September 17, 2017

Daily Herald, Hendricks' gem pitches Cubs past Cardinals http://www.dailyherald.com/sports/20170916/hendricks-gem-pitches-cubs-past-cardinals

Daily Herald, Contreras suspended two games, Lackey fined after Friday blowup http://www.dailyherald.com/sports/20170916/contreras-suspended-two-games-lackey-fined-after-friday-blowup

Cubs.com, Cubs send Quintana after sweep of Cards http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/254600718/cubs-send-quintana-after-sweep-of-cards

Cubs.com, Cubs back Hendricks, push Cards to 5 back http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/254600828/kyle-hendricks-leads-cubs-to-win-vs-cardinals/

Cubs.com, Russell returns from DL with curtain-call HR http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/254601420/addison-russell-homers-in-return-from-injury/

Cubs.com, Contreras appeals 2-game ban, apologizes http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/254597966/cubs-willson-contreras-suspended-two-games/

Cubs.com, Almora stays hot despite righty-righty matchup http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/254600830/albert-almora-swinging-hot-bat-for-cubs/

ESPNChicago.com, Cubs' lineup puzzle keeps getting more complicated http://www.espn.com/blog/chicago/cubs/post/_/id/45742/cubs-lineup-puzzle-keeps-getting-more-complicated

ESPNChicago.com, Timing will be everything for impact of Contreras suspension http://www.espn.com/blog/chicago/cubs/post/_/id/45730/timing-will-be-everything-for-impact-of-contreras-suspension

CSNChicago.com, Addison Russell on his Hollywood return to Cubs: 'That was a pretty special moment in my life' http://www.csnchicago.com/chicago-cubs/addison-russell-his-hollywood-return-cubs-was-pretty-special-moment-my-life-javy-baez-cardinals-postseason

CSNChicago.com, The Cubs have no intentions of finding more playing time for Albert Almora Jr. http://www.csnchicago.com/chicago-cubs/cubs-have-no-intentions-finding-more-playing-time-albert-almora-jr-jon-jay-ian-happ-maddon-playoffs

CSNChicago.com, MLB suspends Willson Contreras for two games after ejection; appeal filed http://www.csnchicago.com/chicago-cubs/mlb-suspends-willson-contreras-two-games-after-ejection-appeal-filed-cardinals-lackey

Chicago Tribune, Cool, calm Kyle Hendricks rides wave from John Lackey's outburst for Cubs http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/columnists/ct-kyle-hendricks-cubs-cardinals-sullivan-spt-0917-20170916-column.html

Chicago Tribune, Cubs shortstop Addison Russell homers in pinch-hit return from disabled list http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-addison-russell-returns-cubs-notes-spt-0917-20170916-story.html

Chicago Tribune, Kyle Hendricks in command as Cubs top Cardinals for fifth straight win http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-cubs-cardinals-spt-0917-20170916-story.html

Chicago Tribune, Willson Contreras receives 2-game suspension, John Lackey fined for ejections vs. Cardinals http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/columnists/ct-will-willson-contreras-possible-suspension-20170916-column.html

Chicago Tribune, Cubs' Willson Contreras contrite over actions that drew 2-game suspension http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-willson-contreras-contrite-cubs-spt-0917-20170916-story.html

Chicago Sun-Times, Hendricks, Russell star as Cubs top Cardinals http://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/hendricks-russell-star-as-cubs-top-cardinals/

Chicago Sun-Times, Cubs’ Contreras suspended 2 games, appeals; Lackey fined http://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/cubs-contreras-suspended-2-games-appeals-lackey-fined/

-- Daily Herald Hendricks' gem pitches Cubs past Cardinals By Bruce Miles When Kyle Hendricks went on the disabled list in early June, he had an ERA of 4.09. Coming off a season in which he was the ERA champ at 2.13, that wasn't working. But guess what? Hendricks looks to be fully back, and Saturday's 4-1 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals put an exclamation point on that. The 27-year-old right-hander turned in his seventh straight quality start and was able to push it to 7⅔ innings. He left the game only after a southeast wind at Wrigley Field kept pushing and pushing a fly ball by Matt Carpenter over the wall in left for a home run. Hendricks' day was done at that point, but the box score says he is now 7-5 with a 3.22 ERA. That's called peaking before the playoffs. The Cubs are getting closer to that goal. The victory was their fifth straight, and it left them with a record of 82-66 and pushed the third-place Cardinals to 5 games behind in the National League Central. "That was another step forward, I guess, something I've definitely been trying to do -- pitch deeper into games, into the seventh or past 6 the last few," Hendricks said. "So to get into the eighth means I was getting some early outs. I really felt good with Willson (catcher Contreras) back there. We were on the same page. Really throwing the ball well, hitting spots. He was giving me a good target." More important, Hendricks gradually is getting that wider disparity between the speed of his fastball and changeup. The fastball hit 87 and 88 mph against the Cardinals, making his changeup more effective. "He was really good," said manager Joe Maddon. "When I went out to the mound to take him out, Javy (shortstop) Baez said that was 89 (mph), that last pitch, which was the hardest pitch he threw all day."

The Cubs did leave 12 runners on base, but they got enough offense, with Albert Almora Jr. doubling twice and hitting a single. He and Ian Happ had back-to-back RBI singles in the fourth, and Almora drove in another with a double in the fifth. Addison Russell's pinch-hit homer in the eighth gave the Cubs some insurance and closer Wade Davis got the final three outs for his 30th save in 30 chances, extending his Cubs record. Almora doesn't play every day -- to the chagrin of many fans -- but he's never been one to complain. "I've always said it's not about me, it's about the Chicago Cubs," said Almora, who has a line of .299/.341/.442 in 278 at-bats. "Obviously, we trust Joe to do whatever he's going to do to put the best lineup out there every day to win games. When I'm given my opportunity, I'm just trying to go out there and help the team win." Maddon gets asked about lineup construction almost every day. He gave a similar answer about Almora to the one he often gave last year when he was picking spots for Baez. "Maybe he's doing so (well) because we're putting him in the right spots," Maddon said. "There's always that thing, too. Happ had another big hit today. Happ's done really well. Jon Jay continues to do a lot of good things. (Kyle) Schwarber's got to play, also. Nice problem, trying to figure out the lineup every day. We'll still try to make our best guesses on a daily basis and keep them all looking good and keep them all fresh for hopefully the remainder of this season into the postseason. "I love what (Almora) is doing right now. What he's doing is he's not missing his pitch right now. It's not getting fouled off, and he's not taking it." -- Daily Herald Contreras suspended two games, Lackey fined after Friday blowup By Bruce Miles On the way out to his position Saturday, Cubs catcher Willson Contreras sought out umpire Jordan Baker, who would be working third base. Contreras tapped his chest protector as if to say "my bad" for Friday, and then he shook the hand of Baker. Contreras was suspended for two games by Major League Baseball for slamming his mask to the ground Friday and having it bounce up and hit Baker, the plate umpire in the Cubs' 8-2 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals at Wrigley Field. Both Contreras and Cubs pitcher John Lackey were ejected for arguing a called ball. Lackey was fined but not suspended. Contreras is appealing his suspension, and it's likely it will be reduced, by at least one game. "Like I said (Friday), I did something wrong, and that wasn't me," he said. "That was the adrenaline from the game. I needed to apologize to that guy because nobody's perfect, and we all make mistakes. That was part of my job today, to apologize to everybody and move on. "If I am going to get a suspension, I will take it like a man because I did something wrong. I feel better right now because I apologized to the umpires, and they were good with me." Manager Joe Maddon said Contreras' enthusiasm is a double-edged sword. "He's a wonderful young man," Maddon said. "He is emotional. We're all working on attempting to help him curb that a bit, but you don't want to take it all the way, either. That's a big part of why he's so good. That was a little bit difficult yesterday. I understand that. He does play with his hair on fire." Lackey became incensed after a 2-2 pitch to Cardinals pitcher Carlos Martinez was called a ball, even though it looked like a strike. Martinez singled on the next pitch for a two-out RBI and a 2-1 Cardinals lead.

