October 27, 2017

Cubs.com, Cubs change hitting coaches, hire Chili Davis http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/259755796/cubs-hire-chili-davis-as-new-hitting-coach/

Cubs.com, For Cubs, there's work to be done in offseason http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/259746952/cubs-have-big-decisions-to-make-in-offseason/

Cubs.com, Rizzo among 3 Cubs finalists for NL Gold Glove http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/259772312/rizzo-zobrist-heyward-gold-glove-finalists/

ESPNChicago.com, Cubs shake up coaching staff, bring in 2 ex-Red Sox assistants, hire Jim Hickey http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/21170994/chicago-cubs-fire-hitting-pitching-third-base-coaches

NBC Sports Chicago, Cubs will hire Jim Hickey as next pitching coach to oversee new phase at Wrigley http://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/cubs/cubs-will-hire-jim-hickey-next-pitching-coach-oversee-new-phase-wrigley

NBC Sports Chicago, Will Cubs staff shakeup put the heat on Joe Maddon? http://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/cubs/will-cubs-staff-shakeup-put-heat-joe-maddon

NBC Sports Chicago, The ripple effects for Dave Martinez as Cubs shake up staff and Nationals can now pursue Joe Girardi http://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/cubs/ripple-effects-dave-martinez-cubs-shake-staff-and-nationals-can-now-pursue-joe-girardi-maddon-yankees

NBC Sports Chicago, Albert Almora Jr. ready to show Cubs he can do bigger and better things http://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/cubs/albert-almora-jr-ready-show-cubs-he-can-do-bigger-and-better-things-epstein-boras

Chicago Tribune, Cubs management on defensive after 'group decision' coaching purge http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/columnists/ct-sullivan-cubs-coaching-purge-spt-1027-20171026-column.html

Chicago Tribune, Cubs to name Jim Hickey pitching coach http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-spt-cubs-jim-hickey-pitching-coach-20171026-story.html

Chicago Tribune, Cubs make changes: Chili Davis the new hitting coach, John Mallee out http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-chili-davis-hitting-coach-cubs-20171026-story.html#nt=oft03a-1gp3

Chicago Tribune, Ben Zobrist Gold Glove finalist — not Cubs teammate Javier Baez http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-ben-zobrist-javier-baez-gold-glove-20171026-story.html

Chicago Tribune, Cubs claim Jacob Hannemann, demote Mike Freeman http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-jacob-hannemann-mike-freeman-cubs-20171026-story.html

Chicago Sun-Times, Jim Hickey, Chili Davis in as Cubs shake up staff into daunting winter https://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/jim-hickey-chili-davis-in-as-cubs-shake-up-staff-into-daunting-winter/

Chicago Sun-Times, Cubs land pitching-coach target Jim Hickey on day of staff upheaval https://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/cubs-land-pitching-coach-target-jim-hickey-on-day-of-staff-upheaval/

Chicago Sun-Times, Rizzo, Zobrist, Heyward are Gold Glove finalists https://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/rizzo-zobrist-heyward-are-among-gold-glove-finalists/

Chicago Sun-Times, Cubs staff shakeup: Hickey, Davis, Butterfield in; Mallee, Jones out https://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/cubs-clean-house-on-coaching-staff-fire-2-more-coaches-hire-2-others/

Daily Herald, Chicago Cubs manager Maddon explains his coaching staff purge http://www.dailyherald.com/sports/20171026/chicago-cubs-manager-maddon-explains-his-coaching-staff-purge

-- Cubs.com Cubs change hitting coaches, hire Chili Davis By Carrie Muskat MESA, Ariz. -- The Cubs shook up their coaching staff on Thursday, naming Chili Davis as hitting coach and Brian Butterfield as third-base coach. They were expected to hire pitching coach Jim Hickey, who was under manager Joe Maddon while with the Rays, as well. The Cubs also announced the promotion of Andy Haines from Minor League hitting instructor to assistant hitting coach. The remainder of Maddon's 2018 coaching staff will be finalized at a later date, including the addition of Hickey. Multiple reports on Thursday said Hickey has a multi-year deal with the Cubs. The team would not confirm. A Chicago native, Hickey was a 13th-round Draft pick of the White Sox in 1983, but he never pitched in the big leagues. In 1996, he joined the Astros as a Minor League pitching coach and later held that position with the Major League team from 2005-06. In Nov. 2006, he was named the Rays' pitching coach, joining Maddon, who was the Tampa Bay manager. Hickey served as the Rays' pitching coach through the 2017 season, but he was recently let go. Over his career, Hickey has worked with top pitchers such as Roger Clemens, Brad Lidge, Roy Oswalt, Brandon Backe, Chris Archer and David Price. The changes mean at least four coaches are gone from the Cubs, including pitching coach Chris Bosio, hitting coach John Mallee and third-base coach Gary Jones, as their contracts were not renewed. Assistant hitting coach Eric Hinske left to be the Angels' hitting coach. When Maddon took over the Cubs in 2015, he inherited Bosio. The Cubs' manager said Thursday the team felt it was time for a "different voice." "Moving along, and I hate to say, 'change in direction' -- I don't like to use that phrase," Maddon said. "We just thought a different voice was important right now. It had nothing to do with Hickey [being available]." These changes come after the Cubs reached the postseason for a third consecutive year, but lost to the Dodgers, 4-1, in the National League Championship Series. "This is about the Cubs moving forward," Maddon said. "We think these new coaches can help take us to another level and get us back to the World Series again. By no means am I denigrating the coaches who are leaving. I think all these guys are excellent, and you'll find out when they get a job in the near future. We just thought the guys coming in can add a skill set to us that we need."

