October 2, 2016 Chicago Sun-Times Cubs offer glimpse of Game 1 playoff lineup in loss to Reds By Gordon Wittenmyer CINCINNATI – Bartolo Colon of the Mets? Johnny Cueto of the Giants? Adam Wainwright of the Cardinals? No matter who’s on the mound for the other guys Friday, the Cubs basically set their lineup for Game 1 of the playoffs, previewing it Sunday in a 7-4 loss to the Reds, with a battery of Jon Lester and David Ross, and with glove-whiz utility man Javy Baez at third base and MVP candidate Kris Bryant in left field. Asked whether this was his opening lineup for the playoffs, manager Joe Maddon said: “There’s a shot.” A very good shot? “There’s a shot,” he repeated, smiling. Including the pitcher? “A shot,” he said. “A shot and a beer.” Down side to down time? Maddon called the team’s results this season a matter of “mission accomplished,” and said the one big remaining challenge is four days off between Sunday’s season finale and Friday. But Game 1 starter Jon Lester doesn’t see it as a problem as long as the Cubs work smart during a simulated game Tuesday and brief workouts Wednesday and Thursday. “People always want to lean toward the teams that have played those days in there,” Lester said after Saturday’s 7-4 loss to the Reds. “But the way it’s shaping up it might take two games to get to us. I like our chances there.” The Giants and Cardinals enter the final day of the season with the potential to tie for the final wild-card berth, which would force a one-game playoff Monday before the wild card game against the Mets in New York on Wednesday. Learning Theo The five-year contract extension signed by team president Theo Epstein this past week locks him up through 2021. Maybe that’ll be enough time for fans to get a glimpse at the Epstein beneath his serious, intellectual public persona – as those who work closely with him have gotten to know. “My first interview with him, we went out afterwards,” Maddon said of their meeting for the Red Sox vacancy before the 2004 season. “I saw Theo.” Since taking the Cubs job before last season, he has seen even more. “From a distance there’s a perception of the Ivy League thing, tightly [wound] and all that stuff,” Maddon said. “But he balances out extremely well.”

Notes: Outfielder Jorge Soler (side soreness) took batting practice on the field Saturday in anticipation of starting in Sunday’s season finale, a key test for his fitness for the playoff roster. … Dexter Fowler’s seventh-inning single to right-center was the 1000th hit of his career. … Tuesday’s simulated game is mostly about getting work for starter John Lackey and many of the relievers, Maddon said. Hitting in the game will be optional for regulars. It’s closed to the public. -- Chicago Sun-Times Cubs’ Lester falls short of 20th win, sets sights on third ring By Gordon Wittenmyer CINCINNATI – Jon Lester paused just long enough to consider the Cubs’ 102-win success and choose his words carefully. “I don’t want to sound like an asshole or anything,” the Cubs left-hander said, “but we haven’t really done anything yet.” Actually, he sounded more like teammate and close pal John Lackey, who has disregarded haircuts all season and kept his eye on the “big boy” games now less than a week away as the season has slipped into October. Make no mistake: Lester had a 20-win season on his mind when he took the mound against the Reds on Saturday. “We’re all human,” he said. But when his final start of the year ended in a 7-4 loss, bumped his second-in-the-majors ERA up to 2.44 and ended a 10-week streak of dominance, his mind was on what’s next. On Friday’s Game 1 start. On the prizes to be won in the month ahead instead of the six months before. “It’ll probably go down as one of the better, if not the best, year of my career,” said Lester (19-5), a four-time All-Star. “Hopefully, there’s a couple more to come. There’s a lot of personal satisfaction there. But at the same time now we’ve got the real business to get down to.” Lester, who allowed more runs Saturday (five) than he had in his previous eight starts combined (four), said he was “fighting myself” during the five-inning start, but the 20-win shot had nothing to do with it, he said. Whatever the issue, Lester has been the most dominant starter on the top-ranked pitching staff in the majors for all but three or four starts this season, including that 10-1, 0.96 streak heading into Saturday. Whether the Cubs get win No. 103 on Sunday, they’ve already won more games in a season than they have since 1907 – just their second 100-win season since then. Lester and Sunday’s starter, Kyle Hendricks, are in the thick of the Cy Young conversation, with top rival Max Scherzer of the Nationals also pitching on Sunday. The Cubs have MVP candidates in Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo. Bryant has a shot at 40 homers with one more Sunday; Hendricks an ERA crown and a chance to finish under 2.00. And it’s not that he doesn’t care about the possibility of a first career Cy Young Award. “That gets kind of misconstrued,” he said. “I don’t pitch to try to win an award. I pitch to give our team the best chance to win and try to win a World Series, and if along the way I’m able to get votes and possibly win that I’d be very humbled and speechless, and it would be an awesome experience. “You don’t ever want to make it sound like you don’t appreciate those things.” But Lester has 14 postseason starts and two rings. Lackey has 20 postseason starts and two World Series clinchers on his ledger.

It’s why they were brought in for a combined $187 million free agent dollars the last two winters, and why Lester sounds so sure about where his focus needs to be – even if he thinks he sounds like something else. “Now it’s go time. This is what we’re playing for. This is the real season now,” Lester said. “It’ll be completely different when you step on that field come Friday with that crowd and whoever we’re playing. I’m sure it’ll be electric. “The 100 and whatever wins is great. All the personal stuff is great,” he said. “But this is go time now. “Now we’ve got to really live up to the expectations and hype.” -- Chicago Sun-Times Will Hendricks ease angst after Arrieta’s, Lester’s lousy starts? By Steve Greenberg CINCINNATI — Look, let’s just heave this right out into the open. Jon Lester was bad here Saturday, extending himself for 111 pitches just to survive to the end of a five-run, five-inning outing. It was a losing performance nearly as lousy as Jake Arrieta’s 10-hit, seven-run face-plant Wednesday night in Pittsburgh. If that sounds like nervous nitpicking as the curtain falls on the Cubs’ 100-plus-victory regular season, then maybe that’s all it is. Or are you, too, sensing the beginnings of an “uh-oh” forming in the far reaches of your brain? Some would say Lester and Arrieta each going into the playoffs coming off one of his worst starts of the season really isn’t a big deal at all. They could be right. “I’m not concerned about having or lacking momentum,” manager Joe Maddon said. “I think we’ll be fine.” Just the same, another Kyle Hendricks gem in Sunday’s regular-season finale sure would be nice and comforting. Hendricks has started 14 games since the end of June. He has given up 13 runs over those 14 starts. What Lester himself has done over the last two-plus months has been spectacular. What Arrieta did during the second half of the 2015 campaign was the stuff of legends. But don’t anyone even try to argue that Hendricks’ roll has been any less impressive. Lester entered Saturday as the odds-on favorite to win the National League’s Cy Young award. Hendricks now takes the mound Sunday with a chance — at 16-8 with an MLB-best-by-a-mile 1.99 ERA — to steal a lot of votes from Lester and National’s ace Max Scherzer. “It’s always enjoyable to do well,” Hendricks said. Yes, yes, it is. And it would be especially so on the heels of dueling duds from Arrieta and Lester. “But that’s not where we have our sight set,” Hendricks added. “I’m more in the mode of: How can I get my body to do this for another month? Because we’re not close to being done.” The man has a point. OK, so maybe Cubs fans needn’t worry about Sunday at all. There are, after all, far bigger fish to fry for this terrific group of starting pitchers and their team.