As Lackey ran toward home to back up the plate, he began yelling at Baker and was ejected. Contreras then was ejected, and he slammed his mask down. Maddon was asked if it was possible to get Lackey to curb his reactions. "It's impossible," he said. "I'm being honest. Willson's in his early 20s. John is almost 40. He's a dad with kids. I would never tell him what to do." As for Contreras, he said he isn't changing. "No, I won't tone it down," he said. "That's my way to be. That's how I play." What a return: The Cubs activated shortstop Addison Russell off the disabled list Saturday. Russell had been on the DL since Aug. 3 with a right-foot strain and plantar fasciitis. All he did was hit a pinch home run in the eighth inning of the Cubs' 4-1 victory over the Cardinals. Russell took a curtain call. "That was a pretty special moment in my life," he said. "Walking up to the plate, I couldn't help but smile inside." Joe Maddon would like to ease Russell back into action. Javier Baez has excelled at shortstop in Russell's absence. Maddon added he is not inclined to move Russell to second base and keep Baez at short. "If you look at what Addy did last year, that was pretty darn good," Maddon said. "He made the all-star team, 20-some homers and almost 100 RBIs, one of the better defenders at run prevention in all of baseball last year. Javy's done great. In my mind's eye, when Addy's there and Javy's at second, it's really difficult to beat." This and that: Jake Arrieta threw 42 pitches in a bullpen session. He's on the mend from a right-hamstring strain, suffered on Labor Day. The Cubs will evaluate him Sunday … Wade Davis is 30-for-30 in save chances after Saturday. He is the 11th pitcher in major-league history to convert his first 30 save chances in a single season. -- Cubs.com Cubs send Quintana after sweep of Cards By Jenifer Langosch With their place in the National League Central race slipping, the Cardinals are hoping the tweak they made to their rotation in advance of this series can stop the Cubs from sealing a sweep on Sunday. Seeking to give themselves the best chance for success in their final regular-season stop at Wrigley Field, the Cardinals reordered their starting pitchers to ensure that Lance Lynn would face the Cubs this weekend. He'll do so Sunday in opposition of Jose Quintana, who has reeled off three consecutive quality starts. The Cubs' cushion over the Cardinals sits at five games after wins on Friday and Saturday. The Brewers remain in the division hunt as well, at four games back, but Chicago has an opportunity to put a significant dent in St. Louis' pursuit to reclaim the NL Central title. The Cardinals remain alive in the NL Wild Card race, too, though they need to pass both the Rockies and Brewers with 14 games remaining on their regular-season schedule. St. Louis is a game behind Milwaukee and 4 1/2 games behind Colorado, which leads for the No. 2 NL Wild Card spot. Arizona has a five-game advantage on the top spot.

Lynn has been the Cardinals' most consistent starter this season and enters Sunday ranked among the NL leaders in ERA (3.01), opponents' batting average (.216) and WHIP (1.16). Since the start of July, Lynn has limited opponents to two or fewer earned runs in 12 of his 14 starts. He is 2-3 with a 4.60 ERA in his career at Wrigley Field. The Cardinals haven't yet figured out how to beat Quintana, who is 3-0 with a 2.60 ERA in his three career starts against them. He faced the Cards most recently on July 23, allowing three runs over six innings. Sunday's game will close out a homestand for the Cubs, who then hit the road for a 10-game road trip that includes a four-game series in Milwaukee and will end with a four-game series in St. Louis. Chicago has won five straight since opening this homestand with a series sweep at the hands of the Brewers. "The guys are totally engaged right now," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. "I think part of it is the offense has picked up a little bit. All of a sudden, we're having better at-bats and scoring runs and you see everybody perked up." Things to know about this game • The Cubs activated shortstop Addison Russell from the disabled list on Saturday and could plug him back into the starting lineup for Sunday's series finale. Russell had been sidelined with a right foot injury since Aug. 3 before returning with a pinch-hit homer in the eighth inning on Saturday. • The Cardinals hope to get a boost to their middle infield as well, with the return of second baseman Kolten Wong on Sunday. Wong has been out of the lineup in seven of the team's last 13 games, including Saturday's, due to lingering lower back tightness. • Cardinals first baseman Jose Martinez will carry a career-best 17-game on-base streak into Sunday's game. Martinez has hit safely in 15 of those games and driven in 12 during the stretch, which dates back to Aug. 30. -- Cubs.com Cubs back Hendricks, push Cards to 5 back By Jenifer Langosch and Carrie Muskat CHICAGO -- The Cubs had won their last four games by at least five runs, and needed to come from behind in all four. On Saturday, there were no late-inning heroics as they won their fifth in a row. Albert Almora Jr. drove in two runs and Addison Russell delivered a pinch-hit homer to back Kyle Hendricks and lead the Cubs to a 4-1 victory over the Cardinals to improve to a season-high 16 games over .500. With their 82nd win, the Cubs opened a five-game lead over the Cardinals in the National League Central and are assured of three straight seasons with a winning record for the first time since 2007-09. The Cubs also gained a game on the second-place Brewers, who are four games back after falling to the Marlins Saturday night. "We just have to try to forget this game and try to get one tomorrow," Cardinals starter Michael Wacha said. "We know every game is precious right now, and we just have to get back to winning some ballgames. We know that we have a lot of games left with the guys ahead of us, and it's up to us to go out there and win those games." Hendricks gave the bullpen a much-needed breather, throwing 7 2/3 scoreless innings until Matt Carpenter connected on his 20th homer, ending Hendricks' day with two outs in the eighth. It was the right-hander's longest outing of the season, and the third longest by a Cubs starter.

"Everything was working from the side," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said of Hendricks, who has a 2.42 ERA in 11 starts since coming off the disabled list. "They were having bad takes. They were taking pitches that were called strikes. His fastball was the best he's had all year. ... His confidence could not be higher." Carpenter's homer came off an 89-mph fastball, which apparently was Hendricks' hardest thrown pitch of the game. That's what teammate Javier Baez told him. "It's good to feel strong, even at that last pitch," Hendricks said. "I still felt good. I still had plenty in the tank. That was my takeaway from today." Said Carpenter: "[Hendricks] was the same guy he always is. He was on the corners with all his pitches, changing speeds, doing a good job of keeping us off balance, getting ahead, throwing strikes, getting soft contact. He threw the ball really well." Wacha was cruising until a 27-pitch fourth inning. He finished with three runs allowed over 5 2/3 innings. The right-hander came into the game 3-0 with a 1.80 ERA in his last three outings, but he's now 1-6 in his last nine games against the Cubs, dating back to July 2015. That includes a start in the 2015 NL Division Series. "I thought his stuff looked good," Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said of Wacha. "It was unfortunate that we didn't have an opportunity to maybe put a mark on the board first. But Michael, I think, has been throwing very well lately, and he threw good enough for us to have a chance to get him a win." That missed chance came in the third when, with the bases loaded, Cards two-hole hitter Tommy Pham grounded into an inning-ending double play. Wade Davis pitched the ninth for his 30th save in as many chances. Chicago has won 10 of its 14 games against St. Louis this season, including seven of eight at Wrigley Field. MOMENTS THAT MATTERED Opportunity knocks: Wacha needed just 25 pitches to get through the first three innings, but the Cubs made him work in the fourth. With one out, Anthony Rizzo singled to right and Willson Contreras walked. Almora and Ian Happ then hit back-to-back RBI singles, both coming off first-pitch fastballs, to open a 2-0 lead. Cardinals center fielder Dexter Fowler had a chance to reduce that damage when he fielded Almora's single and tried to throw out Contreras at third. Fowler's throw was in time, but it pulled Carpenter away from the bag. Contreras later came around to score. "I had a chance. I had a real good chance," Fowler said. "I just threw it off line. You have to get an out right there." Patience at the plate: With two outs in the fifth, Rizzo walked and Contreras then battled Wacha in an 11-pitch at-bat for another free pass. Almora followed, and, naturally, smacked the first pitch he saw to left field for an RBI double and a 3-0 lead. He added a one-out double off Cards reliever John Brebbia in the seventh. Almora normally doesn't start against right-handers, but he has seven hits -- including three doubles, a triple and a home run -- plus 10 RBIs over his last four games. And Saturday was his first start in that stretch. "I came up in a couple crucial spots, and I just wanted to help the team," Almora said. "I'm just trying not to do too much and trying to see the ball in the zone and hit it as hard as I can." Welcome back: The Cubs' highlight of the day came in the eighth when Russell, activated from the disabled list prior to the game, received a standing ovation before his first plate appearance since Aug. 2. He gave the crowd even more reason to cheer when he launched his first career pinch-hit home run, connecting on a 1-2 fastball from Tyler Lyons. The ball went 437 feet into the left-field bleachers, the second-longest homer of his young career. Russell had been sidelined with a right foot strain. He came out from the dugout for a curtain call after the homer, his 11th.

