubs might not use the word urgency as they look to move on to the NLCS, but the Nationals are facing a must-win game if they hope to extend their season at least one more game. "It's going to be fun," Bryce Harper said. "I'm looking forward to it. I think everyone on our team is, too. Like Zim said, we've won two before. We've faced elimination before as well. I look forward to going out there." Things to know for this game: • In Division Series history, teams that take a 2-1 lead have advanced to the League Championship in 44 of 60 series. • Washington second baseman Daniel Murphy is 6-for-19 (.316) in his career vs. Arrieta, including playoffs. He homered against Arrieta in Game 2 of the 2015 NL Championship Series, a 4-1 Cubs' loss. • Scherzer and Strasburg have put together the two longest playoff no-hit bids against the Cubs in Chicago franchise history. Strasburg held the Cubs without a hit for 5 2/3 innings in Friday's Game 1, while Scherzer did it for 6 1/3 frames in Monday's Game 3. Chicago ended up winning both contests. • Anthony Rizzo, who drove in the game-winning run in the eighth inning Monday, is batting .392 (20-for-51) with 10 extra-base hits, 15 RBIs and 11 runs scored in his last 13 playoff games. -- Cubs.com Cubs 'ready to play,' no matter the day By Carrie Muskat CHICAGO -- The Cubs' Jake Arrieta got another day to rest his hamstring, and he will face the Nationals on Wednesday in Game 4 of the rain-delayed National League Division Series presented by T-Mobile. Tuesday's Game 4 of the NLDS was postponed because of inclement weather, and it will be played on Wednesday at Wrigley Field. The Cubs lead the best-of-five series two games to one, and they need one win to advance to the NL Championship Series presented by Camping World against the Dodgers, who swept the D-backs to clinch their NLDS on Monday night. It would be the Cubs' third straight trip to the NLCS. "Right now, our guys are ready to play," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. "They were in the weight room getting ready to play. Everything was fine, nobody was crying about anything, about the wait or what was going to happen tonight. Nobody kept coming into my office asking what's going on. They were just getting ready to play."

Neither the Cubs nor Nationals wanted to start Tuesday's game and have it interrupted by rain, which could have resulted in losing that day's starter after a shortened period of time. At approximately 5:30 p.m. CT, an hour after the scheduled first pitch, heavy rain began pelting Wrigley Field. "When you start a game like this game -- any game, but especially at this time of year -- you look at the opportunity to play nine innings," Maddon said. Arrieta, scheduled to start Tuesday, will now go on Wednesday, marking his first postseason start of 2017. He had been pushed back because of a sore right hamstring that bothered him in September. However, Maddon said the extra day won't matter. "There's no really extra advantage," Maddon said. "He was ready to pitch today. He was ready to go. So there's no real great advantage for us." This is the third time Arrieta has started a postseason game with a chance to clinch the series. He shut out the Pirates in the 2015 NL Wild Card Game, and he held the Giants to two runs over six innings in Game 3 of last year's NLDS. The Nationals will stick with Wilmington, Ill., native Tanner Roark, who was scheduled to start Tuesday. Washington could've opted for Stephen Strasburg, who struck out 10 over seven innings in Game 1, but manager Dusty Baker said the right-hander was feeling "under the weather." "Roark's very impressive to me," Maddon said. "They just have good pitching, period. We have to win one more game somehow. Based on [Monday's] game, you want to get right back out there and play." Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein, general manager Jed Hoyer and Maddon met with Nationals GM Mike Rizzo and manager Dusty Baker less than one hour prior to Tuesday's scheduled 4:38 p.m. CT start to discuss their options. Major League Baseball announced the game was postponed shortly after 5 p.m. CT. "Everybody wanted to play, but we didn't want to play at a cost, especially in the postseason," said Joe Torre, Major League Baseball's chief operating officer. Both teams took batting practice on Tuesday, but the forecast called for rain beginning in the late afternoon and continuing all evening. The Cubs' pitching has been key in this series. So far, they've compiled a 2.08 ERA in three games, striking out 22 over 26 innings. "They have spectacular pitching, but our guys have matched them, inning-for-inning, and that's why we've won," Maddon said. "Their pitching has been great, and so has ours. You have to pitch better than really good pitching, great pitching to win, and we have. It comes down to that. Our starters have permitted us to be in this position." -- Cubs.com Extra day for Arrieta to rest can only benefit Cubs By Phil Rogers CHICAGO -- Remember the Cubs' last postseason rain delay? Yeah, thought so. That one in Game 7 of the 2016 World Series didn't exactly sink the Cubs, and neither should Tuesday's postponement of Game 4 in the National League Division Series presented by T-Mobile. It's just one more day for Jake Arrieta to rest his hamstring and prepare to do what he's done best over the last three seasons -- deliver some of the biggest wins that the Cubs have collected.

"I saw his bullpen a few days ago," Cubs righty Kyle Hendricks said. "He was letting it go and looked pretty good. It's pretty normal preparation, outside of the fact of making sure that hamstring is good to go, testing it here and there. But he's got a solid routine in between starts, and he's a guy I learned a lot from as far as how to work. He'll be prepared for this day I know for sure." It's true that Hendricks said this early Tuesday, before Major League Baseball postponed the game due to rain. But Arrieta isn't going to mind an extra day of rest, and if the Nationals had switched from Tanner Roark to Stephen Strasburg, he would have matched up just fine. Heck, Arrieta now might be a little sharper for what could be his last Wrigley Field start as a Cub. The Nationals decided to stick with Roark, the scheduled starter, rather than move Strasburg into the slot on normal rest. There had to be a fair amount of back and forth before Nationals president of baseball operations and general manager Mike Rizzo and manager Dusty Baker -- with input from Strasburg, who was reported to be less than 100 percent Tuesday because of an unidentified ailment -- came to that decision. You know the Cubs studied their options, too. But there wasn't the same sense of importance hanging over the decision, and not just because Anthony Rizzo's RBI single in Game 3 gave the North Siders a 2-1 edge in the series. Like the Indians over in the American League, the Cubs have a remarkably deep rotation. Former Cub Jason Hammel, who couldn't get on the 2016 postseason roster despite a 15-10 season, recently described manager Joe Maddon's rotation as "an embarrassment of riches," and he's right. So why change plans in mid-stream? The Nationals might have been able to use the rainout to their advantage if Max Scherzer had been healthy at the start of the series. That would have given them Scherzer and Strasburg on regular rest in four of the games in a five-game series. That's a hammer. But since Scherzer was held out until Game 3, the Nats' choice came down to giving Roark his start in Game 4, or going to Gio Gonzalez for a second start if they extended the series to five games. Gonzalez gave up three runs in five innings in Game 2 and went 1-3 with a 6.75 ERA over his last four regular-season starts. Hendricks vs. Gonzalez in Game 5 would be advantage Cubs, even if the game is played at Nationals Park. While Scherzer has said he hopes to work out of the bullpen in a Game 5, don't overlook the options for the Cubs. Maddon could turn to a fully rested Jon Lester for multiple innings, in addition to having John Lackey and Mike Montgomery in the bullpen. Those two guys made 44 starts between them this season. That's a lot of innings hanging out in your bullpen. But don't be surprised if Arrieta turns this entire discussion into a lot of wasted breath. He's facing a Washington lineup that has hit .121 in the first three games of the series, and he will have worked himself up to full froth by the time he delivers his first pitch Wednesday. The 2015 NL Cy Young Award winner, the guy who had that historic 0.75 ERA over 107 1/3 innings in the second half of that season, the bearded Pilates maven, Arrieta has had this start on his mind for weeks. It's almost like the mission he was on before facing the Pirates in the 2015 NL Wild Card Game or the two times he faced the Indians during the 2016 World Series, and he was 3-0 with a 1.33 ERA in those starts. Arrieta's health is a question this time around but, then again, so was Scherzer's before he took a no-hitter into the seventh inning of Game 3 of this NLDS. It was a hamstring strain that delayed his arrival in the series.

"I don't know to [what] extent that they are exactly similar," Maddon said about the two hamstring injuries. "I just feel good about where Jake is right now physically and mentally. He's mentioned how great his arm feels, also, based on the rest, too. So you have the combination of resting his arm, resting his leg." There was no complaining by Maddon about the rainout, even if it did give the Nationals a chance to consider adjusting their rotation. The Cubs are confident that they can beat any team under any circumstance, and almost seem to relish the thrill of a good test. Should they get past the Nationals, they'll be in good shape facing the Dodgers, even if they should lose Game 4 and have to travel back to Washington for a deciding Game 5. The Cubs have a strength-in-numbers approach through their rotation and the options for their lineup. They found ways to match up with Clayton Kershaw last October and would love the chance to do it again. They're not about to get ahead of themselves though. The Cubs know they need one more victory over the Nationals to get there, and figure Arrieta is the guy to get it for them. -- Cubs.com Arrieta to remain starter for G4 as NLCS calls By Adam Berry CHICAGO -- Jake Arrieta hopes to spend at least another few weeks pitching for the Cubs, but he's going to be mindful of the moment when he scales the mound on Wednesday afternoon at Wrigley Field. He knows his last start in a Cubs uniform could be against the Nationals in Game 4 of the National League Division Series presented by T-Mobile. Or he could help extend their season by at least one more postseason round, as the Cubs are one victory away from clinching a third straight trip to the NL Championship Series presented by Camping World. "Just trying to take everything in. Look around a little bit more," Arrieta said Monday. "Trying to, you know, kind of capture some mental images of Wrigley and the fan base and my teammates, and just to try and remember as much as I can about these last couple weeks; if it's my last time in this uniform. "These next few days are going to be extremely special, and if we're fortunate enough to get past these guys, like I feel we are, I'm going to do everything I can to enjoy the last few weeks." He'll have to wait a little longer than expected to make his 2017 postseason debut. Bumped down in the rotation to rest a sore right hamstring, Arrieta saw his scheduled Game 4 start on Tuesday postponed by rain. Manager Joe Maddon said the delay won't affect Arrieta for better or worse. "It's a push. There's no really extra advantage," Maddon said Tuesday. "He was ready to pitch today. He was ready to go. So there's no real great advantage for us." A free agent at the end of the season, Arrieta said he has made an attempt this year to appreciate his time with the Cubs. It's no secret the 31-year-old right-hander turned around his career in Chicago, posting a 2.73 ERA in 128 regular-season starts and winning the 2015 NL Cy Young Award, and his success could be rewarded with a lucrative, multi-year deal in free agency. For now, though, the Cubs are only looking forward to his next start and hoping to avoid a winner-take-all Game 5 at Nationals Park. "I can't wait to see Jake out there," Kris Bryant said. "We know what he does in the postseason. It's going to be fun."