Maddon may be naming a new bench coach as well. Dave Martinez was being considered for the Nationals' managerial opening, and Maddon endorsed him. "I'm really hoping Davey gets this job," Maddon said. "It's about time he's being considered so strongly. He's ready to do this. It's time for him to hold his own baby and go out there and have his voice be heard. Obviously, we're all pulling for Davey. It's the right time for him." The Cubs, who were ousted by the Dodgers in the National League Championship Series presented by Camping World, struggled in the postseason with runners in scoring position, batting .149. Maddon knew Davis when he was a player with the Angels. "Chili really has a good method regarding situations in general," Maddon said. "[He has an] ability to really be heard. I was on the staff when he was a player, and even then, I thought he'd be a great coach. I like his methods. I like what he says and how he says it beyond theory. I'm talking about practicality, reality, the kind of things I think he can do in-game besides just the work. He has a great message, and he's very good at delivering the message." For Davis, 57, 2018 will mark his seventh season as a Major League hitting coach, as he previously spent three seasons with the Athletics (2012-14) and three with the Red Sox (2015-17). Butterfield, 59, will begin his 22nd season as a coach at the Major League level, including his 18th as a third-base coach. "Part of his background is he's an excellent third-base coach and he's really an outstanding baserunning coach, and we wanted to add that skill set to our group," Maddon said. Haines, 40, joined the Cubs' organization as Minor League hitting coordinator prior to the 2016 campaign after spending the previous seven years in the Marlins' organization, most recently as manager of Triple-A New Orleans from 2014-15. "I think the three of these guys give us some different voices for next year," Maddon said. Maddon said the changes were made mainly because Davis and Butterfield were available. "It's about somebody else maybe being able to add something different or new," Maddon said. "I don't like the word 'stale.' I think the approach can be different." Mallee issued a statement: "I would like to thank the Chicago Cubs for the amazing opportunity to be part of a great tradition and organization for the last three years. I left a great Houston Astros organization to be closer to home with my family and to help my hometown team win a World Series. We did that. I have no regrets and stand by my work. I wish nothing but the best for the Cubs' organization and all the amazing people I met along the way, especially my hitters." -- Cubs.com For Cubs, there's work to be done in offseason By Carrie Muskat CHICAGO -- Reaching the postseason three straight years is tough. For the Cubs to get there next year, there's work to be done. And this offseason may reveal whether they are willing to part with some of their young talent to do so. Do they deal Kyle Schwarber to an American League team? Do they move one of their shortstops? "Sooner or later, you reach a point where you have to strongly consider sacrificing some of that depth to address needs elsewhere on the club," Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein said. "There's no sort of

deadline to do that. But I think we're entering the phase where we have to be really open-minded to that if it makes the overall outlook of the team and the organization better." What do the Cubs need to do to get back to the playoffs in 2018? Here are areas the Cubs will focus on: Biggest Needs 1. Starting pitching: Both Jake Arrieta, 31, and John Lackey, 39, are headed to free agency. That leaves Jon Lester, Kyle Hendricks, Jose Quintana and holes to fill. Mike Montgomery is projected back in the bullpen when the 2018 season begins and available to make a spot start. There's not much immediate help in the Minor Leagues. The 2017 Cubs were built primarily through trades. As Epstein points out, trades are hard to make. Epstein said: "If we could make every trade that we have theoretically on our board, we definitely win the World Series next year. It doesn't work that way. You can go all offseason frustrated and not able to make one deal and plunge more into free agency than you want to." Possible FA fits: The best fit is Arrieta, and the Cubs would love to have him return. But at what cost? Said Epstein: "You don't want to make a habit of trying to solve your problems with high-priced pitching free agents. Over the long run, there's so much risk involved that it can hamstring your organization. We have a lot of players who have reasonable salaries who contribute a lot who might put us in position to consider it going forward. I wouldn't rule it out, and I wouldn't rule it in. I'd just say it's not our preferred method. We prefer to make a small deal and find a Jake Arrieta. We can't do that every year either." 2. Relief pitching: Wade Davis, 32, is a free agent, which means the Cubs are looking for their fourth closer in as many seasons. Epstein was not happy with the high number of walks issued by the bullpen -- they had the fifth-highest total in the NL with 264 -- which may have contributed to the decision to not retain pitching coach Chris Bosio. Brian Duensing also is a free agent, while Montgomery, Pedro Strop, Hector Rondon, Carl Edwards Jr. and Justin Grimm all return. Possible FA fits: Manager Joe Maddon would prefer to have Davis back, and not just because of his pitching but also the leadership he provided in the bullpen. Or, perhaps the Cubs could sign Brandon Morrow, 33, who posted a 2.06 ERA over 43 2/3 innings and shut down the Cubs in the National League Championship Series. 3. Leadoff hitter: The Schwarber experiment didn't work -- he hit .190 batting first -- and the Cubs eventually rotated 11 different players in the No. 1 spot. They won't look specifically for a leadoff man -- Epstein called it a "luxury not a necessity" -- but they do have an opening in the outfield with Jon Jay leaving via free agency. Schwarber did rebound after his Minor League stint, batting .255 with 18 homers when he returned. Possible FA fits: The Cubs' in-house options may be better than what's on the market. Albert Almora Jr. or Ian Happ might be able to handle the job. Gray areas 1. Backstop: The Cubs acquired veterans Alex Avila and Rene Rivera during the season to back up Willson Contreras, but rookie Victor Caratini made a good impression as well. Instead of signing a veteran backup, the Cubs could go with the 24-year-old Caratini as the No. 2 catcher. Which direction they go will depend on how they need to allocate their resources. 2. Coaching staff: Both Bosio and assistant hitting coach Eric Hinske are gone. What impact will a new pitching coach have on a starting staff that led the Majors in ERA in 2016 but wasn't as strong this year? Hinske, who used to play the drums in the batting cages, worked in the offseason with Jason Heyward. Will a new voice help the Cubs improve their situational hitting? X-factor(s) 1. Money to burn? The last two seasons have been good for the Cubs, and Epstein noted the business side has done a great job leveraging the success of the ballclub and creating some revenues. There is still a budget. And the

Cubs can anticipate significant pay raises in a few years when salaries change for their young players. Said Epstein: "I don't think internal resources are limitations. It's more the landscape and strategic planning and the same limitations that 27, 28 clubs have." 2. Shortstop: When Javier Baez filled in for Addison Russell, the Cubs didn't miss a beat. Of course, the next question is, should Baez be the starting shortstop? Epstein said: "There's not one person in the organization who is pounding the table to make the switch or at least who will voice that opinion. There's also no one in the organization who isn't thrilled when Javy's at shortstop and intrigued by what he could do on an every day basis. Addy is a special player, too. ... Joe's strong belief is that we're better with Addy at short and Javy at second when they're both on the field, and that we're typically better when they're both on the field." Could the Cubs decide to move one of the infielders to get more pitching? Stay tuned. -- Cubs.com Rizzo among 3 Cubs finalists for NL Gold Glove By Carrie Muskat MESA, Ariz. -- Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo, right fielder Jason Heyward and second baseman Ben Zobrist were named finalists for the National League Gold Glove Award at their respective positions on Thursday. The winners will be unveiled on Nov. 7 at 9 p.m. ET on ESPN. Rizzo won his first Rawlings Gold Glove Award last year as well as the Platinum Glove Award as the top defensive player in the National League, posting a .996 fielding percentage in 151 games. This year, Rizzo had a .998 fielding percentage, committing three errors in 155 starts. Other nominees for the Gold Glove at first base are the Reds' Joey Votto and the Diamondbacks' Paul Goldschmidt. Heyward is a four-time Gold Glove winner, receiving the award in 2012, '14, '15 and '16. Other NL right fielders nominated include the Dodgers' Yasiel Puig and the Marlins' Giancarlo Stanton. Heyward posted the fourth-highest fielding percentage among NL right fielders at .991 (Puig was second at .996 and Stanton was sixth at .988). Heyward also had six assists. Zobrist was named a finalist over teammate Javier Baez. Zobrist started 65 games at second base, posting a .988 fielding percentage and an .814 zone rating, while Baez started 56 games at second, had a .983 fielding percentage and .795 zone rating. The other National League second base finalists are the Rockies' DJ LeMahieu and the Marlins' Dee Gordon. This year's Gold Glove Awards represent just one way the game's top performers will be recognized. Voting is underway now for the Esurance MLB Awards, which annually honor MLB's greatest achievements as part of an industry-wide balloting process. MLB Awards season will culminate on Friday, Nov. 17, when winners are announced live on MLB Network and MLB.com starting at 8 p.m. ET. -- ESPNChicago.com Cubs shake up coaching staff, bring in 2 ex-Red Sox assistants, hire Jim Hickey By Jesse Rogers The Chicago Cubs decided they needed to begin a major overhaul Thursday, dismissing pitching coach Chris Bosio, hitting coach John Mallee and third base coach Gary Jones after falling short of another trip to the World Series. The team quickly moved to replace Bosio with Jim Hickey, who worked as manager Joe Maddon's pitching coach in Tampa Bay and remained with the Rays after Maddon moved to Chicago, according to multiple reports. Hickey was let go by the Rays after the season.

