May 9, 2018 • The Athletic, Victor Caratini emerges the winner from the Kris Bryant/Starlin Castro tickle fight

https://theathletic.com/347818/2018/05/09/victor-caratini-emerges-the-winner-from-the-kris-bryant-starlin-castro-tickle-fight/

• The Athletic, Joe Maddon doesn’t give a ‘rat’s ass’ about your lineup suggestions, and he says, ‘We

can use that on The Athletic.’ https://theathletic.com/347598/2018/05/08/joe-maddon-doesnt-give-a-rats-ass-about-your-lineup-suggestions-and-he-says-we-can-use-that-on-the-athletic/

• Cubs.com, Cubs wiggle past Marlins on Bryant's wheels

https://www.mlb.com/cubs/news/cubs-rally-past-marlins-on-kris-bryants-run/c-275866874

• Cubs.com, Baez enters off bench after resting as precaution https://www.mlb.com/cubs/news/javier-baez-rests-injury-enters-off-bench/c-275842242

• Cubs.com, Cubs place Heyward on concussion DL https://www.mlb.com/cubs/news/jason-heyward-injured-placed-on-concussion-dl/c-275828400

• ESPNChicago.com, Joe Maddon says blaming slump on lineup switches a 'non-sophisticated

conversation' http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/23445794/joe-maddon-juggle-chicago-cubs-lineups-too-much-says-theo-epstein

• NBC Sports Chicago, All the best/funniest moments from the Cubs-Marlins benches clearing

incident https://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/cubs/all-bestfunniest-moments-cubs-marlins-benches-clearing-incident-bryzzo-castro-contreras

• NBC Sports Chicago, Victor Caratini has turned into a very valuable role player with Cubs https://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/cubs/victor-caratini-has-turned-very-valuable-role-player-cubs

• NBC Sports Chicago, Javy Baez brushes off minor injury and sets his sights on Gold Glove

https://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/cubs/javy-baez-brushes-minor-injury-and-sets-his-sights-gold-glove-breakout-season

• NBC Sports Chicago, Mr. Underrated: Pedro Strop just keeps doin' his thing

https://www.nbcsports.com/chicago/cubs/mr-underrated-pedro-strop-just-keeps-doin-his-thing-andrew-miller-kenley-jansen

• Chicago Tribune, Kris Bryant's baserunning helps Cubs as he scores winning run in 4-3 victory over

Marlins http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-spt-cubs-jen-ho-tseng-marlins-20180508-story.html

• Chicago Tribune, Anthony Rizzo showing signs of overcoming his early struggles http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-spt-cubs-anthony-rizzo-20180509-story.html

• Chicago Tribune, Javier Baez could return to Cubs' lineup as soon as Wednesday

http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-spt-cubs-javier-baez-20180508-story.html • Chicago Sun-Times, Why Joe Maddon is considering Kyle Schwarber for a return to Cubs’ leadoff

spot https://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/why-joe-maddon-is-considering-kyle-schwarber-for-a-return-to-cubs-leadoff-spot/

• Chicago Sun-Times, Cubs put Jason Heyward on 7-day concussion disabled list

https://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/cubs-put-jason-heyward-on-7-day-concussion-disabled-list/

• Daily Herald, Everyone pitches in as Cubs edge Marlins 4-3 http://www.dailyherald.com/sports/20180508/everyone-pitches-in-as-cubs-edge-marlins-4-3

• Daily Herald, Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon is tired of talking about set lineups

http://www.dailyherald.com/sports/20180508/chicago-cubs-manager-joe-maddon-is-tired-of-talking-about-set-lineups

• Daily Herald, Rozner: Chicago Cubs won't go anywhere if they don't improve pitching, defense

http://www.dailyherald.com/sports/20180508/rozner-chicago-cubs-wont-go-anywhere-if-they-dont-improve-pitching-defense

-- The Athletic Victor Caratini emerges the winner from the Kris Bryant/Starlin Castro tickle fight By Patrick Mooney Joe Maddon was getting Cactus League flashbacks to Arizona: Jen-Ho Tseng throwing to Victor Caratini. Tommy La Stella starting at second base. David Bote and Rob Zastryzny in uniform after their promotions from Triple-A Iowa. “Wow, yeah, we’re going to play in Glendale this afternoon,” Maddon said before Tuesday’s 4-3 win over the Miami Marlins, a tanking team that actually does have a spring-training feel. But things really didn’t get weird at Wrigley Field until the fourth inning, when Lewis Brinson lined Zastryzny’s 92-mph fastball into right field, where Ben Zobrist played it perfectly while five-time Gold Glove winner Jason Heyward is in Major League Baseball’s concussion protocol. Derek Dietrich, trying to score from second base, had no chance against Zobrist’s throw. Caratini glanced down to his left, anticipating a slide at home plate, then looked up and braced for Dietrich’s forearm shiver.

