October 14, 2017

Chicago Tribune, Cubs look ready to take off again in Los Angeles for NLCS http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/columnists/ct-cubs-look-ready-to-take-off-haugh-spt-1014-20171013-column.html#nt=oft03a-1la1

Chicago Tribune, Who pitches NLCS Game 1 for Cubs? Jose Quintana? John Lackey? http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-who-pitches-game-1-for-cubs-20171013-story.html

Chicago Tribune, Cubs put off making tough decisions before taking on daunting Dodgers http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-cubs-put-off-dodgers-decisions-spt-1014-20171013-story.html#nt=oft03a-1gp2

Chicago Tribune, Cubs are survivors this postseason, even when they're not at their fittest http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/columnists/ct-cubs-survival-offense-sullivan-spt-1014-20171013-column.html

Chicago Tribune, Dodgers, Clayton Kershaw not looking for revenge in NLCS rematch with Cubs http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-cubs-dodgers-no-revenge-spt-1014-20171013-story.html

Chicago Sun-Times, Who has the edge in Cubs-Dodgers NLCS? https://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/who-has-the-edge-in-cubs-dodgers-nlcs/

Chicago Sun-Times, Fatigued, upbeat and underdogs again, Cubs finally arrive for NLCS https://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/fatigued-upbeat-and-underdogs-again-cubs-finally-arrive-for-ncls/

Chicago Sun-Times, Put it on the board: Maddon ‘gets his wish’ by facing LA, Roberts says https://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/put-it-on-the-board-joe-getting-his-wish-playing-la-roberts-says/

Chicago Sun-Times, Jose Quintana or John Lackey? Cubs still weighing Game 1 options https://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/jose-quintana-of-john-lackey-cubs-still-weighing-game-1-options/

Chicago Sun-Times, Rested Kershaw ‘marinating’ in postseason triumphs, not failures https://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/rested-kershaw-marinating-in-postseason-triumphs-not-failures/

Chicago Sun-Times, Cubs finally land in L.A. after emergency diverted plane to New Mexico https://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/cubs-plane-diverted-to-new-mexico-on-way-to-los-angeles-report/

Daily Herald, Which Kershaw will Chicago Cubs see in Game 1? http://www.dailyherald.com/sports/20171013/which-kershaw-will-chicago-cubs-see-in-game-1

Daily Herald, Who will Chicago Cubs start in Game 1? Maddon still not sure http://www.dailyherald.com/sports/20171013/who-will-chicago-cubs-start-in-game-1-maddon-still-not-sure

Daily Herald, Rozner: Chicago Cubs can really embrace underdog role now http://www.dailyherald.com/sports/20171013/rozner-chicago-cubs-can-really-embrace-underdog-role-now

Daily Herald, 3 questions for Chicago Cubs heading into Game 1 of NLCS http://www.dailyherald.com/sports/20171013/3-questions-for-chicago-cubs-heading-into-game-1-of-nlcs

Cubs.com, Cubs yet to decide on NLCS Game 1 starter http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/258484674/cubs-mulling-nlcs-game-1-starter-vs-dodgers/

Cubs.com, Maddon: Cubs 'heartbeat' leads way to NLCS http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/258512036/joe-maddon-admires-heartbeat-of-cubs/

Cubs.com, Maddon expects better approach by hitters http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/258507526/maddon-wants-cubs-to-change-approach-in-nlcs/

Cubs.com, Delays lead to 10-hour flight to LA for Cubs http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/258463684/cubs-face-delays-in-long-flight-to-los-angeles/

Cubs.com, Cubs likely to realign 'pen against Dodgers http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/258505100/cubs-may-realign-bullpen-vs-dodgers-in-nlcs/

ESPNChicago.com, Do Cubs have enough left in tank to beat Dodgers? http://www.espn.com/blog/chicago/cubs/post/_/id/46132/do-the-cubs-have-enough-left-in-the-tank-to-beat-the-dodgers

ESPNChicago.com, Dodgers stick with division series rotation as they prep to face Cubs in NLCS http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/21015381/los-angeles-dodgers-fill-nlcs-rotation-rich-hill-yu-darvish-alex-wood

NBC Sports Chicago, Cubs could see this heavyweight rematch coming: Bring on the Dodgers http://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/cubs/cubs-could-see-heavyweight-rematch-coming-bring-dodgers

NBC Sports Chicago, After wild playoff celebration, Cubs' flight diverted to Albuquerque http://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/cubs/after-wild-playoff-celebration-cubs-flight-diverted-albuquerque

NBC Sports Chicago, After saving the season, will Jose Quintana be the game-changer for Cubs in NLCS? http://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/cubs/after-saving-season-will-jose-quintana-be-game-changer-cubs-nlcs

-- Chicago Tribune Cubs look ready to take off again in Los Angeles for NLCS By David Haugh Traffic on the I-10 Freeway delayed Cubs manager Joe Maddon enough that his news conference Friday at Dodger Stadium started 20 minutes late. Maddon finally entered the interview room looking like he hopped off the back of a Harley, wearing a blue denim jacket with its collar flipped and a "Route 66" patch over a green striped T-shirt and black pants. "We're here," Maddon said with a smile, appearing rushed as he removed his sunglasses. A medical emergency the Cubs successfully addressed diverted the team plane Friday morning to Albuquerque, N.M. The team then sat five hours in New Mexico inside a 767 jet because Federal Aviation regulations on flight hours required a change in the cockpit. Yes, Maddon changed pilots on his way to the National League Championship Series. The detour extended the Cubs' cross-country trek from Washington D.C. to 10 hours, quality time as far as their manager was concerned.

"I was looking at it from the camaraderie, the family kind of component to the entire evening," Maddon said. "So in spite of the inconvenience, and it was, in today's world with all the events that are thundering down upon us, I thought it was kind of a bunt. I thought we handled it well." Late arrivals suit the 2017 Cubs, a team that started slow but eventually got where it wanted to go, back in California dreaming of another World Series after a season in which they took a more circuitous route to the NLCS. A tiring 10-hour journey after a 4-hour, 37-minute victory over the Nationals in Game 5 of the NLDS, the longest postseason nine-inning game in history, barely fazed a team that entered the All-Star break two games under .500. "The adrenaline will be supplied," Maddon promised. "The guys are going to show up." The Cubs typically do, a fact returning to Chavez Ravine reinforces to anybody who dares to doubt the defending World Series champions. Sunshine and blue skies replaced the chilly mist that served as the backdrop for the final two games of the NLDS, fitting scenery for all the happy memories this place elicits for the Cubs. This was where Addison Russell homered in Game 4 of the 2016 NLCS to stop the Cubs' 21-inning scoreless streak. This was where Jon Lester shut down the Dodgers in Game 5. This was where Anthony Rizzo snapped his playoff slump by borrowing former teammate Matt Szczur's bat and the Cubs scored 18 runs in Games 4 and 5. This was the site of too much fun for the Cubs to let a little fatigue interfere with their main objective. "Right now, we're playing with that same kind of mental acumen and edge that I've seen the last two years," Maddon said. "Probably from the second half of '15 to last year to right now, it's very familiar." Familiarity cloaks every aspect of this epic week for the Cubs. Less than 24 hours earlier, Maddon was wearing goggles in the Cubs clubhouse to protect his eyes from the spraying champagne. Team President Theo Epstein was in shorts and flip-flops, taking swigs from bottles and accepting hugs from strangers. Players lit cigars, celebrating the team's third straight trip to the NLCS that represents the sustained success Epstein promised — and delivered. Yet even the most nuanced baseball nerds struggled to explain how the Cubs overcame a 4-1 deficit to the Nationals with Max Scherzer on the mound with two outs in the fifth inning. It was the most amazing postseason game in Cubs history that didn't include a rain delay. Four straight Cubs batters reached base in unorthodox ways: an intentional walk, a strikeout with a passed ball, catcher's interference and a hit batsman. Four runs followed. Wade Davis later impersonated John Wayne, getting a seven-out save and striking out Bryce Harper to end the game. So much happened that Maddon called it "one of the most incredible victories I've ever been part of." Russell, who drove in four runs, compared it to winning the World Series. "We just found a way," Russell said. The Dodgers won 104 games and open Game 1 of the NLCS at home Saturday regarded as the best team in baseball. But the Cubs might be the toughest team to beat, which puts all the long odds out of Las Vegas and short fuses about the Cubs bullpen woes in perspective. Legitimate questions surround the Cubs relief corps, given that Carl Edwards Jr. suddenly can't find the plate with a GPS and Justin Wilson can't get Maddon to trust the left-hander enough to use him. Questions dog the dependability of the slumping Kris Bryant and the overall team defense that was sloppy against the Nationals. Heck, Maddon didn't even know who was starting Game 1 opposite Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw when he left the ballpark Friday. So why are the Cubs strangely confident? "It's about the heartbeat, brother," Maddon said. To Maddon, it matters most that the Cubs have a roster full of guys who put team goals ahead of individual goals. Guys like Ben Zobrist, who came through in Game 5 despite getting benched, like Kyle Schwarber, who has accepted going from October hero to role player without so much as a whimper, like Albert Almora Jr. and Tommy La Stella, who do whatever is asked. Guys who enjoy each other's company enough that spending five hours cooped up in an airplane feels more like a party than a prison.