One thing they won't have to worry about, Arrieta insisted, is the nagging right hamstring injury that limited him over the last month. Arrieta called it a "non-issue" heading into the postseason. Arrieta exited his Sept. 4 start in Pittsburgh early due to a sore right hamstring and didn't return until Sept. 21. After he pitched three innings in his final regular-season start on Sept. 26, the Cubs pushed him back in their postseason rotation behind Kyle Hendricks, Jon Lester and Jose Quintana. Between starts, Arrieta has thrown two bullpen sessions without incident. "Timing is really good. The stuff is good," he said. "The arm strength hasn't been affected, and if there's any effect there, I think it's in a positive way." The last time Arrieta faced the Nats, they ran all over him and former Cubs catcher Miguel Montero. Washington stole seven bases and scored six runs on six hits against Arrieta in a 6-1 win at Nationals Park on June 27. Leadoff man Trea Turner led the charge, stealing four bases during Arrieta's four innings. The Cubs neutralized Turner in the first three games of this series, and Arrieta is determined to do the same in Game 4. "Especially in this series and this situation, those are going to be of high emphasis to do the best we can to, first and foremost, keep him off the bases," he said. "But if he does get on, doing our best to not allow him to get quality jumps and give our catcher … an opportunity to throw him out." -- ESPNChicago.com Dusty Baker sticking with Tanner Roark as illness, 'AC' and 'mold' affecting team By Eddie Matz WASHINGTON -- Nationals right-hander Stephen Strasburg won't start Wednesday's rescheduled National League Division Series Game 4 against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field despite being on regular four days' rest. With Strasburg under the weather, Washington manager Dusty Baker decided to stick with Tanner Roark, who was slated to start Tuesday before the game was postponed due to inclement weather. "We're going to go as planned with Tanner," Baker said about a half-hour after Major League Baseball announced that Game 4 instead will be played Wednesday at 4:08 p.m. ET. Baker said several of his players are ill. "A lot of my team is under the weather with the change of weather, and the air conditioning in the hotel, and the air conditioning here," he said. "It's just this time of the year for mold around Chicago -- I think it's mold. I mean, I have it, too." Given how dominant Strasburg has been, and given the Cubs hold a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five series, it seemed likely that Baker would opt to skip Roark and go with Strasburg on full rest. After the All-Star break, Strasburg posted a 0.86 ERA, the second lowest ever by a pitcher in the second half of a season (minimum 10 starts). Then, in the NLDS opener last Friday, the 29-year-old right-hander was dominant, allowing three hits and no earned runs over seven innings, striking out 10 in a 3-0 defeat. But despite Strasburg's effectiveness, and despite facing elimination, Baker confirmed that Roark will get the nod Wednesday at Wrigley. "Well, we decided to stay with Tanner because, No. 1, you know, he was slated (to pitch Tuesday)," Baker said.

Baker said Strasburg threw a bullpen session Tuesday, which would typically line him up to pitch Thursday for a potential Game 5. But a Nationals spokesperson later Tuesday said Baker misspoke and that Strasburg's bullpen session actually took place Monday, and that the primary reason the former top pick wouldn't start Wednesday was because he isn't feeling well. "Didn't work out for Stras for his bullpen day, and we're all creatures of habit, and plus, we've got full confidence in Tanner," Baker said. "And Stras, it would have been better, because he's feeling under the weather, like a lot of my team is. So this day actually comes as a plus for our team." Earlier Tuesday, Daniel Murphy's voice sounded noticeably hoarse during his news conference. When asked how he was feeling, Murphy attributed his gruff tone to Washington's dramatic come-from-behind win Saturday, which featured eighth-inning home runs from Bryce Harper and Ryan Zimmerman. "I was extremely excited Game 2 of the NLDS when Bryce hit that homer and Zimm hit his homer," Murphy said. "I lost my voice. I feel good, though, physically. Thanks for asking." After finishing second in the NL with a .322 average during the regular season, Murphy is hitting .091 in the playoffs (1-for-11). He's one of many Washington players who are struggling at the plate. In three games against Chicago, the Nationals are hitting .121 as a team. Outside of their five-run outburst in the eighth inning of Game 2, they've scored just two runs in the other 25 innings. If they lose this series, it would be the fourth time in as many tries since moving to Washington that the Nationals have been eliminated in the NLDS after coming in as the higher seed. Last year, when they fell to the Dodgers in five games, Roark started Game 2 and did not factor in the decision. This season, the 31-year-old hurler was 13-11 with a 4.67 ERA. Strasburg went 15-4 with a 2.52 ERA that ranked third in the NL. The Cubs, meanwhile, did not change their plans at starter; Jake Arrieta, who has battled a hamstring injury, will take the mound as had been planned before the postponement. "Jake's really primed for this opportunity,'' Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. "He's done a great job of rehabbing his leg. He feels very good arm- and leg-wise right now. I'm real eager to watch him play.'' -- NBC Sports Chicago Are the Nationals crazy for not starting Stephen Strasburg in Game 4? By Tony Andracki The Nationals were given a gift by God (OK, maybe not God, but Mother Nature, at least) and are not planning to change a damn thing. Tuesday's awkward NLDS Game 4 rainout shifts the series back a day, seemingly opening the door for Dusty Baker and Co. to roll with co-ace Stephen Strasburg on regular rest to help stave off elimination. But the Nationals don't want to take the easy — and commonsensical — way out. In a decision that shocked the baseball world — simultaneously making Cubs fans giggle with glee and Nats fans roll their eyes — Baker announced immediately after the game was called that Tanner Roark would still pitch as planned for Wednesday's make-up. It's a curious decision, to be sure. And it's one that will reflect poorly on Baker (who already may be on the hot seat) if the results do not go his way.

But we also don't know what's truly going on in his own clubhouse and he does. For that and his probable Hall of Fame 22-year career as a manager, Baker deserves the benefit of the doubt that he's making the decision that is best for his team to win their first-ever postseason series (since moving from Montreal, at least). But it's easy to see the outrage and hubbub. Strasburg is a legitimate Cy Young candidate and was one of the best pitchers in baseball in 2017. He got 17 outs before giving up a hit in Game 1 against the Cubs last week and still wound up with 10 strikeouts, even though "Bryzzo" finally got to him to lift the Cubs to victory. During the 2017 season, Strasburg was 15-4 with a 2.52 ERA, 1.015 WHIP and 10.5 strikeouts per nine innings. Roark, meanwhile, was 13-11 with a 4.67 ERA, 1.335 WHIP and 8.2 K/9. Baker reiterated several times in his post-rainout press conference Tuesday evening that he and the Nationals have plenty of confidence in Roark. The skipper claimed the Washington powers that be did not have a discussion about rolling with Strasburg Wednesday and Gio Gonzalez — another Cy Young candidate — in Game 5 should the series get that far. There's also apparently no talk of Strasburg being available out of the bullpen. "I don't know, man," Baker said. "I ain't even thinking about that, to tell you the truth. I'm thinking Tanner's going to do his thing." The situation is even more convoluted because Strasburg first threw a bullpen Tuesday afternoon, before the game was rained out. Big-league pitchers are creatures of habit — as Baker acknowledged — and even if they aren't, it's not the best course of action, physically, for a pitcher to throw a bullpen one day and come back out and start a must-win game the next day. Pitchers typically throw a bullpen two or three days before their next start. Another factor complicating things is Strasburg's health, which is not great. He's feeling under the weather, like most of the Nationals clubhouse, Baker said. "A lot of my team is under the weather with the change of weather and the air conditioning in the hotel and the air conditioning here," Baker said. "It's just this time of the year for mold around Chicago — I think it's mold. I mean, I have it, too." (OK we need to stop the post here a bit. That's absolutely hilarious that mold was a topic of conversation ahead of what could be the final game of the NLDS. Totally did not see that coming.) Regardless of Baker's reasoning, it's clear Strasburg isn't 100 percent health-wise and maybe that was a reason he wasn't able to throw a bullpen until Wednesday. The Nationals can line their pitching up whatever way they want, but this series ultimately boils down to the Washington hitters, who are on the verge of having the lowest batting average ever by a team in a postseason series. Strasburg and Scherzer combined for 12 no-hit innings in Games 1 and 3, yet the Cubs came back to win both games, in huge part because the Nationals did not have an earned run in either game. In fact, the Nationals have scored in just three innings out of 27 in the NLDS, with five of their seven runs coming on that blowout eighth inning in Game 2 Saturday. "We've got to score more runs," said Daniel Murphy, who tipped his hat to a Cubs pitching staff that has held him to a 1-for-11 batting line in the NLDS with a walk. "The pitching has been unbelievable for us — staring and relieving.

"Offensively, we've got to score. That's where it starts and that doesn't fall on the manager. He's got us completely prepared for every ballgame. We have to go out there and see if we can put up some crooked numbers." The rainout may have helped give the Nationals hitters one more day to refresh and reset, even if the pitching rotation doesn't change. But it's also worth noting that Roark is no slouch. The University of Illinois product finished 10th in NL Cy Young voting in 2016 when he went 16-10 with a 2.83 ERA in 210 innings. He's also 3-1 at Wrigley Field with a 3.24 ERA and 1.32 WHIP, often pitching in front of a large contingent of friends and family in the stands. So it wouldn't be all that shocking to see Roark go out and pitch well enough to give his team a chance to keep the series alive for Strasburg in Game 5, especially if the Bryce Harper-led offense awakens from its slumber. This is postseason baseball. Roark's numbers across six months hardly matter if he's locked in and on his game in the incredibly-small sample size of one afternoon at Wrigley Field. This isn't some Triple-A pitcher getting the ball for Washington. Yes, you'd rather have a guy like Strasburg throwing than Roark in what is essentially a one-game playoff if you're the Nationals, but if Strasburg isn't fully healthy anyways, it may be something of a moot point. Or this could be some misdirection on the part of Baker and the Nationals and maybe Roark is on a really short leash and Strasburg or Gonzalez appear out of the bullpen. Either way, if the Cubs emerge the victors from this NLDS, it won't be because of Baker's starting pitching decision in Game 4. It'll be because the Nationals didn't hit enough to beat the Cubs pitching. -- NBC Sports Chicago Respect this: How Anthony Rizzo owns October By Patrick Mooney No one around this team flips the switch quite like Anthony Rizzo, who usually rolls into the Wrigley Field clubhouse looking like he just woke up from a nap, and spends an extraordinary amount of time with cancer patients at Lurie Children’s Hospital, and absolutely wants to own October and be the new Mr. Cub. It depends on the mood. Rizzo can be purposely boring with the media or extremely entertaining, writing everything off as “just baseball” or predicting the Cubs would win the division after an 89-loss season in 2014 and the franchise’s fifth-straight fifth-place finish. Remember Rizzo in the middle of an epic World Series Game 7 against the Cleveland Indians, clinging to a mic-d up David Ross in Progressive Field’s visiting dugout: “I can’t control myself right now. I’m trying my best. I’m emotional. I’m an emotional wreck.” Rizzo leaned into Grandpa Rossy and cracked up teammate Tommy La Stella with an “Anchorman” quote: “I am in a glass case of emotion right now.” Rizzo screaming “Respect me! Respect me!” and pounding his chest will be one of the takeaway moments from this National League Division Series, making Washington Nationals manager Dusty Baker pay for the key Game 3 decision to let lefty reliever Oliver Perez pitch to him. “He has been underrated,” Cubs manager Joe Maddon said before Tuesday’s forecast pushed Game 4 back to Wednesday at 3:08 p.m. “For me, he always should be in the MVP consideration. That’s just Anthony being Anthony in the moment. I would almost bet – had he had a chance to reevaluate what he said right there – he may have. But that’s just Rizz. He’s very self-confident. “And there’s not a thing wrong with that. In this game, there’s so much failure involved, you have to have that self-confidence to overcome the negative moments. That was truly Rizz being Rizz.”