On the other hand, it sure would be something to see Hendricks pitch well enough close the books on his regular season with a sub-2.00 ERA. That’s something only five big-league pitchers — Pedro Martinez, Roger Clemens, Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke and Arrieta — have accomplished in the last 20 years. It was suggested to Hendricks that perhaps he should come down with a wicked cold before Sunday’s game, or at least have the good sense to get lost on the way to the ballpark. Why mess with a blessed 1.99? “I think I’ll go ahead and pitch,” he said. “It’s pretty cool to look up and see that number, but I’m more concerned about getting my reps. I’m a very routine-oriented guy.” It has been an absurdly good season for the 26-year-old Hendricks, who began it as the Cubs No. 5 starter and will end it as one of the biggest keys to the whole operation. And a funny little twist is that Hendricks will get the ball for a “meaningless” Game No. 162. Doesn’t a team that clinched home-field throughout the N.L. playoffs weeks ago have a wide-eyed kid with a jersey number in the 60s or 70s for that? “If you’d told me in April that we’d have this many wins and I’d be pitching the last game, I’d figure I was pretty dispensable,” he said, with a laugh and a smile of someone who has proved himself to be so much greater than that. Dispensable, Hendricks is not. Would it kill him to remind us all of that one more time Sunday? -- Daily Herald Lester falls short in bid for 20 wins By Bruce Miles CINCINNATI -- Jon Lester paused just a moment Saturday to reflect on not being able to become a 20-game winner this season. "We're all human, obviously," Lester said a few minutes after he and the Cubs fell 7-4 to the Cincinnati Reds at the Great American Ball Park. "I think anytime you come into a situation like that, it's on your mind, especially the last start of the season. I don't think that had any bearing on what happened. Definitely, you get asked about it all the time. It's hard not to think about it." Lester simply didn't have his best command as he threw 111 pitches in 5 innings, giving up 6 hits and 5 runs. His final regular-season record is 19-5. His ERA ended at 2.44 after beginning the day at 2.28. The 32-year-old lefty was the Cubs' prize free-agent catch before the 2015 season, when he went 11-12 with a 3.34 ERA. This year, he pitched like the staff ace the Cubs hoped he would be when they signed him to a six-year deal. He expressed special pride in surpassing the 200-innings pitched mark for the fifth straight season. "Two hundred innings, that's big," he said. "I don't miss a start again, and that's what I pride myself on, that I make sure I take the ball every five days for these guys. That's something I've tried to do for a long time. At the end of the day, I try to say that all the other stuff will take care of itself. But this one was pretty special on a personal level, just where everything is at and finished and will probably go down as one of the better, if not best, years of my career. "Hopefully there's a couple more to come, but a lot of personal satisfaction there. Try to look at that, but now we've got the real business to get down to." The "real business" begins next Friday, when the Cubs open postseason play by hosting Game 1 of the National League division series at Wrigley Field against the wild-card winner. Saturday's Cubs lineup was one manager Joe Maddon could well trot out on Friday.

"There's a shot," Maddon said. How about Lester starting Game 1? "There's a shot," he repeated. "A shot and a beer." Most Cubs fans would probably drink to the idea of Lester starting a postgame opener. For his part, Lester isn't taking that for granted. "I don't know; I haven't been told anything," he said. "I don't expect anything, especially in this game. You can't expect things to be given to you. Really, any of the five guys you run out there will be fine. We'll be fine. We'll be prepared. We'll be ready to go." In Saturday's game, the Reds scored a run in the first inning and 2 more in the second, on a 2-run homer by Eugenio Suarez. The pitch count mounted quickly for Lester, who gave up another run in the third before the Cubs battled back with 3 in the fourth, but that was it. "Jonny's command was just not 100 percent," Maddon said. "His stuff was good regarding velocity. But overall, just the execution of his pitches was just off a click, and you saw it. It just wasn't wanting to work today, but he's physically fine. He's not going to be perfect every time. Overall, just off." -- Daily Herald Cubs had big season, but no defining moment for Maddon By Bruce Miles CINCINNATI -- For Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon, citing the defining moment or series for the 2015 team is easy: It was a four-game sweep of the San Francisco Giants at Wrigley Field Aug. 6-9. This year? Not so easy. The Cubs have been so dominant for so long that it's hard to find a turning point. "It wasn't as obvious, I don't think," Maddon said Saturday. "I just think the post-all-star break run we got on was kind of it. Maybe the one game, if you want to pick a game, it might have been the last game before the all-star game against the Pirates, to win that and go into the break without that many losses in a row. That kind of helped, I think, our psyche a little bit." The Cubs hit a 5-15 skid through July 9, but they won on Pittsburgh on July 10 to snap a five-game losing streak and go into the all-star break feeling a little better about things. They righted things after the break and went on to winning more than 100 games for the season, with a 22-6 mark in August Included in the post-break run was a 7-6, 12-inning victory on Sunday night, July 31, when pitcher Jon Lester came off the bench and won the game with a squeeze bunt. "There were a lot of interesting games," Maddon said. "I could easily have said the Giants series the year before. That was obvious. I can't as easily say anything (about this season). It's more of like an amalgam of work from the end of the all-star break 'til we got into the playoffs. We had a nice run going on. Look at the record in August. August record, that's pretty much a defining moment, what we did in August." Other moments discussed were the re-signing of center fielder Dexter Fowler in spring training and the four-game sweep of the Nationals at Wrigley Field May 5-8.

Keeping sharp: After Sunday's regular-season finale, the Cubs will take Monday off and then play a "simulated game" Tuesday at Wrigley Field as they prepare for Game 1 of the National League division series, Friday at Wrigley. "Johnny Lackey will throw," said Joe Maddon. "Maybe we'll get (pitcher Jason) Hammel out there. Some relief pitchers will be out there. That gives them two days off before they actually pitch in a game. You want to keep guys out there. Sim games will be very loosely resembling a regular game. It's primarily done for pitchers to get their work in. If a guy wants to hit, fine. If not, I don't really care." Milestone for Fowler: Dexter Fowler's single in the seventh inning was hit No. 1,000 for his career. "It's awesome, but like I said, we've still got work to do," he said. "I wish it came in a win, but you've got to take what you get. It's a historic season any way you put it. To add that to the list is awesome." -- Cubs.com Despite missing 20th win, Lester looks ahead By Carrie Muskat CINCINNATI -- Jon Lester didn't get his 20th win, but he did make 32 starts for the Cubs, totaled 200 plus innings and finished with a 2.44 ERA. And now it's time for the second season. Lester took the loss on Saturday as the Cubs dropped a 7-4 decision to the Reds at Great American Ball Park. The lefty served up five runs over five innings in his final regular-season start. "Two hundred innings is big," Lester said of this season. "Didn't miss a start, and that's what I pride myself on -- that I take the ball every five days. That's something I've tried to do for a long time. This [season] was special on a personal level, just where everything is at and finished. It'll probably go down as one of the better if not best years of my career. Hopefully, there's a couple more to come. Now we have the real business to get down to." Manager Joe Maddon has yet to announce the Cubs' rotation for the National League Division Series, which starts on Friday, but Lester was expected to get the call. He has started Game 1 of a playoff series seven times in his career. "Now it's go time," Lester said. "This is the real season now. You play 162 to get to now. It'll be completely different when you step on that field Friday with that crowd. I'm sure it'll be electric. This is playoff baseball -- that's when it becomes a lot of fun and every pitch is do or die." On Saturday, Lester said he felt as if he was rushing his delivery and just couldn't get back on track. In his previous eight starts, he'd given up four earned runs over 56 1/3 innings. He was 10-0 in 13 second-half starts. And he was trying to become the Cubs' first left-handed 20-game winner since Dick Ellsworth won 22 in 1963. "Jonny's command was not 100 percent," Maddon said. "His stuff was good regarding velocity, but overall, just execution of his pitches was just off a click. It just wasn't wanting to work today. He wasn't physically fine. He's not going to be perfect every time." Lester needed 26 pitches to get through the second inning, and 31 more in the third. His outing didn't end well. Lester thought he had struck out Eugenio Suarez to end the Reds' fifth, and both he and catcher David Ross headed toward the dugout. But home-plate umpire Tom Hallion had called ball four. Maddon said Hallion later admitted to Ross he missed the call. Was Lester thinking about possibly setting a career high with a 20th win?