Guys nobody should count out in the role of underdog. "So we're going to be tired (Saturday), who cares?" Maddon said. "They're going to be ready to play. They're going to be ready to play Sunday. Yesterday, 4-1 down, you come in our dugout, and you would not believe the attitude after Taylor hit that home run. ... I anticipate the same kind of mental effort (Saturday), regardless of being stuck on the runway or getting in late. Whatever it takes." Better late than never, the Cubs look ready to take off. -- Chicago Tribune Who pitches NLCS Game 1 for Cubs? Jose Quintana? John Lackey? By Chris Kuc No doubt a little bleary-eyed and worse for wear after celebrating their National League Division Series victory over the Nationals, the Cubs will hold a workout at Dodger Stadium on Friday. It is then manager Joe Maddon is expected to announce the Cubs’ starter against the Dodgers in Game 1 of the NLCS on Saturday. The options are a bit limited after the Cubs emptied the tank in an effort to get past the Nationals, but Maddon does have some candidates. Jose Quintana would be the most logical choice as it would be his spot in the rotation, but the left-hander made a brief appearance in the Cubs’ thrilling 9-8 victory over the Nationals on Friday night. Quintana threw 12 pitches during a 2/3 of an inning relief appearance, and including warm-up throws that equates to a typical bullpen session before his next start. Waiting in the wings is veteran right-hander John Lackey, who was on the NLDS roster but did not pitch in the series. The 38-year-old went 12-12 with a 4.59 earned-run average this season and has plenty of postseason experience, having pitched in 26 games in the playoffs throughout his career with the Angels, Red Sox, Cardinals and Cubs. Following Quintana or Lackey in Game 2 on Sunday will likely be Jon Lester. The veteran left-hander made 55 pitches in relief during Game 4 on Wednesday and afterward said he was ready to pitch again whenever Maddon called for him. Looking deeper into the series, Jake Arrieta and Kyle Hendricks are the best bets for Games 3 and 4, respectively, at Wrigley Field. -- Chicago Tribune Cubs put off making tough decisions before taking on daunting Dodgers By Mark Gonzales The road to the National League Championship Series for the Cubs traveled unexpectedly through Albuquerque. That's where the Cubs made a pit stop because of a medical emergency involving a member of their traveling party and it postponed their arrival at their Southern California hotel until 12:30 p.m. local time Friday. But after needing 4 hours, 37 minutes Thursday night to hold off the Nationals in the NL Division Series for the right to advance, the transportation delay gave the Cubs even more reason not to rush into naming a starter for Saturday night's Game 1 against the rested Dodgers.

"I promise you, the white smoke, as soon as it occurs, you guys will know about it," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said before leaving Dodger Stadium to assess the pros and cons of left-hander Jose Quintana and John Lackey as Game 1 starters with President Theo Epstein, general manager Jed Hoyer and his coaching staff. Quintana threw only 12 pitches in relief Thursday as the Cubs survived against the Nationals. Lackey is the freshest Cubs' starter, as he hasn't pitched since throwing an inning of relief on Oct. 1 but he beat the Cardinals in the NL Central-clinching game on Sept. 27. The order of the rest of the rotation will be "more comfortable" after the Game 1 decision is made. Maddon said left-hander Jon Lester, who threw 55 pitches in relief on Wednesday, will start Game 2. Kyle Hendricks and Jake Arrieta should be well-rested when the NLCS returns to Wrigley Field on Tuesday. The Dodgers will present a formidable challenge as they won a baseball-best 104 games during the regular season, including a three-game sweep of the Cubs May 26-28. As the Cubs went on to add three more games to their losing streak some wondered if it felt as if the sky was falling then. "It was crashing," Maddon joked. Aside from getting their rotation in order, expect the Cubs to retool their roster, specifically a bullpen that walked eight batters in five innings in the 9-8 victory over the Nationals on Thursday night. Nevertheless, Maddon reiterated his faith in Carl Edwards Jr., who was pulled after walking Michael Taylor to start the seventh Thursday and walked four overall while pitching in all five NLDS games. "Of course CJ had his problems with his command, but he's still a big part of our success, and he will be moving forward again," Maddon said. The Cubs need to find a temporary replacement for closer Wade Davis, who threw 44 pitches to earn the first seven-out save of his career Thursday. Reliever Hector Rondon could be added to the roster. The Cubs' batters must be as disciplined as they were in the fifth inning Thursday in finally solving Nationals ace Max Scherzer. The Dodgers blanked the Cubs in the first two of their three May victories thanks to a heavy dose of high fastballs. "It's a great blueprint," Maddon said. "I've always been concerned about old-school pitching coaches trying to get elevated fastball pitchers to throw the ball down in the zone. Stop. Certain guys do pitch well about letter high. "Our counterattack is either to not swing at it or really force them down, and you have to be prepared for the ball that's not exactly there. But if they're executing their pitches, they're going to be tough, period. "I don't care what anybody says. It's true. It's a great way to pitch. Either you have to foul it off or if you have to take it, it's a ball and you have to force them down into your lanes." Maddon believed the Cubs finally broke through in Game 5 against the Nationals with better plate discipline that they must display against Kershaw and a formidable pitching staff. "The Dodgers have a method," Maddon said. "I totally understand it. They have to execute it. We have to execute our side of it. We'll see what happens." --

Chicago Tribune Cubs are survivors this postseason, even when they're not at their fittest By Paul Sullivan The Cubs survived the National League Division Series against the Nationals despite a glaring lack of offense. But it seems unlikely they will be able to get away with that again in the NL Championship Series against the Dodgers, who can use Clayton Kershaw three times in a seven-game series, and have the most dominant closer in the league in Kenley Jansen. Kershaw starts Game 1 Saturday night at Dodger Stadium. Don't the Cubs have to up their game significantly in this intriguing rematch? "Yeah, but I think we will," President Theo Epstein said. "We didn't play a really clean game per se. But we always hit eventually. And we got through a series where we didn't always get the big hit, so I think that bodes well that we'll (hit). "We're going to hit. We have too many talented hitters. We'll raise our game. And this time of year it's outcome. That's what it's all about — finding a way to win, and that's what our boys did." They did, despite hitting .180 in the five-game series against the Nationals. Their two big guns, Anthony Rizzo and Kris Bryant, each wound up at .200. Javier Baez was hitless in 14 at-bats and Jason Heyward hit .167 (2-for-12). They had 52 strikeouts overall, including 10 for Bryant, and only 27 hits. Brutal. How they managed to win a game is a testament to their starting pitching and their willpower. "We saw three world-class pitchers," manager Joe Maddon said, defending the lackluster offense. "Well, (Stephen) Strasburg twice, (Max) Scherzer once, and then (in relief). World-class pitchers over the course of five games. That's where the offense went, quite frankly. "So the Dodgers have a method. Totally understand it. They have to execute it, we have to execute our side of it. We''ll see what happens." The big question heading into Game 1 was who would start for the Cubs, but Maddon would say only that John Lackey and Jose Quintana are in the mix. That decision seems like a no-brainer, though you never know what the Cubs have up their sleeves. Epstein said Thursday they would "figure it out on the plane before we start drinking," but either they hadn't figured it out by the time the plane finally made it into Los Angeles Friday morning after a long, unexpected stopover in Albuquerque, or they just didn't want to say. Quintana wants the nod. "Hopefully, because I'm the guy that's fresh," he said. "I'm ready to go, man." Give him the ball, Joe. This is no time for a sentimental journey, no matter how great a teammate Lackey is. Lackey started Game 4 in Dodger Stadium last year when he was still the No. 4 starter, and was removed after walking the first two hitters in the fifth.

Afterward he went off on the media after the Cubs' victory. "We won a game," Lackey said. "We were terrible yesterday, now all of a sudden we're great. It's amazing this time of year all of a sudden you guys can flip so quick. It's funny." No one thought last October the Cubs were terrible, of course, but that's the kind of chip on your shoulder attitude Lackey and his teammates rely on to motivate themselves. "We were written off the first two months of the season, and we're here," Jon Lester said after Thursday's Game 5 triumph in Washington. Uh, no one wrote the Cubs off after two months. Even during their darkest days almost everyone believed they would be able to overtake the Brewers. "Respect me," Rizzo yelled after he was pitched to instead of walked intentionally in Game 3 and blooped the game-winning hit between three defenders. Everyone respects you, Rizzo. Just start hitting the way you're supposed to and everything will be OK. It's almost as if the Cubs have to manufacture this narrative of being disrespected to get themselves in the proper mood. Well, it has worked so far, so keep on keeping on. If they can beat the Nationals looking that awful, maybe the sky's the limit against the Dodgers. -- Chicago Tribune Dodgers, Clayton Kershaw not looking for revenge in NLCS rematch with Cubs By Paul Skrbina The last time Clayton Kershaw pitched against the Cubs in the postseason, he couldn't get out of Wrigley Field fast enough. Or barely at all. The Dodgers' team bus had trouble leaving the stadium after the Cubs sent Kershaw and his teammates home thanks to a 5-0 victory in Game 6 of the National League Championship Series. So Kershaw, who will start Game 1 of the rematch Saturday, hatched a new escape plan should his team find itself in a similar situation. "Try to walk a few blocks and get an Uber if we lose again," Kershaw joked Friday at Dodger Stadium. "That's probably the best situation." A better situation for Kershaw and the Dodgers, of course, would be to beat the Cubs. The roles are reversed this year in some ways. The Dodgers' 104-58 record was tops in baseball during the regular season. They are well rested. They are favored. The defending champion Cubs, who won a 9-8 instant classic across the country against the Nationals on Thursday night to clinch the division series, have a tattered and tired pitching staff and encountered a travel delay that diverted them to New Mexico before they finally arrived in Los Angeles on Friday afternoon. "It was fun watching them duke it out while we were sitting around," Kershaw said. "(But) it doesn't really matter. The Cubs are here now ... I have a feeling they're going to be ready to go."