Rizzo lifted the first pitch from Perez into the no man’s land between shortstop Trea Turner and converging outfielders Jayson Werth and Michael A. Taylor, the ball dropping for a two-out, go-ahead RBI single in the eighth inning of Monday’s 2-1 win. That left the Nationals one loss away from winter and the Cubs one win away from their third straight trip to the NL Championship Series. That type of Sustained Success sounded unthinkable in the middle of the 2012 season, when Rizzo took over for first baseman Bryan LaHair on a team that would lose 101 games. Rizzo began to prove why Theo Epstein’s baseball operations group had such a man crush on him, putting his own imprint on the franchise with his relaxed attitude and hair-trigger intensity. “You’ve just got to stay in the moment,” Rizzo said. “These games, it doesn't matter what you did the last at-bat, if you got a hit, if you got a home run. It's all about that pitch, and that next pitch, and you've got to be ready. “What you did previously means nothing anymore. You've got to be ready every single pitch. And to stay in games like this, we know. We know we're good.” A bloop single still goes down in the record books. Rizzo now has a nine-game hitting streak in postseason play, going 13-for-33 (.394) with two home runs and 10 RBI during that stretch. That streak is tied with Riggs Stephenson (1929-32) for third-longest as a Cub, trailing Frank “Wildfire” Schulte (13 games between 1906-10) and Ryne Sandberg (10 games from 1984-89). Rizzo’s six career homers and 17 RBI in the playoffs are both franchise records. It’s not that Rizzo’s underrated as much as other young players became the next thing in Wrigleyville, Kris Bryant beat him in last year’s NL MVP race, the Cubs are overflowing with other characters/distractions/storylines and you almost take the Gold Glove defense and the 30-homer, 100-RBI seasons (three in a row) for granted now. But Rizzo is 28 years old and under club control through 2021 and said it after Jon Lester signed that $155 million megadeal: The Cubs should be contenders for the rest of his career. “We know someone is going to come through, and it's just a matter of time before someone does,” Rizzo said. “It's just who we are. We all believe in each other." -- NBC Sports Chicago Strasburg? Scherzer? Kershaw? Cubs still have the pitching to be unstoppable in October again By Patrick Mooney Stephen Strasburg and Max Scherzer got all the hype leading into this National League Division Series – and took no-hitters into the sixth and seventh innings in Games 1 and 3 – and yet the Washington Nationals are still in crisis mode. The rain that poured onto Wrigley Field on Tuesday night could have changed everything, with Strasburg theoretically available to start a postponed elimination game on Wednesday afternoon on normal rest. The Strasburg shutdown rules now apparently have an “under the weather” section, with manager Dusty Baker revealing the $175 million ace/former No. 1 overall pick will be saved for an if-necessary Game 5 on Thursday night at Nationals Park. Washington will stick with Tanner Roark (13-11, 4.67 ERA) as planned. Whatever is going on behind the scenes with the Nationals, the Cubs get some of the blame, because their playoff rotation has been that good, with Cy Young Award winner Jake Arrieta still waiting to throw the first pitch in Game 4 at 3:08 p.m. “Listen, they have spectacular pitching, the Nationals do, but our guys have matched them inning for inning,” manager Joe Maddon said. “That’s why we won. Their pitching’s been great, so has ours. You have to pitch better

than really good pitching – great pitching – to win. And we have. It comes down to that. Our starters have permitted us to be in this position.” That’s one win away from a third straight trip to the NL Championship Series where the talk will be about Clayton Kershaw and if the Cubs can match up with the Los Angeles Dodgers. Every starter from the Opening Day rotation got injured at some point this season – remember Brett Anderson? – and the Cubs still headed into October with questions even after a 15-4 burst to close the regular season. Kyle Hendricks doesn’t have the velocity or ego of a standard Game 1 starter. Jon Lester got shut down with left lat tightness/general shoulder fatigue in late August/early September. Jose Quintana didn’t have any playoff experience. Arrieta was recovering from a Grade 1 right hamstring strain. Yet in a postseason environment where Chris Sale went 0-2 with an 8.38 ERA (one start) for the already-eliminated Boston Red Sox and Zack Greinke (7.27 ERA) didn’t win either of his two starts with the gone-fishin’ Arizona Diamondbacks, the Cubs have come up aces. Combined, Hendricks, Lester and Quintana have allowed two runs (one earned) in 18.2 innings, limiting the Nationals to a .094 batting average and a .324 OPS. To put that in perspective, the Cubs have contained a Washington lineup that scored 800-plus runs to the point where its OPS is basically what Lester has done as an NL hitter (.318). “You win with pitching – pitching and defense,” Hendricks said. “If your starter can get you six, seven innings into a game, it takes a lot off your bullpen. “In this day and age, we’re lucky to have the rotation we have and rely on that.” Washington’s 1.96 rotation ERA ranks a distant second behind the Cubs (0.48) in a 10-team playoff field, another validation of the pitching infrastructure/game-planning system overseen by coaches Chris Bosio, Mike Borzello and Lester Strode and run prevention coordinator Tommy Hottovy. “It’s really been interesting to watch all the runs being scored against some really good pitching,” Maddon said. “I don’t know the reason. There’s no good reason. But I do know how good the National pitching staff is versus our hitters. And then Washington has a very good offensive team, and our pitchers have done a nice job. “It’s been the classic 60s-70s kind of series, as opposed to everybody’s looking for the offense these days.” This is the seventh playoff round of the Maddon Era in Wrigleyville and the Cubs are coming off a championship run where they heard all about the legend of Madison Bumgarner and the even-year San Francisco Giants, Kershaw wanting to rewrite his legacy in October and The Klubot, Corey Kluber, waiting to start three World Series games for the Cleveland Indians. This rotation isn’t unbeatable – and the picture looks different if Arrieta suddenly hops off the mound in pain – but the Cubs are unflappable and that could make them unstoppable. “Each individual handles it differently, and you’ve got to figure out what works for you,” Lester said. “I just know from our clubhouse and being around these guys the last three years, you could see the nervousness and the anxiety in 2015. Last year was more kind of like: ‘We’re not going to let that happen again’ and more of a calmness in the clubhouse. “The more you play in these situations, the more you can kind of separate all the other stuff that goes along with it, and just go and worry about what your job is that day.” In the Wednesday schedule released to the media on Tuesday night, Strasburg was listed as TBD in the Wrigley Field interview room.

-- NBC Sports Chicago Why wasn't Cubs-Nationals Game 4 played earlier in the day? By Tony Andracki Of course this NLDS couldn't end without a controversy. Controversy is never far off with such a high-profile team like the Cubs, especially when it comes to weather and start times in 2017. This time, it wasn't the Milwaukee Brewers complaining and dropping epic one-liners about getting sunburnt on a rainout. But this game also has infinitely more at stake than a random late-May contest at Wrigley Field. After nearly an hour-long delay, Major League Baseball called Tuesday's Cubs-Nationals Game 4 on account of rain, pushing it instead back to Wednesday afternoon and giving neither team a travel/buffer day if the series shifts back to Washington D.C. for a Game 5. Tuesday's contest was scheduled for a 4:38 p.m. first pitch in Chicago, which was already an accomdation by MLB, TBS (airing the game) and both teams given the original call was for a 7 p.m. primetime spot with no other MLB games scheduled. But with the impending rain, all parties agreed to move it up to 4:38, though Mother Nature failed to cooperate with that, as well. That left many fans in an uproar on social media, with the rumor floating around that both teams agreed to an earlier start time — like 1 p.m. — to try to beat the rain and get the game in. Now, a 1 p.m. game would've been just fine, as the rain did not start in earnest in Wrigleyville until the 5 p.m. hour. Joe Torre — the chief baseball officer for MLB — said he had no knowledge of any discussion to move the game up to 1 p.m. "That's not my department," Torre said after the game was called. "You know, I don't know if there was a conversation along those lines. It's easy to look back and say that at this point in time, but I can't tell you if there was that conversation." While TBS reportedly insisted they weren't at fault for nixing the 1 p.m. start time, the TV rights did come into play with the overall game time decision, as they do for all postseason games. Why? Well, the millions and millions of dollars the TV stations provide to the league is definitely a factor, as Torre explained: "They have to be part of the decision because they pay a significatn amount of money for the rights to televise our games," Torre said. "It's really naive to say they shouldn't have any input on when the games are played. "It's something that, you know, has happened obviously over time. Our sport is pretty popular and the fact that there are a number of networks that are involved here; I think Major League Baseball certainly has to be aware of not only dealing with each team and trying to make them either understand what you want to do or have them help you decide what you want to do. "But that we all have to understand, a lot of times, who pays the freight." So yes, money was a factor. Of course it was.

But also worth noting: Any gametime decision would've had to have been made Monday night. MLB already made an early call to push the game up to 4:30. A 1 p.m. time slot would certainly equal poorer TV ratings than a 4:30 or primetime spot, but it's also a time that is significantly more difficult for fans to attend on a Tuesday afternoon in mid-October, namely the 9-5 crowd. At the end of the day, both the Cubs and Nationals are happy because they didn't have to throw their starters for just a couple innings, watch a rain delay come about and then have the game postponed until the next day — a scenario that would force each manager to go to Plan B Wednesday without Jake Arrieta or Tanner Roark. Both teams are sticking with the alloted pitchers — no, the Nationals are not starting Stephen Strasburg, even though he's on regular rest — so MLB made the right move in not trying to play a few innings starting at 4:30 before the rains hit. Nationals manager Dusty Baker admitted it's inconvenient for his team because now they have to make new hotel arrangements and move from their current place to another spot in town, but ultimately the answer is both teams have to go out and execute. The difference is, the Cubs have all the advantages at the moment, with the Nationals' backs against the wall, facing elimination. The Cubs need only win one of the next two games, and if they emerge victorious Wednesday, all this rain talk will be for nothing. "Whatever it is, you've just got to get ready and go ahead and do it," Joe Maddon said. "There is no crying. You just go play." -- NBC Sports Chicago Game 4 postponed to Wednesday: Could postseason rain go against the Cubs this time around? By Vinnie Duber It’s no longer “if the rain comes,” as the Beatles sang. The rain is here. What is supposed to be a lengthy downpour throughout the Chicagoland area started Tuesday evening and postponed Game 4 of the NLDS, pushing things back to 3:08 p.m. Wednesday at Wrigley Field. So the Cubs, just a win away from advancing to their third straight NLCS, will have to wait another day to go for a clinch. But while last fall’s postseason rainstorm was a welcome sight for the Cubs, this time around the inclement weather could wind up going the opposite way for the North Siders. They seemingly dodged a bullet when Washington Nationals manager Dusty Baker announced that Tanner Roark will still be his team’s starting pitcher for the now-rescheduled Game 4, a surprising move considering Stephen Strasburg — who no-hit the Cubs into the sixth inning in Game 1 of this series — would figure to be ready to go on regular rest. But with Baker making some comments about Strasburg — and much of his team — being “under the weather” due to changing temperatures inside and outside of their Chicago hotel, apparently the guy who struck out 10 Cubs batters this past Friday isn’t as ready as he seems. That means the Cubs get another crack at a pitcher who while still good isn’t the elite arm that Strasburg is. Still, the nearly 24-hour shift in Game 4’s start time could have drastic effects on the remainder of the series. The Cubs had seemingly all the momentum after winning Game 3 in thrilling fashion on Tuesday, momentum that now comes to a screeching halt, not all that dissimilar from the ceasing of the Cleveland Indians’ roll during last fall’s World Series. After Rajai Davis’ home run threw a wrench into Game 7, Jason Heyward’s clubhouse speech