"Yeah -- we're all human," he said. "Any time you come into a situation like that, it's on your mind, especially the last start of the season. I don't think it had any bearing on what happened." Lester will have plenty of time to figure it out. After Sunday's regular-season finale, the Cubs will take Monday off, then work out for three days in preparation for the NLDS, which opens at Wrigley Field against the winner of the NL Wild Card Game. Lester, who has made 14 postseason starts, knows what lies ahead. "I don't want to sound like a [jerk] or anything, but we haven't done anything yet," Lester said. "What it comes down to, this season isn't anything unless we do what we showed up in Spring Training to do and win a World Series. The 100 and whatever wins is great, all the personal stuff is great. This is go time now. Now we have to live up to the expectations and the hype." -- Cubs.com 3-run 4th, Zobrist's HR can't bail out Lester, Cubs By Carrie Muskat and Mark Sheldon CINCINNATI -- Jon Lester's final tuneup for the postseason-bound Cubs did not yield a 20th victory. Instead, it was the Reds who spoiled his Saturday afternoon during a 7-4 victory as Joey Votto collected three hits and three RBIs as a majority of blue-shirted Cubs fans were among the 30,970 at Great American Ball Park. Lester, who entered 5-0 with two earned runs allowed (0.41 ERA) over his previous six starts, was tapped by Cincinnati for five earned runs and six hits over five innings with three walks and six strikeouts. The Reds took a 4-0 lead through three innings, with Eugenio Suarez's three RBIs providing the momentum, including a two-run homer. "Jonny's command was not 100 percent," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. "His stuff was good regarding velocity, but overall, just execution of his pitches was just off a click. It just wasn't wanting to work today. He wasn't physically fine. He's not going to be perfect every time." It was the fourth time in 18 meetings this season that the Reds topped the Cubs. Starting pitcher Tim Adleman pitched five innings for the win and allowed three runs and six hits but had to hang on when Chicago rallied for three runs in the fourth inning -- including Jason Heyward's two-run double. In the fifth inning, Adleman escaped by leaving the bases loaded. "I knew it was going to be a tough game going into it," said Adleman, who finished his rookie season 4-4 with a 4.00 ERA. "Especially with Lester, everybody in that [Cubs] clubhouse wants him to get his 20th win, and to do it here at our home park where at times it didn't feel like our home park. The place was flooded with Cubs fans. It was a sweet victory today. You can't take anything away from what Lester's done and the Cubs have done, but it was nice to get a win today." The Reds had a 7-3 lead in the eighth inning when Ben Zobrist put the Cubs back within striking distance with a one-out solo home run to right field against Michael Lorenzen. It was Zobrist's third homer in the past two days. Raisel Iglesias delivered a perfect top of the ninth for his sixth save. MOMENTS THAT MATTERED No. 21 for Suarez: The Reds already had a 1-0 lead in the second inning when Suarez connected on a Lester 3-1 pitch and lifted it the opposite way for a two-run homer into the right corner. It was Suarez's 21st homer of the season, adding to his career high. That also ended his 0-for-12 slump and a 29-game streak without a homer. His last home run was on Aug. 30 at the Angels. For Lester, it was just the fifth homer he's allowed since the All-Star break.

Fourth inning: Dexter Fowler singled to lead off for the Cubs, but Adleman then retired 10 in a row before Anthony Rizzo hit an opposite-field single in the fourth. One out later, Addison Russell walked, and he and Rizzo scored on Heyward's double that right fielder Patrick Kivlehan misjudged. Heyward scored on Javier Baez's single to pull within one run, although Baez was a little aggressive on the basepaths and thrown out. Fowler also singled with two outs in the seventh for his 1,000th career hit. "I've still got some work to do," Fowler said. "I'm trying to get to 3,000. At this rate, I'll have to play 24 seasons. I've got to speed it up a little bit." Start me up: Lester was vying to become the National League's first 20-game winner. However, a 26-pitch second inning and 31-pitch third made it tough. He did last five innings, though the lefty went one batter more than expected. Lester thought he had struck out Suarez to end the fifth, and both he and catcher David Ross headed toward the dugout. But home-plate umpire Tom Hallion said it was ball four. Lester, expected to start Game 1 of the NL Division Series on Friday, finished the season 19-5 with a 2.44 ERA, 202 2/3 innings and 197 strikeouts. "[This season] will probably go down as one of the better, if not best years of my career," Lester said. "Hopefully, there's a couple more to come. Now we have the real business to get down to." Not coasting to finish: Votto was 3-for-5 with two doubles to push his batting average to a season-high .326, after he had been at .213 on May 31. Votto provided the game's first run with an RBI groundout that scored Jose Peraza in the first inning, and he added a single in the third. After the Cubs made it a one-run game, Votto returned in the fifth with a key RBI double to right field that scored Ivan De Jesus Jr. He added an RBI double to right-center field and scored in the seventh against Hector Rondon. Votto has 97 RBIs for the season and will enter Game 162 on Sunday with a chance at a 100-RBI season for the first time since 2011. He is batting .411 since the All-Star break, leaving him in good position to be baseball's first .400 hitter in the second half since Ichiro Suzuki in 2004. "I don't want to underappreciate it," Reds manager Bryan Price said of Votto's second-half performance. "I've said that before. It's just been something to see how often he gets the barrel of the bat to the ball. The other thing is he's producing a lot more runs. His run production as far as driving in runs has gone up." QUOTABLE "We didn't make it easy on him. But I don't think he was his sharpest. It takes an opposing team to go out there and take advantage of the pitches he does give us to hit and the mistakes he does make, and we did that today." -- Price, on his lineup facing Lester "I don't want to sound like a [jerk] or anything, but we haven't done anything yet. The 100 wins are great. We've had a lot of personal achievements. The big thing for this team is we're consistent. We show up every day ready to play, and that's huge, especially with the young group we have. That's a hard thing to learn at a young age. … What it comes down to, this season isn't anything unless we do what we showed up in Spring Training to do and win a World Series. The 100 and whatever wins is great, all the personal stuff is great. This is go time now. Now we have to live up to the expectations and the hype." -- Lester, looking ahead to the postseason SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS The Cubs have hit a home run in 11 straight games at Great American Ball Park, and have hit 24 homers total there this season. Ben Zobrist's solo homer in the eighth was the 40th by Chicago against Cincinnati pitching, the most ever in a single season by an opposing team against the Reds. WHAT'S NEXT Cubs: How low can Kyle Hendricks get his ERA? Hendricks, who leads the Major Leagues with a 1.99 ERA, will close the regular season on Sunday against the Reds. Hendricks is 2-0 with a 1.50 ERA in two starts against the Reds this year. Since June 19, the right-hander is 12-2 with a 1.29 ERA in 18 outings (17 starts). First pitch will be 2:10 p.m. CT from Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati.