Kershaw said the same about himself. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Friday that Rich Hill, Yu Darvish and Alex Wood would follow in the rotation for the series, one Cubs manager Joe Maddon looked forward to as far back as late August. "Nothing would make me happier than that," Maddon said then of a potential playoff rematch. Kershaw said he hadn't heard about Maddon's comments but said it's "great he thinks that." Maddon's plea wasn't lost on Roberts, though. "He's getting his wish," Roberts said Friday. "(I) didn't think about it after the moment (I) heard it. He has a lot of confidence in his guys, as much as I have in our guys, so it's going to be a great series." And one that won't be filled with vengeance, at least on Kershaw's part. The three-time Cy Young Award winner said the Dodgers, who haven't played since completing a sweep of the Diamondbacks on Monday, didn't care who they would face with a trip to the World Series on the line. "We didn't get to do that last year, and the Cubs were the reason why," Kershaw said. "I don't hold grudges. It's not billboard material for me that we've got to get revenge on the Cubs." The Cubs too are very aware of who they are facing. "Whatever it takes, our guys are ready," Maddon said. "Kershaw's good, but so are our guys." -- Chicago Sun-Times Who has the edge in Cubs-Dodgers NLCS? By Gordon Wittenmyer CUBS-DODGERS MATCHUPS Starting pitching The Cubs’ rotation was second only to the Indians’ in second-half ERA (3.36), but it enters this series trying to regroup after an all-hands-on-deck finish to the five-game NLDS. Jon Lester won’t start until at last Game 2 and Kyle Hendricks until at least Game 3. The Dodgers’ rotation was the best in the majors this season, and it’s rested, healthy and lined up after a first-round sweep of the Diamondbacks. Clayton Kershaw’s relative mortality in the postseason doesn’t offset a clear top-to-bottom advantage. Edge: Dodgers. Bullpen Anthony Rizzo tags out Jose Lobaton on a pickoff throw from catcher Willson Contreras in the eighth inning of Game 5 of the NLDS on Thursday in Washington. | Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP Two words: Kenley Jansen. Seven more on the Dodgers: Best bullpen in the league all year. Meanwhile, there are few words to describe the disarray the Cubs’ bullpen is in as it opens the series with Wade Davis likely out for at least the first game, and few other trusted sources of late-inning work. The Cubs might swap out an arm or two for this series. Edge: Dodgers. Lineup Chris Taylor improved the top of the order for the Dodgers in the second half, and the Dodgers have good power/on-base balance, left-right balance and veteran-youth balance — much like the Cubs. Dodgers shortstop

Corey Seager is dealing with a “barking” back and has had elbow issues in the second half. But both lineups remain sneaky to dangerous, top to bottom. Edge: Even. Fielding The Dodgers and Cubs match up well at the corner infield spots, corner outfield spots and at times behind the plate. The Cubs have the clear advantage in the middle infield with Addison Russell and Javy Baez, and in center when Albert Almora Jr. plays. Edge: Cubs. Manager Dave Roberts, last year’s manager of the year, has a deeper roster than even a year ago, and through a boat-race regular season and a first-round playoff sweep, he hasn’t been tested much. Three-time manager of the year Joe Maddon still hears about his questionable pitching decisions last November and nearly saw some ultra-aggressive moves backfire on him already this postseason. But it’s hard to ignore the results from the Cubs’ most successful postseason manager since Frank Chance. Edge: Even. Rizzos Anthony Rizzo is a three-time All-Star with 32 homers for the Cubs, and he had some huge RBI the first three games of the NLDS. But Dodgers broadcaster Alanna Rizzo has three regional Emmy awards, and the Dodgers have won the NL West all four years she has been on the broadcast team. And for those scoring at home, the broadcaster tweeted in 2012: “I have gotten this question 1,000 times. Although I have 3 relatives named Anthony Rizzo, I’m NOT related to the @Cubs Anthony Rizzo.” Edge: Dodgers. Wittenmyer’s bottom line: Dodgers in 6. -- Chicago Sun-Times Fatigued, upbeat and underdogs again, Cubs finally arrive for NLCS By Gordon Wittenmyer LOS ANGELES — The Cubs can’t even be certain how they got here this time. Seriously. They know it involved one of the strangest, quirkiest series clinchers in National League playoff history Thursday night in Washington. They also know it involved a charter plane touchdown in New Mexico as they swigged champagne in the wee hours of Friday morning — and a pilot who was forced to tap out in Albuquerque because he ran out of FAA-allowed hours to fly. Cubs are fatigued, but Addison Russell (four RBIs Thursday) says they're "more eager than anything" heading into their playoff rematch with the Dodgers. But they made it — their path back to the NLCS in Los Angeles no more odds-defying or impressive than their road back to the playoffs after a first-half, sub-.500 hangover this year. They returned to L.A. for Game  1 on Saturday fatigued, upbeat and with a pitching staff in flux, preparing to face a 104-win Dodgers team that by all measures seems to have the upper hand this time, and definitely believes it does. “We’ve got a big challenge ahead of us in the Dodgers,” said shortstop Addison Russell, who drove in four runs in Thursday’s Game 5 clincher against the Nationals, and who likes the edge the Cubs’ comeback experience in the postseason gives them in another series as underdogs. “We’ve been up and down in series. We’ve been up and

down in ballgames. Especially when the big lights are on, this ballclub has been great. There’s no panic. I feel like there’s no pressure. I feel like we’re more eager than anything else.” One of their bigger challenges at the outset of this series is the fatigue level after their overnight travel ordeal, which was caused by a family member’s panic attack on the charter plane, prompting the diversion. All was well with the family member in the end, and manager Joe Maddon said the team rallied around the incident — even when the delay eventually cost them their pilot over flight-time regulations. They landed in L.A. around 11  a.m. local time Friday. The bigger challenge figures to be matching up their beleaguered rotation against a formidable, rested Dodgers rotation that opens Saturday night with three-time Cy Young winner Clayton Kershaw. Maddon said his Game 1 starter is either right-hander John Lackey, who hasn’t started since Sept.  26, or lefty Jose Quintana, who pitched well against the Nationals in a Game  3 win Monday and threw 12 pitches in relief in Game 5. “I don’t know who’s going to throw Game 1 yet, but I think it’s coming to me,” Quintana said. “I think I’m fresh. I’m ready to go, man.” The Cubs were expected to announce their decision early Saturday. Jon Lester, the NLCS co-MVP a year ago in the Cubs’ six-game victory over the Dodgers, is expected to start Game 2 against former Cub Rich Hill. Even if the Cubs go with Lackey, Maddon said, it won’t necessarily affect the statuses of his four NLDS starters for starting roles in this series. He also said he didn’t expect to carry an added reliever this series after the heavy burden the staff shouldered in the first round — though he suggested the Cubs might swap out a reliever or two on the roster this time around. That could put left-hander Justin Wilson on the roster bubble and bring right-hander Hector Rondon back into play for an NLCS role. Either way, the Cubs like where they seem to have landed — literally and emotionally — as they open this playoff rematch. “Right now we’re playing with that same kind of mental acumen and edge that I’ve seen the last two years,” Maddon said. “We’re going to be tired [Saturday]. Who cares? They’re going to be ready to play.” The Cubs last played the Dodgers in May, when they were swept in three games at Dodger Stadium. Nobody seems to remember. “Just to be going three years in a row to the NLCS is absolutely incredible,” Jake Arrieta said. “We’ve got a lot of weapons, got a lot of guys. We’ve got a lot of experience in the postseason, and we’re ready, man. We’re ready.” -- Chicago Sun-Times Put it on the board: Maddon ‘gets his wish’ by facing LA, Roberts says By Daryl Van Schouwen LOS ANGELES – A quick scan of the Dodgers clubhouse revealed no newspaper clipping or Internet printout of Joe Maddon’s chest-thumping when the Cubs manager talked about the possibility of facing the Dodgers back in August. But the Dodgers have heard about it.