"Sometimes I surprise myself, too," Russell said. "I've been definitely working hard. I've been trying to prepare myself for the moment that just happened. I keep working and mentally and physically, game ready, I'll be fine." QUOTABLE "Now we're going to need some help. We have to find a way to win tomorrow, and maybe the Brewers can help us out, and then we get another four games with [the Cubs] at home. We're not out of it yet, but we have to find a way to win tomorrow." -- Carpenter, on the Cards sitting five games behind the Cubs with five head-to-head games left SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS Davis is the 11th pitcher in Major League history to convert his first 30 save opportunities in a single season. UPON FURTHER REVIEW Jose Martinez singled with one out in the fourth, and Hendricks tried to pick him off at first. Martinez was called safe, but the Cubs challenged the ruling, and after a review, the call was overturned. WHAT'S NEXT Cardinals: The Cardinals will close out their final regular-season trip to Wrigley Field with a 1:20 p.m. CT game on Sunday. Lance Lynn was bumped up in the rotation so that he could make this start against the division-leading Cubs, against whom he is 6-6 with a 4.07 ERA in 17 career appearances. Cubs: Jose Quintana will make his 12th start for the Cubs in the series finale on Sunday. He's 6-3 with a 3.88 ERA so far with Chicago. Against the Cardinals, the lefty is 3-0 with a 2.60 ERA in three career starts. -- Cubs.com Russell returns from DL with curtain-call HR By Carrie Muskat CHICAGO -- All Cubs manager Joe Maddon wanted to do with Addison Russell was get the shortstop an at-bat in the eighth inning on Saturday. Russell was activated from the disabled list before the game after being sidelined since Aug. 3 with a strained right foot. Russell made the most of it. Russell received a standing ovation when he led off the eighth, and gave the crowd more reason to cheer when he hit a Statcast™-projected 437-foot home run to help secure the Cubs' 4-1 win over the Cardinals. "It was a pretty special moment in my life," Russell said. "Walking up to the plate, I couldn't help but smile inside. I felt like it was pretty fun." He even got a curtain call. "Sometimes I surprise myself," Russell said. "I've been definitely working hard. I've been trying to prepare myself for the moment that just happened. I keep working and getting mentally and physically game-ready. I'll be fine." Said Maddon: "[What he did] reminded you what we've been missing which is his presence. And look at the defense on the field to end the game. Pretty nice looking out there. Bully for him to be ready to hit a home run today. I talked to him before, and he was absolutely ready to play today." Before the game, Maddon talked more about how eager he was to have Russell back at shortstop with Javier Baez moving back to second base.

"You saw it last year, you've seen what Javy has done at shortstop this year," Maddon said Saturday. "We know how much we like Addison at shortstop and Javy at second. It'll be nice to throw that out there in the latter part of the game with the lead." When Russell was first promoted to the big leagues in 2015, he started at second base but switched spots with Starlin Castro in August that year, and has flourished since. "Javy has done great," Maddon said. "But what will stick in my mind's eye when [Russell] is there [at shortstop] and Javy's at second, it's really difficult to beat. Javy is elite at both positions, but I think he might be one of the top two or three second basemen in baseball." How Russell's return affects the playing time of Ben Zobrist and rookie Ian Happ remains to be seen. They have shared second base since Russell was sidelined. "Javy definitely plays a great shortstop, a great second base and I enjoy watching him play," Russell said. "As far as the shortstop perspective, I have to be back out there." Worth noting • Pitcher Jake Arrieta threw 42 pitches in a bullpen on Saturday, but the Cubs were not ready to announce the next step. Arrieta has been sidelined since he strained his right hamstring on Sept. 4. If he gets the go-ahead, the right-hander could start three more games, beginning with the Cubs' series against the Brewers on Sept. 21. Jon Lester will open the Cubs' Interleague series on Tuesday against the Rays. Wednesday's starter has not been named yet. • Reliever Koji Uehara, who was expected to return on Friday, remained unavailable because of a back problem. Uehara had been bothered by an infection in his right knee. "He's still not ready," Maddon said Saturday. "We talked [Friday]. He's still not ready to go out there. I'm going to have to re-evaluate it or re-assess that." The Cubs are short-handed in the bullpen with Uehara and Hector Rondon both unavailable. Rondon, who has inflammation in his right elbow, has not pitched since Sept. 8. • Kris Bryant has scored nine times in the last four Cubs games, and he ranks fourth in the National League with 104 runs. He's the 12th Cubs player since 1913 to record multiple 100-run seasons. "He is a run," Maddon said of Bryant. "He's kind of like what Gene Mauch used to talk about Paul Molitor -- whenever he goes up to the plate, he looks like a run. That's where K.B. is. He's such a good baserunner. He accepts his walks, he hits for a good average. He plays a complete game of baseball. Right now, he is definitely one of the top five baserunners in all of baseball." -- Cubs.com Contreras appeals 2-game ban, apologizes By Carrie Muskat CHICAGO -- Cubs catcher Willson Contreras didn't waste any time before apologizing to umpire Jordan Baker on Saturday. One day after Baker ejected Contreras from the game, the umpire and catcher shook hands at home plate. "I did something wrong, and that wasn't me; that was the adrenaline from the game," Contreras said after the Cubs' 4-1 win over the Cardinals. "I needed to apologize. Nobody's perfect. That was part of my job today was to apologize to everybody and move on.

"[Baker] told me, 'It's over, and we need to play the game and forget about it,'" Contreras said. On Saturday, Contreras learned that he had been suspended two games and he and pitcher John Lackey were fined for their actions on Friday after they disputed a call by Baker, who was the home-plate umpire. Contreras is appealing the suspension so he was able to start behind the plate Saturday night. He went 1-for-2 with two walks and a run scored. "He was dying to talk to him," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said of Contreras. "He could not wait. He motioned to [Baker] from the dugout. When he got to third base, going first to third, I saw the exchange and they were both smiling." That wasn't the case during Friday's 8-2 Cubs win. The game was tied at 1 and the Cardinals had two on and two outs in the fifth inning. Lackey was upset when a 2-2 pitch to pitcher Carlos Martinez was called a ball. Given new life, Martinez hit an RBI single. Lackey argued with Baker, and was ejected, and Contreras also was upset and slammed down his mask, which bounced and hit Baker on the right shin guard. Both Lackey and Contreras were ejected. According to Major League Baseball, Contreras received a two-game suspension and an undisclosed fine for his "inappropriate actions -- which included the throwing of his mask, which contacted umpire Jordan Baker." Lackey, 38, received an undisclosed fine for his "inappropriate actions." Joe Torre, chief baseball officer for Major League Baseball, announced the penalties. Because Contreras, 25, is appealing, the discipline will be held in abeyance until the process is complete. Contreras is an emotional player, but it's a quality that Maddon likes in the young catcher. "He's a wonderful young man," Maddon said. "He is emotional. We're all working on attempting to help him curb that a bit, but you don't want to take it all away either. That's a big part of why he's so good. It was a little difficult yesterday, but he does play with his hair on fire." Does Contreras plan to change? "No, I won't tone it down," Contreras said. "That's my way to be; that's how I play. If I need to get fired up again because there's a reason, I will." Can Maddon get Lackey to tone down a bit? "It's impossible," Maddon said of the right-hander, who he's known since Lackey was a rookie with the Angels. "Willson is in his early 20s, Johnny is almost 40. He's a dad with kids. I would never tell him what to do." Somehow, the Cubs need to get Contreras to keep the emotions in check and learn to apply them in a more productive way. "It's my responsibility, our responsibility to continue to talk to him and understand why," Maddon said. "[We want him] to still be able to play with that passion and enthusiasm, but when it comes to that moment, the breathing part of it, get away, walk away, turn your back. Those are the kind of things we have to get incorporated over the next several years. "I love his passion, I love his emotion. I love all that stuff. Just the maturation process, you'll see it come back a little." --