Reds: The 2016 season will close with Sunday's 3:10 p.m. ET finale and rookie Robert Stephenson will get the start for the Reds and will look to end his year on a high note. Stephenson is 0-3 with an 8.14 ERA in five starts since returning to the big leagues. -- Cubs.com Cubs believe Fowler's return key to success By Carrie Muskat CINCINNATI -- The key moment in the Cubs' season may have happened before the first regular-season game was played, when Dexter Fowler surprised everyone with his return. "No doubt," Chicago's Anthony Rizzo said of Fowler's comeback. "He just lengthens the lineup." In his first season with Chicago in 2015, Fowler provided the spark at the top, batting .272 in the second half. Without him in 2016, the Cubs were projecting Jason Heyward in center and leading off. In Saturday's 7-4 loss to the Reds, Fowler reached a personal milestone when he notched his 1,000th career hit with a single in the seventh inning. "I've still got some work to do," Fowler said. "I'm trying to get to 3,000. At this rate, I'll have to play 24 seasons. I've got to speed it up a little bit." It was a nice bonus to what has been an historic season for the Cubs. "Having him back simplified everything, and there was that much more depth," Heyward said of Fowler. "Who knows? With the injuries we had, we would've been looking for outfielders at the Trade Deadline. [Fowler] gave us that cushion." Fowler decided to accept a one-year contract from the Cubs, but he didn't tell any of his teammates. There were rumors he had agreed to a three-year deal with the Orioles, and Rizzo even sent a text to congratulate the outfielder. But Fowler didn't return the message and instead showed up during a Spring Training practice in Mesa, Ariz., on Feb. 25 and was greeted by hugs and cheers from his teammates. "Bringing him, it boosted our morale for sure -- not that we weren't ready -- but he's such a good personality," Rizzo said Saturday. "You don't want to blame it on one person, but when he was hurt, we went into a little skid. It's good to have him." Cubs manager Joe Maddon agreed Fowler's return definitely changed things for the better. "Prior to getting him, we were trying to figure out at-bats -- how does [Jorge Soler] get enough at-bats, how does [Javier] Baez get enogh at-bats, how does [Kyle] Schwarber get enough at-bats," Maddon said. "You could make a solid case for what he did in the first half really got us off to that start. You could go back to Spring Training, and signing Dexter was a big part of our season." What Fowler did this season was get things started, batting .347 in April, and followed by .295 in May. "When I say to him, 'You go, we go,' it's true," Maddon said of his message before every one of Fowler's at-bats. "I say that to him sometimes. He'll walk up, and I'll point at him and say, 'It's true,' and he knows what I'm talking about." What the Cubs didn't anticipate was losing outfielder Kyle Schwarber in the third game of the season to a left knee injury, which meant the addition of Fowler was even more important. "When you look at Schwarber getting hurt and Soler not being as healthy, it gave us two steady outfielders, one in center and one in right field," Heyward said of himself and Fowler. "The biggest part is it gave us another switch-

hitter and a switch-hitter batting leadoff, and he did it last year with this team. For those reasons, I feel that's the most important thing." Heyward and Fowler used to live in the Atlanta area and would train together. They knew a lot of the same people. Being teammates wasn't something they'd considered. "Because Georgia is how it is, and so many baseball players have come out of there, and so many guys we know, you're used to everybody going to a different team," Heyward said. "You never, ever, ever think you're going to play on the same team. This is a treat in itself that we got to spend this season together. It's been really cool." Fowler's return may have been the key piece. "I think everybody in here agrees, hands down," Heyward said. "It's not just because of what he does in the game, but his personality. It's great for this clubhouse and any clubhouse." Rizzo is still amazed that he had no inkling Fowler was coming back. "I was 100 percent shocked," Rizzo said. And 100 percent happy. -- Cubs.com Hendricks set for tuneup as Cubs wrap up regular season By Cody Pace In the Cubs' final tilt before the National League Division Series begins on Friday, the NL ERA leader will take the mound Sunday at Great American Ball Park. Kyle Hendricks (16-8, 1.99 ERA) will take the hill against the Reds as the only starting pitcher in baseball with a sub-2.00 ERA. The 26-year-old righty, in his third Major League season, is having a breakout year for the Cubs and has gotten better as the season has gone on. Since June 19, Hendricks has posted a 1.29 ERA and averaged more than 6 1/3 innings per start. For Hendricks, the start is considered a tuneup, and he's unlikely to pitch very deep in the game. "If he goes five [innings], that will be a lot," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. Opposite Hendricks, rookie Robert Stephenson (2-3, 6.27 ERA) will toe the rubber. Stephenson was good in his first two career starts in April, posting a 3.00 ERA in 12 innings. But since his September callup, Stephenson is 0-3 with an 8.14 ERA and has recorded an out in the fifth inning just once. Things to know about this game • Hendricks' two starts against the Reds this season came in back-to-back appearances on June 29 and July 4. He pitched a combined 12 innings, allowing three runs (two earned) in two wins. Joey Votto and Adam Duvall have given Hendricks trouble in his career, however. Votto has a .750/.857/1.500 line with two homers against him, and Duvall has a .600/.600/1.200 line with one homer. • Stephenson was hit hard in his only start against the Cubs this season on Sept. 21. He allowed four runs on eight hits over 3 2/3 innings, his second shortest outing of the season. Of the eight hits, seven were singles. • Reds right fielder Scott Schebler could return to the starting lineup for the season finale Sunday. Schebler had been out since Thursday with a left hamstring injury, but he pinch-hit Saturday, and manager Bryan Price is optimistic that he's feeling good enough to start.

-- Cubs.com Saturday's lineup could be NLDS Game 1 preview By Carrie Muskat CINCINNATI -- Manager Joe Maddon may have given an indication of what the Cubs' lineup will be for Game 1 of the National League Division Series with Saturday's starting nine, including the starting pitcher, Jon Lester. The Cubs will open the NLDS on Friday, and the lineup could be Dexter Fowler in center, Kris Bryant in left, Anthony Rizzo at first, Ben Zobrist at second, Addison Russell at shortstop, Jason Heyward in right field, Javier Baez at third and David Ross catching Lester. "There's a shot," Maddon said when asked if this was the Game 1 lineup. It's not that the Cubs are trying to hide anything, but Maddon has said he wants to meet with the front-office folks plus the coaches to discuss the playoff rotation before formally announcing it. The Cubs finish the regular season on Sunday against the Reds, and they won't open the NLDS until Friday. They'll take Monday off, then play a simulated game at Wrigley Field on Tuesday. John Lackey and Jason Hammel were to pitch Tuesday, plus some relievers. "It'll be very loosely resembling a regular game," Maddon said. "It's primarily done for pitchers to get their work in." Worth noting • Jorge Soler took batting practice on Saturday and could start Sunday if he passes all the tests. Soler has been bothered by discomfort in his right side. His status for the postseason may be in doubt if he isn't healthy. • The Cubs were challenged early when outfielder Kyle Schwarber suffered a season-ending left knee injury in the third game of the year. But Maddon felt the team's ability to overcome the loss of relievers Hector Rondon and Pedro Strop for much of August was key. "The thing I don't think people understood is going most of September without 'Strondon' -- Strop and Rondon -- that our bullpen pitched as well as they did and we got as many wins as we did without their services," Maddon said. "That, to me, was pretty incredible. I would've told you if we were missing those guys for a long time, I don't think we could've sustained that." The Cubs did quite well, posting a 22-6 record in August. So, what's a "Strondon?" "Maybe it's the Latin version of pizza," Maddon said. • The Cubs won't know their NLDS opponent until the NL Wild Card Game is played Wednesday, and Maddon is paying attention to the Mets (who clinched the top NL Wild Card spot Saturday), Giants and Cardinals. He watched the Dodgers-Giants game on Friday night, though he said that was mainly to hear Vin Scully broadcast his final games. -- ESPNChicago.com David Ross doesn't want Cubs fans thinking, 'Who is this guy? Brett Favre?' By Jesse Rogers CINCINNATI -- It's the morning of the last regular-season start of his career, but for once in this sentimental season, Chicago Cubs catcher David Ross isn't wearing his emotions on his sleeve.