The momentum carried Caratini a few steps backward, but he didn’t drop the ball or fall to the ground, keeping the Cubs within one run. Caratini took off his helmet and marched right up to Dietrich. The two went nose to nose and bumped chests while both benches and bullpens cleared. “He was out by 15 feet,” Caratini said through a translator. “That’s just where the play took me and I didn’t really like the way he shoved me. That’s what I told him.” Willson Contreras sprinted to home plate and looked like he wanted to fight. Kris Bryant walked up behind Contreras and tickled ex-Cub Starlin Castro. When Castro turned his back, Anthony Rizzo playfully pushed him. “It was rather entertaining,” Maddon said. “There was no reason for it. I was surprised. There was no animosity. It wasn’t a dirty play. There was nothing. He’s out by 52 feet. [Victor’s] got the ball. He bumps into him. Play over. That’s it. “I don’t think there was anybody that really got heated. It probably required tickling more than it did punches.” If Caratini grew up in a different era of Cubbie baseball, he might have experienced some of the same expectations that at times overwhelmed Castro on the North Side. Castro is now working for Marlins CEO Derek Jeter instead of appearing on that come-to-Wrigley billboard opposite the iconic New York Yankees shortstop. Caratini is a switch-hitting catcher who put up a .951 OPS in the Pacific Coast League last season, when he became the organization’s minor league player of the year at a time when the prospect craze had already faded. Contreras is The Man behind the plate, but he clearly respects Caratini, a converted infielder who went 1-for-4 with a run scored and two RBI groundouts at a time when the vaunted offense is struggling with situational hitting. As the media surrounded Caratini’s locker, Contreras — wearing a black hat with T’KILLER across the front — winked at one reporter. Contreras then borrowed another reporter’s iPhone to join the scrum and record Caratini as he talked about the Dietrich incident. “I just thought it was unnecessary because he was out by so much,” Caratini said. “But I understand it’s just part of the game, so I let him know that, and we move forward.” The Cubs are moving forward with the assumption that Yu Darvish is only supposed to miss one start because of the “parainfluenza virus” that led to this spot start for Tseng, who had been 0-4 with an 8.04 ERA at Iowa. Tseng threw the first pitch at 7:05 p.m. and 10 minutes later pitching coach Jim Hickey walked out to the mound because the Cubs were already down 3-0 in the first inning. But Bote delivered a pinch-hit, two-run double in the second inning and Caratini worked with six different relievers who combined to throw seven scoreless innings against the Marlins (13-22). This idea had been a Maddon talking point in spring trainings past. “I thought there was some really good talent,” Maddon said, “that was not being talked about as diligently or severely or in such a flowery manner, just because of the guys that were ahead of them. I mean, Bryant just arrived. [Kyle] Schwarber just arrived. Addison [Russell] just arrived. Javy [Báez] just arrived. So even if you’re that good coming up, it’s hard to put a dent in that conversation.