became a legendary moment in Cubs lore. This time, it’s the Cubs who have to sit and cool off while waiting for weather to pass. The Nationals, meanwhile, get time to try and warm up their bats. Joe Maddon, like his counterpart in the opposite dugout, is sticking with his scheduled starter and will throw Jake Arrieta in Game 4 on Wednesday as he planned to do Tuesday. An argument could be made that the Cubs could have turned to their Game 1 starter after how magnificent Kyle Hendricks was in Washington. But the Cubs are equally confident in Arrieta to go out and get the job done as he battles back from his hamstring issue. “Listen, Jake's really primed for this opportunity,” Maddon said before the rains came Tuesday. “He's done a great job of rehabbing his leg. He feels very good arm- and leg-wise right now. I'm real eager to watch him play. “I just feel good about where Jake is right now physically and mentally, because he is. He's mentioned how great his arm feels, also, based on the rest, too. So you have the combination of resting his arm, resting his leg.” But if the slowed momentum means the Cubs don’t win Game 4 on Wednesday, this series could dramatically swing, not just because Strasburg would await in Game 5 but because the Cubs could see another unfriendly pitcher on the mound in Max Scherzer. Scherzer took a no-hitter into the seventh in Monday’s Game 3, and he vowed to be available to pitch out of the bullpen in Game 5. So if the Cubs drop Game 4, then Game 5 becomes a tall task with the Nationals’ top two pitchers waiting. So while rain worked in the Cubs’ favor last postseason, this time around, rain could make things a lot tougher. The rain has come. And we only have to wait a day to find out what kind of effect it will have. -- Chicago Tribune Joe Maddon believes excellent Cubs pitching deciding factor in NLDS By Mark Gonzales Manager Joe Maddon knows the Cubs' challenge is simple, regardless of whether they are facing Tanner Roark, Stephen Strasburg or Clayton Kershaw. "(The Nationals) have spectacular pitching, but our guys have matched them inning after inning," Maddon said. "That's how we have won. Their pitching has been great. So has ours." Maddon was speaking before before Tuesday's Game 4 of their best-of-five National League Division Series was postponed until Wednesday because of rain. "You have to pitch better than great pitching to win it." he said. "And we have. It comes down to that. Our starting pitching has permitted us to be in this position." That position is up two games to one with Jake Arrieta now receiving an extra day to prepare for what he and the Cubs hope is a series-clinching victory. If the Cubs win Wednesday or Thursday in a possible Game 5 they will play the Dodgers and Kershaw in the NL Championship Series starting Saturday night at Dodger Stadium. Maddon said he didn't consider bumping Arrieta, who hasn't pitched since Sept. 26 because of a nagging right hamstring injury, in favor of Game 1 victor Kyle Hendricks. During the hours leading up to the official postponement, the Nationals considered moving up Strasburg to pitch Game 4. But manager Dusty Baker said later that he will stick with Tanner Roark after revealing that Strasburg was one of several Nationals players "under the weather."

Strasburg, who had a no-hitter for 52/3 innings before losing Game 1, was unable to perform his normal duties leading up to his start but should be available if there's a Game 5. Meanwhile, the Cubs' confidence has been based on a pitching staff — led by starters Hendricks, Jon Lester and Jose Quintana — that has limited the Nationals to a .121 batting average in the first three games. Their pitching was so effective that Baker planned to adjust his lineup so that Jayson Werth would bat second, followed by slugger Bryce Harper and Ryan Zimmerman. Daniel Murphy and Anthony Rendon would drop a few spots. Unlike the two wild-card games and the three other division series, the Cubs and Nationals have received exceptional starting pitching that reminded Maddon of postseason play in the 1960s and '70s. "It has been interesting to watch," Maddon said. "The runs being scored against some really good pitching. I don't know the reason. There is no good reason. "But I do know how good the Nationals pitching staff is versus our hitters, and Washington has a very good offensive team, and our starters have done a good job." Maddon was extremely pleased that his players stayed busy leading up to the postponement that came about 40 minutes after the scheduled starting time and that no one came to his office asking for updates. Nor did Maddon convey his players were consumed with speculation over whether Strasburg would take Roark's spot. "There's nothing you can do to control any of these events, so why even waste one second worrying about it," Maddon said. In any case, Maddon said he's sure the Cubs will be ready for the Dodgers if they advance. "Whoever wins this series, we'll be ready for that moment," Maddon said. "Neither one will be concerned about that. You'll just be happy to get there, actually. "Of course it's better to be in our position (with a lead over the Nationals). There's no way to deny that, but you're dealt the hand, you play it, and you go on from there. Either way, I just want us to get there." -- Chicago Tribune Forget record, manager in October only as good as outcome of last decision By Paul Sullivan Yankees manager Joe Girardi uttered the words the other day many Cubs fans longed to hear: "I screwed up." But those Cubs fans didn't want to hear it from Girardi, who was admitting a mistake in judgment after being vilified in New York for a decision not to ask for a replay review on a missed call that affected the outcome of the Yankees' Game 2 loss in the American League Division Series. They wanted Joe Maddon to issue his own mea culpa for having Carl Edwards Jr. pitch to Bryce Harper with a base open in the eighth inning of Game 2 of the National League Division Series, or for pulling Jose Quintana for Pedro Strop to face Ryan Zimmerman in the sixth inning of Game 3 on Monday. Maddon explained his reasoning, of course, but it doesn't really matter what he said.

This is what happens in October, when the stakes are higher and the Twitter and talk-radio outrage is on full blast. No matter what move a manager makes in the postseason, he's the worst manager in history if it doesn't work out. Girardi was booed during pregame introductions at Yankee Stadium before Game 3. Maddon was booed vociferously Monday when he came out to get Quintana. Dusty Baker has been booed almost his entire managerial career. Before rain caused the postponement of Game 4 of the NLDS on Tuesday, Baker addressed the new normal, one day after he let Oliver Perez pitch to Anthony Rizzo with first base open in the eighth inning of Game 3. Rizzo dumped a bloop single between three players for the go-ahead hit. Baker was deemed an idiot while Rizzo screamed out for "respect," even though he was fortunate the ball dropped in. "The reality of it is ... that it's only correct if it works," Baker said. "But that's not how it really is. And so you know, you can't control the outcome; all you can do is try to put people in a position to succeed. "As far as the scrutiny and as far as social media and this and that, everything, I don't read it. … I have to really stress that to my mom and my wife, you know, because they read everything and I don't read anything." Maybe that means Baker won't read all the stories and tweets telling him what a ridiculous decision it is to start Tanner Roark in Game 4 instead of replacing him with Stephen Strasburg, even as USA Today reported Strasburg declined to start. No one in baseball reads anything, they always say, yet they always seem to know what's being written about them. Giradi, Baker and Maddon are three of the most successful managers in the game, but no one is immune from the attack of the Twitter trolls this time of year. Baker was criticized constantly as manager of the Cubs, and he continues to get booed at Wrigley Field. Maddon is the first Cubs manager to win a World Series since 1908, but he spent a lot of time last winter being asked to defend his decisions on using Aroldis Chapman in Games 6 and 7 of the World Series, and for removing Kyle Hendricks in the fifth inning of Game 7. Hendricks still was hearing about it in spring training when he warmed up for his first Cactus League outing. "They were yelling it still," Hendricks said. "It still hasn't stopped. I'm like, 'We're on the next year, right?' They're still (saying): 'Why did (Maddon) take you out?' ... I don't get it." Cubs President Theo Epstein was asked on HBO's "Real Sports" last winter if he thought Chapman was "going to be gassed" in Game 7, and replied: "In every cell of my body." He was not always in agreement with Maddon, as he explained to me in March. "I'm open about that," he said. "We managed along with him all year long. We don't always agree. Ninety-eight percent of the time I agree with him, but the 2 percent I don't, when I talk to him about it the next day. He always has a great reason. That's not to say I'm right or I'm wrong, but I'm not always supposed to agree with him." Some managerial decisions are deemed so egregious the teams no longer can live with the results. When he was the Red Sox's general manager, Epstein fired Grady Little after he left Pedro Martinez in during the eighth inning of Game 7 of the 2003 ALCS and watched the move blow up in his face. Criticism doesn't seem to bother Maddon and he said bar room conversations are good for the game. Baker said he has learned to ignore it. "(Even if) you know you did the right thing, it might not have turned out right," he said. After the excruciating Game 3 loss to the Cubs, Baker's son, Darren, a freshman at the University of California, gave him some familiar advice.

"My son repeated something to me today that, man, I mean, for a teenager, to listen to your parents and quote you verbatim, I think I've done a pretty good job at home," Baker said. "And he texts me, of course, and he said, 'Dad, this is already written. All you have to do is believe it.'" -- Chicago Tribune Nationals stick with Game 4 starter Tanner Roark over Stephen Strasburg By Paul Skrbina The question was simple: "Who will be starting for you tomorrow?" Nationals manager Dusty Baker's answer, though, was somewhat surprising: "We're going to go as planned with Tanner (Roark)." In other words, not Game 1 starter Stephen Strasburg. Mold was among the reasons Baker gave for why Strasburg, who with the extra day off because of the Tuesday's rainout would be on normal rest, wouldn't start Game 4 of the National League Division Series on Wednesday with the Nationals facing elimination. Baker said Strasburg and many of his teammates are under the weather. "With the change of weather and the air conditioning in the hotel and the air conditioning here (at Wrigley Field)," Baker said. "It's just this time of year for mold in Chicago." USA Today's Bob Nightengale reported Tuesday night it was Strasburg himself who made the decision not to start Game 4. Strasburg reportedly became fatigued during a short run Tuesday and told the team he wouldn't be ready to pitch again Wednesday. Baker said Strasburg would start a Game 5 in Washington, if the series goes that long. He added Strasburg threw a bullpen session Monday in preparation for a start Thursday. The Washington Post reported Strasburg would be the only pitcher unavailable for the Nationals on Wednesday. Strasburg held the Cubs hitless for 51/3 innings in Game 1 of the series, and struck out 10 in seven innings. Earlier Tuesday afternoon, Baker said he would meet with pitching coach Mike Maddux, then talk to Strasburg "if we were serious about doing it." Roark, who grew up a Cubs fan in Wilmington, Ill., has limited current Cubs to a .215 average and .710 OPS in his career. Kris Bryant, though, is .455 with a home run. On the other hand, Jason Heyward, who was not in the Cubs' lineup Tuesday, is 0-for-18. "We have full confidence in Tanner," Baker said. Roark's second-half ERA was 1.37 runs lower than his first-half ERA. Roark remembered his first experience pitching in front of friends and family at Wrigley Field in 2013 as "nerve-wracking." This time around he plans to organize those emotions with the Nationals down 2-1 in the best-of-five series. "You just have to channel it and know how to use it … hold the nerves and all that stuff in. Just let it come and let it happen," Roark said.

Cubs manager Joe Maddon, too, elected to stick with his original Game 4 starter, Jake Arrieta. Maddon said it didn't much matter to his team who is pitching for the Nationals. "You have to beat the best to be the best," he said. "Whatever they choose to do, we have to be ready for it. You don't run away from anything." -- Chicago Tribune Game 4 rainout favors Nationals — unless they foolishly ignore opportunity By David Haugh Rain delays have been known to help the Cubs in the postseason. But not necessarily the one Major League Baseball imposed Tuesday, no matter what Jason Heyward might have to say to his Cubs teammates before Wednesday's rescheduled Game 4 at 3:08 p.m. The Nationals received their biggest break in the National League Division Series — if Stephen Strasburg allows them to take advantage of it. Overlook the bizarre excuses Nationals manager Dusty Baker offered about the "mold in Chicago" making his team feel under the weather or changing hotels to stay an extra night. Game 4's postponement because of the weather potentially favors the Nationals. Yet, remarkably, the Nationals sounded more likely to say thanks, but no thanks. The switch allowed the Nationals to pitch Strasburg after his typical rest instead of Tanner Roark, a fine pitcher who simply isn't Strasburg. But, stunningly, Baker announced plans to stick with Roark because he said Strasburg felt sick and didn't get to prepare as usual. A USA Today report claimed the Nationals wanted to start Strasburg but he cited wheezing and feeling ill in saying he couldn't go — perhaps not even in relief. "Didn't work out for 'Stras' for his bullpen day, and we're all creatures of habit, and plus, we have full confidence in Tanner,'' Baker said, possibly covering for his star. Consider how implausible it all sounds. A Nationals team that never has advanced past the first round of the playoffs will avoid starting one of baseball's best pitchers in what amounts to an elimination game because he feels ill? Or, Nationals history could be altered by a case of the sniffles? As Baker might say, dude, that's crazy. Strasburg took a no-hitter into the sixth inning in Game 1 and gave up only two hits through seven, showing dominance the Cubs would be happy to avoid. The possibility of Strasburg sending the series back to Washington for Game 5 would give the Nationals hope that just doesn't exist with Roark on the mound. If the Nationals lose with Strasburg nursing an illness others might pitch through, he would have a difficult time living down the perception of being soft no matter how great his career is. Meanwhile, Cubs manager Joe Maddon quietly will go about his business as usual. Maddon confirmed he will stay with Jake Arrieta rather than Game 1 starter Kyle Hendricks for reasons easier to understand. The Cubs aren't desperate. The Nationals are. In a worst-case scenario — a Cubs loss — Hendricks still would be available for Game 5 at Nationals Park where he outdueled Strasburg in the opener. Arrieta, unpredictable because of hamstring injury, commands too much respect and possesses too much experience in big games to cast him aside now. He has earned the nod Maddon gave him. When healthy, Arrieta can take over games in the same way Strasburg does. "Jake's really primed for this opportunity,'' Maddon said.