That's because he's "all out of them." "It's way more attention than I'm used to," Ross said over coffee Saturday morning at the Cubs' hotel in Cincinnati. "I'm ready for all the background distractions to stop and the playoffs to start." Ross was relaxed and sitting at a table as Cubs fans roamed the hotel lobby trying to catch a glimpse of -- or an autograph from -- their favorite players. A few hours later, Ross was in game mode trying his best to help his good friend Jon Lester win his 20th game. Lester came up short, but it didn't diminish the season the left-hander produced -- with the help of his personal catcher. "I just don't want to be that weak link," Ross said, half-laughing. "I don't want to be the guy that holds everyone up. I want no regrets on my end." It's the same statement Ross made back in spring training, before he hit 10 home runs and led all catchers in picking off base runners. It's the statement that came after he hit .176 with one home run in 2015, which led him to declare that 2016 would be his last season. But is it? For sure? He felt like the weak link back then. He is anything but now. "[The offer] would have to blow my socks off," Ross said, this time fully laughing. "I would probably come back. I would have to talk to my family. My one regret is not getting to play with Kyle Schwarber, so I guess I would be able to do that. At the end of the day, this year could not have gone any better. Do I want to come back and risk it? And after everything the Cubs and the fans did for me, I don't want them thinking, 'Who is this guy? Brett Favre?' 99.9 percent I'm going home." Ross paused several times to sign autographs or say hello to fans who stopped by. It's been like this all season for him and his teammates, no matter what city they were in. It's still mind-boggling to Ross that a role player can get this much attention. He gives the credit to the organization as well as Cubs fans. "I'm the backup catcher, and people walk around with Ross jerseys," he said. "People are invested in every aspect of the team. They're wrapped up in it. It's great. And there's so much anxiety. We want to do well for them." That brings the conversation to a subject Ross would rather talk about than himself: the opportunity to win another World Series. His team has as good a chance as any. "It'll be the most stressful thing you've ever gone through as a player," Ross said in a hopeful manner. "The mental grind, the ups and downs, the comebacks, the details, even luck. Things have to work out. "People ask, 'Where does my retirement stuff rank?' Winning a World Series is way better than that. It's an amazing thing to dog pile out there while no one else can do that." If Ross is going to wear another ring, Lester will be a big part of it. He's the likely NLDS Game 1 starter, despite his suffering the loss Saturday. Before Saturday, Lester had been lights-out dating to the All-Star Game. "It reminds me of his run in the second half of 2013," Ross said. "I'm hoping we can repeat that mix." Lester helped lead the Boston Red Sox to a championship that season, while the Cubs were still in the middle of building a contending team. Bringing in the veteran pitcher-catcher combination before the previous season was one of the final pieces of the organization's rebuild. "It's a big-brother, little-brother thing," Ross said of his relationship with Lester. "The fun thing is he can do exactly what we want to do. He can throw it in any quadrant. He can cut it and sink it, and his changeup is coming on.

That's the fun thing to watch: the hitter confused. My favorite part of baseball is the cat-and-mouse with pitcher, hitter and catcher." What does it take to win it all? The Cubs have a few who have experienced it, but most have not. And none -- of course -- has done so with the Cubs. "I'm not concerned with the outcome as much as the process," Ross said. "I know that's the cliché from [manager] Joe [Maddon], but it keeps you from worrying about good or bad." If you thought Ross was emotional during some of the ceremonies honoring his retirement -- the Reds will have one more for him Sunday -- just wait until the Cubs win it all -- if that happens. He says it won't even compare. "Whenever we score some runs, Tommy La Stella will say, 'Cubbies rake, Cubbies rake' in the dugout, but now every time he says, 'Cubbies rake,' I say, 'Cubbies cry' because there's been so much crying," Ross said. He laughed thinking about that. He is finished crying for the moment. There's too much work to be done. Ross finished his coffee and excused himself to go catch his final game. Another home run would be nice, but either way, he has been a much bigger contributor to this playoff team than last year's. What has been the key to his rebound? "I've put every ounce of effort into this season, so looking back, maybe the freedom of knowing that it's my last has created all this," he said. As for the end of it all, there's really only one way it can go. "In the back of my mind, winning the World Series in my last year against David Ortiz in his last year at Wrigley Field and Fenway Park," Ross said. "It would be the biggest sports event of my lifetime." -- ESPNChicago.com Is Hector Rondon a concern for Cubs heading into the postseason? By Jesse Rogers CINCINNATI -- If you’re worried about Chicago Cubs setup man Hector Rondon going into the postseason, you’re probably not alone, but manager Joe Maddon, as well as Rondon himself, believe the right-hander will be OK. And they might just be right. “I thought he had great stuff,” Maddon said after Rondon gave up two runs in an inning of relief Saturday in the Cubs' 7-4 loss to the Cincinnati Reds. “His stuff was good. It’s a matter of location more than anything. And possibly just the moment.” By the "moment," Maddon is talking about a meaningless game in which the Cubs were already trailing. In fact, in Rondon’s past five appearances, the Cubs were either trailing or winning big. The adrenaline simply isn’t the same. He and closer Aroldis Chapman even discussed it. “Last three-four outings, we come in [to the game] when we’re losing,” Rondon said. "When we come in when we’re winning [close], we know we’re better. More important for us is to be healthy.” If you want some statistical proof -- in a small sample size, of course -- look no further than before and after the Cubs clinched their division. In five September appearances where the games had some meaning, Rondon’s ERA was 1.93. Since, it’s blown up to the tune of 23.68. It’s made his September (and October) look really bad, as he’s posted a 9.82 overall ERA since coming off the disabled list Sept. 6.