The team also hired former Red Sox hitting coach Chili Davis for the same position in Chicago while also bringing in former Red Sox third base coach Brian Butterfield to replace Jones "It's about someone else being able to add something different or new," Maddon said on a conference call. "The guys that are not going to be here next year are fabulous. These are really horrible conversations." The Cubs ranked second in run scoring in the National League but averaged just 2.5 runs per game in the playoffs, which ended in a five-game defeat to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Championship Series. Maddon cited situational hitting as a problem all season, and the Cubs think they may have addressed it with their new coach. "Chili has a good method regarding situations in general," Maddon said. "We're just looking for a slightly different voice with a little bit different approach that we feel can augment our hitters moving forward." The Cubs were near the bottom of baseball this year in getting a runner home from third with less than two outs, though they did improve in situations in the second half. The Red Sox were top 10 in the same category and first in baseball in moving a runner from second to third with no outs. "A lot of it is based on availability," Maddon said of hiring Davis. Davis and Butterfield became available when John Farrell wasn't retained in Boston, otherwise Mallee and Jones might still be with the Cubs. That wasn't the case with Bosio, who wasn't going to be brought back. "We just thought it was time for a different voice at this particular moment," Maddon said. "I don't want to get too deeply into it." The Cubs were last in unintentional walk rate, but Bosio's dismissal had more to do with behind-the-scenes issues than any performance-based statistic. Only last week Maddon had backed his entire coaching staff, but the Cubs were still playing when he was asked if he wanted them all to return. "That was a really awkward question," Maddon said. "We're in the playoffs, and I thought that was the only way I could respond." The Cubs also promoted minor league hitting coordinator Andy Haines to assistant hitting coach. That job was left vacant when Eric Hinske left for the hitting coach position with the Los Angeles Angels. "The guys that are leaving are near to my heart," Maddon said. -- NBC Sports Chicago Cubs will hire Jim Hickey as next pitching coach to oversee new phase at Wrigley By Patrick Mooney The Cubs have a deal with Jim Hickey to make him their new pitching coach, a source familiar with the agreement said Thursday, part of a much broader shakeup to Joe Maddon’s staff and a team that will need to replace 40 percent of the rotation and identify a new closer. The Cubs essentially limited their search to one candidate after firing Chris Bosio last week, knowing Hickey’s close relationship with Maddon, his reputation for helping the Tampa Bay Rays consistently develop young pitchers like David Price and Chris Archer and his roots on Chicago’s South Side.

Hickey became an in-demand free agent earlier this month when he parted ways with Tampa Bay with a year remaining on his contract. Maddon denied the speculation about a reunion during the National League Championship Series, when he said “of course” he would like his entire coaching staff back in 2018. Two days later, Bosio got fired during a Wrigley Field exit meeting. Hickey was said to be in the mix for potential jobs with the St. Louis Cardinals, San Francisco Giants and Boston Red Sox. “The fact that Hickey’s available has nothing to do with it,” Maddon said Thursday on the same conference call where he explained the availability of Chili Davis and Brian Butterfield — with the Red Sox staff in flux — led to the dismissals of hitting coach John Mallee and third base coach Gary Jones. Bosio — whose six years with the Cubs covered marketing short-term assets like Ryan Dempster, Scott Feldman, Matt Garza and Jeff Samardzija for big trade-deadline deals and overseeing the development of Jake Arrieta and Kyle Hendricks into foundation pieces for a World Series rotation — is said to be close to landing another job as the Detroit Tigers pitching coach. With Arrieta and All-Star closer Wade Davis about to become free agents — and John Lackey expected to disappear into retirement in Texas — the Cubs will have a major overhaul of their pitching staff. Two key pieces to that pitching infrastructure — catching/strategy coach Mike Borzello and run prevention coordinator Tommy Hottovy — will remain in place next season. Hickey also creates another connection to Alex Cobb, a free agent the Cubs will need intelligence on after he underwent Tommy John surgery on his right elbow in the middle of the 2015 season. Cobb went 48-35 with a 3.50 ERA in 115 career starts for the Rays, just turned 30 and has only 700 innings of major-league wear and tear on his body. Major League Baseball is entering a World Series blackout zone where teams are not allowed to make major announcements. But there is no doubt Hickey will be coming home to Chicago, wearing a Cubs uniform next season and standing next to Maddon in the Wrigley Field dugout. “We just thought it was time for a different voice at this particular moment,” Maddon said. “I don’t want to get too deeply into that, but that’s exactly where we’re coming from. We just decided to make this change. I’m here to tell you, man, Boz is one of the most organized coaches — not just pitching coaches — I’ve ever been around. “Nobody can care more than he did. But just moving it along — and I hate to say change in direction or whatever, I don’t like to use that phrase — we just thought a different voice was important right now. And that’s it. But it had nothing to do with Hickey.” -- NBC Sports Chicago Will Cubs staff shakeup put the heat on Joe Maddon? By Patrick Mooney Joe Maddon likes to quote Colin Powell, the former Secretary of State and retired four-star general, even on a conference call where he essentially admits that he lied to the Chicago media, and by extension Cubs coaches and their families. Maddon also basically doubled down on Thursday and said he would do the same thing all over again, the focus shifting away from the decorated new hitting coach (Chili Davis) and the third base coach with a great resume (Brian Butterfield). But the Cubs manager might want to remember Powell’s Pottery Barn Rule: You break it, you own it. That’s one way to read the coaching changes announced eight days after Maddon said “of course” he wanted his entire staff back next season. There are only so many places left to shift blame when the pitching (Chris Bosio) and