“Bote’s a nice-looking player [and] he plays multiple positions. He’s got some severe pop in that bat. When you look at the analytical stuff, there’s some things he does really well that’s probably not obvious. “The fact that we’ve had such a wonderful class that came out — don’t be deceived — there’s some other really good players coming up yet.” Don’t be fooled: To get beyond this 18-15 start, the Cubs absolutely need Darvish to pitch up to his $126 million contract and Bryzzo to kick-start this lineup and enough depth to show up across the 162-game schedule. Bryant led off the eighth inning and drew a walk against Marlins reliever Kyle Barraclough, moved to second base on a wild pitch and scored from third against a drawn-in infield. Caratini hit a groundball right to Castro and the second baseman didn’t rush it. Where Castro didn’t show a lot of urgency, Bryant is always an alert baserunner, sliding into home plate for the game-winning run. Bryant was not available to discuss his tickle fight when the clubhouse opened to the media. Caratini is available for whatever the Cubs need next. “Victor is sharp,” Maddon said. “The kid is a big-league ballplayer, man. That’s no joke. When he does something good out there, please don’t be surprised. He’s really good and he’s going to keep getting better. With the appropriate number of at-bats, he’s going to be really interesting.” -- The Athletic Joe Maddon doesn’t give a ‘rat’s ass’ about your lineup suggestions, and he says, ‘We can use that on The Athletic.’ By Patrick Mooney In the middle of Joe Maddon’s always entertaining pregame press briefing Tuesday, a reporter prefaced a Kyle Schwarber question with, “I don’t give a rat’s ass about lineups, but the leadoff spot…” “Is that a technical term?” Maddon said, laughing. “We can use that on The Athletic, but not necessarily on everyone else’s newspaper.” The Cubs can build as many VIP clubs as they want and surround the stadium with trendy restaurants, but one thing will never change about the Wrigley Field experience: the manager constantly getting second-guessed about the lineup. It drove Dusty Baker and Lou Piniella crazy in the old dungeon, a cramped storage room with white walls and a putting-green carpet. Dale Sveum was usually grumpy no matter what. Ricky Renteria just smiled and ignored the questions. Maddon, likely the most media-friendly manager in Cubs history, now does his media sessions in an underground corporate conference room. There was plenty to discuss before Tuesday’s 4-3 win over the Miami Marlins: Jason Heyward in concussion protocol and on the seven-day disabled list; Jen-Ho Tseng starting because Yu Darvish has the flu; Rob Zastryzny and David Bote up from Triple-A Iowa; the state of Javier Báez’s groin.

But in a true Maddon being Maddon moment, he started rolling about this idea that he should just stick with one lineup to spark a lifeless offense. “Honestly, it’s such a non-sophisticated conversation,” Maddon said. “I don’t know how it begins. I’ve heard it from old baseball dudes. I think fathers pass it down to sons on occasion. It’s like teaching your kid how to drive a stick shift – it just gets passed along. All my kids – both my kids – know how to drive it. And I got to teach my granddaughter. “I don’t argue it. I try not to comment on it, because, really, it’s such a poor discussion. There’s no sophistication to it whatsoever. It makes zero sense. It doesn’t belong in today’s game. “Actually, it never belonged in anybody’s game, except that back then, you had to be small to hit first or second. They had uniforms that were probably 32 pants and 40 shirts. And if you fit into that, you hit first or second. I mean, that’s just the way it was back in the day. It’s really a boring argument. And I can’t get caught up in it. But now that you asked the question, thank you very much.” By the way, the Cubs used 130 lineups (excluding pitchers) during that World Series season, with the most common batting order being used six times. Maddon enjoys being in front of the cameras and fashioning himself as a Renaissance man. But tinkering with the lineup is not some ego trip. It’s exactly the opposite, trying to incorporate information from The Geek Department, balance the front office’s long-range goals and maintain a sense of clubhouse chemistry. “When you talk to Billy [Williams] and some of the other dudes that have played in the past – they never got a day off,” Maddon said. “They felt exhausted by the time August rolled around. And that’s what I witnessed when I worked for the Angels. I thought that we had like the worst September records ever when I was coming up as a coach. That always struck me. “When you have the roster that we have, it permits you to do these things. When you got everybody bought in – in your clubhouse – [it] matters. And the only way you get that done is everybody participates. If you sit people for a week or 10 days at a time – and then you ask them to play and to anticipate something good – that’s a really horrible assumption. “Furthermore, in the offseason, your GM and your president, they put together a team and there’s parts that have to be utilized. So, again, it’s just a really non-sophisticated argument.” As we’ve learned in the past three seasons, Maddon is stubborn, which explains why the way he managed the bullpen during the 2016 World Series became such a drawn-out story. But look at the results since he took over a last-place team after the 2014 season: more than 300 wins, three straight trips to the NLCS and a parade down Michigan Ave. Last year’s leadoff experiment with Schwarber may or may not have contributed to the downward spiral that got him demoted to Triple-A. Just as you knew he would, Maddon is reconsidering that idea now that Schwarber is again looking like the hitter who once demolished playoff pitching. “It’s not impossible,” Maddon said. “I have thought about it. It came up a couple times recently. But when Zo’s available, I really like Zo there a lot. I think [Ben Zobrist] is our best option on any given day, especially against a righty.