“I feel way better,” Rondon said. “My command was OK. My velocity was good. The angle to the ball was good. I feel a little like before, my slider and everything. Every outing I feel better. It’s what I need for the playoffs.” Rondon claims he is indeed healthy after missing time with a triceps injury, and the radar gun would back that up. His fastball reached 97 mph Saturday, but it’s been his slider which has caused problems. Ivan De Jesus led off the seventh inning with a double off a slider as Rondon gave up three hits and a walk in the frame. He also struck out a batter and got another out on a lazy fly ball. Is it possible the 28-year-old is slumping at the worst time? Of course. But it’s also possible that when he pitches in front of 40,000 fans with so much on the line, we’ll see the real -- and nasty -- Hector Rondon. “When I come off the disabled list it took a little time,” Rondon said. “Mentally I’m good and physically I’m better.” -- ESPNChicago.com Cubs' Jon Lester: 100-plus-win season will mean nothing without title By Jesse Rogers CINCINNATI -- Chicago Cubs All-Star left-hander Jon Lester laid down the gauntlet for his team come later this month after pitching in his regular-season finale Saturday: Some 100-plus wins are nice, but they'll mean little if October doesn't go the Cubs' way. "This season isn't anything unless we do what we showed up at spring training to do -- win a World Series," Lester said after failing to win his 20th game in a 7-4 loss to the Cincinnati Reds. "I don't want to sound like an a--h--- or anything, but we really haven't done anything yet." It's been over a century since the Cubs (102-58) have won this many regular-season games, but it's been even longer since they've won a World Series. Lester wants to make sure the team has its eyes on the prize. "This is the real season now," he said. "You play 162 to get to now." After Sunday's finale, the Cubs will have four days off before their playoff run begins at Wrigley Field on Friday. It will mark three weeks to the day they celebrated clinching the National League Central, meaning they haven't played any intense baseball in quite a while. Those four days off are manager Joe Maddon's biggest concern. "For me, mission accomplished these last 10 days or whatever it's been," Maddon said in regards to his players staying sharp. "It's not about this [now] -- it's about the four days off." Lester thinks the same attitude the Cubs have displayed all season will come in handy at the most important time of the year. "The big thing with this team is we're consistent," he said. "We show up every day to play. That's huge, especially with the young group that we have. That's hard to do. That's a hard thing to learn at a young age. These guys do it." Lester likely will be the division series Game 1 starter Friday, so he'll have a big say in what transpires in the coming weeks, though Saturday's game could have conceivably cost him the Cy Young Award. He missed out on win No. 20 while seeing his ERA rise to 2.44. "For whatever reason, just fighting myself today," Lester said after giving up five runs in five innings. "I'll look at it, and if there are adjustments to be made, I'll work on it next week."

It was one of the few bad starts in the second half for Lester (19-5), who held opposing hitters to an .085 batting average with runners in scoring position. "This one was pretty special on a personal level," he said. "It will probably go down as one of the better years of my career." But it won't be complete without a championship -- Lester made that abundantly clear. Can the Cubs break the drought? The left-hander is banking on it. "It's go time," Lester said. "Now we have to live up to the expectations and hype." -- CSNChicago.com Jon Lester On Cubs: ‘I Don’t Want To Sound Like An A--Hole, But We Haven’t Really Done Anything Yet’ By Patrick Mooney CINCINNATI – Jon Lester says he speaks for the entire clubhouse when he offers to trade it all in – the individual numbers, All-Star selections, Cy Young honors, MVP hardware – for a World Series ring with the Cubs. The Cubs are trying to have it all, 100-plus wins, the awards season, all those off-the-field endorsement deals and so much extroverted personality that it draws the attention of baseball’s fun police. But Lester understands October is where this team will ultimately be remembered. “I don’t want to sound like an a--hole or anything, but we haven’t really done anything yet,” Lester said after the Cincinnati Reds denied him his 20th win on Saturday at Great American Ball Park. “Amen!” might be the response from anyone sick of the coronations from the national media and tired of Joe Maddon’s “Embrace The Target” act. Their first-round opponent will feel that way, whether it’s the New York Mets, San Francisco Giants or St. Louis Cardinals. But five words summed up Lester’s attitude after this 7-4 loss: “Flush it down the toilet.” That’s essentially how the Cubs have handled everything this year, from all the magazine covers to getting everyone’s best shot between the lines to a rabid fan base that follows them all across the country to what could have been a season-devastating injury to Kyle Schwarber. That’s why Lester isn’t concerned about the rust accumulating during the two-plus weeks since the Cubs clinched the National League Central title, or the four days off after Sunday’s regular-season finale in Cincinnati. “The big thing with this team is we’re just consistent,” Lester said. “We show up every day ready to play. I think that’s huge, especially with the young group that we have. That’s hard to do. That’s a hard thing to learn at a young age. “It’s hard to show up every day ready to go – and these guys do it. They have short memories, which I think makes us really good. And we have guys that want to win. “But really when it comes down to it, this season isn’t anything unless we do what we showed up to spring training to do – win a World Series.” That’s why the Cubs handed Lester a six-year, $155 million contract, and the big-game lefty with two World Series rings from his time with the Boston Red Sox has so far lived up to those ace expectations in the second season of that megadeal, going 19-5 with a 2.44 ERA.

Whether or not an ugly last start dents Lester’s Cy Young chances – the Reds scratched him for five runs in five innings and stole three bases off him and personal catcher David Ross, highlighting what could be a running-wild issue in October – he still reached the number that he believes defines the true value of a starting pitcher. Lester surpassed 200 innings for the eighth time in his career, feeling strong enough to start Game 1 on Oct. 7 and help carry the Cubs through what they expect will be three playoff series. “This is the real season now,” Lester said. “You play 162 to get to now. Yeah, it will be completely different when you step on that field come Friday with that crowd. Whoever we’re playing, I’m sure it will be electric. “That’s when it becomes a lot of fun – every pitch is do or die.” The Cubs are the NL’s most talented team, with enough hooks to capture casual fans and maybe help grow a stagnant sport. The Ricketts family and Theo Epstein’s crew have The Plan to be good for a long time. But this team will be judged in October. “The hundred-and-whatever wins are great,” Lester said. “All the personal stuff is great. This is go time now. Now we got to really kind of live up to the expectations and the hype.” -- CSNChicago.com How Cubs Plan To Deploy Javier Baez In The Playoffs By Patrick Mooney CINCINNATI – Using common sense and Geek Department probabilities, Joe Maddon wants to know where the ball should be hit before deciding where to play Javier Baez, the kind of elite defender the Cubs manager envisions when he talks about creating a Gold Glove for super-utility guys. “I just like to put him where the most action may be,” Maddon said. “He really provides a lot of coverage on slow rollers. He’s got the arm. He’s got the flair.” With lefty Jon Lester facing a Cincinnati Reds lineup stacked with right-handed hitters, Maddon started Baez at third base on Saturday at Great American Ball Park, where the Cubs gave a potential sneak preview for their Game 1 playoff lineup. Baez has been credited with 17 Defensive Runs Saved this year while moving between second base, shortstop and third base, putting together a package of highlight-reel plays and giving Maddon even more freedom with his lineup and in-game strategy. If offense will be at such a premium in the postseason – putting an even stronger emphasis on pitching and defense – could Baez become an everyday player in October? “Not 100 percent,” Maddon said. “You catch a lead, he’ll be in the game. I think that we still may go with an offensive matchup – and then hopefully grab a lead – and then get him in there. Do that kind of a thing, not unlike what we did last year with ‘Schwarbs’ (Kyle Schwarber), as an example, (where you) pull him and move everything around. “I haven’t decided, but that would be my first inclination.” The Cubs lead the majors in defensive efficiency, a breakthrough that has contributed to 102 wins and helped Lester and Kyle Hendricks put up Cy Young Award-worthy numbers, giving this group an overall dimension that could separate them from the franchise’s previous playoff teams.