“He’s getting his wish,’’ Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Friday, stirring up the competitive banter just a notch on the eve of their teams’ rematch in the NLCS. Like everyone else, Maddon was impressed by the Dodgers torrid run before they hit that tailspin but he likes his team, which beat LA last year en route to its World Series title, too. ‘‘Love it, love it,’’ Maddon said at the time. ‘‘Listen, I’m very confident playing against them, too. . . . I like the way we match up against them. A lot, not a little bit.’’ “Heard it, and he has a lot of confidence in his guys, as much as I have in our guys, so it’s going to be a great series,’’ Roberts said. Game 1 starter Clayton Kershaw said he hadn’t heard of Maddon’s comments. “No, not really,” he said. “I didn’t read about it or hear it, but I don’t know what that means, I don’t know how teams match up. I don’t know the specifics of all of that. So that’s great he thinks that. That’s awesome. I’m sure they need to think that, so that’s great.” * Umpires for the NLCS are Mike Winters (crew chief), Lance Barksdale, Eric Cooper, Alfonso Marquez, Todd Tichenor, Bill Welke and Jim Wolf. -- Chicago Sun-Times Jose Quintana or John Lackey? Cubs still weighing Game 1 options By Gordon Wittenmyer LOS ANGELES — Cubs manager Joe Maddon, bleary-eyed and slow moving after an overnight travel odyssey that involved a diverted flight to New Mexico, said Friday the Cubs still had not decided whether left-hander Jose Quintana or right-hander John Lackey will start Game 1 of the National League Championship Series on Saturday night. He planned to meet with his staff and the front office team to make that call late Friday, he said. Quintana threw just 12 pitches in a relief appearance Friday — “almost like a side piece for him,” Maddon said. Lackey, who was 7-3 with a 3.75 ERA in the second half, hasn’t pitched since a one-inning relief appearance in the season finale — hasn’t started since Sept. 7 (six innings, one run allowed). Maddon said a Lackey start likely won’t mean dropping somebody else from the rotation. “Everybody could move back and then you have to be cognizant of Game 5 [when that spot comes up again],” Maddon said, “and how comfortable you are with that. “It’s just this first game,” he said. “The others will definitely be part of this whole routine. We just have to decide the first game and go from there.” In the clubhouse Thursday night, Quintana said he was fine for a start Saturday night. “I’m ready to go, man,” he said. Assuming Jon Lester — last year’s NLCS co-MVP — says he’s up to it, he’s the Cubs’ likely starter for game 2 on Sunday. Lester threw 55 pitches in relief in Game 4 of the NLDS on Wednesday.

Maddon said the Cubs aren’t likely to carry an extra pitcher to cover the heavy use of several bullpen guys in the first round, but the Cubs might swap out a pitcher or two. That could put right-handers Hector Rondon and possibly Justin Grimm back in play for a roster spot and put left-hander Justin Wilson on the bubble for the NLCS. -- Chicago Sun-Times Rested Kershaw ‘marinating’ in postseason triumphs, not failures By Daryl Van Schouwen LOS ANGELES – The Dodgers are favored over the Cubs in the NLCS and Clayton Kershaw is a big reason why. Perhaps reason No. 1. It’s worth noting, though, that the 29-year-old generally regarded as the best left-hander in baseball owns a far from impeccable postseason record. In fact, the Cubs are one reason why. When they defeated the Dodgers 4 games to 2 in the 2016 NLCS, Kershaw was dominant with seven scoreless innings of two-hit ball in Game 2 but when everyone assumed he would force a Game 7, he gave up five runs in five innings in the Cubs’ Game 6 clincher six days later. He will take a 5-7 postseason record and 4.63 ERA into Game 1 of the NLCS Saturday at Dodger Stadium. “Yeah, people talk about all the postseason failures that I’ve had a lot, and I understand that,’’ Kershaw said Friday at Dodger Stadium. “I don’t really look at it like that, though, which is I guess a good thing for me. I look at the times I’ve had success and I try to marinate on those.’’ In addition to his substantial talent, Kershaw also has this much going for him Saturday: Instead of starting on short rest, which he has done four times in his postseason career, he goes in fresh with seven days off since he gave up four runs over 6 1/3 innings against the Diamondbacks on Game 1 victory of the NLDS. In fact, the entire Dodgers team will be much fresher than the Cubs, who will face the three-time Cy Young winner two days after a taxing Game 5 victory in Washington. “So I’m sure they’re going to be feeling it maybe [Friday] and maybe even [Saturday] a little bit,’’ Kershsaw said. “But adrenaline can carry over almost through that off-day at times. “It was a weird situation for them [Friday] night. I’ve never been a part of that. We’ve always had an off-day and never had to travel cross-country like that. So I don’t really know exactly how it will affect them, but we can’t think about that. We’re well rested and ready to go.’’ Rest or not, this will bear watching from Kershaw: When he gave up two runs in the seventh innings against the Diamondbacks with a 7-2 lead a week ago, it underscored his seventh-inning bugaboo. He owns an alarming postseason ERA of 25.50 in the seventh inning. That’s something he might want to get past, or something manager Dave Roberts should be conscious of because “we want to go to the World Series,’’ Kershaw said. “We didn’t get to do that last year, and the Cubs were the reason why. We know that. “They were the best team last year, and until somebody beats them, they’re the best team. So we’ve got to go get them.’’ It all starts with the starting pitcher in Game 1. Clayton Kershaw, your table is ready.

-- Chicago Sun-Times Cubs finally land in L.A. after emergency diverted plane to New Mexico By Madeline Kenney The Cubs finally made it to Los Angeles more than five hours behind schedule. It all started early Friday morning after the champagne stopped flowing in Washington D.C. The Cubs gathered up their luggage to board their flight to their next destination, Los Angeles and the NLCS. But things didn’t go as planned. The Cubs’ flight was diverted to Albuquerque, New Mexico due to an ill family member on board, according to MLB’s Jon Morosi. The family member is not in a life-threatening situation. The plane landed in Albuquerque around 6:30 a.m., and Morosi reported the team spent five hours on the ground before arriving in Los Angeles around 1 p.m. Chicago time. Part of the delay was due to the Cubs waiting for a new pilot since their original pilot ran out of allotted hours.

Peggy Kusinski ✔@peggykusinski #cubs Spokesman says the original pilot of team plane ran out of allotted hours to fly so they are waiting for new pilot to take them to LA The Cubs traveled to Los Angeles from Washington and are slated to face the Dodgers in the NLCS after a thrilling Game 5 win over the Nationals. The first game of the seven-game series is scheduled for Saturday at Dodger Stadium. -- Daily Herald Which Kershaw will Chicago Cubs see in Game 1? By Scot Gregor As they head into Game 1 of the National League championship series against the Chicago Cubs Saturday, the Los Angeles Dodgers seem to have all of the advantages. After posting the best record (104-58) in baseball during the regular season, and after posting the best home record (57-24) as well, the Dodgers swept a solid Arizona Diamondbacks team in the NL division series. And as the Cubs were being pushed to the limit by the Washington Nationals in the NLDS and being delayed on Friday's cross-country flight, Los Angeles was relaxing at home and getting needed rest. The Dodgers should be about as worry free as it gets at this pressurized point of the season, but they likely do have one concern heading into the NLCS opener. Clayton Kershaw. Clayton Kershaw? The Clayton Kershaw who is a career 144-64 with a 2.36 ERA during the regular season? The Clayton Kershaw who has won three Cy Young Awards? Yes, that Clayton Kershaw. Individual playoff performances can be baffling. Marginal players in the regular season can soar to new heights in October. Dominant players can sink to surprising lows.

With a lifetime 5-7 record and 4.63 ERA in the postseason, Kershaw has been an ongoing mystery. While the Cubs were deciding between Jose Quintana and John Lackey in Game 1, Kershaw is the starter for Los Angeles. "People talk about all the postseason failures that I've had a lot, and I understand that," Kershaw told reporters Friday. "I don't really look at it like that, though, which is I guess a good thing for me. I've had success at times, too, and I try to marinate on those." Kershaw started Game 1 of the NLDS against Arizona, and he did get the win. But the 29-year-old lefty was far from sharp, allowing 4 runs on 5 hits (4 home runs) and 3 walks in 6⅓ innings. In last year's NLCS, Kershaw started Game 2 against the Cubs and was on top of his game, allowing 2 hits over 7 scoreless innings. Kershaw came back in Game 6 and was rocked for 5 runs (4 earned) on 7 hits in 5 innings as the Cubs closed out the series. "One was good, one was bad," Kershaw said of last year's performance against the Cubs. "They have a very similar team to what they did last year. I think other than (Dexter) Fowler, they have everybody they had from last year back. "Great team. Lot of familiarities with both of us. There are not going to be any secrets. Just try to make less mistakes than I did in Game 6, I guess." Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Rich Hill, Yu Darvish and Alex Wood will follow Kershaw in the rotation. -- Daily Herald Who will Chicago Cubs start in Game 1? Maddon still not sure By Bruce Miles LOS ANGELES -- The Los Angeles Dodgers are set in their rotation for the National League championship series. The Chicago Cubs? Not so much. The two teams open their rematch of last year's NLCS Saturday night with Game 1 at Dodger Stadium. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts has set his rotation for Games 1-4, respectively, as Clayton Kershaw, former Cub Rich Hill, Yu Darvish and Alex Wood. The Cubs had to scramble to beat the Washington Nationals in five games in the division series. To stay alive in Games 4 and 5, they had to use starting pitchers Jon Lester and Jose Quintana in relief. Quintana is a candidate to pitch in Game 1. He threw just 12 pitches Thursday night in the Cubs' 9-8 victory at Washington. Lester, on the other hand, threw 55 pitches in relief of starter Jake Arrieta Game 4 on Wednesday at Wrigley Field. So for Game 1, the Cubs can go with either Quintana, or they can turn to veteran John Lackey, their No. 5 starter. Lackey did not pitch in the NLDS. He pitched 1 inning of relief in the final regular-season game on Oct. 1. Maddon met with the media at Dodger Stadium late Friday afternoon and said he would talk during the evening with team president Theo Epstein and general manager Jed Hoyer about the NLCS rotation.