Cubs.com Almora stays hot despite righty-righty matchup By Carrie Muskat CHICAGO -- Albert Almora Jr. is usually in the Cubs' starting lineup if a left-hander is pitching for their opponent, which is to be expected. The right-handed-hitting outfielder was batting .346 against lefties, compared to .259 against right-handers. But on Saturday, Cubs manager Joe Maddon started Almora against Cardinals righty Michael Wacha. It worked. Almora collected three hits, recording his first career two-double game and driving in two runs in the Cubs' 4-1 win at Wrigley Field. He is now 7-for-9 with five extra-base hits and 10 RBIs in his last five games, and the majority of those at-bats have been against right-handers. What's going on? The Cubs' stat geeks are crunching numbers, and somehow Almora was a good match against Wacha. It's not because of their history. Almora had two at-bats against the Cardinals' starter prior to Saturday. "Maybe he's doing so well because we're putting him in the right spots," Maddon said. Almora, 23, doesn't have an answer. "I try to keep the game simple," Almora said. "I try not to think too much. I trust what they think. Whenever I'm in the lineup, I'm just trying to help the team. I'm trying to keep it simple and try not to think so much and have fun. That's all I can do." So, if it's a lefty or righty out there? "I don't care," Almora said. "I don't care at all." Naturally, Cubs fans want to see the hot bat in the lineup. With Saturday's win, the Cubs opened a five-game lead over the third-place Cardinals in the National League Central. "It's not in my control," Almora said. "I could go to bed killing myself thinking about what's going on, but it's not about me; it's about winning games. We have to keep it going." Maddon has plenty of outfielders -- and options -- to choose from. Rookie Ian Happ, who had his fifth straight game with an RBI Saturday, also has shown he needs to play. He's a switch-hitter. There's Jon Jay and Kyle Schwarber, too. "It's a nice problem, trying to figure out the lineup every day," Maddon said. "We'll still try to make our best guesses every day and try to keep them all fresh for the remainder of the season and into the postseason. "I love what [Almora] is doing. What he's doing is not missing his pitch now. It's not getting fouled off, and he's not taking it." Sure, Almora would like to play every day. Who wouldn't? "I've always said it's not about me, it's about the Chicago Cubs," Almora said. "We trust Joe to put the best nine out there every day to win games. When I'm given my opportunity, I try to go out there and help the team win." It's that simple. -- ESPNChicago.com Cubs' lineup puzzle keeps getting more complicated By Bradford Doolittle

CHICAGO -- If Joe Maddon, who played college football, could platoon the way his counterparts on the gridiron can -- offense, defense, special teams -- this would all be easy. But it's baseball, and even as his defending champion Chicago Cubs seem to be building toward a third straight playoff appearance, his lineup card problems are only getting worse. The upshot: They're good problems, as always is the case when you have too many good players who are all performing well. The Cubs shut down their archrival St. Louis Cardinals on Saturday, riding 7 2/3 sterling innings from resurgent starter Kyle Hendricks to a 4-1 win. Chicago has taken the first two games of the weekend series and now leads the Redbirds by five games, with the pesky Milwaukee Brewers emerging as the closest challenger to Chicago's throne in the NL Central, sitting 3 1/2 games back. This all happened over the span of about 29 hours, and if things had gone differently, the Cubs might be staring at an anxiety inducing one-game margin over the Cardinals or Brewers or both. Instead, Sunday's series finale now seems to border on must-win territory for St. Louis, and Chicago's trip to Milwaukee next weekend is looming larger and larger. "The guys are definitely totally engaged right now," Maddon said. "I think part of it is the offense has picked up a little bit. Any time you're not hitting, you always appear to be flat. All of a sudden you see everybody having better at-bats, we're scoring some runs and you see everybody start to perk up. Beyond that, pitching drives the engine and Kyle drove the engine with the way he threw today." For now, though, this weekend has been about the Cubs building their winning streak to five, having pounded opponents 51-17 in the process. It has been about stepping on the throats of their ancient foes. And it's about a roster that suddenly has more healthy, productive options that you can pencil into a starting lineup. One of those options is highlight-reel center fielder Albert Almora Jr., who drew a start Saturday against tough St. Louis righty Michael Wacha and collected three hits, including two doubles, and drove in two runs. Almora is on a tear, having gone 7-for-9 with 10 RBIs over his past five games, and given his prowess in the outfield, he looks more and more like a player ready for a bigger role. Only problem is that the Cubs don't have room for another everyday player. "Maybe he's doing so [well] because we're putting him in the right spots," Maddon said. "There's always that thing, too. [Ian] Happ had another big hit today. Happ is playing well. Jon Jay continues to do a lot of good things. [Kyle] Schwarber has got to play, also." For Maddon, it comes down to matchups. But what if more and more of those matchups Maddon studies are starting to look like good ones for Almora? Where does that leave him and, for that matter, Schwarber? "[It is a] nice problem trying to figure out the lineup every day," Maddon said. "We'll still try to make our best guesses every day and keep them all looking good, keep them all fresh hopefully for the remainder of the season into the postseason. I love what [Almora] is doing. What he's doing is not missing his pitch right now. It's not getting fouled off and he’s not taking it." It's hard not to take a rear-facing snapshot over the emerging question of "Almora or Schwarber?" The defense is no contest. Since the beginning of last season, Almora has logged plus-2 defensive runs saved playing a premium position, while Schwarber is at minus-7 playing on the corner. And those metrics probably underestimate Almora's skills in the field by a good amount. With him in that spot, and someone like Jay, Happ or Ben Zobrist in left, the defense begins to recall the unit that last season was historically good. But the flip side of that rear-facing snapshot is the offense. Almora is now hitting .299/.341/.442 to Schwarber's .207/.315/.452, and with his greater ability to put the bat on the ball, Almora's .824 OPS with runners in scoring position dwarfs Schwarber's .580.

"I've always said, it's not about me," Almora said, repeating an oft-expressed sentiment. "It's about the Chicago Cubs. We trust Joe to do whatever he's got to do to put us out there to win games. When I get an opportunity, I just go out there to try to help the team win." When making lineup decisions, you're only using all of this history to make a guess on what is going to happen. And there is little doubt that Schwarber's upside at the plate is surpassed only by franchise cornerstones Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo. For example, in FanGraphs' rest-of-season forecasts, Schwarber has a .810 projected OPS against Almora's .715. It's not an easy call as to whom to play regularly by any means. Because the Cubs have as much positional versatility as any club in the majors, the outfield puzzle also grew more complicated Saturday because of the return of an infielder: All-Star shortstop Addison Russell. If Almora and Hendricks laid the foundation for Saturday's win, it was Russell who raised the roof with a signature moment in his young career. Russell was activated after a 39-game absence because of plantar fasciitis but wasn't in the starting lineup. In the eighth inning, Russell came in to pinch hit, and when he was announced, the roar from the crowd at Wrigley Field sent chills around the Chicago dugout. "That just goes to show what kind of fans we have," Almora said. "It's awesome. I got goosebumps when [Russell] came up to hit, first game back." And that was before Russell lit into a Tyler Lyons pitch, sending it to the top row of the left-field bleachers and bounced it onto Waveland Avenue. Russell was smiling full-on by the time he hit first base as the crowd thundered with adulation, which lasted even after he returned to the dugout for a hearty round of back-slaps, and subsided only when Russell re-emerged for a curtain call. In other words, the fans seemed to be pleased he was back. "That was a pretty special moment in my life," Russell said. "Walking up to the plate, I couldn't help but smile inside. I felt light. It was pretty fun. Sometimes I surprise myself, too. Definitely been working hard trying to prepare myself for the moment that just happened." Russell remained in the game to play shortstop in the ninth while Cubs closer Wade Davis was nailing down his 30th save of the season. It was hard not to look around the field and notice the strength of the defense behind Davis, with Russell back at short, Javier Baez nudged over to second and an outfield configuration from left to right of Happ, Almora and Jason Heyward. The ability of Happ and Zobrist to bounce from the infield to the outfield and back to join Schwarber, Jay, Heyward and Almora means that we'll continue to see a lot of in-game maneuvering from Maddon as different opposing relievers appear, which isn't anything new. But eventually, assuming the Cubs outlast the Brewers in the NL Central race, you'd expect to see some version of an everyday postseason configuration emerge. Not one that is set in stone -- with Maddon, it never is -- but one that at least answers the question of "What is the Cubs' best lineup?" Right now, that's not an easy question to answer. And in a regular-season context, Maddon will continue as he has done: deploy players according to matchups, rest others as needed, etc. For one, Russell's foot problem isn't likely to be completely resolved for a while, so his time will have to be parceled out carefully. "We're just going to have to manage it," Russell said. "Really not sure what the plan is moving forward. We'll make sure that there is a plan in place so it's the best way for me to stay healthy." There is little question that the Cubs' defense looks special on paper with something close to Saturday's end-of-game lineup, with the exception that catcher Willson Contreras had been removed earlier for a pinch runner. But you've got to score runs, too, and the explosiveness of Schwarber's bat means that even with the strikeouts and the limited range in the field and the problems against lefties, he's going to get plenty of action. However, with the return of Russell and Almora building momentum at the plate, the exact definition of "plenty" might be evolving. In any event, these are high-class problems, to borrow a description from Dodgers manager