“It’s not impossible to see that. Honestly, I don’t look at hits. It’s not about hits. It’s about their approach at the plate, what they’re taking. In other words, if they’re taking pitches out of the zone or if they’re controlling their strike zone. That’s what I’m looking at.” Every team embraces Big Data. It’s not just going off gut instincts or what a leadoff hitter should look like. Maddon wants numbers from the research-and-development department and he bounces ideas off Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer. Right now, he sees the 100-plus-point spread between Schwarber’s batting average (.268) and on-base percentage (.372). “That’s always been my benchmark,” Maddon said. “When you’re 100 points over your batting average, you pretty much got your strike zone organized. So, yeah, listen, I’m not running to get there yet. But I’m not running away from it, either. I think if it all makes sense, you’ll see him back up there and he’ll embrace it.” Maddon won’t be concerned about the backlash on social media or how it will play on talk radio or any connect-the-dots theories about batting leadoff and Schwarber’s .171 average when he packed for Iowa last June. “No, that has nothing to do with anything,” Maddon said. “The struggles he had last year had nothing to do with where he hit in the batting order. He would have struggled anywhere in the batting order last year, based on how he was swinging the bat. “That’s rearview-mirror stuff. That is not pertinent to today. I don’t evaluate in that manner. Like I said, I’m looking at where he’s at. What’s he swinging at? What’s he not swinging at? Is he controlling his zone? I promise you, if he had this approach last year, he probably would have been very successful as that leadoff hitter. But he just had a different approach going on. But I don’t believe in that kind of stuff. If he’s the best-suited guy in the moment, you’ll see him back up there.” Maddon invites such a freewheeling atmosphere that he gets follow-up questions like this: Where would Babe Ruth hit in your lineup? “I’d have gone right/left/right,” Maddon said. “I’d put Babe between two good right-handed hitters.” So your fantasy-baseball version of the New York Yankees wouldn’t have Ruth and Lou Gehrig hitting back-to-back? “Nah, maybe actually Babe would have hit second and possibly Gehrig fourth, something like that,” Maddon said. “It would have really blown them away. And I’d have Jimmie Reese leading off. My boy.” -- Cubs.com Cubs wiggle past Marlins on Bryant's wheels By Carrie Muskat CHICAGO -- Kris Bryant showed off his baserunning skills, Victor Caratini and David Bote led the subs with two RBIs apiece, and the Cubs did a little tickling to hold off the Marlins. Bryant scored the go-ahead run from third on an infield grounder with one out in the eighth inning Tuesday night to lift the Cubs to a 4-3 victory over the Marlins at Wrigley Field.

With the game tied at 3 in the eighth, the Marlins' Kyle Barraclough walked Bryant, and he moved up on a wild pitch and a groundout. Caratini then chopped a grounder to second baseman Starlin Castro, who threw home, but Bryant was able to slide under the tag for the game winner. "He's a great baserunner, probably one of the best in the league, and he shows that time and time again," Chicago's Anthony Rizzo said of Bryant. "It gets overshadowed by everything else he does. His baserunning is something every young player should look at because he does it the right way. "Kris is quick. You have to get rid of it super quick to get him. It was a good throw -- it wasn't perfect." Castro took the blame. "That's the play we wanted," Castro said. "We knew he was going to run on contact. I've got to make a quicker throw. I take the responsibility, it's on me. That's what we were looking for, that's why we were playing the infield in, and that's what we wanted. I've got to make the play." Caratini, a backup catcher, drove in the tying run on a forceout in the sixth while Bote, promoted from Triple-A Iowa, hit a two-run pinch-hit double in the second inning. For Caratini, it was his first career multi-RBI game, while Bote notched his first Major League RBI. Caratini also held his own during a brief dustup with Derek Dietrich at home plate. "It was rather entertaining," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. "There was no reason for it. I was surprised. There was no animosity. It wasn't a dirty play, it was nothing. [Dietrich] is out by 52 feet, [Caratini] has got the ball. [Dietrich] bumps into him, play over. It was kind of surprising. I don't think there was anyone who got heated. it probably required more tickling than punches." The giggles came when Bryant playfully poked Castro, his former teammate, in the stomach. Jen-Ho Tseng, called up from Triple-A Iowa to fill in for Yu Darvish, who was sick, served up three runs over two innings, including two on Bour's first-inning home run. Last September, Tseng arrived at Wrigley Field to be honored as the Cubs' Minor League pitcher of the year. Maddon surprised the right-hander by telling him that he was going to start, and Tseng made his Major League debut on Sept. 14. Tseng got a little more notice this time. "I studied more about the hitters before the game," Tseng said. "Compared to last time, I had more time to prepare for the game." In addition to Darvish, the Cubs were without Jason Heyward, who was placed on the seven-day concussion disabled list before the game, and Javier Baez didn't start because of a tender groin but did enter as a pinch-hitter and stayed to play third, making a great defensive play on Miguel Rojas' hard-hit ball for the second out in the ninth. MOMENTS THAT MATTERED Start me up: Tseng struck out J.T. Realmuto on three pitches to start the game and got Cameron Maybin to ground out on his fourth pitch. But Castro singled to set up Justin Bour's home run, which gave the Marlins a 2-0 lead. Brian Anderson and Dietrich hit back-to-back doubles to make it 3-0. Rob Zastryzny, also promoted from Iowa on Tuesday, pitched two innings and five other relievers finished the game. "I went as far as I could with the first two guys," said Maddon, who was concerned about the Marlins' bullpen. "It worked out as wonderfully as it did."