"We haven't decided yet," Maddon said. "Honestly, as soon as this (news conference) is done, I've got to go back to the hotel. We (will get) together with Theo, Jed and all the coaches, and we'll decide at that point. We have not determined anything yet. Of course, John is in the running, Q is in the running, all these guys. Those two guys are primarily in the running. "So we'll go back, try to get information, and try to make our best decision." It is possible Lester, the left-handed ace of the staff, could start Game 2 on Sunday.n A reliever swap-out? Teams may change their rosters from the NLDS to the NLCS and do that by Saturday morning. It's possible the Cubs will swap out one bullpen pitcher for another. Joe Maddon said that would be more likely than adding either an extra pitcher or extra position player to the roster. Closer Wade Davis pitched 2⅓ innings in Game 5 of the NLDS. Carl Edwards Jr. was erratic as he appeared in all five games. "Of course, we've got to be really mindful of Wade after throwing (44) pitches and getting seven outs last night," Maddon said. "So all those things need to be considered. But you need the bench to match up like we were able to match up in some of these games. "The pinch-hitting being aggressive, the defensive maneuvering being aggressive. So all of that, it's just the way of the world right now. The days off still are beneficial, two on, one off, three on, one off. It's still beneficial regarding keeping your bullpen in order." Getting some rest: The Cubs will be underdogs against the Dodgers, who went 104-58 while the Cubs went 92-70 during the regular season. The Dodgers are well rested after a sweep of the Arizona Diamondbacks in their NLCS, while the Cubs went the limit against the Nationals and endured a long flight delay on their cross-country journey from Washington to L.A. "Obviously, the day off's going to be important," Maddon said of Friday. "We have to really maintain this. Again, I always talk about the mind, but it's true. The adrenaline will be supplied. "But the day of rest is going to be really vital. We have to get to that day in good shape, I think. So we have to battle through these first two games, hopefully win one of them. Getting two would be incredibly difficult, but possible, of course. "But what our guys have been through the last several years, they're young. They're really young. I can't say they're inexperienced anymore. I can't use that line anymore. We're young, but we're not inexperienced. So the boys have responded properly and well. I'm really proud of it." -- Daily Herald Rozner: Chicago Cubs can really embrace underdog role now By Barry Rozner The Chicago Cubs have made a big deal out of loving the underdog label since about the middle of this season. Of course, it wasn't at all true until they faced the Nationals, and even then the odds were not significantly against them.

Now they are. As if that five-game series with Washington wasn't debilitating enough, the Cubs took off for Los Angeles on Friday morning. and a miserable six-hour flight turned into a miserable half-day adventure. The Cubs were diverted to Albuquerque for five hours before finally reaching Southern California. So they missed a night's sleep and must face the best team in baseball with Clayton Kershaw on the mound Saturday night at Dodger Stadium. If you like the underdog role, now's the time to embrace it. Kyle Hendricks, the Cubs' most reliable starter, pitched Thursday. Jon Lester threw 55 pitches Wednesday on three days' rest after tossing 86 pitches in Game 2. Jake Arrieta had little in his arsenal Wednesday. Jose Quintana pitched in relief Thursday night, though he only threw 12 pitches. And John Lackey, who hasn't started a game since Sept. 27, is probably ready to chew off his arm. Wade Davis got seven outs on 44 pitches Thursday, a heroic effort for any short reliever, but especially for a guy who looked to be on fumes with the first pitch he threw in Game 5. He pitched in four of five games. Carl Edwards, previously one of Joe Maddon's most trusted relievers, threw in all five games of the NLDS. He pitched poorly in three of those outings and in the last two did not retire a batter. Pedro Strop was the most effective arm out of the pen, with 3 appearances and a WHIP of 0.60 while recording 10 outs. Mike Montgomery had been Maddon's favorite all-purpose guy for the last year, but he gave up the big Ryan Zimmerman home run in Game 2 and didn't pitch again until Game 5, when he was in for 2 hits, 2 walks and only one out. Brian Duensing will probably have to take on a bigger role if Maddon has lost confidence in Montgomery, and Duensing had 2 effective appearances worth four outs in the NLDS. Justin Wilson is in witness protection, and there was some thought that he might have been in Albuquerque. In any case, the Cubs really needed Maddon to let Hendricks go at least another inning or maybe two, knowing how difficult outs are to come by, and Quintana was the logical second guy to start an inning clean and go long if Hendricks was not the answer. But all the quick hooks meant Maddon was boxed in, living and dying with Davis, who was unaccustomed to such a long stint but somehow survived and saved the season as the one and only option. "Once we got in the bullpen, I thought anything was possible," Maddon said. "We just had to hold them. That was the big thing. How do you hold them? "I did not want to use (Quintana) early. I thought the regular bullpen guys are rested so give them the first crack. I felt very strongly about that. "Duensing got through it. I was really counting on more outs out of Montgomery, quite frankly. "Didn't happen, so you just have to move along the conga line at that point."

The dance included seven pitchers in total. So what's left of the world champs after a punishing five-game series in which they were pushed to the final strike of the final inning, while the Dodgers have been off since Monday, able to rest their best relievers and set up their rotation? It would seem as if the Cubs have no chance in Game 1 against Kershaw, tired and sleepless and beat up. It would seem as if the series favors Los Angeles in a big way. It would seem as if this series will be the end of the repeat bid. But it would be just like the Cubs -- a group that will never go quietly or quickly into the night -- to howl at the moon, crawl into Dodger Stadium, steal Game 1 and turn this series on its ear, casting doubt in the minds of the Dodgers and forcing them to wonder what you have to do to slay the giant. Yes, there is something for the Cubs to grab a hold of here, and you can already see the next Maddon T-shirt: "Embrace the Dog." -- Daily Herald 3 questions for Chicago Cubs heading into Game 1 of NLCS By Bruce Miles LOS ANGELES -- Are we there yet? That's the age-old question of anyone -- especially youngsters -- who want to know if they've arrived at their destination. The Cubs traveled to Los Angeles after Thursday night's game turned into Friday morning's stirring and sometimes silly 9-8 victory over the Washington Nationals in the deciding fifth game of the National League division series. Yes, the Cubs were expected to arrive in L.A. about 1 p.m. Friday. But have they finally "arrived" in the sense of being a baseball power to be reckoned with? When Theo Epstein took over as Cubs president six years ago, he and general manager Jed Hoyer talked of "building a foundation for sustained success." During the losing seasons from 2012-14, that phrase often was met with a roll of the eyes. As we get ready for Saturday night's Game 1 of the NL championship series between the Cubs and the Los Angeles Dodgers, let's ask a few questions pertaining to these Cubs. 1. Is it time to declare sustained success? Before the second game of the NLDS in Washington, I stopped Epstein in the dugout and put the question directly to him. He wasn't quite ready to go there yet. "I think we want a little bit more before we do that," he said. "We've laid a good foundation for the foundation." Fair enough. But a week later, the Cubs are embarking on their third trip to the NLCS in three years. They were swept by the Mets in 2015 but beat the Dodgers last year on the way to a World Series title. Now that the Cubs are back again, maybe we need something to loosen the conversation, something like, say, champagne.

Not to go behind the boss' back or anything, I put the question to Hoyer in the victorious visitors clubhouse in the wee hours of Friday morning. "I don't want to declare it, but I will say I think three straight NLCS is a really impressive thing," Hoyer said. "We made the final four three years in a row. I think think that's an impressive organizational accomplishment. Last year, we had the parade, and obviously that's our goal. "I don't get all excited talking about three straight NLCS, but I do think it's something that we should be really proud of as an organization. It's hard to do. Not many people do it. And we did it. It's great." I'm leaning toward a "yes" on the answer to that question. 2. The Cubs had to empty their physical and emotional tanks to win the NLDS in five games. What's left and how do the Cubs tap it? "We're going to have to get our rest," said Ben Zobrist, the MVP of last year's World Series and a contributor off the bench Thursday night, going 1-for-2 with a walk and 2 runs. "But I think in the end, we'll regroup. "We know how to play the game. We know how to bounce back. We've bounced back a lot before. The other thing is we have a lot of guys still hungry to do things in the playoffs. We have some guys who didn't have a great series this first series. We have some guys who didn't play a couple games that maybe would like to be in there, too. When you have guys that are still hungry, you really look forward to every game that's coming at you." 3. So where does that fuel, that drive, come from with this group? "It's the right mix of people," said right fielder Jason Heyward. "Ownership, the Ricketts family. We've got an unbelievable fan base that looks for anything positive in any second of every game. We've got Theo and Jed, who have been around, (in) the front office. These guys have seen what it looks like to win and overcome adversity. Our clubhouse. The (Jon) Lesters, the (John) Lackeys, this group here has kind of been together -- the nucleus, the core. "You look everywhere and you see that kind of experience. We've kind of been forced to grow up and grow into these moments and handle it the best way we can." -- Cubs.com Cubs yet to decide on NLCS Game 1 starter By Anthony DiComo LOS ANGELES -- The Cubs' frantic itinerary following Game 5 of the National League Division Series presented by T-Mobile wound them from Washington to Los Angeles by way of Albuquerque, with precious little time to rest and debrief. As such, the Cubs have not yet decided on their starting pitcher for tonight's Game 1 of the National League Championship Series presented by Camping World. Upon arriving at Dodger Stadium late Friday afternoon, manager Joe Maddon said right-hander John Lackey and lefty Jose Quintana are the Cubs' primary candidates. But Maddon did not plan to make anything official until after meeting with president of baseball operations Theo Epstein, general manager Jed Hoyer and other staff members Friday evening at the team hotel. "We'll go back, try to get information, and try to make our best decision," Maddon said. The choice is between the Cubs' least and most experienced postseason starters. Quintana, who went 11-11 with a 4.15 ERA during the regular season with the White Sox and Cubs, came into this year without any games played in the playoffs. He has since gained his share of big-game experience, delivering a shutout over the Brewers in September to help fend off Milwaukee's postseason push, then adding a strong effort in NLDS Game 3 and two key relief outs in Game 5.