That opportunity should have come as early as 1 p.m. Tuesday but MLB officials waited too long. All of this could have been avoided if the league had been more proactive Monday and established an earlier start time. They anticipated bad weather well enough 24 hours ahead to move the game out of prime time on TBS to the 4:38 p.m. time slot, showing a modicum of common sense. But the league didn't go far enough. The rain that started to fall Tuesday within minutes of the announcement surprised nobody who can access weather.com. The people at the ballpark allowed in to buy beer and food for a couple of hours went home after 5 p.m. without seeing anything more than batting practice. "I don't think there ever was going to be a window or a break to play three hours,'' said Joe Torre, the chief officer of MLB, which takes the decision whether to start games away from home teams in the postseason. But there was. For a four-hour period between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m. when the game could have been played, dry conditions prevailed at Wrigley Field. Cubs general manager Jed Hoyer even told WSCR-AM the Cubs expressed a willingness to play the game earlier. TBS officials reportedly denied announcer Chip Caray's assertion on Twitter that the network refused to move the game to that time slot — one that typically attracts fewer viewers. But, whatever the reason, moving the first pitch up to 1 p.m. was a feasible option everybody ignored to the detriment of everyone but the Nationals. Wednesday's forecast calls for temperature in the 60s with cloudy skies and little chance of rain — or mold. -- Chicago Tribune Joe Maddon insists Anthony Rizzo still an underrated player By Mark Gonzales Anthony Rizzo just completed his third consecutive 100-RBI season, and he's riding a nine-game postseason hitting streak. And yet Cubs manager Joe Maddon said he believes the star first baseman doesn't receive enough recognition. "He has been underrated," Maddon said of Rizzo, who batted .273 with 32 home runs and 109 RBIs this season. "For me, he always should be in the MVP consideration. Always." The National League MVP ballots were cast before the postseason began, but Rizzo is batting .394 with two home runs and 10 RBIs during his playoff hitting streak. That includes a run-scoring single and RBI double in a Game 1 victory in the National League Division Series, and a game-winning bloop single in a dramatic 2-1 win in Game 3 on Monday. Rizzo celebrated the hit by yelling "respect me" after the Nationals elected to pitch to him with first base open and two outs with Willson Contreras on deck. "That's just Anthony being Anthony in the moment," Maddon said. "I would almost bet had he had a chance to re-evaulate right there, he may have. That's just Riz. He's very confident, and there's not a thing wrong with that. "In this game, there's so much failure involved that you have to have that self-confidence to overcome the negative moments. That was truly Riz being Riz." Maddon wouldn't bite when a reporter suggested the Nationals' decision to pitch to Rizzo was a sign of disrespect. "I never viewed it in that regard," Maddon said. "If you're a hitter, just be ready to hit and let the game unfold the way it wants to."

Heyward odd man out? The Cubs are likely to stick with a lineup that features Jon Jay in center field, Kyle Schwarber in left and Ben Zobrist in right in place of Jason Heyward, who is 0-for-18 lifetime against Tanner Roark. Fall League watch: Adbert Alzolay, one of the Cubs' top pitching prospects, was added to the Mesa roster for the Arizona Fall League. Alzolay, 22, posted a 7-4 record and 2.99 ERA in 22 starts for Class A Myrtle Beach and Double-A Tennessee and attracted attention from several teams before the July 31 trade deadline. -- Chicago Tribune Rain washes out NLDS Game 4 between Cubs, Nationals; rescheduled to Wednesday By Mark Gonzales Tuesday’s National League Division Series Game 4 between the Cubs and Nationals at Wrigley Field was postponed due to rain. The game was rescheduled for Wednesday at 3:08 p.m. The game was officially delayed at 3:50 p.m., and the tarp was placed on the infield about 20 minutes later despite no precipitation. Officials from Major League Baseball, the Cubs and Nationals met twice before the game was postponed. Cubs manager Joe Maddon wasn't concerned with the possibility that Stephen Strasburg could pitch Game 4, replacing Tanner Roark, thanks to the rainout. "We’ve seen nothing but good pitching," Maddon said. "You don’t cry about stuff like that. You get ready and go play." But the Nationals will stick with Tanner Roark for Game 4 instead of Strasburg, who "is under the weather," according to Nationals manager Dusty Baker. "We have full confidence in Tanner," said Baker, who added that several of his players are feeling at less than full strength. Strasburg didn't go through his normal routine before a start because of his health. Baker was content with the decision to call the game instead of waiting until later. The Nationals checked out of their hotel but had to switch hotels because their previous hotel was booked for Tuesday night. Joe Torre, Major League Baseball's chief baseball officer, said they didn't want to wait too long despite changes in the forecast that weren't promising enough to complete nine innings. "One thing we didn’t want to do is try to milk it and get this game in at any cost," said Torre, adding that all parties were in agreement that the game should be postponed. Torre emphasized his major concern was starting a game but stopping it and having both teams lose their starting pitchers. -- Chicago Tribune Postseason brings out the best in Cubs' Albert Almora Jr. By Chris Kuc Not long after driving in the tying run in Game 3 of the National League Division Series on Monday against the Nationals, a moment he called "one of the highlights of my career," the Cubs' Albert Almora Jr. went into the video room to recap the at-bat.

"I saw when I got the base hit the cameras (showed) the fans and the fans were high-fiving each other and a lot of hugs and cheers," Almora said. "It reminded me of when I was kid watching baseball games with my pops. I'm just happy to be on the field and happy to help the Chicago Cubs win." Almora is making a habit of making Cubs fans celebrate — especially in the postseason. The outfielder was among the heroes in Game 7 of the 2016 World Series against the Indians. He entered as a pinch hitter in the top of the 10th, raced to second base on a Kris Bryant flyout and scored one of the most memorable runs in franchise history on a double by Ben Zobrist. During the Cubs' 2-1 victory against the Nationals on Monday, Almora made another memorable play in the playoffs when he pinch-hit for Kyle Schwarber in the bottom of the seventh and singled to drive in Zobrist and pull the Cubs into a 1-1 tie. "I'm just not trying to do too much in that situation and take it like any other day," Almora said. What is it about the postseason that seems to bring out the best in him? "That's a tough question just because I'm such an emotional player — I give 110 percent every game," Almora said. "I run into walls more than I should, (and) that just shows you the type of love that I have for this game and the love I have for my teammates. I always want to help everybody out. So I don't think I change much. The celebration changes a little bit after things happen and go our way, but besides that, nothing crazy." Almora was clutch for the Cubs during the regular season too. As a pinch hitter, he hit .341 with 10 RBIs, and when he started in center field the Cubs went 38-27. "He's a good baseball player," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. "He'll have more opportunities as the years unwind. When he gets his 500 at-bats in a season, you're going to see that on a consistent basis too. "He stays ready, he's egoless (and) he knows his role right now," Maddon continued. "He's very good at hitting left-handed pitchers, and he's a good defender." -- Chicago Tribune TBS did not nix 1 p.m. Cubs-Nationals start time, despite reports By Phil Rosenthal TBS did not nix a request to move up the start time of Tuesday's scheduled late-afternoon Cubs-Nationals playoff game Tuesday to 1 p.m. to avoid approaching bad weather that ultimately led to its postponement despite reports to the contrary, television and baseball sources told the Tribune. "It never came up," a TBS source said. Even if it had, postseason scheduling is determined by Major League Baseball in consultation with TV partners. TBS could not have unilaterally approved or vetoed a start time. Considerations include not only weather but whether there is enough time to alert ticket-holders and potential radio, television and streaming audience of change. -- Chicago Tribune Nationals name Tanner Roark starter for NLDS Game 4 By Paul Skrbina

Nationals manager Dusty Baker named Tanner Roark the starter for Game 4 of the National League Division Series against the Cubs. Roark was originally scheduled to start until rain Tuesday postponed Game 4 to 3:08 p.m. Wednesday. Before the postponement, Baker was mum about who would start should Game 4 be postponed, leaving open the possibility Stephen Strasburg could start. “We’re not sure,” Baker said earlier in the afternoon. Strasburg had seemed to be the logical choice, given his performance in Game 1 of the series when he held the Cubs hitless for 5 1/3 innings and allowed two runs, three hits, a walk and struck out 10 in seven innings of the Nationals’ 3-0 loss. Sticking with Roark, who grew up a Cubs fan in Wilmington, IL, a town about 67 miles southwest of Wrigley Field, allows the Nationals to have Strasburg start Game 5, if there is one. Roark has held current Cubs to a .215 average and .710 OPS in his career. Roark’s second-half ERA was 1.37 runs lower than his first-half ERA. Cubs manager Joe Maddon said Jake Arrieta would pitch Game 4. -- Chicago Tribune Eddie Vedder tosses souvenirs to bleacherites from Murphy's rooftop By Paul Sullivan Some lucky Cubs fans in the Wrigley Field bleachers walked away with some souvenirs before Game 4 on Tuesday, courtesy of Eddie Vedder. The longtime Cubs fan who is attending the National League Division Series games at Wrigley was on the roof of Murphy’s Bleachers before the game, pre-partying along with Chris Chelios, Brett Hull and about a half-dozen other friends. Vedder is a friend of owner Beth Murphy, and is a regular when in town. Parker Judd, of La Salle, Ill., caught a ball during Nationals batting practice and was standing in the concourse behind the bleachers overlooking the corner of Waveland and Sheffield when he noticed Vedder on the roof. “I see Eddie on top of Murphy’s playing bags, and so I yelled ‘Hey Eddie,’” Judd said. “He looked over at me and I held the ball up and pointed to it, and he goes ‘Yeah.’ I threw the ball over, he catches it and goes inside and grabs a marker, signs it and throws it back over. “How (bleeping) cool is that? Good dude.” A few minutes later, two other Cubs fans were yelling over at Vedder, who held up a small item and flung it over towards the bleachers. They couldn’t tell exactly what Vedder was throwing, and none of the throws made it across Sheffield Avenue. But Matt Gustin, a Wrigley ballhawk, and Adam Weber of Northbrook both ran down to the bottom of the bleachers to find their prices. They soon discovered Vedder had thrown personalized guitar picks with “EV” on one side and a Cubs’ No. 23 (Ryne Sandberg) on the other side. “Eddie was doing his best to fling his guitar picks, and didn’t make it,” Weber said. “I had to race my buddy down. It landed outside on the sidewalk, and I asked someone ‘Please, I dropped something.’ So she picked it up and handed it to me.” Gustin said he located one of the other personalized guitar picks under the foot of a security guard, who then handed it to him.