Dave Roberts, and the bottom line is that if everyone is playing well, there are no wrong answers. That is, unless somebody starts to rock the boat and Almora, for one, is not going to be that guy. "It's not in my control," Almora said. "I could go to bed thinking about what's going on but, no, man, it's not about me. It's about the team winning games and we're doing it right now." -- ESPNChicago.com Timing will be everything for impact of Contreras suspension By Jesse Rogers CHICAGO -- The suspension of Chicago Cubs catcher Willson Contreras for arguing and then throwing down his face mask near plate umpire Jordan Baker on Friday could actually come at the least hurtful time for the team. Contreras’ appeal will likely be decided Monday, an off day for the Cubs, and whether the suspension is upheld or reduced to a game, the catcher will serve it while the Cubs play the Tampa Bay Rays. Considering the Cubs face the Brewers and Cardinals immediately after playing the Rays for two days, the timing is about as good as it gets. The larger issue involves Contreras’ temperament. The Cubs have been working on calming down their young catcher without eliminating his passion for the game. Remember, Friday’s incident didn’t even start with him and the umpire. He jumped in after starting pitcher John Lackey was thrown out. “I really believe you’re going to see a nice progression for him,” manager Joe Maddon said Saturday morning. “He’s still going to get upset at times, but I think you’ll see that progression being able to not go from zero to 60 like that.” It’s not a new subject with Contreras. The team has been concerned with how he comports himself, especially with umpires. Consider what one said about him in June. "He is always upbeat and in a good mood," a veteran umpire stated. "He does have some youthful exuberance, and I do have to remind him sometimes that he doesn't want to piss us [umpires] off. Overall, I think he is a good kid and a hell of a ballplayer.” With a long career ahead of him, the Cubs want that relationship with umpires to begin on the right foot. Friday may have been a step backward, at least for a day. “There’s a part of it I do like,” Maddon said. “Just the fact that he does play with that emotion. I love that. … There is a way to curb that a bit. I think as he gets older, you’ll see him do that.” As for Friday’s controversy, the ball call by Baker on a 2-2 pitch from Lackey probably wasn’t helped by Lackey and Contreras having their signals mixed up. Lackey threw a slider when Contreras was expecting a fastball. It meant the pitch wasn’t properly framed, contributing to the bad call by Baker. It led to the blowup and eventually -- after Friday’s events unfolded -- to the suspension. Afterward, Maddon said he won’t try to change Lackey, but Contreras is a different story. “I love his passion,” Maddon said. “I love his emotion. We just have to curb it a bit.” -- CSNChicago.com Addison Russell on his Hollywood return to Cubs: 'That was a pretty special moment in my life' By Tony Andracki Addison Russell is back and he made sure everybody in baseball knew it.

Russell hasn't played since Aug. 2, out with a foot injury that he initially thought would only keep him out the minimum 10 days. The Cubs activated their World Series-winning shortstop Saturday and he came up in the bottom of the eighth inning in a tight 3-1 game against the St. Louis Cardinals: It'd be tough to write a better script unless it was maybe a walk-off homer. The 40,959 fans in attendance at Wrigley Field gave Russell a standing ovation before he even took that swing and when he circled the bases and disappeared into the dugout, they demanded a curtain call, which he was none too happy to oblige. "That was a pretty special moment in my life," Russell said. "Walking to the plate, I couldn't help but smile inside. I felt light. It was pretty fun." Russell said he had been working to mentally prepare for his return as well as all his physical work and joked that he surprises himself sometimes, too. He knew a day or two ago that there was a chance he could be activated this weekend and he had been chomping at the bit to get back on the field with his teammates in a pennant race. Joe Maddon just wanted to ease Russell into the game and hoped Saturday's pinch-hitting appearance would be one step toward a comfort level at the plate. Looks like Russell's feeling plenty comfortable. "Of course we're not expecting that," Maddon said. "I just wanted to get him an at-bat. I knew [Ben] Zobrist was coming up and we could do the double switch thing and all of a sudden, the ball was in the seats. But also reminded you, talking about what we've been kinda missing this year is his presence, also." Russell's teammates loved it. "Same when Willy [Contreras]came back," Albert Almora Jr. said. "That just goes to show what type of fans we have and how loyal they are. It's awesome. "I got goosebumps when both of them came up to hit in their first game. For him to come back like that, jeez, man, I was super proud of him." Kyle Hendricks — who got the win Saturday with a masterful performance — remembers his own return to the field after a long layoff to injury. "That was awesome to see, man," Hendricks said of Russell. "Him smiling going around first. It's been a while and I know how that feels from earlier this year. Just brings more energy to us. Part of the group; he's one of the guys. It's awesome to have him back, that's for sure." Russell has had a trying year, both personally and professionally. He said his teammates' reaction to the homer helped make the moment extra sweet. He stayed in the game after the at-bat and went to shortstop, moving Javy Baez to second base for the first time in six weeks. Russell also caught the final out of the game when Yadier Molina hit a soft liner to shortstop. With Almora playing center, Ian Happ in left field, Jason Heyward in right field and Anthony Rizzo and Kris Bryant rounding out the infield, the Cubs liked the way their defense looked to end the game. There is no shortstop controversy or question on if Russell will be on a postseason roster (if the Cubs make it). He is the shortstop and Baez is the second baseman, giving the Cubs elite level defense up the middle.

Can the Cubs as a whole get back to that historic defensive level they played 2016 at? "I think so," Russell said. "As we go down here toward the end of the season and then hopefully into the postseaosn, the team's just gonna get stronger, defensively and offensively." -- CSNChicago.com The Cubs have no intentions of finding more playing time for Albert Almora Jr. By Tony Andracki Why doesn't Albert Almora Jr. play more? It's a common refrain from Cubs fans lately, especially with the 23-year-old outfielder in a middle of a hot stretch that saw him collect eight RBI in three at-bats this week. Almora came in as a reserve in all three games against the New York Mets earlier in the homestand and went 4-for-5 with a double, a triple, a homer, eight RBI and three runs. Joe Maddon wrote Almora's name in Saturday's lineup against the St. Louis Cardinals, just his fourth start out of 15 games in September. He immediately made an impact, driving home the Cubs' first run in the fourth inning and igniting a two-run rally. He came through again in the fifth with a two-out RBI double and doubled again in the seventh as the Cubs cruised to a 4-1 victory. The hot stretch helped push his overall season slash line to .299/.341/.442 (.784 OPS) in his first full year in the big leagues. Those numbers represent a bit of a jump from his minor-league line (.290/.322/.416 — .738 OPS). Maddon has seen Almora's development in terms of using the whole field, being selectively aggressive and not missing his pitch. Almora swung at the first pitch each time up Saturday and had two hits to show for it. "That was a really good matchup for Albert today and that's why we played him," Maddon said after the game. So could Almora see more playing time over guys like Ian Happ, Jon Jay or Kyle Schwarber given his recent tear? "Well, maybe he's doing so well because we're putting him in the right spots," Maddon explained. "There's always that thing, too. Happ had another big hit today; Happ's done really well. Jon Jay continues to do a lot of great things. Schwarber has gotta play also. "Nice problem, trying to figure out the lineup every day. We'll try to make our best guesses on a daily basis and keep them all looking good and keeping them all fresh hopefully for the remainder of the season into the postseason. I love what he's doing." All the talk about matchups is exactly why Almora isn't getting more playing time. Saturday marked the 10th straight right-handed starting pitcher the Cubs faced, dating back to Sep. 5 against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Almora isn't strictly a platoon player, but there is a pretty wide gap in his splits — .346 average, .919 OPS vs. southpaws and only a .270 AVG and .700 OPS vs. righties in 2017. And that's including the last week, where many of Almora's big hits have come against right-handers. Saturday's start against the right-handed Michael Wacha came by virtue of Wacha's splits — the Cardinals right-hander is better vs. lefties (.645 OPS against) than righties (.754 OPS against). "My confidence is always at an all-time high," Almora said. "It has to be in this game because this is a game of failure. Even on days you fail, I try to take the positive out of things. I try to learn every single at-bat.