Including his postseason contributions, Quintana is 7-3 with a 3.47 ERA in 16 games since coming to the Cubs in a mid-July trade. Although he hasn't allowed an earned run in two career starts against the Dodgers, the most recent of those occurred in 2014. Compare that to Lackey, whose postseason resume dates all the way back to 2002, when he went undefeated in October to help lead the Angels to a World Series title. Since then, Lackey has appeared in playoff games for the Angels, Red Sox, Cardinals and Cubs, going 8-6 with a 3.27 ERA in 26 career appearances. Ten days shy of his 39th birthday, Lackey's star may not shine as bright as it once did. But he was still a competent pitcher for the Cubs this season, going 12-12 with a 4.59 ERA in 30 starts and one relief appearance. Lackey lost both games he started against the Dodgers this season, though he struck out 10 over six innings in the first of them. It is an imperfect decision for the Cubs, who cannot start Jake Arrieta, Kyle Hendricks or Jon Lester due to their recent workloads. Maddon said he believes Lester, who last threw 3 2/3 relief innings in NLDS Game 4, will be ready to go for NLCS Game 2. -- Cubs.com Maddon: Cubs 'heartbeat' leads way to NLCS By Anthony DiComo LOS ANGELES -- Perhaps reality should have struck the Cubs in the second inning of Game 5 of the National League Division Series presented by T-Mobile on Thursday. Perhaps they should have withered when Michael A. Taylor hit a three-run homer to give the Nationals a 4-1 lead. Perhaps they should have looked to the outfield and glimpsed Max Scherzer, the probable NL Cy Young Award winner, lurking in the bullpen. Perhaps they should have seen the Nats -- statistically a better team throughout the regular season -- and conceded to the forces working against them. But then they would not have been the Cubs. "You would not believe the attitude in our dugout after Taylor hit the home run," manager Joe Maddon said Friday. "Beautiful. Spectacular. We were definitely not out of that game." That the Cubs went on to win, securing their place in the NL Championship Series presented by Camping World against the Dodgers, was a nod to what Maddon called their "heartbeat." This is largely the same Cubs team that stormed back from a 3-1 series deficit and a late game-tying Game 7 homer to win the 2016 World Series. They likewise recovered from a slow start to reclaim the NL Central crown this summer, then upended a Nationals club with enough talent to fend off anyone in baseball. If it is indeed "about the heartbeat, brother," as Maddon put it, the Cubs will need to draw upon even more of that as they descend deeper into October. Heading into NLCS Game 1, the Cubs are fatigued, enduring a long travel day after taking their NLDS victory to the limit. Maddon, the only member of the Cubs' uniformed traveling party to make it to Dodger Stadium for Friday's workout day, admitted to exhaustion. And oh, by the way, the winningest team in baseball awaits in the NLCS, fully rested with ace Clayton Kershaw ready for Game 1. "We're going to be tired tomorrow," Maddon said. "Who cares? They're going to be ready to play." The Cubs' primary advantage may be their experience overcoming just about every on-field hardship a team can overcome. And they appear to be peaking at the right time. Wary of the championship "hangover" effect that has afflicted World Series teams in the past, Maddon lauded his group for fending off those demons and more en route to the NLCS.

"What our guys have been through the last several years, they're young. They're really young. I can't say they're inexperienced anymore," Maddon said. "We're young, but we're not inexperienced. So the boys have responded properly and well. I'm really proud of it." As Maddon spoke, his team members were mostly hanging around their Los Angeles hotel, resting from a cross-country flight that included an emergency medical stop in New Mexico. Once they landed, the Cubs still had to determine their Game 1 starter, with three top options unavailable due to recent workloads. None of it seems to matter much to these Cubs, who are once again playing for the pennant in spite of everything. "Those guys over there, they're the world champs," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. "They're very resilient. They're a professional group, so they're going to come out and fight." -- Cubs.com Maddon expects better approach by hitters By Carrie Muskat LOS ANGELES -- Manager Joe Maddon saw the Cubs players expand their strike zones during the National League Division Series presented by T-Mobile against the Nationals, and he's hoping that approach changes when they begin the NL Championship Series presented by Camping World against the Dodgers tonight. "I thought we were outside of our lanes," Maddon said of the hitters' approach in the NLDS. "We were really expanding our strike zone way too often and that's part of the demise, regarding why we didn't hit so well. We've got to get back in our lanes. "Why we weren't, I don't know," he said. "Well, I do know. [Stephen] Strasburg's changeup is about as good as you're ever going to see, ever. Like how many years this game has been played, that's one of the best changeups you're ever going to see. And [Max] Scherzer is pretty good." And facing Strasburg, who made two starts, and Scherzer, who started one game and pitched in relief on Thursday, was challenging. The Cubs struck out 52 times in the five games, batting .180 against the Nationals. The Dodgers swept a series against the Cubs in May in Los Angeles, in which their pitchers effectively elevated the fastball, shutting out Chicago in two of the three games. Maddon knows they will likely try to do that again. "They have to execute it," Maddon said. "We have to execute our side of it and we'll see what happens." Worth noting • Cubs catcher Willson Contreras' huge pickoff throw in Game 5 certainly didn't go unacknowledged by his teammates or the Dodgers. The Nationals had pulled within 9-8 in the eighth on Michael A. Taylor's RBI single. Washington had two on and two out, and Contreras fired to first to throw out Jose Lobaton. Lobaton was initially called safe, but the Cubs challenged the ruling and, after a review, it was overturned. "You've got to take chances there," Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo said. "When we call a play like that, the heart starts beating real fast. You've got to control it. Willson made a great throw and luckily [Lobaton's] foot came off." Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant felt it shifted the momentum at that point in the game.

"Not many people would attempt that throw, because if you throw it in right field, the runner scores," Bryant said. "I think that was a huge point for us. That's one of the times when you really enjoy the replay review." Dodgers manager Dave Roberts says they've been watching Contreras and Rizzo combine on plays like that. "[Contreras] is active. He trusts his arm," Roberts said Friday. "And Anthony's very in tune on the base with the baserunner. "We're aware of their tendencies and the rapport that he and Anthony have," Roberts said. "That was a big play. The bigger thing is the instant replay on that. Obviously, Lobaton was on the bag, but that's a whole different issue." • Thursday's Game 5 was unique because of a crazy fifth inning in which the Cubs scored four runs against Max Scherzer. It included a two-run double by Addison Russell, a Jason Heyward intentional walk, a run-scoring Javier Baez passed-ball strikeout in which a run scored thanks in part to a Matt Wieters throwing error, followed by Tommy La Stella reaching on catcher's interference, and Jon Jay bringing home a run on a hit-by-pitch. According to Baseball-Reference.com, none of the 2.73 million half-innings in the site's database has featured an intentional walk, a passed-ball strikeout, catcher's interference and a hit-by-pitch. Only five games logged by Baseball-Reference.com have had all four events occur. -- Cubs.com Delays lead to 10-hour flight to LA for Cubs By Carrie Muskat LOS ANGELES -- The Cubs' cross-country flight from Washington to Los Angeles was interrupted by a layover in Albuquerque, N.M., because a family member became ill on the plane. Manager Joe Maddon said the way the players reacted was another example of the strong bond on the team. The Cubs clinched a berth in the National League Championship Series presented by Camping World with a Game 5 win Thursday night over the Nationals in Washington in the NL Division Series presented by T-Mobile. They celebrated at Nationals Park, and then boarded a charter flight for Los Angeles. The Cubs' plane departed Dulles International Airport in northern Virginia shortly after 4 a.m. ET on Friday, but it was diverted to Albuquerque because of a non-life-threatening medical situation. "Everybody was fine," Maddon said Friday at Dodger Stadium. "Everybody understood the reasoning behind [the layover]. I thought our guys handled it extremely well. Biggest concern was that there might not be enough food for everybody. But big 767 [plane], plenty of room. We all settled in. We knew there was a reason." Once the plane touched down in Albuquerque, the pilot had to be replaced because of duty-hour restrictions. The plane remained on the ground in Albuquerque for five hours before departing just before 10:30 a.m. MT. "The pilots had to go off-duty at that point, otherwise we could have landed and taken off right after that, but we were unable to based on their regulations," Maddon said. "We understood all that. I was really, really proud of the guys. They rallied around the person that was ill. There was a lot of support going on. From that perspective, I was looking at it from the camaraderie, the family kind of component to the entire evening. "In spite of the inconvenience, and it was, and in today's world, with all the events that are thundering down upon us, I thought it was kind of a bunt, so I thought we handled it well." The Cubs eventually landed in Los Angeles shortly after 11 a.m. PT, representing a 10-hour takeoff-to-touchdown journey from Dulles.