Time out: Both benches emptied in the Marlins' third after Dietrich ran into Caratini at home plate. Dietrich was trying to score on Lewis Brinson's single to right but Ben Zobrist's throw home easily beat him. Dietrich and Caratini came face to face, and had a few words, and then players sprinted from the dugouts and the relievers ran in from the bullpens. Peace was quickly restored. "He was out by 15 feet and that's where the play took me," Caratini said. "I didn't like the way he shoved me. That's what I told him -- you didn't need to do that, you were out. We exchanged some words and that was it." Said Dietrich: "I was surprised we even cleared the benches for that one. At least I know our guys are ready to roll." SOUND SMART Cubs relievers did not give up a run over seven innings, striking out seven. The bullpen crew has now combined for at least seven innings in a game three times this season and twice in the past three games. HE SAID IT "He does everything right on the bases. He's a really, really astute baserunner. That's not just what you saw tonight, he's shown that from the time he got here. He takes all the facets of the game seriously. He runs out to the outfield [switching from third base], no big deal, 'I'm fine, I can play out here.' That's not normal. Guys of his ilk, guys who've won MVPs, you start throwing them all over the place like that, they might look at you weird, but he doesn't. He just goes there and plays. He's a baseball player." -- Maddon, on Bryant MITEL REPLAY OF THE DAY With two out and a runner at first in the Marlins' third, Anderson hit a grounder to shortstop Addison Russell, whose throw appeared to pull Rizzo off first base. Anderson was called safe but the Cubs challenged the ruling and after a review, it was overturned. UP NEXT Jose Quintana will close the three-game series on Wednesday. The lefty had trouble getting into a good rhythm in his last outing against the Cardinals, and needed 88 pitches to get through four innings. Quintana lost to the Marlins on April 1, giving up six runs over six innings. First pitch will be 1:20 p.m. CT from Wrigley Field. Left-hander Wei-Yin Chen gets the start for the Marlins. -- Cubs.com Baez enters off bench after resting as precaution By Carrie Muskat CHICAGO -- Javier Baez, who came out of Monday's game with tightness in his right groin, tried to talk his way into Tuesday's lineup but Cubs manager Joe Maddon decided not to start the infielder. "He feels fine," Maddon said before the Cubs' 4-3 victory on Tuesday night. "He came in and reassured me that he feels good. Talking to the trainers ... I thought it was wise [to wait]." Baez, who has 10 home runs and led the Majors with 32 RBIs, did enter as a pinch-hitter and stayed to play third, making a great defensive play on Miguel Rojas' hard-hit ball for the second out in the ninth.