"Joe has his reasons and I'm not complaining. I'm putting my head down and I'm going to work. Whenever I get a chance, just try to do my job." Almora obviously would like to play more (he's on pace for just over 300 at-bats over the course of a full year in the big leagues), but his mentality is team first. "Absolutely. I've always said, it's not about me, it's about the Chciago Cubs," Almora said. "And obviously we trust Joe to do whatever he's gotta do to put the best nine out there every day to win games. When I'm just given my opportunity, I'm just trying to go out there and help the team win. "It's not in my control. I could go to bed killing myself thinking about what's going on, but nah, man, it's not about me. It's about the team winning games and we're doing it right now. We just gotta keep it going." Almora also hasn't jumped off the page defensively the way many thought he would. In 584 innings in center this season, he's at -1 Defensive Runs Saved, according to FanGraphs, which is slightly below average. By comparison, Ian Happ has accrued +2 DRS in 330.1 innings in center and Jon Jay is at -4 in 302.1 innings. By Baseball Reference's metric, Almora has 0.0 defensive WAR this season, meaning he's been exactly average. Defensive metrics aren't end-all, be-all and there's still no truly perfect way to measure a player's value on defense, but the peripheral numbers don't point to a huge impact from Almora defensively. The Cubs entered the 2017 season with a plan on platooning Jay and Almora in center field, with the occasional game for Jason Heyward there, moving over from right. But Maddon admitted Happ's emergence has changed things quite a bit and Almora's been the one who has seen more of a negative impact in playing time. The Cubs are in the midst of a pennant race and Maddon has already said it's time for performance, not development, so the guys that are having success — like Tommy La Stella, for example — will see more playing time down the stretch. That being said, the Cubs don't plan on carving out more playing time for Almora than he's had to this point. Happ and Jay will still see time in center field and the Cubs will still pick spots and play matchups to maximize Almora's talents. "His confidence level's up right now," Maddon said. "He's been doing a great job. ... We've been able to match him up even more and right now, his success is very high. So when you look at it, I'm certain from his perspective, as a young player, he'd like to play more. "But his time's coming to play more. What he's doing right now is really obviously benefitting himself. He's naking a nice name or mark for himself." -- CSNChicago.com MLB suspends Willson Contreras for two games after ejection; appeal filed By Tony Andracki Willson Contreras is facing a two-game suspension from Major League Baseball for his actions Friday at Wrigley Field. Contreras filed an appeal and he is in the lineup Saturday for an important game against the St. Louis Cardinals. Depending on how long the MLB takes to process the appeal, Contreras may also be able to play in Sunday's game. "We'll just wait for the appeal to work its way through," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. "We haven't decided anything beyond that. We'll abide by that, try to figure it out and make the best of it."

The young catcher was thrown out of Friday's game in the fifth inning after he and John Lackey exploded on home plate umpire Jordan Baker following a blown strike three call. Immediately after the call, Cardinals pitcher Carlos Martinez lined an RBI single to right center to give St. Louis a 2-1 lead. As Lackey ran in to cover home on the play, he was thrown out. Contreras was thrown out a few seconds later and slammed his catcher's mask down in frustration. The mask bounced and hit Baker, which Contreras insisted was accidental and apologized for after the game. Does it help that Contreras was contrite about the incident after the game? "I would hope so," Maddon said. "He was. Listen, he's a wonderful young man. He is emotional. We're all working on attempting to help him curb that a bit. But you don't want to take it all away either. That's a big part of why he's so good. That was a little bit difficult yesterday; I understand that. He does play with his hair on fire." It was that mask incident that weighed heavily on the MLB's decision to suspend Contreras. He was also fined an undisclosed amount. Lackey only received a fine and did not make contact with Baker at all. Maddon and the Cubs are trying to reign in Contreras' emotional style a bit, but they also love the passion in which he plays the game, so they're not trying to go too far in the other direction and lose what makes him so good as a ballplayer. But moving forward, the Cubs know it's important Contreras picks his spots, especially given how important the relationship between catcher and home plate umpire is. "You're a catcher man, you're working in front of these guys all the time," Maddon said. "Listen, I really believe you're gonna see a nice progression of him. He's still gonna get upset at times. But you're still gonna see a nice progression of him not go from 0-to-60 like that. "Like I said though, there's a part of it I do like. Just the fact that he does play with that emotion, we love that. But there's a way to curb that a bit. I think as he gets older, he'll do that." Maddon admitted Friday was a learning experience for the dynamic backstop, but the Cubs manager also made sure to point out Contreras' upbringing in Venezuela and how he wasn't playing baseball in America full-time until 2011. "We didn't come from where he came from, either," Maddon said. "What's going on in that country right now, it's a different method. To walk a mile — even a hundred feet, a hundred yards in his shoes — I've never done that. So I think it's my responsibilty, our responsibility to continue to talk to him to explain why it's probably a better method to not. "To still be able to play with that kind of passion and enthusiasm, but when it comes to that moment, let the breathing part get away, walk away, turn your back. Those kinds of things are the kinds of things we're gonna have to get incorporated over the next several years. But, I love his passion. I love his emotion. I love all that stuff. Just with the maturation process, you'll see it come back a little bit." Are Maddon and the Cubs coaches trying to corral Lackey's temper at all? "That's impossible," Maddon said. "Willson's in his early 20s. Johnny's almost 40. He's a dad with kids. I would never tell him what to do." --

Chicago Tribune Cool, calm Kyle Hendricks rides wave from John Lackey's outburst for Cubs By Paul Sullivan After watching John Lackey's spontaneous combustion Friday afternoon at Wrigley Field, the Cubs chased it down on Saturday with a smooth-jazz performance by Kyle Hendricks. The Cubs right-hander methodically sliced up the Cardinals in 7 2/3 innings in a 4-1 win before 40,959, pushing them five games back with 14 to play, while the Brewers were four behind at the end of the day after their loss to the Marlins. As the yin and yang of the Cubs rotation, Lackey and Hendricks are like whiskey and water, completely different tastes but both refreshing in their own ways. Unlike Lackey, Hendricks barely flinched Saturday when calls were missed, and when he found himself in a base-loaded jam in the third inning of a scoreless game, he calmly induced Tommy Pham to ground into an inning-ending double play. When he was finally knicked in the seventh by a two-out, opposite-field home run by Matt Carpenter, Hendricks left to a standing ovation. No theatrics necessary. "He kept his poise throughout the whole thing," manager Joe Maddon said. "You expect that of Kyle, to not lose his composure, and he kept it throughout the entire game." Hendricks may be as low-key as it gets, but he believes Friday's wild incident in which Lackey and Willson Contreras were ejected may have been a unifying factor in the clubhouse. "When it happened there was definitely a jump in the energy," he said. "Guys kind of rallied around it. Funny how weird situations like that sometimes become a rallying point. I think it did bring 'em a little closer together. ... We just need to keep this energy, no matter how it has come." That energy came from several different outlets Saturday, including Addison Russell's pinch-hit home run in his first at-bat after more than six weeks on the DL and Albert Almora Jr.'s three hits and two RBIs. Almora is 7-for-9 with 10 RBIs in his last five games. He has taken advantage of his chances to play and refused to complain about sitting. "I could go to bed and kill myself thinking about what's going on," Almora said. "But it's not about me. It's about the team winning games, and we're doing it right now." Whatever they're doing, it's working as the race heats up and the clock ticks down towards October. Obstacles that may have seemed huge one year ago seemingly slide off the Cubs' backs now. Jake Arrieta is still rehabbing, but no one's worried he won't dominate when he returns. Contreras got suspended for two games Saturday for "inappropriate actions" involving his face mask, but consensus opinion is he's just going through a phase. Lackey may be imprisoned in a plexiglass case of emotion, but Maddon said it's "impossible" to change him, so he won't even try. Injuries and controversies that would've merited bold-faced headlines last year are suddenly hiccups in the post-drought era, when no one can blame a cat, a goat or a Cubbie occurrence for whatever happens next. It's funny what one little championship can do for a franchise synonymous with losing.