Both fans went back upstairs to let Vedder know they’d retrieved their guitar picks, then began texting friends to tell them their stories. -- Chicago Sun-Times Will postponement rain on Cub rotation’s victory parade against Nats? By Gordon Wittenmyer Tanner Roark or Stephen Strasburg? Does it really matter who pitches for the Nationals against the Cubs in Wednesday’s rain-postponed Game 4 of their National League Division Series? Not if the first three games are any indication. Kyle Hendricks, Jon Lester and Jose Quintana have combined to allow just one earned run in 18 2/3 innings in their three starts this series — negating no-hit bids into the late innings by Strasburg and Max Scherzer and putting the Cubs one victory away from getting back to the National League Championship Series. And their former Cy Young Award winner, Jake Arrieta, hasn’t even pitched yet. That happens Wednesday when the Cubs and Nats play a 3:08 p.m. game following Tuesday’s postponement — the Cubs holding a two-games-to-one lead in the best-of-five series against a Nats team with one of the most balanced, explosive lineups in the league. “Listen, they have spectacular pitching, the Nationals do,” Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. “Our guys have matched them inning for inning. That’s why we’ve won.” No? Nationals starters Strasburg, Gio Gonzalez and Scherzer have a 1.96 ERA in 18⅓ innings over these first three games. That’s head and shoulders above every other team’s rotation in the playoffs so far, except the Cubs’ (0.48). Who saw that coming when the Cubs’ rotation sputtered to a 4.66 ERA in the first half? Or when they continued to spend time on the disabled list one by one even late into the season? All five members of the opening rotation missed time this season because of injuries, including front-end horses Lester (lat and shoulder) and Arrieta (hamstring) during the final six weeks of the season. Arrieta on Wednesday makes his first start since suffering a setback with his hamstring Sept. 26. “He’s in as good of health as he’s been in a while,” Maddon said. “He’s ready to rock and roll.” In 29 starts this postseason by all non-Cubs, the rest of the playoff rotations have a combined 5.94 ERA. Former Cy Young winners Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke and Corey Kluber have all been roughed up. “It’s been really interesting to watch, all the runs being scored against some really good pitching,” Maddon said. “I don’t know the reason. There’s no good reason. “But I do know how good the Nationals pitching staff is vs. our hitters. And then Washington has a very good offensive team, and our pitchers have done a very good job.

“It’s been more of the classic ’60s, ’70s kind of series — ours has — as opposed to [the others]. And when it comes to the Cubs’ performances, consider this: Strasburg took a no-hit bid two outs deep into the sixth in Game 1. Scherzer took a no-hit bid one out deep into the seventh in Game 3. Hendricks and Quintana (and their bullpens) in those two games: One combined unearned run allowed. The Cubs won those games 3-0 and 2-1, respectively. “You have to pitch better than great pitching to win, and we have,” Maddon said. “It comes down to that. Our starters have permitted us to be in this position.” If anything, the Cubs might have caught another break when Strasburg apparently balked at the idea of coming back on normal rest to pitch a must-win Game 4 on Wednesday instead of sticking to his planned Game 5 schedule. That means Roark (13-11, 4.67 ERA) against Arrieta. Roark is 3-1 with a 3.24 ERA in five games (four starts) at Wrigley Field in his career. “If you look at his body of work and his numbers against us, they’re very good,” Maddon said. “They have good pitching, period. And we have to win one more game somehow.” -- Chicago Sun-Times Joe Maddon wants the Dodgers? He’s got them if Cubs can win one more By Gordon Wittenmyer Cubs manager Joe Maddon sat in the visitors’ dugout in late August in Philadelphia, just before his team lost a series to the last-place Phillies, and was asked his thoughts about the steamrolling Dodgers. ‘‘Love it, love it,’’ he said. ‘‘Listen, I’m very confident playing against them, too. . . . I like the way we match up against them. A lot, not a little bit.’’ He wants them? He’s got them. Their pitching lined up and their players well-rested, the Dodgers are awaiting the Cubs for a National League Championship Series rematch — assuming the Cubs can win one of the next two days against the Nationals to wrap up their NL Division Series. Game 1 would be Saturday in Los Angeles. The Dodgers, who swept the Cubs at Dodger Stadium during the regular season, swept the Diamondbacks in their NLDS to put their 2017 victory total at a 2016 Cubs-like 107. Maddon was more reticent Tuesday when the comments he made in Philadelphia were brought up, pointing out that he didn’t single out the Dodgers, the writer did. ‘‘They could have brought up the ’27 Yankees,’’ he said. ‘‘When that was all going on, there were a lot of non-believers, and we have really obviously picked it up in the second half in general.’’ The Cubs finished the regular season on a 15-4 run after being swept by the Brewers in mid-September at Wrigley Field. ‘‘You have to beat the best to be the best,’’ Maddon said. ‘‘You can’t run away from any of this stuff. Pick the ’27 Yankees, pick the ’64 Cardinals, the Big Red Machine, whatever. You just want to believe your guys can match up with anybody, and I want our guys to believe the same thing.’’ Max mad?

After pitching into the seventh inning with a compromised right hamstring in Game 3 on Monday, Nationals ace Max Scherzer said he’ll be ready to pitch out of the bullpen in a potential Game 5 on Thursday. Scherzer had a no-hitter for 6„ innings, but he admitted he altered his mechanics to compensate for the strain he suffered in his last start of the regular season. Nationals manager Dusty Baker confirmed Scherzer is a possibility to pitch out of the bullpen in Game 5. ‘‘That more came out of Max’s mouth than mine,’’ Baker said. ‘‘Max has a loud voice, and we listen to it. He came into my office [Tuesday], and he put up [a raised finger] and said, ‘I’m ready.’ And I’m like, ‘OK.’ ’’ This and that A victory in either of the next two games would put the Cubs in the NLCS for the third season in a row and a team from the NL Central in the NLCS for a seventh consecutive season. The Cardinals went in 2011-14. • First baseman Anthony Rizzo, who tied his career high with 109 RBI this season, has driven in five of the Cubs’ eight runs in the series. He also took over the franchise lead in career postseason RBI with 17. ‘‘I guess it’s the year of the RBI for Rizz,’’ teammate Kris Bryant said. -- Chicago Sun-Times MORRISSEY: Have the Cubs put a curse on the Nationals? By Rick Morrissey Bad things used to happen to the Cubs — as a rule, on general principle and just because. But’s that not how the Cubs roll anymore, and if last year’s World Series title wasn’t enough proof for you — and why isn’t it? — their first-round series with the Nationals is offering additional evidence. Game 4 was rained out Tuesday, giving the Nationals every opportunity to start ace Stephen Strasburg on full rest Wednesday. Except for one problem: Nats manager Dusty Baker said Tuesday evening that Strasburg was “under the weather” and would not be available to pitch Wednesday. Strasburg’s troubles were caused by “change of weather,” “air conditioning in the hotel” and “mold around Chicago,” Baker said. The Cubs had the Billy Goat Curse. Do the Nationals have the Moldy Air Duct Curse? If what Baker says is true, it means Jake Arrieta will face the Nationals’ Tanner Roark at Wrigley Field on Wednesday. The Cubs love everything about that matchup and the chance to advance to the National League Championship Series. You don’t need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows for the Cubs. It’s at their backs. Especially in this series. In Game 2, a Cubs fan reached out for a baseball and didn’t have to go into permanent hiding afterward. That’s because a video review showed that Anthony Rizzo’s home run had cleared the right-field wall before the fan got a hand on it. So no Bartman redux. In Game 3, Cubs left fielder Kyle Schwarber committed not one but two errors on a dropped fly ball, allowing Daniel Murphy to get all the way to third base. Ryan Zimmerman doubled him in to give the Nationals a 1-0 lead in an intense pitcher’s duel.

Oh, and the Cubs won anyway. In fact, they committed four errors, got only four hits and won. You can argue the Nationals are acting like the Cubs used to act, if you want to get really cruel about it. In Game  1, Nats third baseman Anthony Rendon dropped a ground ball, allowing a rare baserunner off Strasburg, leading to the Cubs’ first run. It was the sort of thing that used to happen to the Cubs on a regular basis. They’re not the haunted anymore. They’re the haunters. The Cubs believe the gloriously ugly Game 3 victory showed everything that’s good about them. “That just says a lot about our team,” pitcher Kyle Hendricks said. “It’s kind of what we’ve been doing all year. Goes back to last year, even. This group of guys, they just never quit. Just put together good at-bats, no matter what had happened previous in the game.” The Cubs are up 2-1 in this division series not because they’re the better team but because they’re making things happen when things absolutely need to happen. Do they want it more than the Nationals? Hard to believe that. Hendricks said the Cubs never quit. It’s also hard to believe that the Nationals, a 97-victory team in the regular season, ever quit, either. But maybe there’s something bigger here that can’t be quantified. Cubs president Theo Epstein believes there is. “I know some people roll their eyes at this, but I think our players are in the midst of carving an identity for themselves that revolves around playing calm, confident baseball when it matters most and being able to stop some things and remain confident in the face of adversity,” he said. Kris Bryant and Rizzo have an air about them that says good things are at hand. It says the more important the moment, the more likely the good will happen. It says that this is their time and that they’re having the time of their lives. “The front office has done such a good job of putting the personalities together in the clubhouse,” Hendricks said. “Everybody, the focus is on winning no matter what. KB and Rizz are two of the best. The win-at-all-costs [attitude], really. And it’s just giving that last extra ounce that maybe the other guy wouldn’t. “Something about the personalities, I think, that’s put together in that clubhouse, it’s just a special feeling, and guys are going to get behind each other and pick it up no matter what has to be done, really, just to win. That’s the bottom line.” The other day, a reporter asked Jon Lester if a negative storyline — the Billy Goat Curse for the Cubs, no playoff series victories for the Nationals — can seep into a clubhouse. “You know, on their side, I don’t know if it’s in their head,” he said. “I mean, I know for us, every day, you heard about a goat or you heard about Bartman or you heard about the black cat or 1908 or whatever else you heard about. You’ve got to eliminate that stuff and go out and play the game. The game does not change.” The weather does, though. And you’re supposed to change your air-duct filter every 90 days. -- Chicago Sun-Times Nats sticking with Tanner Roark, not Strasburg, in Game 4 By Daryl Van Schouwen What’s going on inside the Nationals’ clubhouse?