"It was unusual," Maddon said of the long day. "You saw what happened last night [in Game 5 of the NLDS], and then of course, we had that medical emergency on the airplane and that caused us to be in Albuquerque for a long period of time." Thursday night wasn't exactly relaxing for the Cubs. Their victory over the Nationals lasted 4 hours, 37 minutes, and it did not conclude until 12:45 a.m. ET on Friday. It was the longest nine-inning game in postseason history, breaking the record of 4 hours, 32 minutes in Game 5 of last year's NLDS, when the Dodgers eliminated the Nats. -- Cubs.com Cubs likely to realign 'pen against Dodgers By Carrie Muskat LOS ANGELES -- It was a tough National League Division Series presented by T-Mobile for reliever Carl Edwards Jr., but manager Joe Maddon has nothing but confidence in the young right-hander. However, the Cubs may adjust their bullpen against the Dodgers for the NL Championship Series presented by Camping World. Maddon was to meet with pitching coach Chris Bosio and the Cubs' front office to discuss their starting rotation and also the makeup of the bullpen. "I don't know that we want to get an extra guy [in the bullpen], but maybe change guys is a possibility," Maddon said on Friday. "But again, that would be, I think the more likely scenario as opposed to adding somebody new or an extra one." Hector Rondon has been with the Cubs through the NLDS even though he wasn't on the postseason roster, and he may be someone they add. The right-hander has appeared in 11 games in his career against the Dodgers, holding them to a .111 batting average. Plus, Maddon may need to make sure there's a fresh arm in the bullpen after closer Wade Davis did extra work in Game 5, getting the final seven outs on Thursday against the Nationals. "You need the bench to match up like we were able to match up in some of these [NLDS] games," Maddon said. "With the pinch-hitting being aggressive, the defensive maneuvering being aggressive, with all of that, it's just the way of the world right now." Maddon said Edwards did have problems with his command, but the right-hander is still a big part of the Cubs' success. "I've told [Edwards] before, if you want to be a quality relief pitcher in the big leagues, you have to have a short memory," Maddon said. Edwards was the only Cubs reliever who appeared in all five NLDS games against the Nationals, and he also gave up the most runs. He was charged with six earned runs on two hits and four walks over 2 1/3 innings, while he struck out four. Edwards would have a good outing, followed by a not so good appearance. He was sharp in Game 1, striking out two of the three batters he faced. But in Game 2, he served up Bryce Harper's tying home run in the Nationals' 6-3 win. Edwards struck out one of the three batters faced in Game 3, and then he walked both batters he faced in the eighth inning in Game 4 and was pulled. Both runners scored in the Nationals' 5-0 win. On Thursday, Edwards walked the Nationals' Michael A. Taylor to open the seventh and was pulled. "He's been good," Maddon said of Edwards, who has been projected as a potential closer. "Even after the home run by Harper, he had a really good outing right after that. Everything was right, it just didn't play out.

"This kid is going to be so good over the next several years. You have to help guide him through it at this moment. I love that he does eject negativity rather quickly." How confident was Edwards that the Cubs would advance to the NLCS? He told reporters, "See you in L.A." Maddon laughed. "He's into initials," Maddon said of Edwards, whose nickname is C.J. -- ESPNChicago.com Do Cubs have enough left in tank to beat Dodgers? By Jesse Rogers LOS ANGELES -- There is no good reason to pick the Chicago Cubs in their National League Championship Series rematch with the Los Angeles Dodgers, especially after the Cubs’ grueling five-game NLDS win over the Washington Nationals, which ended early Friday morning 2,295 miles away. But this a new generation of Cubs, and though they’re taxed, it’s hard to imagine they’ll go down easy. "Right now, we're playing with that same kind of mental acumen and edge that I've seen the last two years," manager Joe Maddon said Friday after a long day of travel. "Right now, I think we're just playing in real time. Our guys wanted to win [Thursday] night." But can the Cubs get back to the World Series with so much stacked against them heading into the best-of-seven NLCS showdown? Consider: • After partying into the early morning hours on Friday, the Cubs' plane was diverted on its way to Los Angeles. A stopover in Albuquerque, New Mexico, because of a medical issue on board delayed their arrival to L.A. even longer. They touched down at around noon Pacific time, or just 29 hours before the first pitch of Game 1, and they have to adjust to a three-time zone difference. • The Dodgers, meanwhile, have been off since Monday after sweeping the Arizona Diamondbacks in three games. They had time to set up their pitching staff in whatever order they wanted. They chose Clayton Kershaw followed by Rich Hill, Yu Darvish and Alex Wood. • The Cubs had no such luxury as their pitching staff is in shambles. Jose Quintana might start Game 1 after pitching in relief in Game 5 two nights prior. Jon Lester gets the ball in Game 2 after throwing 58 pitches out of the bullpen in Game 4. We haven’t even gotten to the regular relievers yet: Closer Wade Davis threw 44 pitches to finish Game 5 and setup man CJ Edwards made five appearances in five games -- and struggled mightily in them. • The Dodgers have home-field advantage for the second consecutive series, while the Cubs played in the Eastern time zone for two games, then two in Chicago in the Central time zone, then another back East before traveling to Los Angeles for Games 1 and 2 in the Pacific time zone. If they end up back in Los Angeles for Games 6 and 7, their body clocks will be screaming. But more than anything, the Cubs are up against a better Dodgers team than the one that lost to Chicago in six games last postseason. "They are different because they really overcame the inability to really work against lefties," Maddon said. "They made some nice moves. They are more balanced in that regard. They have lefties that hit lefties too, which make them more difficult. They always have a good bullpen. They have a specific plan regarding how they like to pitch." Maddon had one thing in mind when referencing how the Dodgers will pitch the Cubs: high heat.

According to ESPN Stats & Information, Maddon’s team hit just .156 and slugged .247 against the Dodgers this season in at-bats that ended in high fastballs. For comparison, the league averages on high fastballs are .265 and. 458 -- which is about what the Cubs hit against that pitch versus everyone but the Dodgers. "Our counterattack is to either not swing at it or really force them down," Maddon said. "But if they're executing their pitches, they're going to be tough, period. I don't care what anybody says. It's true. It's true. It's a great way to pitch." Jason Heyward and Kyle Schwarber combined to go 1-for-18 in those situations, while Anthony Rizzo and Albert Almora Jr. were 7-for-12. Look for Almora, a right-handed hitter, to get a lot more playing time in the NLCS since the Dodgers will start three lefties in the series. "They have Mr. Kershaw, obviously, and now they have Darvish," Maddon said. "Listen, we just went through [Stephen] Strasburg and [Max] Scherzer. I mean, that's no day at the beach, either. "When you get to this time of the year, you really have to be prepared to beat good pitching, which they have." The Cubs did just enough on offense to beat the Nationals even though they went 1-for-11 with runners in scoring position in Game 5. How they scored nine runs in that game will be discussed for years to come. As for Cubs pitching, Maddon needs to find some arms who can throw strikes. The walk rate of Cubs pitchers in the NLDS, and in the second half of the season, was atrocious. And guess which team was the only one to draw more free passes than the Cubs this season? The Dodgers definitely will be patient if opposing pitchers start nibbling. And Maddon was right about the Dodgers’ adjustments against lefties. It was their weakness last year, but in 2017 they led the NL in home runs against lefties and ranked third in on-base percentage. Cubs right-handed starter John Lackey should be considered for a bigger role in this series. He’ll throw strikes, and if the conditions are right, it might be tougher to hit a long ball off him than it was earlier in the season. One thing is for sure: The deck is stacked against the Cubs even if their bullpen is pitching well. But all it takes is one win this weekend, and they can change the prevailing narrative: This is the Dodgers’ series to lose. Right now it looks that way, but how quickly the Cubs can recover from their 12-round bout with the Nationals will be a key factor in the current fight. The defending champions already have proved that you can’t count them out. "I can't say they're inexperienced anymore," Maddon said. "I can't say that. I can't use that line anymore. We're young, but we're not inexperienced. I anticipate the same kind of mental effort, regardless of being stuck on the runway [and] getting in late. "Whatever it takes, our guys are ready to play. Kershaw's good, but so are our guys too." -- ESPNChicago.com Dodgers stick with division series rotation as they prep to face Cubs in NLCS By Bradford Doolittle LOS ANGELES -- Dodgers manager Dave Roberts announced his rotation for L.A.'s National League Championship Series matchup against the Chicago Cubs on Friday. Roberts said that after Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw starts in Game 1 on Saturday at Dodger Stadium, he'll be followed by Rich Hill in Game 2. When the series shifts to Chicago for Tuesday's Game 3, Roberts will turn to Yu Darvish and then Alex Wood. Rich Hill will take the mound for the Dodgers in Game 2 of the NLCS against the Cubs. AP Photo/Jae C. Hong