hitting (John Mallee) coaches get fired after being part of the teams that won last year’s World Series and made three straight trips to the National League Championship Series. Maddon gave the vote of confidence during a session with beat writers before an elimination game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Wrigley Field, where he sat in his office and completely dismissed the idea of a reunion with Jim Hickey,his longtime pitching coach with the Tampa Bay Rays who will now be Bosio's replacement. “Well, I was asked a really awkward question at a tough time when we’re in the playoffs,” Maddon said. “I thought that was the only way I could respond to it, because I did not want to negatively impact the room. That’s it. There’s no other way to describe it. “If you put yourself in my position having to answer that question during the playoffs — if I had answered it any differently — I thought that would have really caused a lot of concern in the coaches’ room when we have a lot of stuff going on. “So it’s just a tough situation to be in, question-wise. Would I have answered it differently? I don’t necessarily think so, based on the explanation I just gave you, because it’s really difficult to have your coaches read something less than that in the situation where you’re in the middle of the playoffs.” That’s Cub. Maddon has been a big-league manager for 12 straight years, a job that requires him to do hundreds of media briefings each season, an area where he excels selling an organization’s vision. Maddon easily could have given the non-answers: “We’re trying to win tonight. That’s offseason stuff. We’re still focused on winning a World Series. That’s also up to the boys in the front office, and our guys might have some good opportunities somewhere else.” Two days later, president of baseball operations Theo Epstein did his year-end press conference in a Wrigley Field stadium club, where the wrong answer would have made it look like he kneecapped Maddon once the changes happened. So Epstein said: “Rest assured, Joe will have every coach back that he wants back.” “This is about all of us,” Maddon said. “We get together, we make decisions as a group. It’s not unilateral. Theo just doesn’t dictate to me, and of course I’m never going to do that to him or (general manager) Jed (Hoyer) or Mr. (Tom) Ricketts. “When you sit down, you have discussions, and there’s going to be differences of opinion. But at the end, I’ve talked about this before and I’ve quoted Colin Powell: ‘You give your best advice and then you give your strongest loyalty.’ “You discuss. You argue. You disagree. But at the end of the day, you come to a conclusion. And once you’ve done that, you move it forward, and you move it forward as a group. Never, never individually. It’s about all of us, man. It’s about making us better. “Don’t ever be deceived that it’s ever one guy. It’s never the manager’s seat that does all of this stuff. That’s back to the days of the 60s and the 70s, primarily, and sometimes into the 80s. We work together. We work as a group.” This could actually refocus and reenergize Maddon, who didn’t have any answers when the uber-talented-on-paper Cubs hit the All-Star break with a 43-45 record and a 5.5-game deficit in the division and Epstein kept talking about how the team didn’t play with enough edge. A widely respected hitting coach for the Boston Red Sox the last three seasons, Davis carved out a 19-year playing career that featured three World Series rings and three All-Star selections and overlapped with Maddon while he coached for the California Angels. Beginning with the 2013 World Series year, Butterfield spent the last five seasons with the Red Sox, overseeing infield instruction and base running and developing a strong reputation for high energy and attention to detail.

“They are definitely force multipliers,” Maddon said, quoting Powell again. “These are definitely impact coaches.” Given this much change, do you feel like the onus is now on you to set a new direction and win another World Series? “Of course not,” Maddon said. “It’s about the team. We’re all a spoke in the wheel, whatever you want to call it. I think we’ve done pretty well over the last three years, actually. First World Series in 108 years, I’ll take it. Three times to the Championship Series in the last three years, I’ll take it. And if we start looking past that as not being successful, then we have to reevaluate how we look at the world in general. “So, no, this is not just about me. It’s never just about me. It’s about all of us. This is about the Cubs moving forward, and we think that these new coaches can absolutely help take us to another level and get us back to the World Series again. But by no means am I denigrating the coaches that are leaving.” -- NBC Sports Chicago The ripple effects for Dave Martinez as Cubs shake up staff and Nationals can now pursue Joe Girardi By Patrick Mooney Joe Girardi isn’t going there for a crewcut – to borrow a John Lackey phrase – and that might help Cubs bench coach Dave Martinez get the manager’s job with the Washington Nationals. The New York Yankees shook up the industry on Thursday by announcing that they would not be offering a new contract to Girardi, the ex-Cub who grew up in Peoria and graduated from Northwestern University. Girardi did not experience a losing season during his 10 years in The Bronx, winning the 2009 World Series and helping the Yankees through a youth movement that just got them to an American League Championship Series Game 7. That would make Girardi a dream candidate for the 2018 Nationals and Bryce Harper’s final season before becoming a free agent. Except Washington has a perception problem after using three different managers to win four National League East championships since 2012. Dusty Baker guided the Nationals to back-to-back division titles – and has a Hall of Fame-caliber resume – and still got fired in the middle of October after the Cubs beat them in a one-run elimination game. Girardi just completed a four-year, $16 million contract with the Yankees – or about double the length and four times the financial commitment the Nationals reportedly gave Baker. Is Washington ownership willing to pay a manager Joe Maddon money? And would Martinez – Maddon’s longtime bench coach with the Cubs and Tampa Bay Rays – get his old job back if the Nationals don’t hire him? “I would think so,” Maddon said Thursday on a conference call announcing big changes to his coaching staff. “We haven’t concluded anything. And I’m really hoping Davey gets this job. It’s about time he’s being considered so strongly. He’s ready to do this. “It’s time for him to hold his own baby and go out there and have his voice be heard. Obviously, we’re all pulling for Davey. It’s the right time for him.” --