This is what it's been like for almost every other team in every other season, trying to win without the baggage of the past weighing you down. The Cubs still have a shot at making history, as uneven as this season has been, as long as they crash the postseason party. Only two teams have been able to repeat since 1979 — the Blue Jays in 1992-93 and Yankees from 1998-2000 — and the Cubs have struggled in their attempt to become the third. Why is it so hard to repeat? "Because it's hard to win, period," Cubs President Theo Epstein said. "So trying to do something really hard once is one thing. Try to do something really hard twice is another." Epstein pointed to the "different landscape," with more playoffs and more roster turnover. "The whole nature of the game, it's harder to keep teams together, more turnover, more reliance on young players," he said. "Teams turn over so quickly these days. There are less obvious advantages to exploit. "You look at teams that did create dynasties and there were real advantages they were taking advantage of to keep their group together. Today it's a little bit harder." Nothing has come easy for this year's Cubs, but they're still in the driver's seat with their foot on the gas and the finish line in sight. Would you want it any other way? -- Chicago Tribune Cubs shortstop Addison Russell homers in pinch-hit return from disabled list By Paul Skrbina Addison Russell received two standing ovations in the span of about 60 seconds Saturday at Wrigley Field. The first occurred when Russell walked to the plate for his first appearance since Aug. 2. The second came when Russell whacked the fourth pitch he saw from Tyler Lyons over the left-field wall, 437 feet from home plate. The pinch-hit, homer in the eighth inning provided an insurance run in the Cubs'4-1 victory against the Cardinals. The Cubs shortstop had been on the disabled list with an injured right foot. He was activated before Saturday's game. "It was a pretty special moment," Russell said. "Walking up to the plate, I couldn't help but to smile inside. I felt life." Russell's six weeks away meant a short stop at shortstop for Javier Baez. With his foot fully healed, expect Russell to man his position regularly at some point soon, despite Baez's fine performance there in his stead. He played the ninth inning there Saturday. Cubs manager Joe Maddon said a Russell-Baez, up-the-middle defense is optimal to the team's infield defense — with Russell at short and Baez at second. "If you look at what Addy did last year, that was pretty darn good," Maddon said. "He made the All-Star team, 20-some homers … one of the better run preventers.

"In my mind's eye, when he's there and Javy's at second, it's difficult to beat." Maddon called Baez "elite at both positions," but called him maybe one of the "top two or three second basemen." Jake update: Cubs right-hander Jake Arrieta threw 42 pitches during a bullpen session Saturday, but the team has not decided when he will return to the rotation, though it likely won't be during the upcoming series against the Rays. Thanks to a sore right hamstring, Arrieta hasn't pitched since Sept. 4. Maddon said Arrieta did well Saturday but the team would wait to see how he feels Sunday before making further plans. Still perfect: Cubs closer Wade Davis extended his franchise-record consecutive saves streak to 30 on Saturday, becoming the 11th player in baseball history to begin a season with that many in a row. It also was his 36th straight converted save dating to last season. -- Chicago Tribune Kyle Hendricks in command as Cubs top Cardinals for fifth straight win By Paul Skrbina Engine 78 roared out of the fire station on Waveland Avenue during the bottom of the seventh inning Saturday, just as Albert Almora Jr. settled into second base after his second double of the day. The sirens from the fire engine provided a proper — and timely — backdrop considering the high temperature of Almora's bat of late. That double was his third hit of the game and seventh in his last nine at-bats. The sudden ballyhoo also was appropriate for Kyle Hendricks, who exited not long after Almora's double, having pitched 7 2/3 innings befitting such pomp and circumstance during the Cubs' 4-1 victory against the Cardinals. Hendricks' seventh straight quality start concluded with his 107th pitch — an 89 mph fastball that Matt Carpenter hit into the left-field bleachers for the Cardinals' lone run — that also happened to be his fastest of the afternoon. "It was up, but I still had plenty left in the tank," said Hendricks, who is 3-2 with a 2.42 ERA in 11 starts since returning from the disabled list. Almora seems to be heating up too. His single in the fourth inning drove in Anthony Rizzo to give the Cubs a 1-0 lead. Almora was at it again the next inning, when his double yielded the same result with the same runner, putting the Cubs ahead 3-0. "I just came up in a couple crucial spots, I thought, and wanted to help the team," Almora said. "Just trying not to do too much." And doing just fine as a result. He has 10 RBIs in his last nine at-bats, which have included three doubles, a triple and a home run. "Almora had a hell of a game," Hendricks said. "He really picked us up." And the Cubs picked up another game on the third-place Cardinals, who slipped five games behind the National League Central leaders, with the Brewers four back after their loss to the Marlins. It also put the Cubs, who have won five in a row, a season-best 16 games above .500 and assured them of three consecutive winning seasons for only the fourth time since 1940.

Hendricks, who allowed six hits and a walk with five strikeouts, found himself in a bit of trouble in the third inning when the Cardinals loaded the bases with one out. But he coaxed Tommy Pham into a grounder to shortstop, which Javier Baez, Ian Happ and Rizzo turned into an inning-ending double play. "I knew that was a big spot," Hendricks said. "I just said, 'I gotta be down, try to keep the ball in the infield.' Luckily it was hit right at Javy and they made a really big turn, between him and Happ." Some of the loudest cheers of the day were reserved for shortstop Addison Russell, who hit a pinch-hit home run in the eighth inning, his first game since Aug. 2 after a long stint on the disabled list with a foot injury. A year ago Saturday, the party that took place at Wrigley Field was preplanned because the team, which lost the day before, had clinched the division by virtue of another team's loss. This year's version of last year's World Series champion doesn't have the luxury of making such arrangements. But there's still time. "If we're able to go on a good run and finish the division like we're capable of, and make a great postseason run again, that is even more fantastic than what we did last year," Ben Zobrist said. If that happens, Engine 78 might be roaring again, this time carrying Cubs players on a parade route. -- Chicago Tribune Willson Contreras receives 2-game suspension, John Lackey fined for ejections vs. Cardinals By Paul Sullivan Cubs catcher Willson Contreras was suspended two-games by Major League Baseball on Saturday for "inappropriate actions" stemming from a tirade and ejection during the Cubs’ win Friday against the Cardinals at Wrigley Field. Contreras and starter John Lackey, who also was ejected, both received undisclosed fines. Contreras appealed and will be in the lineup this afternoon against the Cardinals. The discipline is the result of Friday's episode in which Contreras and Lackey argued with umpire Jordan Baker during the fifth inning about the strike zone. After Lackey was ejected, Contreras continued to complain and was also quickly ejected. Contreras then took off his mask and threw it to the ground. The mask bounced and hit the umpire in the leg. “I’m sure if I see Jordan (Saturday) I will apologize to him,” Contreras said Friday. "Other than that I’m just happy because the team was able to come back and win the game.” Contreras said he had no fear of being suspended. “I don’t have any concerns on my part at all,” Contreras said. “If they’re going to do something, I’ll take it like a man. If not, I have to keep playing baseball and keep helping the team win.” He was unavailable for comment on Saturday. The Cubs are well situated with four other catchers on the roster and Kyle Schwarber as the fifth option, but losing their clean-up hitter and emotional sparkplug would hurt. Since Contreras was apologetic they hope it gets reduced to one game. Manager Joe Maddon conceded Contreras has to learn to control his emotions "a little bit," but not a lot.