Already the target of fan backlash for his postseason pitching decisions, manager Dusty Baker is now taking more heat for a decision that might not even be his. His announcement after Tuesday’s postponement of Game 4 of the NLDS that he’s sticking with fourth starter Tanner Roark instead of red-hot Stephen Strasburg on regular rest in a must-win makeup game Wednesday was met with immediate and intense blowback and criticism. As the day wore on, Strasburg became the target. Almost everyone at Wrigley Field expected Baker to say that Strasburg (15-4, 2.52 ERA), who was dominant in a Game 1 loss at Nationals Park, would pitch instead, thanks to the extra day that would bring him to four days’ full rest. But Baker said Strasburg has been “under the weather” and that he preferred to keep his pitchers in rotation. “It’s fine. We have full confidence in Tanner,” Baker said. His strange answer could be cover for Strasburg, who actually threw his between-starts bullpen session Monday, according to a report in USA Today. Indications are that Strasburg balked at the suggestion of coming back for the postponed Game 4  rather than stay on his Game 5 schedule — regardless of whether that game would even be played. Nats GM Mike Rizzo, in a testy exchange on Washington radio Wednesday morning, defending Strasburg saying the pitcher “looked bad, looked under the weather, looked sick” on Monday. “Very depleted. No energy or endurance.” And so the Nats will not take advantage of the hottest pitcher in baseball on normal rest in a must-win playoff game, and it will be Roark (13-11, 4.67), who has pitched well against the Cubs, after all. Cubs manager Joe Maddon, who is sticking with Jake Arrieta as planned, seemed to expect a Strasburg announcement while talking to reporters — before Baker did — after the game was called off. “How many times have I said, ‘To be the best, you have to beat the best’?” Maddon said. “You’re going to face somebody good with the Nationals no matter what.’’ It’s just that Strasburg is really, really good. But Baker said Strasburg hasn’t been feeling the best — not arm-wise but because of some type of flu-like symptom that Baker blamed on the team’s hotel air conditioning. Strasburg, whose career arm problems have been more than well-documented, is said to be a creature of habit and routine. But he never has been counted among the fiercest personalities in the game, and once refused an offer to start the All-Star Game in his hometown of San Diego. And he’s not feeling the best, so there’s that. “And a lot of my team is under the weather with the change of weather and the air conditioning in the hotel and the air conditioning here,” Baker said. “It’s just this time of the year for mold around Chicago — I think it’s mold. I mean, I have it, too.” The Nationals won’t have their hotel to kick around anymore because they checked out earlier in the day Tuesday, anticipating a flight from Chicago to Washington on Tuesday night — either for Game 5 on Thursday or to pack their belongings for the offseason. “We have to change hotels now because they had not planned on us being there,” Baker said. “The hotels are in business, so we’ll stay in another hotel.” Roark is 55-39 with a 3.41 ERA in his career, which includes a relief appearance in the postseason in 2014 and ’16. He was a Cubs fan growing up in downstate Wilmington.

“It’s pretty surreal to pitch in Wrigley [in the playoffs],” he said Monday, “and just the history that they have here and everything.” Baker will have everyone but Strasburg available Wednesday, including Max Scherzer. Should Roark pitch well against Arrieta, everything might work out fine for the Nats. “It’s very exciting,’’ Roark said, “and I’m anxious to get out there.” That’s more than can be said for Strasburg, apparently. -- Chicago Sun-Times Cubs, Nationals rained out, Game 4 rescheduled for Wednesday 3:08 p.m. By Daryl Van Schouwen Game 4 of the National League Division Series between the Nationals and Cubs Tuesday has been postponed by rain and will be played Wednesday at Wrigley Field. Game time will be 3:08 p.m. (TBS, 670-AM, 1000-AM). The Cubs lead the best-of-five series 2-1. The tarp was put on the infield at 4:15, and the announcement made at 5:15. A rainout could have been a blessing for the Nationals, who, trailing the Cubs 2 games to 1 and facing elimination, could have turned to Game 1 starter Stephen Strasburg on what would have been an open travel day Wednesday. But manager Dusty Baker said right-hander Tanner Roark (13-11, 4.67 ERA), who was scheduled to start for the Nats Tuesday, will go Wednesday. Strasburg (15-4, 2.52) was dominant with two runs allowed (none earned) on three hits and one walk while striking out 10 in the Cubs’ 3-0 victory Friday at Nationals Park, and the common speculation was that Strasburg would pitch instead. But Baker said Strasburg has been “under the weather” and that he preferred to keep his pitchers in rotation. He would be available for Game 5, if necessary, in Washington. “It’s fine, we have full confidence in Tanner,” Baker said. Cubs manager Joe Maddon said Game 4 starter Jake Arrieta would start Tuesday or Wednesday. About having to possibly face Strasburg, he said, “How many times have I said to be the best you have to beat the best,” Maddon said. “I don’t try to over-dissect anything.” “You’re going to face somebody good with the Nationals no matter what,” Maddon said. -- Chicago Sun-Times Cubs’ Hendricks ready for next big-game start — if he isn’t overlooked By Steve Greenberg Kyle Hendricks has eight postseason starts, all with the Cubs, in his big-league career. That’s the same number as Jon Lester has as a Cub, and one more than Jake Arrieta has. It’s as many as Kerry Wood and Rick Sutcliffe had combined. Eight starts. Total earned runs allowed: nine. ERA: 1.98. Defeats: only one. That came in Game 2 of last year’s National League Championship Series when Hendricks gave up the lone run in a 1-0 loss to Clayton Kershaw and the Dodgers. Hendricks was marvelous in that game. Alas, he wasn’t perfect. So sue him.

On a day when rain washed away Game 4 of the NL Division Series at Wrigley Field — it’ll be played Wednesday at 3:08 p.m. instead — the Nationals were still talking about how great Hendricks was in Game 1, a 3-0 Cubs victory. The right-hander threw seven scoreless innings at Nationals Park, because that’s just the sort of thing he does at this time of year. Kyle Hendricks will pitch for the Cubs against the Nationals in Game 5 of the NLDS if the series returns to Washington. “I think the best thing about him is his ball has action so late,” Daniel Murphy said. “And you have to kind of pick your poison: Do I want to pick a spot and swing and hope that it does what I want it to do? [Because] if it doesn’t, you know, he may get my bat. He may break it. He does a really good job of working both sides of the plate, up, down, keeping you off-balance.” In short: Whenever you can send Hendricks out there in a playoff game, you have to feel mighty good about it. And yet, one has to wonder as the Cubs head into Game 4: If they eliminate the Nationals — as they should, with Arrieta opposing Tanner Roark — will Hendricks, the next man up in the rotation, start Game 1 of the NLCS in Los Angeles? Or will manager Joe Maddon choose instead to bump Hendricks — merely the surest thing on this team — in order to open the NLCS with Lester on the hill? I suspect the answer will be the latter. Lester was the team’s No. 1 heading into last year’s postseason. He was brought here to fill that role. The Cubs pay him like a king to take on that responsibility and pressure. I even wondered: If this series ends up returning to Washington for a Game 5, will Maddon rip the ball from Hendricks and hand it to Lester, who’d be on full rest in that scenario? “[We’ll] probably go with Kyle right now,” Maddon said. “We haven’t decided that yet, but Kyle’s in line to do that.” Not exactly a full-throated denial, but let’s assume Hendricks is indeed our Game 5 guy. The question remains: Shouldn’t he be the guy every time — bar none — his turn in the rotation comes up? Hendricks beat Kershaw — revenge! — in last year’s NLCS clincher. He pitched wonderfully in Game 7 of the World Series (and might’ve easily gotten the victory had Maddon not foolishly pulled him after 4 2/3 innings). Last Friday, Hendricks outdueled Stephen Strasburg as the Cubs won Game 1. Big-game tested? Like nobody’s business. “Yeah, I think it helps a lot,” he said Tuesday. “You have to rely on your experience and having been in those situations. You know what the atmosphere is going to be like. You know what the crowd is going to be like. All those external factors, if you can kind of keep that under control, you know the pitching part. You know what to do once you get out on the mound.” And yet here we are, left trying to understand why anyone would have a shred of doubt about him. Does he feel overlooked? “Maybe a little bit,” he said. “I mean . . . it’s kind of how it always has been for me. I’ve just been an under-the-radar kind of guy. It doesn’t bother me at all.” Yeah, well, that makes one of us. --

Chicago Sun-Times Cubs, White Sox urged to extend safety net to protect fans By Fran Spielman If Chicago aldermen have their way, the Cubs and Sox will “lead the league in spectator safety” — by installing protective netting that covers the area behind the home and visitors dugouts at Wrigley Field and Guaranteed Rate Field. Last year, Chicago became the fourth big-league city in the nation to ban chewing tobacco at baseball stadiums. On Tuesday, the City Council’s Finance Committee approved a resolution urging the Cubs and Sox to “not only abide by the MLB standards for protective netting, but to exceed such minimum guidelines and lead the league in spectator safety.” The ordinance was championed by Finance Chairman Edward Burke (14th), who said his original intention was to change the municipal code to require additional protective netting. The chairman backed off — and agreed to a resolution that merely urges the Cubs and Sox to install more netting — after Ald. Tom Tunney (44th), whose ward includes Wrigley, raised liability concerns. “The teams, it’s my understanding, have expressed a commitment to protecting the fans in a way that doesn’t interfere with their viewing of the games,” Burke told his colleagues. Ald. Patrick Daley Thompson (11th), a die-hard Sox fan whose ward includes Guaranteed Rate Field, noted that the teams “hear us loud and clear” and are “working to make sure that it’s safe for all of our residents and guests” to Chicago. “In my discussions with the White Sox organization, they’re moving forward with additional safety provisions moreso than what currently exists where the netting goes just to the dugouts. It’ll be continued further down to cover more of the fans. … It’ll be up for next season.” White Sox spokesperson Sheena Quinn and Cubs spokesman Julian Green said fan safety is paramount at both ballparks. But they were noncommittal about specific safety measures except to say they would “continue to work with Major League Baseball” to explore additional ways to protect fans. The need for additional netting was underscored by a lawsuit filed last week by a 60-year-old Schaumburg man. John “Jay” Loos was hit in the left eye with a line drive foul ball while watching the Cubs play the Pittsburgh Pirates at Wrigley on Aug. 29. At a news conference Monday, Loos said doctors told him he suffered five broken bones and tore a hole in a sinus. After three surgeries — with two more scheduled — Loos said he knows doctors might have to replace the eye with a prosthetic. Tunney supports additional safety measures, but “I’m just concerned about us getting involved in liability for a workplace incident turned foul,” he said. “This has been happening for years. Where does Major League Baseball stand? Do they take responsibility?” Burke noted the disclaimer on the back of every ticket and said it’s “not in the spirit of welcoming people into the venue.” Green refused to comment on the pending lawsuit or on Burke’s resolution, saying only: “Fan safety is paramount to the game-day experience at Wrigley Field. We will continue to work with Major League Baseball to explore additional ways that ensure our fans enjoy baseball in the safest possible environment.”

A spokesman for the Sox could not be reached. -- Daily Herald Will rainout help Chicago Cubs eliminate Nationals? By Bruce Miles A rain delay helped the Chicago Cubs in Game 7 of last year's World Series. A rainout Tuesday -- in theory anyway -- could have and probably should have hurt them in the National League division series. But a strange decision by the Washington Nationals and manager Dusty Baker could end up helping the Cubs in the short term anyway. Tuesday's scheduled Game 4 of the National League division series was postponed about 40 minutes after the 4:38 p.m. start time. The game will be made up Wednesday at 3 p.m. at Wrigley Field. If there is a Game 5, it will be played Thursday in Washington. The Cubs lead the best-of-five series two games to one. The winner of the series will travel to Los Angeles to meet the Dodgers in the NL championship series beginning Saturday. A now legendary pep talk by outfielder Jason Heyward helped the Cubs regroup in Game 7 of last year's World Series, which they went on to win in 10 innings. Tuesday's rainout gave the Nationals a chance to go with Game 1 starting pitcher Stephen Strasburg, who stymied the Cubs last Friday before his defense betrayed him, leading to a 3-0 Cubs victory. But Baker and the Nats will go with righty Tanner Roark, who was supposed to start Tuesday. The Cubs will stick with scheduled Game 4 starter Jake Arrieta, whom they say is healthy after nursing a sore hamstring for a month. USA Today reported that Strasburg turned down the Game 4 assignment, citing illness. "We have full confidence in Tanner," Baker said. "Stras is feeling under the weather, like a lot of my team is. This day actually comes as a plus." The Cubs seemed fully prepared to face Strasburg, even though manager Joe Maddon talked up Roark. But they also wanted to play Tuesday with a chance to close out the series. "I tell you what, I like Roark too," Maddon said. "If you look at his body of work, his numbers against us are very good. I know. I get it, but Roark's very impressive to me, also. "They have this good pitching, period. We have to win one more game somehow. Based on (Monday's) game, you want to get right back out there and play. You don't want that to simmer down or cool down at all." If there is a Game 5, Maddon said Game 1 starter Kyle Hendricks is on track to start it even though no final decision has been made. Hendricks would likely match up with Strasburg again. "I've talked about you have to be the beat the best to be the best," Maddon said. "Whatever they choose to do, we have to be ready for it. You don't run away from anything, so however it plays out, it's going to play out that way. I don't want to try to over-dissect anything. It's just the way the weather showed up today. Nobody's fault. It's raining and then you move on from there.