NBC Sports Chicago Albert Almora Jr. ready to show Cubs he can do bigger and better things By Patrick Mooney Super-agent Scott Boras – who made a fortune and built an empire by identifying and nurturing baseball prodigies – watched in amazement as Albert Almora Jr. grabbed the rope and started climbing in his family’s backyard in South Florida. “I’m going like: ‘Who does that?’” Boras recalled. “I told his dad: ‘How long has he been doing that?’ He said: ‘He’s always had that forearm strength.’” Almora was around 15 years old at that point, the baseball gym rat who faced elite competition year-round in Miami and with Team USA, the kid who would grow up to be the first player drafted by the Theo Epstein regime and later score the winning run in last year’s World Series Game 7. Almora – who won’t celebrate his 24th birthday until after Opening Day 2018 – has already appeared in 18 postseason games and earned the championship ring coveted by generations of Cubs players. What’s next for someone so clearly driven to be more than a matchup hitter against left-handed pitching and a late-game defensive replacement? “You’re asking the wrong guy,” Almora said last week at his locker in the Wrigley Field clubhouse after the Los Angeles Dodgers knocked the Cubs out of the National League Championship Series. “I’m here to win. I’m here for whenever they call my name. “Obviously, the competitor in me wants to be there to help the team out every day, but it’s not in my control.” This October, Almora made Dusty Baker pay for pulling Max Scherzer immediately after losing a no-hitter, delivering a pinch-hit RBI single off lefty reliever Sammy Solis as the Washington Nationals again collapsed in the first round and again fired their manager. Almora also generated all the offense in a Game 1 NLCS loss, hammering a Clayton Kershaw slider that flew like a missile into the left-field seats at Dodger Stadium for a two-run homer. How would those huge playoff moments translate across a 162-game season? Almora says he just waits for the text to see if he will be in the next day’s lineup. But a Cubs team that sounds open to changes after an inconsistent regular season – and a disappointing playoff flop – will have to find out. The Detroit Tigers made it known how much they liked Almora as a potential Gold Glove center fielder, though from the start the Houston Astros had the superior package of prospects to offer and the Cubs never got that far down the road in the Justin Verlander trade talks. While Verlander will start Wednesday night’s Game 2 at Dodger Stadium, the Cubs are trying to figure out how to get back there, who can lead their pitching staff and where all their young hitters will fit together. “The real key for Albert,” Epstein said, “and his future development and what will dictate whether he reaches his very high ceiling or not is his ability to have really good, consistent at-bats against right-handed pitching (.711 OPS this year). “He’s proven that he destroys left-handed pitching (.898 OPS) and is a real weapon that way – and any team would love to have him certainly against left-handed pitching. He made really nice strides against right-handed pitching as the year went on. This kid worked so hard using the slider machine, just seeing slider after slider after slider in the cage. “Training his eyes to recognize – not so much to hit it, although it helps hitting mistake breaking balls – but just really training his eyes on what lanes to expect the slider to come out of, say, with runners in scoring position or

two-strike counts and really learning which one to lay off, to put himself in position to get favorable counts to get fastballs or get mistake pitches that he can drive.” Using that hand speed and forearm strength he developed through those homemade exercises and backyard workouts, Almora hit .326 with five homers, 31 RBI and an .850 OPS in 135 tailor-made plate appearances after the All-Star break. “He just got better and better as the year went on,” Epstein said. “I told him in our (exit) meeting: ‘Look, I'm sure you want me to sit here and say you're an everyday player, hands down, next year. You might be. I can’t promise you that yet. We have to see how everything evolves in the offseason. But I can promise you more. You will have more responsibility. You will have more of a role than you had this year. We’ll see how much more that is, and what you can grow into.’ “He’s excited. He’s moving closer to our spring-training facility in Arizona and ready to get to work.” Almora’s time is coming, whether or not he’s the 2018 Opening Day center fielder, whether or not it ultimately happens at Wrigley Field. Cubs executives saw that same backyard setup before taking Almora with the sixth overall pick in the 2012 draft and know how he’s wired and what that could mean for the future. “The Cubs are such a good team is the (only) reason he’s not playing every day,” Boras said. “I remember we had the conversation when he came to the big leagues. He wasn’t playing, and I said: ‘Albert, the goal here is not learning how to play every day in the big leagues. The goal is learning how to win in the big leagues. You get to learn that at a young age. Take advantage of it, because it’s going to be so valuable. You’re going to be able to share this when you are an everyday player.’” -- Chicago Tribune Cubs management on defensive after 'group decision' coaching purge By Paul Sullivan Before addressing the Cubs coaching purge, let's start by addressing the elephant in the room. Joe Maddon's job is not in jeopardy, and it never has been, in spite of the recent barrage of criticism from fans after the team's dismal performance in the National League Championship Series. "Not in a million years," Cubs President Theo Epstein told the Tribune on Thursday. "We have won 292 games (since 2015), played 36 playoff games, been to three straight NLCSes. We won the World Series." So that's a definitive no, at least for the next million years. Yep, things have gone a little bonkers on the North Side since the Cubs failed to repeat as World Series champions. The rash of coaching changes announced Thursday led to speculation Maddon was getting rid of his coaches to insulate himself from the criticism. Maddon was put on the defensive after pitching coach Chris Bosio, hitting coach John Mallee and third base coach Gary Jones were let go in a sweeping change of direction. Red Sox hitting coach Chili Davis was hired to replace Mallee, while Red Sox third base coach Brian Butterfield takes over at third for Jones. Both were allowed to seek opportunities after manager John Farrell was fired. So did Maddon pull the trigger? "There was no deliberate intent to turn over a significant portion of the coaching staff," Epstein said. "It evolved this way based on two special coaches being available, and then we made a decision to make one change (Bosio) after the year."

Maddon told reporters the dismissals were "not unilateral" and that it was a group decision with him, Epstein and general manager Jed Hoyer. The Bosio decision, which was made Friday, was announced officially along with the firings of Mallee and Jones and the hiring of minor-league hitting coach Andy Haines as assistant hitting coach to replace Eric Hinske, who took the Angels hitting coach vacancy. The reason the Cubs were in damage control stemmed from misleading statements from Maddon and Epstein last week. Epstein said Friday that Maddon would have every coach he wanted back, and because Maddon already had told reporters before Game 4 of the NLCS he wanted all his coaches back, that left the impression Maddon effectively "fired" Bosio, which a source confirmed to the Tribune. On Thursday, Maddon admitted he purposely left a false impression with the media on his coaches to avoid a distraction in the clubhouse. "I was asked a really awkward question when we're at a tough time in the playoffs," Maddon told reporters. "I thought that was the only way I could respond because I did not want to negatively impact the room. That's it. There's no other way to describe it." Maddon said he didn't want to give his coaches the impression they would be replaced, though the moves were already in the works. "It's a tough situation to be in," Maddon said, adding it would be "really difficult to have your coaches read something" like the fact they were about to be canned during a postseason series. Maddon said the availability of former Rays pitching coach Jim Hickey "had nothing to do with" Bosio's firing. Hickey interviewed Monday and major-league sources told the Tribune he accepted the Cubs offer. Neither Maddon nor Epstein addressed why the relationship between Bosio and Maddon had soured, as multiple sources confirmed. "We just thought it was time for a different voice at this particular moment," Maddon said. "I don't want to get too deep into that, but that's where we're coming from." Epstein insisted there was no significant communication problem between Bosio and Maddon. "I don't think so," he said. "I think 'Bos' for six years has been a huge part of a lot of the success, but sometimes things can develop where a new voice is called for and a new voice puts you in a position where you'll be a little bit more successful in certain areas. "But you run the risk of losing something, too, because Bos had an established track record of success. Putting everything together, as Joe said, it seemed like the right time to get a new voice in that area." So it wasn't Maddon's decision? "It was 100 percent a group decision," Epstein said. "All changes were the product of a lot of conversations between Jed, Joe and myself." Efforts to reach Bosio, who is expected to land with the Tigers, were unsuccessful. Epstein and Maddon said the "timing and availability" of Davis and Butterfield were the reasons for their hirings, and it was not a decision that reflected on the jobs Mallee or Jones did. Epstein called the new hires "elite coaches," and Maddon called them "fabulous." As for the purge, Epstein said he wouldn't refer to it as such.