"He's a wonderful young man," he said. "He is emotional. We're all working on attempting to help him curb that a bit, but you don't want to take it all away either. That's a big part of why he's so good. That was a little bit difficult (Friday). I understand that. But he does play with his hair on fire." Maddon said there will be a "nice progression" from Contreras in which he won't "go from zero to 60 like that." Should Lackey learn to control his temper a bit, too? "It's impossible," he said. "I'm being honest. Willson is in his early 20s. Johnny is almost 40. He's a dad with kids. I would never tell him what to do." As for Contreras, Maddon said it's his responsibility to get the young catcher to "play with that kind of passion and enthusiasm" but still be able to "walk away" before a confrontation with an umpire gets ugly. "It's just the maturation process," he said. "You'll see it come back a little bit." -- Chicago Tribune Cubs' Willson Contreras contrite over actions that drew 2-game suspension By Chris Kuc Cubs manager Joe Maddon said catcher Willson Contreras plays "with his hair on fire" emotionally. That fire came back to burn Contreras and the Cubs on Saturday when Major League Baseball suspended the 25-year-old for two games and also fined him for "inappropriate actions — which included the throwing of his mask, which contacted Umpire Jordan Baker" during the fifth inning of Friday's victory over the Cardinals at Wrigley Field. MLB also fined veteran starter John Lackey for his role in the dust-up that came when the Cubs duo argued with Baker about the strike zone. Lackey was ejected and Contreras quickly followed before he took off his catcher's mask and threw it to the ground. The mask bounced and struck Baker in the leg. Contreras appealed the suspension and hit fourth for the Cubs during their 4-1 victory over the Cardinals on Saturday. He went 1-for-2 with two walks and a run scored. As the Cubs took the field in the first inning, Contreras spoke with Baker and the two shook hands. The pair later chatted when Contreras reached third base, where Baker was assigned for the game. "I did something wrong and that wasn't me, that was the adrenaline from (Friday's) game," Contreras said. "I needed to apologize for that because … we all make mistakes. Part of my job (Saturday) was to apologize to everybody and move on." While Contreras' emotional outburst could prove to be detrimental at a critical time as the Cubs try to clinch the National League Central, Maddon realizes that playing with that kind of edge is what makes the catcher a top player in the league. "He's a wonderful young man," Maddon said. "He is emotional. We're all working on (helping) him curb that a bit but you don't want to take it all away either, that's a big part of why he is so good." Still, Contreras definitely needs to tone down his act? "A little bit," Maddon said. "Just a little bit. Not a lot, but a little bit." Contreras said he will not be taking it down a notch.

"No, I won't tone it down," he said. "That's my way to be. That's how I play. If I need to get fired up again because we have a reason I will." Still, arguing with umpires in just Contreras' second season in the big leagues might not be the best idea. "You're a catcher, man, you're working in front of these guys all the time," Maddon said. "He's still going to get upset at times but I think you're going to see a nice progression of him being able to not go from 0 to 60 like that." As far as Lackey, who was fined an undisclosed amount, Maddon said there's no hope in curbing his emotions. "That's impossible," Maddon said. "Willson is in his early 20s and Johnny is almost 40. He's a dad with kids, I would never tell him what to do." -- Chicago Sun-Times Hendricks, Russell star as Cubs top Cardinals By David Just A year ago Saturday, Theo Epstein was seated in the Wrigley Field bleachers wearing a fake bushy mustache and reveling with fans as the Cubs clinched the National League Central title. It was the earliest a team had ever clinched the Central Division. Epstein hasn’t had the luxury of a comfortable division lead this season, but the Cubs took a big step toward repeating as division champs Saturday with a 4-1 victory against the Cardinals at Wrigley Field. By taking the game and series from the Cardinals, the Cubs have all but closed the door on their division rivals, who are five games out with 14 games to go. The Brewers are four games behind the Cubs in second place. “My favorite pennant races are the ones where you’re sitting in the bleachers on Sept. 16,” Epstein said. “I kind of like those. But you have years where everything or most things go your way, and you have years where more things than usual seem like a challenge.” This season has been more of the latter, but things are falling into place at the right time. The Cubs won their fifth consecutive game and are riding their third five-game winning streak in the last month. The victory also insured a third consecutive winning season, a feat they have only achieved twice since World War II. Those winning seasons came from 2007 to ’09 and from 1967 to ’72. “They’re totally invested right now,” manager Joe Maddon said. “More right now than at any time or point during the season. We’ve caught our second wind, it appears. We need to maintain that the rest of the way through the regular season.” The good news kept on flowing, too, with word that Jake Arrieta’s bullpen session went well. He threw 42 pitches, and Maddon said a decision on his next start could be made Sunday. The optimal situation for the Cubs would be to bring Arrieta back to open a four-game series against the Brewers on Thursday. As if that wasn’t enough late-season momentum, Addison Russell came off the disabled list and cranked a pinch-hit home run in the eighth inning. The ball had an exit speed of 106 mph off Russell’s bat and traveled 437 feet. It was his first career homer as a pinch hitter. “We just wanted to get him an at-bat,” Maddon said. “All of a sudden, the ball’s in the seats.”

Kyle Hendricks pitched 7.2 innings and would’ve made it out of the eighth if not for allowing a solo homer to Matt Carpenter. It was the first time Hendricks had gone beyond seven innings this season. Hendricks said it’s an important milestone at this time of the year to help stretch him out before the playoffs. “That was another step forward,” Hendricks said. “Something I’ve been trying to do. To get in the eighth means I was getting some early outs.” He scattered six hits, struck out five and walked one. Hendricks has now had seven consecutive quality starts. The Cubs scored two runs in the fourth and another in the fifth, and Albert Almora Jr. had big at-bats. He singled in Anthony Rizzo in the fourth, then hit the first of two doubles in the fifth to drive in Rizzo again. Almora went 3-for-4, with two RBI, to raise his batting average to .299. “I’m just trying to not do too much, just see the ball in the zone and hit it as hard as I can,” Almora said. The Cubs clinched the season series against St. Louis, and with a win Sunday, they’d pull off their second home sweep of the Cardinals. -- Chicago Sun-Times Cubs’ Contreras suspended 2 games, appeals; Lackey fined By David Just Major League Baseball suspended Cubs catcher Willson Contreras for two games Saturday for the conduct that led to his ejection in the game Friday against the Cardinals. Contreras and Cubs starter John Lackey, who also was ejected, were fined an undisclosed amount, as well. Contreras, who’s appealing the suspension, started Saturday, batting cleanup and playing catcher. Plate umpire Jordan Baker ejected both players in the fifth inning. Lackey thought he struck out Carlos Martinez, but the pitch was called a ball. Lackey argued and was ejected after Martinez singled to drive in a run. Contreras threw his mask down in anger, and it bounced off Baker’s leg. Manager Joe Maddon said Contreras needs to check some of his emotions in the heat of the moment. “He’s emotional,” Maddon said. “We’re all working on attempting to help him curb that a bit. But you don’t want to take it all away, either. That’s a big part of why he’s so good.” Contreras shook hands with Baker before the game Saturday. “You’re a catcher,” Maddon said. “You’re working in front of these guys all the time. I really believe you’ll see a nice progression with him. He’s still going to get upset at times. But not zero to 60 like that.” Contreras has been one of the best offensive players on the Cubs, so his bat will be missed at some point during the final stretch of the season. As for Lackey, Maddon said he’d never try to make him curb his emotions. “It’s impossible,” Maddon said to laughs. “I’m being honest. Willson’s in his early 20s; Johnny’s almost 40. He’s a dad with kids. I would never tell him what to do.”

Russell returns with homer Addison Russell put an exclamation point on his return to the Cubs. Activated from the disabled list before the game, Russell came off the bench as a pinch hitter in the eighth inning and blasted a home run to deep left field. It was his first at-bat in 45 days after going on the disabled list in early August with plantar fasciitis in his right foot. “[Maddon] told me, ‘Just be ready today; you may get to pinch-hit,’ ” Russell said. “And it definitely worked out today.” Russell received a standing ovation when he came to the plate, was greeted by jubilant teammates in the dugout, then came out for a curtain call. The homer was Russell’s 11th, his first as a pinch hitter and the fifth pinch-hit homer for the Cubs this season. More important, Russell said his foot was pain-free. Russell stayed in the game at shortstop in the ninth inning, and Javy Baez moved over to second base. Maddon reiterated before the game that Russell would return to shortstop despite Baez’s stellar play there the last six weeks. Baez had made a compelling case to take over the role. For one, he’s not coming off a foot injury this late in the season. He has a better arm and has shown great range. Baez has made only five errors since Aug. 3 and provides bursts of energy with the plays he makes on defense and on the basepaths. His Gold Glove-worthy defense has saved the Cubs from giving up runs and losing games these last six weeks as they’ve held on to the National League Central lead. On offense, Baez came in Saturday with a .290/.340/.503 slash line since Russell’s injury. He also has added eight homers, 27 RBI and six stolen bases. But team president Theo Epstein and Maddon have left no doubt about where they want Russell to play. “We’re a damn good defensive unit when Addy is at short and Javy is at second,” Epstein said. “I don’t think you could go wrong with how you throw those guys out there. But that’s how we’ve been, and that’s how we’ll be for the rest of this season.” Russell said Baez’s play has made it a little easier to miss all that time. “Javy plays a great shortstop, a great second base,” he said. “He is definitely fun to watch, and I enjoy watching him play. But as for the shortstop’s perspective, I’m happy to be back out there.” --