"You're going to face nothing but good pitching this time of the year. And, again, there's nothing you can do to control any of these events, so why even waste one second worrying about it?" After the game was called, Maddon was asked about the winner of the series possibly playing two games in two days and then having to fly across the country to play the Dodgers. Friday is a scheduled workout day at Dodger Stadium for the Dodgers and their NLCS opponent. "Some people talk about, you have to play right up 'til the very end and then you're going to have an advantage because your team is kind of like into it," Maddon said. "But then again, when you get a chance to rest and set things up, that's always good, also. "I don't know. Both these teams, between us and Washington, I think whoever wins this series, we'll be ready for that moment. Neither one will be concerned about that; you'll just be happy to get there, actually. "Of course it's better to be in our position, of course it is, there's no way to deny that, but you're dealt the hand, you play it, and you go on from there. Either way, man, I just want us to get there." -- Daily Herald Baffling Baker won't send Strasburg against Cubs in Game 4 By Scot Gregor For the second straight day at Wrigley Field, Washington Nationals manager Dusty Baker served as head conductor on the crazy train. After squandering a 1-0 lead in Game 3 of the National League division series Monday and losing to the Cubs 2-1, Baker had to explain why he lifted starting pitcher Max Scherzer in such a critical situation. Scherzer had a no-hitter going with 1 out in the seventh inning before Ben Zobrist broke it up with a double. Baker didn't want the 2016 NL Cy Young Award winner to face the Cubs' next hitter, Kyle Schwarber. Scherzer struck out Schwarber his first time up and walked him the second time. Baker called on left-hander Sammy Solis (5.88 ERA in the regular season) from the bullpen, and Cubs manager Joe Maddon countered with right-hander Albert Almora Jr. to pinch hit. Almora singled home Zobrist to tie the game. In the eighth inning, Dusty struck again. With a runner on second base and 2 outs, Anthony Rizzo came to the plate. In Game 1, Rizzo twice came up with a runner in scoring position and 2 outs and first base open. The Nationals pitched to the clutch hitter both times and Rizzo came through with an RBI single and an RBI double. So, naturally, Baker had reliever Oliver Perez (4.64 ERA) pitch to Rizzo in Game 3 Monday, and the first baseman delivered a bloop RBI single to give the Cubs a 2-1 win and a 2-1 lead in the NLDS. That leads us to Tuesday. The Cubs and Nationals were rained out, with Game 4 now set for Wednesday afternoon at Wrigley. What a break for Washington!

Right? With Tanner Roark (13-11, 4.67 ERA) scheduled to start for the Nats against Jake Arrieta, the rainout instantly allowed Stephen Strasburg (15-4, 2.52 ERA) to replace Roark and pitch Game 4 on regular rest. In Game 1 Friday, Strasburg no-hit the Cubs for 5⅔ innings. He lasted 7 innings total and allowed 2 runs on 3 hits and a walk while striking out 10. Baker said the Nationals are sticking with Roark on Wednesday, even though it's an elimination game. Why? "We decided to stay with Tanner because, No. 1, you know, he was slated," Baker said. "Didn't work out for Stras for his bullpen day, and we're all creatures of habit. Plus, we've got full confidence in Tanner. And Stras, it would have been better, because he's feeling under the weather, like a lot of my team is." So, Strasburg is sick? "Yes, and a lot of my team is under the weather with the change of weather and the air conditioning in the hotel and the air conditioning here," said Baker, who managed the Cubs from 2003-06. "It's just this time of the year for mold around Chicago … I think it's mold. I mean, I have it, too." Mold. Add a new category to add to the disabled list. Baker caught instant heat for sticking with Roark in Game 4, but USA Today reported Strasburg told his manager he doesn't feel well enough to pitch Wednesday. -- Daily Herald Maddon: 'Respect'-seeking Rizzo is underrated By Bruce Miles When Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo yelled "Respect me" on the basepath after driving in the go-ahead run in Monday's Game 3 of the National League division series, it may have surprised manager Joe Maddon. But Maddon understood. As good as Rizzo has been over the past several years, Maddon agrees his star is still somewhat underrated. "He has been underrated, I've talked about it," he said Tuesday. "For me, he always should be in the MVP consideration, always. And that ("Respect me") is just Anthony being Anthony in the moment. I would almost bet that had he had a chance to re-evaluate what he said right there, he may have. But that's just Riz. "He's very self-confident. And there's not a thing wrong with that. In this game, there's so much failure involved you have to have that self-confidence to overcome the negative moments. That was truly Riz being Riz." What he said: Joe Maddon isn't getting ahead of himself about the possibility of a rematch with the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL championship series. But he did want to clarify comments he made in August about "bringing on" the Dodgers.

"That was brought up to me, and all I said was I was just agreeing with the comment," he said. "Somebody brought up the Dodgers. They could have brought up the '27 Yankees. I was not pointing anything out. I would just be happy to win this series and advance regardless of who it's against. It's just about advancing. So bring on whoever. We just have to take care of our share first and then we'll worry one. "When that was all going on, there was a lot of nonbelievers. We have really, obviously, picked it up in the second half. Since that series in Milwaukee (in late September), our mental intensity has been outstanding every game." Cubs starters dealing: For all the hoopla about the Nationals' starting pitching, which includes Stephen Strasburg and Max Scherzer, Cubs starters have an ERA of 0.48 in the first three games of the NLDS. "They have spectacular pitching, the Nationals do, but our guys have matched them inning for inning," Maddon said. "That's why we've won. Their pitching's been great. So has ours. You have to pitch better than really good pitching, great pitching to win, and we have. It comes down to that. Our starters have permitted us to be in this position, our starting pitching has." -- Daily Herald Rozner: Do Nationals really lack respect for Chicago Cubs' Rizzo? By Barry Rozner Twice in three games, Dusty Baker had a chance to walk Anthony Rizzo in a crucial situation. Twice in three games, Dusty Baker pitched to Anthony Rizzo in a crucial situation. And twice in three games, Dusty Baker paid for the decision in a very big way. Disrespect? No. It's just bad managing. The video of Rizzo screaming "Respect me!" Monday will live on in Chicago Cubs' annals regardless of how this postseason concludes, and it makes for another romantic Cubs tale. But seriously, does Rizzo actually think the Nationals don't know he's one of the smartest and most dangerous hitters in baseball? Of course they do. He was fourth in MVP voting in 2016, fourth in 2015 and 10th in 2014 for a last-place team. He's averaged 32 homers, 99 RBI, 94 runs and an OPS of .910 the last four years. It's nonsense, actually, but the Rizzo legend has only grown with the latest chapter in Cubs playoff history. And it has a bit of a Michael Jordan, imaginary-insult feel to it. Jordan used to make up stories about players disrespecting him so he could get fired up and drop 45 on them. Maybe Rizzo's doing it for that purpose, to get himself angry, because there's not an ounce of disrespect here. "You hate to put extra men on base at that point in time in the game," Baker said of his decision in Game 3. "We decided to pitch to him. You couldn't have thrown a ball in there any better than he did. So that was the game." Rizzo ought to be happy the Nats are pitching to him. You know he'd prefer the chance to hit than not. So what's this about?

"It's the mentality I take always with the base open," Rizzo said after his game-winning hit Monday. "I want to make guys pay. "I hit where I hit in the order. I drive in runs, and that's just the mentality that I always take in. "Usually, I keep that stuff behind the scenes, but my emotions got me there. "I believe I'm a really good hitter. I believe I'm one of the best hitters in the game, and you have to believe that. There's a lot of power that comes with that." There is great power in that and no one can deny it works for Rizzo, but it also breeds some contempt around the game for what is a growing perception that the Cubs are an arrogant group. There's good reason for it. They have some blatantly arrogant players. So what? If you're the world champs and you can back it up, you can flip your bat on a walk or a single like Willson Contreras and there's not much anyone can say about it. Besides, arrogance without entitlement is merely confidence, confidence in yourself and your teammates and a belief that you're going to win out in the end. The Cubs are far from entitled. They're the defending champs and they're intimidating, especially when they pitch the way they've pitched in this series with Washington. There's never any question about how hard they're going to come at teams even when they're behind, but if they're going to get this kind of starting pitching they become a frightening proposition for the rest of the game. "We feel good," Rizzo said. "We've got to be in attack mode. There's no relaxing just because we're up in the series. "Tomorrow we have a chance to seal it up here at Wrigley Field, and I expect our fans to be insane, just like they always are, and we'll be ready to go." And Rizzo will be right there leading the charge -- angry and insulted the entire way. -- Daily Herald Imrem: Baker deserves more respect than he gets By Mike Imrem The Washington Nationals-Chicago Cubs game in the NLDS was postponed Tuesday, and it wouldn't be surprising if Dusty Baker is blamed for the inclement weather. Especially after the Nats' manager said "this day comes as a plus for our team" because "a lot of my team" is under the weather. Baker is already being criticized for sticking with Tuesday's scheduled starter, Tanner Roark, today in Game 4 rather than switching to the more accomplished Stephen Strasburg. Few are considering that maybe Strasburg told Baker he couldn't go.

Every postseason game is another chance for Baker, the former Cubs manager/current Nationals manager, to win respect routinely denied him. "I've always learned," Baker said, "the only thing you have to satisfy is God, family and yourself, and those are three entities you can't fool." Moving up toward the Top Ten of winningest managers in history, critics still are reluctant to elevate him into the ranks of the greats. Baker is managing on the final year of a contract now -- a rarity for someone who guided his team into the postseason -- just as he often did with the Giants. "I know what I'm about and I have supreme confidence in myself," Baker said. Observing him here as Cubs manager from 2003-06, a good guess is that Baker is more sensitive to criticism than he'd like us to believe. Accepting that premise, Baker must want badly to finish his career with the highest compliment: the Hall of Fame. So much in any sports these days depends on how many championships a person won. Baker's problem is he hasn't won any despite managing four different franchises into the playoffs. I'm on the side of the argument that believes Baker should be a strong candidate for Cooperstown regardless of whether he ever wins a World Series. The other side insists that he has to win at least one. Even if Baker really doesn't pay attention to criticism, he concedes that family and friends will tell him what is being said. This should be a proud time of the year for Baker -- managing in the playoffs again -- but it can also be agonizing because of the scrutiny. The losing manager frequently is ripped when his team loses a postseason game, and Baker has lost plenty of them. "The reality of it is," Baker said of a manager's decision, "it's only correct if it works." The difference now is that the winning manager often is ripped, too, as Joe Maddon was after the Cubs won the World Series last year. Maddon can deflect the second-guessers by pointing out that he has a championship to his credit. Baker's resume is in stark contrast to that: losing Games 6 and 7 of the 2002 World Series to the Angels. Also, this week in Wrigley Field, Baker has been booed routinely because he took the Cubs to within five outs of the World Series but is blamed for falling short. Steve Bartman has been forgiven; Dusty Baker hasn't been. "I just want to remain in between and not have anybody control, you know, my self-esteem," Baker said. Tuesday's rainout will be made up Wednesday, providing Dusty Baker with an opportunity to maintain his chance to win this year's World Series title. But it's also an opportunity for his critics to crow some more if the Nationals are eliminated.

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