"I can understand how people can say that from the outside looking in, but I absolutely wouldn't," he said, citing the team's record of success. "No, it is not a purge in the least bit. There are tweaks to upgrade in certain areas we felt there was room to improve." Maddon got his new voices, and Epstein will move on to making offseason improvements for 2018. While Maddon's refusal to admit he handled the situation poorly with misleading statements was odd, it was in line with his refusal to admit any strategic missteps in the dugout. That's apparently not going to change anytime soon. -- Chicago Tribune Cubs to name Jim Hickey pitching coach By Paul Skrbina There will be a new pitching coach in town. Jim Hickey will join the Cubs in that role, a major-league source confirmed to the Tribune on Thursday. Hickey replaces Chris Bosio, whose contract was not renewed after this season. Hickey spent 11 years with the Rays, including nine years when Joe Maddon was manager there. Hickey, a Chicago native, was picked by the White Sox in the 13th round of the 1983 draft. The Cubs were seventh in ERA in baseball this season at 3.96 and were first last year at 3.19. But team president Theo Epstein was unhappy with the staff’s control issues this season, when it was 30th in unintentional walk rate a year after being 26th. “We have to be a lot better than that,” he said last week. The Cubs walked 53 hitters in 10 postseason games and had a 4.53 ERA during that span. Bosio was hired by the Cubs before the 2012 season. The Rays were eighth in ERA (3.97) and eighth in batting average against (.242) this season. With Jake Arrieta and John Lackey both free agents, the Cubs may have to replace two-fifths of its starting rotation. Epstein also acknowledged Thursday that the team could be seeking bullpen help with closer Wade Davis and Brian Duensing both being free agents. The team announced Thursday it had parted ways with hitting coach John Mallee and third-base coach Gary Jones and replaced them with Chili Davis and Brian Butterfield. The Cubs also announced minor-league hitting coordinator Andy Haines had been promoted to assistant hitting coach, replacing Eric Hinske, who left to be hitting coach for the Angels. --

Chicago Tribune Cubs make changes: Chili Davis the new hitting coach, John Mallee out By Paul Skrbina Less than a week after team president Theo Epstein said, “rest assured, Joe (Maddon) will have every coach back that he wants,” the team fired two more. Hitting coach John Mallee is out and Chili Davis is in, the team said Thursday. Also gone is third-base coach Gary Jones, who will be replaced by Brian Butterfield. Minor-league hitting coordinator Andy Haines is the new assistant hitting coach. He takes the place of Eric Hinske, who left to become the Angels hitting coach. “I have no regrets and stand by my work,” Mallee tweeted Thursday afternoon. “I wish nothing but the best for the Cubs organization and all the amazing people I met along the way, especially my hitters.” The Cubs hit just .168 with a .530 OPS in 10 postseason games, and .255 (16th in baseball) with a .775 OPS (sixth) during the regular season. The team said the rest of Maddon’s coaching staff will be announced later. Maddon said after the Cubs lost in the National League Championship Series to the Dodgers last week that “the staff’s done a great job” and that he expected it to remain intact. “Of course,” Maddon said. “Our staff’s been awesome. It’s a tightly knit group. There’s a lot of synergy involved. Nobody knows everything. Everybody helps everybody. There’s a lot of cross-pollination involved.” A few days later, the team chose not to exercise pitching coach Chris Bosio’s 2018 option, a move they officially announced Thursday. Maddon said Thursday he was put in an “awkward” position when he was asked about his staff last week. As for Bosio: “We just thought it was time for a different voice,” Maddon said Thursday. “This is on all of us. It’s not unilateral.” Bench coach Dave Martinez reportedly interviewed for the Nationals’ managerial opening earlier this week. Davis has spent six seasons as a hitting coach, most recently with the Red Sox from 2015-17. He won three World Series in 19 seasons as a player. Butterfield has spent 21 seasons as a coach in the big leagues, including the last five as infield coach, third-base coach and baserunning coach for the Red Sox. Haines was the Cubs’ minor-league hitting coordinator. -- Chicago Tribune Ben Zobrist Gold Glove finalist — not Cubs teammate Javier Baez By Paul Skrbina No, Rawlings didn’t misspell Javier Baez as Ben Zobrist on Thursday when it announced finalists for its annual Gold Glove awards, given to the best defensive player at his position in each league.

Zobrist was among three finalists named for National League second baseman, along with the Rockies’ DJ LeMahieu and the Marlins’ Dee Gordon. Baez, known for his highlight-reel plays and tags on defense, was absent from the list. Zobrist and Baez tied for third in the league with five defensive runs saved at second. Zobrist was third in ultimate zone rating at 3.4 in 541 2/3 innings, while Baez was ninth at 0.6 in 503 2/3 innings there. Zobrist made five errors at second, while Baez made four. Baez also started 67 games at shortstop, mostly while filling in for an injured Addison Russell, an experience Cubs manager Joe Maddon said helped Baez grow in all facets of the game. “He’s magical to watch at times,” Maddon said earlier this season. “There’s no question about that. So all this stuff that he’s built just by being a unique player because his instincts are so strong. “In a perverse way, I think Addy getting hurt probably helped a lot because he had to play shortstop and that gave him a different perspective, and with that different perspective you saw him really elevate his game in a sense that he started making the routine play routinely.” Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo, who won last year, and right fielder Jason Heyward, a four-time winner, also are finalists, along with former White Sox pitcher Chris Sale. -- Chicago Tribune Cubs claim Jacob Hannemann, demote Mike Freeman By Paul Skrbina The Cubs claimed outfielder Jacob Hannemann off waivers from the Mariners on Thursday and designated for assignment shortstop Mike Freeman. Hannemann was picked by the Cubs in the third round of the 2013 draft but was claimed off waivers by the Mariners in early September. He had three hits in 20 at-bats in 11 games with Seattle this season and batted .240 with six home runs and 29 stolen bases in 114 minor-league games in the Cubs’ organization. Freeman had four hits in 25 at-bats in 15 games with the Cubs this year. -- Chicago Sun-Times Jim Hickey, Chili Davis in as Cubs shake up staff into daunting winter By Gordon Wittenmyer It’s about the timing of available people and upgrading, not about the timing of a disappointing playoff performance against the Dodgers and roster uncertainty into next season, the Cubs say. Either way, the Cubs have turned over most of their major-league coaching staff heading into what could amount to a bridge season during their competitive window – depending how creative they can get acquiring pitching this winter. The one change that was months in the making came to a conclusion Thursday night when Chicago native Jim Hickey accepted the Cubs’ multiyear offer to reunite with his former Rays manager Joe Maddon as the Cubs’ pitching coach.