“That’s where our pitchers have just been able to relax,” Lester said. “(We) know that: ‘Hey, I don’t have to be so perfect with each pitch.’ We’ve got such good defense behind us that it’s kind of like: ‘OK, just hit it. Those guys will figure it out after that.’” -- CSNChicago.com Cubs Give Sneak Preview Of Game 1 Lineup As Playoff Picture Comes Into Focus By Patrick Mooney CINCINNATI – Joe Maddon couldn’t maintain a poker face and hide his smirk when asked if there’s a very good chance that this will be the Game 1 playoff lineup for the Cubs. “There’s a shot,” Maddon said Saturday afternoon at Great American Ball Park as reporters started laughing. “I’m not a cloak-and-dagger guy.” Reading the manager’s body language, how the Cubs aligned against the Cincinnati Reds will likely be the group that runs out to thunderous cheers on Oct. 7 at Wrigley Field and faces the National League’s wild-card winner: 1. Dexter Fowler, CF 2. Kris Bryant, LF 3. Anthony Rizzo, 1B 4. Ben Zobrist, 2B 5. Addison Russell, SS 6. Jason Heyward, RF 7. Javier Baez, 3B 8. David Ross, C 9. Jon Lester, P • The NL playoff picture is coming into focus, with the New York Mets clinching a wild-card spot and home-field advantage while the San Francisco Giants stayed one game ahead of the St. Louis Cardinals. Beat the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday at AT&T Park and the even-year Giants are in the playoffs. San Francisco’s worst-case scenario is a Game 163 on Monday at Busch Stadium. The Cubs upgraded their lineup after getting exposed during the NL Championship Series last October, investing more than $250 million in Fowler, Zobrist and Heyward and seeing tremendous year-over-year improvements from young All-Stars like Bryant, Rizzo and Russell. If the Cubs meet the Mets again, they won’t have to face Matt Harvey, Jacob deGrom or Steven Matz, who’ve all undergone season-ending surgeries, perhaps paying the price for last year’s NL pennant. “It’s an entirely different look for them right now,” Maddon said. “They’re using a lot of young guys right now that are really (working) for them. But any team that’s going to make it in there – the pitching’s going to be pretty good, regardless. “They were extremely, incredibly hot when we saw them. Their command last year – with the weather conditions on top of it – I was baffled by it, by how well that they threw and what kind of command that they had in really extreme conditions in New York. So you got to give a lot of credit.”

• Jorge Soler didn’t look comfortable hitting in ice-cold weather – who does? – but he’s a physical presence who made his mark in last year’s playoffs. Two MRIs on his right side have come back clean, yet he’s only felt good enough to have four at-bats within the last two weeks. Soler took batting practice before Saturday’s 7-4 loss to the Reds and could make an appearance in Game 162. All this makes him an X-factor after he crushed St. Louis pitching last October, setting a major-league record by getting on base in his first nine career postseason plate appearances. “The lineup presents differently with him in it,” Maddon said. “He’s definitely a force. He’s absolutely an offensive force. You play him for seven innings, grab a lead and get him out on defense. That’s the optimal situation.” -- Chicago Tribune Cubs' Kyle Hendricks looks to put finishing touches on amazing season By Mark Gonzales As Kyle Hendricks takes the mound Sunday for his final regular season start, The Cubs’ former fifth starter hasn’t forgotten the much-needed progressions that started last winter and continued to make him one of the top pitchers in the National League this season. “I’ve definitely learned from last year, start to finish,” said Hendricks, who should wrap up the NL ERA title in what is expected to be a brief outing against the Cincinnati Reds. “When to push things, when to relax. Last year, when I had mechanical issues, I got away from my long toss program. That always was big for me. “I got back into that program, and I built up arm strength. I feel better and have maintained it throughout the year.” Hendricks, who has thrown a career-high 185 innings, would have reached the 200-inning mark had the Cubs not opted for a six-man rotation at various junctures that cost each starter at least two starts but preserved their strength. But his ability to make more quality pitches deeper in the game and induce weak contact has been “a game changer,” Hendricks said. “You take pride in going deep in the game,” Hendricks said. “You want to be that guy your team can count on. They know what they’re going to get when you take the mound. They’re going to eat up innings. The guys that stay in the game for a long time, you see a lot of them on this team.” Catcher Miguel Montero noticed that Hendricks has become less predictable, from throwing curves earlier in counts to throwing high fastballs later in counts despite barely touching 90 mph. “Last year he was too predictable,” Montero said. “Now he uses a different plan to attack the hitters. It’s tough for them to adjust or figure out what he’s going to throw.” -- Chicago Tribune 'Eh' game becomes 'A' game as playoffs draw near — and meaning returns By Paul Sullivan The Cubs have spent nearly two weeks getting playoff-ready, treating the experience like extended spring training. Manager Joe Maddon believes the plan to rest players and keep them fresh has worked well, while Jake Arrieta and Miguel Montero had some qualms.

Either way, the experiment thankfully ends Sunday. In a few days the Cubs will have to flip the switch to playoff mode, a transition that didn't go very smoothly in 2008, the last time they cruised to a division title. The Cubs aren't the only ones getting ready for October. The media have been doing likewise, stockpiling Cubs-related features for TV, print and digital to satiate the masses who can't get enough of their heroes. The Cubs obviously are a national story now, and if you are 100 or older and haven't been interviewed about the team's last championship yet, please contact your local newspaper immediately. In essence, the only ones left to prepare for the postseason are Cubs fans, a diverse bunch that finds itself in an unusual predicament thanks to a season of utter dominance. Do they look at the victory total and potential matchups rationally and venture into October with complete confidence? Or do they suddenly revert to default mode, hoping for the best but fearing the worst? The worriers will look at Saturday's 7-4 loss to the Reds as reason to take a more tempered approach. Probable Game 1 starter Jon Lester had his worst outing of the second half, giving up five runs in five innings and failing in his bid to win No. 20. The realists will consider Saturday's performance irrelevant, pointing out it was Lester's only bad outing of the second half. He should be fine Friday no matter whom he faces, and the well-rested lineup will be up to the task. "I'm happy with what we're doing right now," Maddon said. "It's not about this (game), it's about four days off. That's my larger concern. We have a game plan going in to try to deal with it, and I have so much trust in our guys that I believe they'll be ready next Friday. "All this stuff leading up to it, I think it has gone pretty well." Maddon pointed to Ben Zobrist's hot bat, getting work for recently injured relievers Hector Rondon and Pedro Strop, having Aroldis Chapman working on his slider more and keeping the starters' pitch counts down. This stretch between the clinching party and the end of the regular season has been awkward for the players, who are used to playing meaningful games from opening day on. How do you describe it? "I think it's just 'eh,' " Anthony Rizzo said. "It certainly doesn't hurt. Does it help? It's tough to say, but we're still playing baseball, so … I think this team is really good at bringing it every single day, so when we do the playoffs, it'll be the same." One thing the Cubs do have is playoff experience in their rotation and throughout the lineup. Still, the four days off can be a double-edged sword because the opposing team will have some momentum from its wild-card victory. To prepare, the Cubs will play a simulated game and practice Tuesday through Thursday, albeit without the traditional towel drills from the Larry Rothschild era. Lester said "as long as we go out and have sharp work and take what we do serious, we'll be fine" despite the layoff. "Obviously, people always want to lean toward the teams that have played (during) those days," he said. "But the way it's kind of shaping up, it might get two games to get to us." That would mean a wild-card tiebreaker game between the Cardinals and Giants on Monday to see who plays the Mets in the wild-card-game Wednesday, with the winner meeting the Cubs at Wrigley Field on Friday. Does it really matter whom the Cubs play? At this point, there's only one good answer:

Eh. -- Chicago Tribune Joe Maddon confident players have right plan for four-day break By Mark Gonzales There's some unfinished business for the Cubs leading up to their pursuit of their first World Series title since 1908. "I don't want to sound like a (jerk), but we really haven't done anything yet," Jon Lester (19-5) said Saturday after falling short in his bid to win 20 games in a 7-4 loss to the Reds. Kyle Hendricks will try to secure the National League ERA title in Sunday's regular-season finale, but manager Joe Maddon already is concerning himself with the four-day break before Friday's Game 1 of the NL Division Series. "That's my larger concern," said Maddon, who will conduct a simulated game Tuesday and workouts Wednesday and Thursday. "We have a game plan going in to deal with it. I have so much trust in our guys that I believe we'll be ready Friday." Even after winning 102 games, running away to a division title and securing home-field advantage through the NL playoffs, the Cubs know the expectations are greater. "This season isn't anything unless we do what we showed up in spring training to do — win a World Series," Lester said. "The (102) wins are great and all the personal stuff is great, but this is go time now. Now we have to live up to the expectations and hype." Maddon remained firm in his resolve to apportion playing time among the starting position players and reserves since clinching the Central. The Cubs, however, did field a lineup Saturday that is likely to resemble their Game 1 lineup, with Lester on the mound and Javier Baez at third base. "The tough part after Sunday's game is just maintaining that right frame of mind going into Friday, and that's where trust is involved," Maddon said. Maddon doesn't seem concerned Jake Arrieta and Lester allowed 12 runs in their final regular-season starts, nor does he think Hendricks needs to pitch a gem to regain momentum. "Momentum would be squashed just by four days off," Maddon said. "If you had a bad moment or good moment, it's just four days off going into a playoff game on Friday, and I think our guys will be absolutely (ready) for it." Lester (19-4) saw his ERA swell from 2.28 to 2.44 after lacking command and laboring when he threw 57 pitches in the second and third innings. Neither Maddon nor Hector Rondon seemed worried after Rondon allowed two runs in the seventh and now has allowed seven runs on eight hits in four appearances covering only 2 2/3 innings. "Mentally I'm good, and physically I'm better," Rondon said. "I know when the playoffs are there, our adrenaline is different." All was not lost Saturday, as Ben Zobrist hit his third home run in two games, and Dexter Fowler collected his 1,000th hit. Although Maddon plans to limit Hendricks' work Sunday, Hendricks is pleased that he already has earned Maddon's trust in pitching deeper in games.

"Last year (Maddon) would have given me those opportunities, but I wasn't ready for them with the level of pitches I was making," said Hendricks, who has a 1.99 ERA. "Now when I'm pitching in the fifth and sixth, (Maddon) can see (the improvement) in my mechanics and quality of pitches." -- Chicago Tribune Cubs transitioning from celebrating to all business as playoffs approach By Mark Gonzales As the Cubs move closer to Game 1 of their National League Division Series on Friday at Wrigley Field, much of their attention has shifted gradually from fun to business. The Cubs were scheduled to have a team dinner after Saturday night's game, but that also will serve as a chance for players to ask any lingering questions about preparations for what's ahead. "It's a matter of just talking about what's to come and answering questions guys may have, such as tickets, playoffs and travel," catcher David Ross said. Since the Cubs clinched a playoff berth Sept. 15, the team started to conduct several internal talks on preparations, Ross said. During the Cubs' visit to Pittsburgh last week, players had a meeting to determine how their playoffs shares would be distributed. Only players who have been on the major-league roster the entire season were eligible to vote on how the players' pool will be distributed. "That's what we've been doing on this trip, enjoying ourselves but amping it up more," Ross said. Defining moments: Manager Joe Maddon admitted there wasn't a defining moment in the Cubs' season that stood out as clearly as their four-game sweep of the Giants that vaulted them to a 2015 NL playoff berth. But Maddon thought the Cubs' 6-5 victory at Pittsburgh on July 10 that snapped a five-game losing streak "helped our psyche," and their 22-6 record in August was a defining month. Maddon also was proud of the way the bullpen responded after Pedro Strop and Hector Rondon missed most of August and part of September with injuries. Maddon accidentally referred to his relievers as "Strondon." Extra innings: Starting pitchers John Lackey and Jason Hammel and a few relievers are scheduled to pitch in Tuesday's simulated game at Wrigley Field, which will be closed to the public. … The Cubs will conduct a workout Wednesday that will cover plenty of defensive work. -- Chicago Tribune Cubs' loss Saturday fails to cloud Jon Lester's accomplishments By Mark Gonzales Jon Lester said he looks at videotape of every start, regardless of the outcome. Fortunately for Lester and the Cubs, there were enough highlights for Lester not to dwell on missing out Saturday on his 20th victory following a 7-3 loss to the Cincinnati Reds.

“I’ll take a look (Sunday) and see what’s going on,” Lester said. “I never felt right, for whatever reason. I never allowed my arm to catch up (to my body).” Lester will throw a bullpen session on either Tuesday or Wednesday and fix whatever flaws he may have detected, and “we’ll flush (Saturday’s loss) down the toilet.” Lester said he thought briefly about the chance to win 20 games. “We’re all human,” Lester said. “I think any time you come into a situation like that, the last start of the season. I don’t think it had any bearing on what happened. You think about it and get asked about it. It’s hard not to think about it.” There were plenty of fond moments for Lester to savor, as he earned 19 victories while reaching the 200-inning mark for the fifth consecutive season and the eighth time in his past nine years. His 19 wins and 2.44 ERA – both career highs – are a large reason why he likely learned the Game 1 assignment Friday in the National League Division Series. “I didn’t miss a start again,” said Lester, who made 32 starts. “That’s what I pride myself on, taking the ball every five days for these guys. It’s something I like to do for a long time. “This year was pretty special, just where everything is at. It will probably go down as one of the better, if not best, years of my career. Hopefully there’s more to come. There’s a lot of personal satisfaction there. I try to look at that. Now we got the real business to get down to.” -- Chicago Tribune Cubs showcase potential NLDS Game 1 lineup By Mark Gonzales There’s a strong chance that the Cubs’ lineup Saturday will be the same lineup when they open the National League Division Series on Friday at Wrigley Field. When manager Joe Maddon was asked whether there was a good chance of this scenario occurring, Maddon replied, “there’s a shot,” while smiling. Saturday’s lineup features left-hander Jon Lester with catcher David Ross and defensive gem Javier Baez at third base. Maddon said he could announce the rotation for the NLDS by Tuesday. Pitchers John Lackey and Jason Hammel are scheduled to pitch in Tuesday’s simulated game at Wrigley Field, which is closed to the public. -- Chicago Tribune Saturday's recap: Reds 7, Cubs 4 By Mark Gonzales Jon Lester fell short in his bid to win his 20th game Saturday as the Reds ran up his pitch count early in a 7-4 victory over the Cubs at Great American Ball Park. Lester allowed five runs in five innings. At the plate

The Cubs provided no run support for Lester until the fourth when right fielder Patrick Kivlehan misjudged Jason Heyward's two-run double. Ben Zobrist hit his third home run in two games, a solo shot to right. On the mound Lester got off to a rough start when he bounced a 1-2 breaking pitch that hit Jose Peraza in the first. Peraza stole second base and scored on a Joey Votto grounder. In the field The Cubs brought the infield in with one out in the first, and Zobrist was visibly upset when he couldn't field Votto's grounder cleanly. That prevented any chance of Zobrist trying to nail Peraza at home plate. Key number 8: Seasons Lester has pitched at least 200 innings. Up next Vs. Reds at Great American Ball Park, 2:10 p.m. Sunday; WGN-9. --