That rotation alignment is the same one Roberts used during the Dodgers' three-game sweep of the Arizona Diamondbacks in the NL Division Series, although Wood's scheduled Game 4 start wasn't needed. "Just kind of felt good in the DS with that," Roberts said. "I think just to continue as we kind of looked into matchups with things like that, just to stay and keep the guys on turn just made sense for us." For Kershaw, it will be his first Game 1 NLCS start since 2009, a luxury stemming from the Dodgers' 104-win season, top seed in the NL bracket and quick work of the Diamondbacks in the NLDS. "It's a different position for us," Kershaw said. "In years past, it's been Game 5s and lots of travel and not having home field. So it's definitely a different spot for us." Meanwhile, the travel-weary Cubs weren't ready to announce their Game 1 starter after arriving late at Dodger Stadium on Friday. Manager Joe Maddon, still wearing street clothes, said he planned to make his final rotation and roster decisions after a staff meeting later Friday. "Honestly, as soon as this is done, I've got to go back to the hotel," Maddon said. "We'll get together with Theo [Epstein], Jed [Hoyer] and all the coaches, and we'll decide at that point. We have not determined anything yet." Maddon did say fifth starter John Lackey, who didn't pitch against the Washington Nationals in the NLDS, is a possibility. Another option might be lefty Jose Quintana, who pitched 2/3 of an inning in relief in the Cubs' Game 5 clincher Thursday. The Dodgers do have a question mark outside of the rotation, however, as shortstop Corey Seager missed workouts for a third consecutive day because of a "muscular issue" in his back, according to Roberts. Seager suffered the injury while sliding into a base during the ALDS against Arizona, but Roberts said he was "very optimistic" that Seager would play in Game 1 on Saturday. -- NBC Sports Chicago Cubs could see this heavyweight rematch coming: Bring on the Dodgers By Patrick Mooney WASHINGTON – Joe Maddon plays mind games and sends messages through the media and sometimes just runs with whatever idea pops into his head. Maddon turned on a big-picture question from a New York Times reporter in late August, essentially skipping over the comparisons between the 2016 Cubs and the 2017 Dodgers and jumping to how much he would love to face the group on the Sports Illustrated cover labeled as: “Best. Team. Ever?” Bring it on, Maddon signaled, looking forward to when the defending World Series champs would be at full strength and saying how much he would love that matchup against the Dodgers in October. Well, here it is, a rematch of last year’s National League Championship Series, Game 1 on Saturday night at Dodger Stadium, Clayton Kershaw and the rest of a $200-plus million team knowing this season will be a failure if they don’t win an iconic franchise’s first World Series title since 1988. “You have to beat the best to be the best,” Maddon explained this week in the middle of a grueling first-round, five-game series against the Nationals. “You can’t run away from any of this stuff. The question could have been about any team, not just the Dodgers. “Pick the ’27 Yankees. Pick the ’64 Cardinals, the Big Red Machine, whatever, the We Are Family (Pirates). You just want to believe your guys can match up with anybody. And I want our guys to believe the same thing.”

The Cubs had credibility issues when Maddon made that declaration in Philadelphia during a 3-3 road trip against the last-place Reds and Phillies, part of the same overall pattern that led to a 43-45 first half and Milwaukee’s three-game sweep at Wrigley Field in the middle of September. From that point, the Cubs buried the Brewers and Cardinals in the division race, going 15-4 to close the regular season and devastating a 97-win Washington team in the playoffs. “That was brought up to me,” Maddon said, “and all I said was I was just agreeing with the comment. Somebody brought up the Dodgers. They could have brought up the ’27 Yankees. I was not pointing anything out. “When that was all going on, there was a lot of nonbelievers. We have really, obviously, picked it up in the second half in general, and then I’m using Milwaukee as the benchmark. In 2015, I used the Giants in August as being that seminal moment that all of a sudden it seemed to get right. Since (then), our mental intensity has really been outstanding every game. “I wasn’t talking about the Dodgers. Somebody else was.” The Dodgers still have the main elements in place that held the Cubs scoreless for 21 straight innings during the 2016 NLCS — the great Kershaw, lefty curveball specialist Rich Hill, Kenley Jansen imitating Mariano Rivera — but their roster isn’t quite as top-heavy anymore after making a trade-deadline splash with Yu Darvish and developing Cody Bellinger into a 39-homer, 97-RBI force and probably the unanimous NL Rookie of the Year. While the Cubs felt like they blacked out during a crazy NLDS — and the team’s West Coast charter flight got diverted to New Mexico on Friday morning — the Dodgers relaxed and set up their pitching after sweeping the Diamondbacks in three games. “I can’t wait,” said shortstop Addison Russell, whose 2016 postseason could be divided into through (1-for-24) and after (12-for-40) Game 3 at Dodger Stadium. “We’re willing to take on each challenge. I know that we got another big challenge ahead of us against the Dodgers.” Remember, the Dodgers had to play a one-run elimination game at Nationals Park on Oct. 13, 2016, using Jansen and Kershaw to nail down the final nine outs, the same urgency/desperation the Cubs showed Thursday night in using Jose Quintana and Wade Davis for the last three innings against Washington. Will the 2017 Cubs run out of gas like the 2016 Dodgers? Can the 2017 Dodgers withstand the pressure and freak-out moments as well as the 2016 Cubs? Stay tuned. “They’ve been the best team in baseball since Day 1,” said Jon Lester, last year’s NLCS co-MVP with Javier Baez. “The roles are reversed. We were that team last year — and we moved on — and they’re that team this year. “But we know going into L.A. that it’s going to be a hard series, regardless. They got a great staff. They got a great lineup, so we got to respect them. Hopefully, they respect us, and it’s a good series.” -- NBC Sports Chicago After wild playoff celebration, Cubs' flight diverted to Albuquerque By Patrick Mooney WASHINGTON – After the Cubs celebrated a playoff win at Nationals Park that felt like a smaller-scale version of last year’s World Series Game 7, their West Coast flight from Washington Dulles International Airport got diverted to New Mexico early Friday morning, leaving the defending champs in a temporary holding pattern (and probably very hungover). The Cubs made the detour to Albuquerque International Airport because a family member became ill, a source confirmed, describing it as not a dire situation, and the crew maxed out flight time for that shift.

That happens when a 9-8 elimination game starts at 8:08 p.m. on Thursday, lasts 4 hours and 37 minutes and has so many twists and turns that the Cubs will be talking about it for years to come. The Cubs have lined up a new flight crew and are expected to be in Southern California soon and hold a bare-minimum workout/media session on Friday night at Dodger Stadium. While the Nationals may regret this forever — from questionable strategy (letting Gio Gonzalez pitch three innings) to the mental mistakes behind the plate, in the field and on the bases to the inexplicable Max Scherzer meltdown — the Cubs smoked victory cigars inside the visiting clubhouse and doused each other in beer and champagne. After an epic National League Division Series, there was no rush to leave and no need for the Cubs to act like they had been there before. This is the third straight trip to the NL Championship Series for a franchise that always makes it interesting. Clayton Kershaw and a 104-win Dodger team will be waiting on Saturday night in Game 1. -- NBC Sports Chicago After saving the season, will Jose Quintana be the game-changer for Cubs in NLCS? By Patrick Mooney WASHINGTON – Jose Quintana stood a few steps over from the exact spot where ex-catcher Miguel Montero ended his Cubs career, going viral with a rant that blamed Jake Arrieta and the coaching staff for letting Washington leadoff guy Trea Turner run wild. This time, plastic sheets covered all the lockers inside the visiting clubhouse at Nationals Park, the drunken dancing and cigar smoke early Friday morning such a drastic change from how quiet the low-energy Cubs felt in late June. Quintana already helped save a team that appeared to be close to imploding when Theo Epstein’s front office made that blockbuster trade with the White Sox during the All-Star break. Quintana delivered again in the National League Division Series, allowing only one unearned run in a Game 3 where Max Scherzer would take a no-hitter into the seventh inning and the Cubs would somehow scrape together a 2-1 win. Quintana got two outs in the all-hands-on-deck Game 5, throwing 12 pitches before All-Star closer Wade Davis took over in the seventh inning and understood no one else would be warming up behind him in the bullpen. Quintana is too humble and respectful to demand that the Cubs give him the ball in Game 1 opposite Clayton Kershaw on Saturday night at Dodger Stadium, but the lefty knows how he feels about the NL Championship Series. “I’m ready to go, man,” Quintana said after a heart-pounding 9-8 win that began Thursday night and ended Friday morning in Washington. “Why not? Let’s go. Keep going.” The Cubs started rolling when Quintana joined a 43-45 team on July 14 in Baltimore, watching him dominate the Orioles two days later (seven scoreless innings, 12 strikeouts, zero walks) and closing a 5.5-game deficit on the Brewers within the week. The Cubs would spend every day in first place in August and September while Quintana (7-3, 3.74 ERA in 14 starts) gave the team a sense of consistency and enjoyed his first real exposure to a pennant race. “Timing is everything,” outfielder Jason Heyward said. “Like I’m going to continue to say throughout my time here in Chicago, our ownership and front office, they mean what they say. We want to win every year. We want an opportunity to win a World Series every year.

“Like I said when that trade happened, that’s what they showed. They followed through with their actions, and we followed suit. “The biggest thing I’m proud of with this group of people here that joined us is we all rise to every challenge and look it right in the eye and have fun with it. You don’t know how it’s going to work out. You don’t know the outcome. But we all rise to the challenge and take it on.” The Dodgers will not be an easy team to beat four times in a seven-game series, especially with manager Joe Maddon running out of guys he trusts in the bullpen and the rotation in suboptimal condition after a draining battle against the Nationals. Maddon said John Lackey is also in the conversation for Game 1 starter. But a moment like this is exactly why the Cubs gave up top prospects Eloy Jimenez and Dylan Cease for a 28-year-old pitcher who is under club control through the 2020 season for a little more than $30 million. “The timing was certainly (unique),” general manager Jed Hoyer said. “We were struggling. It was negative. But in some ways – Theo and I talked about this at the time – this is a deal that if it had come up in May or July or in December (was) exactly what we’ve been trying to find in a young, talented, controllable starter. “There was a level of frustration, which is natural. We look out on the field and you see all this talent and we’re two games under .500 and really been inconsistent the whole time. “This guy exactly fit what we were looking to acquire. This timing was interesting. But at the same time, I don’t think the timing would have mattered.” For someone who had never played in the postseason before, Quintana just got a crash course in how exhilarating, frustrating and unpredictable it can be. “It’s amazing,” Quintana said. “Sometimes it’s crazy how these guys play that baseball – behind 4-1 in the second inning and we come back in the game right away. It’s amazing, that energy we need for the playoffs. I’m really happy to be a part of this team.” --