Hickey, who turned down at least two other offers, replaces Chris Bosio, who was fired Friday after six successful seasons under three different managers. Along with Thursday’s announcements that hitting coach John Mallee and third base coach Gary Jones were replaced by Chili Davis and Brian Butterfield, respectively, that’s at least four – and possibly five – gone from a staff that was intact through three consecutive trips to the National League Championship Series. Minor-league hitting coordinator Andy Haines, 40, was promoted to fill the vacancy created when assistant hitting coach Eric Hinske left to take the head hitting coach job with the Angels. “A lot of it’s just based on availability,” Maddon said of Davis and Butterfield during a media conference call. “These guys are fabulous. They’re force multipliers.” The staff upheaval raised speculation about Maddon’s own status going forward, if only because of a sequence of comments made last week by him and team president Theo Epstein – including what Maddon admitted Thursday was a lie to media when he said he expected all his coaches back next season and lauded their performances. But the moves were made neither as unilateral decisions by Maddon, nor did they relate in any way to the status of the only manager since 1908 to win a World Series with the Cubs, sources said. “We’re all a spoke in the wheel,” said Maddon, whose teams averaged 97 wins per season and won six of eight playoff rounds in his three seasons. “This is not just about me. It’s never just about me. It’s about all of us. “This is about the Cubs moving forward, and we think these new coaches can absolutely help take us to another level, get us back to the World Series again.” Maddon explained the comments last week before Game 4 of the NLCS (with the Cubs trailing in the series 3-0) as a response to “an awkward question at a tough time.” “I thought that was the only way I could respond to it because I didn’t want it to negatively impact the [coaches] room. … Could I have answered it differently? I don’t think so, based on that explanation.” Just ahead of meeting with Bosio on Friday, Epstein was more vague about the coaching staff but said, “Rest assured, every coach that [Joe] wants back he will have back.” The only certainty when Maddon spoke, according to insiders, was that an organizational decision had been made on Bosio – who is expected to be named Detroit pitching coach under new Tigers manager Ron Gardenhire. That decision came before Hickey became available when he was fired by the Rays after 11 seasons there – the first eight alongside Maddon. When the Red Sox fired their manager, John Farrell, and his staff – including Davis and Butterfield – the Cubs brass quickly discussed it and pounced. “Chili has the ability to really be heard,” Maddon said of the coach credited with helping guide big offensive jumps from Boston’s young hitters the last three seasons (after three seasons with Oakland). “I like his technicality during the games. He has a great message and he’s great at sending that message.” Maddon has known Davis, 57, since the switch-hitting, three-time All-Star’s playing days with the Angels. Butterfield, 59, is regarded within the game as one of the better base-running coaches in baseball, in addition to his experience coaching third and work with infielders. Whether the Cubs have a fifth vacancy to fill depends on whether bench coach Dave Martinez lands the Nationals managing job – a hiring process that could get complicated if Yankees free agent Joe Girardi joins that process.

Maddon continued to praise the departing coaches from his staff, including the “outstanding” Mallee, who helped develop the Cubs’ young hitting core the last three years. Mallee, a Chicago-area native who also was credited with helping develop MVP candidate Jose Altuve, was hired away from the Astros after the 2014 season. “I left a great Houston Astros organization to be closer to home with my family and to help my hometown team win a World Series,” Mallee said in a text exchange Thursday. “We did that. “I have no regrets. I stand by my work. I wish nothing but the best for the Cubs’ organization and all the amazing people I met along the way, especially my hitters.” Note: Infield prospect Jacob Hannemann, a former third-round pick of the Cubs who was claimed off waivers by Seattle this summer, was claimed back by the Cubs on waivers this week. To make room on the 40-man roster, infielder Mike Freeman was designated for assignment. -- Chicago Sun-Times Cubs land pitching-coach target Jim Hickey on day of staff upheaval By Gordon Wittenmyer A few hours after announcing a major coaching staff shakeup, the Cubs heard from Jim Hickey that their top pitching coach candidate had accepted their offer, sources confirmed Thursday night. Hickey, who had at least two other offers on the table, chose to reunite with his former Tampa Bay Rays manager Joe Maddon, replacing Chris Bosio as Cubs pitching coach. The move caps a day in which the Cubs announced three other coaching staff changes: –Former Athletics and Red Sox hitting coach Chili Davis was hired to replace John Mallee as hitting coach; –Former Boston third-base coach Brian Butterfield was hired to replace Gary Jones in that role for the Cubs; –And minor-league hitting coordinator Andy Haines was promoted to assistant big-league hitting coach, replacing Eric Hinske, who was hired to be the Angels’ new head hitting coach. Hickey was the only candidate the Cubs interviewed since firing Bosio on Friday after six successful years as pitching coach. He spent eight seasons as Maddon’s pitching coach with the Rays, then three more there before being fired earlier this month. -- Chicago Sun-Times Rizzo, Zobrist, Heyward are Gold Glove finalists By Madeline Kenney Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo, Jason Heyward and Ben Zobrist were the only three Chicago players listed among the 54 Rawlings Gold Glove Award finalists vying for the defensive awards at their respective positions. Heyward is a four-time Gold Glove award recipient and Rizzo has tabbed one to his resume, too. Zobrist is going for his first. It’s no surprise that the White Sox weren’t represented in this year’s finalist list. The South Siders made 114 errors this season, which was the third most in the MLB.

The Cubs, on the other hand, committed 95, which is one more than the league average. Royals left fielder Alex Gordon, Cardinals catcher Yadier Molina and Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia are the only three players who have been a Gold Glove finalist every year since 2011 and the trend continued this season. Winners will be announced on ESPN’s “Baseball Tonight” at 8 p.m. on Nov. 7. Finalists were determined by a combination of managers and coaches voting along with a sabermetric component. -- Chicago Sun-Times Cubs staff shakeup: Hickey, Davis, Butterfield in; Mallee, Jones out By Madeline Kenney Manager Joe Maddon said on a conference call Thursday that “at some point, you want to send a new message” — and that’s exactly what the Cubs are doing now. The Cubs have cleaned house and are already trying to put the pieces back together. The Cubs fired hitting coach John Mallee and third base coach Gary Jones — replacing them with former Red Sox coaches Chili Davis and Brian Butterfield, respectively, the team announced Thursday. Hours after those moves were made official, top pitching coach candidate Jim Hickey accepted the team’s offer to reunite with former Tampa Bay Rays manager Maddon and fill the staff vacancy left by Chris Bosio, who was fired Friday. The club also announced that minor-league hitting coordinator Andy Haines had been promoted to replace assistant hitting coach Eric Hinske, who was hired by the Angels as their head hitting coach. Mallee, a Chicago-area native who was credited with helping develop MVP candidate Jose Altuve, was hired away from the Astros after the 2014 season. “I left a great Houston Astros organization to be closer to home with my family and to help my hometown team win a World Series,” he said in a text. “We did that. “I have no regrets. I stand by my work. I wish nothing but the best for the Cubs organization and all the amazing people I met along the way, especially my hitters.” Maddon said he likes the Davis hire. “Chili has the ability to really be heard,” Maddon said. “I like his methods I like how he does it how he says it. I like his technicality during the games. he has a great message and he’s great at sending that message.” Davis has been a MLB hitting coach for six seasons, spending three with the Oakland Athletics and three with the Boston Red Sox. Davis is a credited with fixing the Red Sox hitting situation. During his three years, the Red Sox have led the majors in runs (2,411) and pitches per plate appearances (3.95), tied for first in on-base percentage (.334), ranked second in batting average (.268) and plate appearances per strikeout (5.35). Cubs bench coach Dave Martinez is also in hot pursuit for his first manager position with the Nationals and interviewed with the team earlier this week. Maddon said that the coaching staff shakeup was all about “availability” and who is on the market. --

Daily Herald Chicago Cubs manager Maddon explains his coaching staff purge By Bruce Miles The coaching-staff purge at Wrigley Field continued Thursday, but Cubs manager Joe Maddon said it was more about "availability" of new coaches rather than any negatives about those who were fired. Hitting coach John Mallee and third-base coach Gary Jones joined pitching coach Chris Bosio as incumbent coaches let go by Maddon and the front office. The Cubs have hired Chili Davis as their new hitting coach and promoted Andy Haines as assistant hitting coach from his role as minor-league hitting coordinator. Haines replaces Eric Hinske, who left to take the job as hitting coach of the Los Angeles Angels. Brian Butterfield is the new Cubs third-base coach. Both Davis and Butterfield most recently were coaches with the Boston Red Sox under manager John Farrell, who was not brought back. The Cubs say they will fill their pitching-coach vacancy and announce the rest of the staff "at a later date." However, Chicago native Jim Hickey will be named the new pitching coach, according to sources. Hickey worked under Maddon in Tampa Bay. The Cubs have not officially announced the Hickey hiring. They are not expected to do so until the World Series is over. There is some sense of shock to this purge. During the National League championship series, all seemed well with Maddon and his coaches. And on top of that, team president Theo Epstein said last Friday that any coach Maddon wanted would return. The next day, news broke that Bosio had been fired. Now this. "A lot of it was based on availability," Maddon said via conference call. "I've known Butter (Butterfield) for a long time. Part of his background is that he's an excellent third-base coach. Beyond that, he's a really outstanding baserunning coach, too, so we want to add that to our group. "Chili, I've known him for a long time, also. I worked with him with the Angels. Here's another guy that is really good in regards to probably helping our hitters get to that next level, possibly situationally. These guys are fabulous. I've known them both for a while. They're definitely force multipliers. I've gotten to know Andy over the last couple of years." Maddon was not available last week to talk about Bosio's firing as he was tending to a personal matter. Thursday, he took questions for the first time on how it went from sounding like he wanted all his coaches back to being the engineer of a major overhaul. "It was really an awkward question at a tough time," he said. "We're in the playoffs, and I thought that was the only way I could respond to it because I didn't want it to negatively impact the room. That's it. There's no other way to describe it. If you put yourself in my position having to answer that question during the playoffs, if I had answered it any differently, I thought it would cause a lot of concern in the coaches room." Maddon added that the firings and hirings were "by no means a denigration of the coaches who are leaving." "The guys that are not going to be here next year -- Bos and Johnny and Jonesie -- fabulous," he said. "I actually just talked to Jonesie last night. I still have to talk to John but I did talk to Bos. These guys are probably going to all end up on a major-league coaching staff this year. They're outstanding. When I was talking to Jonesie last night, I couldn't tell him one negative. It was just a matter of availability right now with these other guys."

With Bosio, Maddon said it was "time for a different voice at this particular moment." That voice will be that of Hickey. The Cubs ranked fourth in the National League during the regular season with a 3.95 ERA. Their pitchers gave up 194 home runs, fifth most in the NL. During the playoffs, the relievers had trouble with walks. Cubs batters ranked first in on-base percentage, second in runs and third in home runs. Maddon, however, often talked about need to do better as situational hitters. The Cubs did not hit well in either round of the playoffs. For the first three years of his tenure, Maddon was working with a coaching staff that was mostly inherited. He did hire Dave Martinez as bench coach. Martinez, according to reports, is in the process of being interviewed for the managerial job with the Washington Nationals. Maddon has now put his own stamp on the staff. The Cubs have made three straight appearances in the NLCS, and they won the World Series last year. But Maddon said he doesn't see everything now on him after getting his way with the coaching staff. "Of course not," he said. "It's about the team. We're all a spoke in the wheel, whatever you want to call it. I think we've done pretty well over the last three years, actually. First World Series in 108 years, I'll take it. Three times to the championship series in the last three years, I'll take it. And if we start looking past that as not being successful, then we have to re-evaluate how we look at the world in general. "So no, this is not just about me. It's never just about me. It's about all of us. This is about the Cubs moving forward, and we think these new coaches can absolutely help take us to another level, get us back to the World Series again." Mallee, a Chicago native, issued a statement on Twitter. He thanked the Cubs organization and added: "I left a great Houston Astros organization to be closer to home with my family and to help my hometown team win the World Series. We did that. I have no regrets and stand by my work. I wish nothing but the best for the Cubs organization and all the amazing people I met along the way, especially my hitters." Davis, 57, will mark his seventh season as a major-league hitting coach. He spent three seasons with Oakland (2012-14) and three with Boston (2015-17). Over the past three seasons, the Red Sox have led the majors in runs (2,411) and pitches per plate appearances (3.95), tied for first in OBP (. 334), ranked second in batting average (. 268), third in OPS (. 762) and plate appearances per strikeout (5.35). Davis had a 19-year major-league career (1981-99), won three World Championships (1991, 1998, 1999) and was a three-time all-star. Butterfield, 59, will begin his 22nd season as a coach at the major-league level, including his 18th as a third-base coach. --