On Monday night, Baez made an awkward play to throw out Justin Bour to open the seventh, and Brian Anderson then doubled. Baez was not involved on Anderson's ball, but Maddon and athletic trainer Nick Frangella went out to check on him, and then removed him from the game. "It was kind of sore and it was cramping for a second or two," Baez said. "Everything's good." Roster moves • Right-handed reliever Cory Mazzoni was recalled from Triple-A Iowa on Monday and pitched one inning, but he was headed back to the Minor League team on Tuesday, as the Cubs added lefty Rob Zastryzny to the bullpen. Zastryzny had a 2.35 ERA in eight games at Triple-A Iowa, striking out 13 and walking nine over 15 1/3 innings. In 2016, Zastryzny posted a 1.13 ERA in eight games with the Cubs. Mazzoni had been added to provide a fresh arm to the bullpen after back-to-back extra-inning games over the weekend against the Cardinals. • Jen-Ho Tseng was called up from Iowa to start Tuesday night in place of Yu Darvish, who was placed on the 10-day disabled list with flu-like symptoms. That move allowed Maddon to give catcher Willson Contreras a breather and start Victor Caratini on Tuesday. Maddon wants Contreras to be matched up with Darvish and Jon Lester. -- Cubs.com Cubs place Heyward on concussion DL By Carrie Muskat CHICAGO -- Cubs outfielder Jason Heyward was placed on the seven-day concussion disabled list, retroactive to Monday, after he was injured hitting the wall trying to catch Dexter Fowler's walk-off home run in the 14th inning on Sunday in St. Louis. A five-time Gold Glove winner, Heyward slammed into the wall in the right-field corner at Busch Stadium and hit his head trying to grab Fowler's ball. Cubs manager Joe Maddon said he did not plan on playing Heyward on Monday against Marlins lefty Jarlin Garcia and wanted to see how the outfielder felt Tuesday. "He popped it on that fly ball the other day in St. Louis on the home run by Dexter," Maddon said. "I knew he was not feeling 100 percent. We just have to go through protocol and take our time with it." Heyward was batting .227 in 29 games this season. The Cubs recalled versatile infielder David Bote from Triple-A Iowa to take Heyward's spot on the roster. Also, left-hander Rob Zastryzny was recalled and righty Cory Mazzoni was optioned to Iowa a day after making his 2018 debut and pitching an inning of relief on Monday. The Cubs also recalled right-hander Jen-Ho Tseng from Iowa to start Tuesday night against the Marlins. And separately, star infielder Javier Baez (right groin tightness) was held out of the lineup Tuesday as a precautionary measure, but he said he could pinch-hit. While Heyward is out, Maddon said Kris Bryant could move from third base to right field to fill in.

-- ESPNChicago.com Joe Maddon says blaming slump on lineup switches a 'non-sophisticated conversation' By Jesse Rogers CHICAGO -- The Chicago Cubs have pushed back on the notion manager Joe Maddon juggles his lineup too much. On Monday, team president Theo Epstein dismissed it as a reason for any offensive struggles, and Maddon continued that theme on Tuesday. "Honestly, it's such a non-sophisticated conversation," Maddon said before the Cubs' 4-3 win against the Miami Marlins. "It really is. I don't know how it begins. I've heard it from old baseball dudes. I think fathers pass it down to sons on occasion. It's like teaching your kid how to drive a stick shift. It just gets passed along." Entering Tuesday's game, the Cubs had failed to score at least four runs in 10 of their previous 12 contests, sparking cries for Maddon to stick with one lineup. He has used 28 different ones so far, ranking 16th most in baseball this season, according to Elias Sports Bureau research -- though the Cubs are tied for playing the fewest games in the league. "I try not to comment on it, because really it's such a poor discussion," Maddon stated. "There's no sophistication to it whatsoever. It makes zero sense. It doesn't belong in today's game." Epstein added: "It's actually misinterpreted. It's out of a desire to put every player in a position to succeed." Maddon often uses his five outfielders in a platoon situation, mixing and matching depending on the opposing pitcher and if the Cubs are playing a day game after a night contest. Additionally, the veteran manager has always used his entire roster early in the season as he has been burned by fatigued teams in the past. "Part of the discussion I've heard over the last couple years is when you talk to [former Cub] Billy Williams and some of the other dudes that have played in the past, was the fact that they never got a day off. They felt exhausted by the time August rolled around. And that's what I witnessed when I worked for the Angels. I thought that we had, like, the worst September records ever when I was coming up as a coach." Epstein pointed to the fact that the Cubs have won under Maddon employing the strategy and Maddon has won using it over the course of managing two different franchises. "We've won a lot of games the last three years," Epstein said. "Whenever we're winning no one talks about how we've overcome moving guys around in the lineup. Its only when we're losing. It can be hard to explain sometimes. ... I don't think it's because of how Joe has been writing lineups here." Maddon concurred: "It's really a boring argument. And I can't get caught up in it." -- NBC Sports Chicago All the best/funniest moments from the Cubs-Marlins benches clearing incident

By Tony Andracki The Cubs and Marlins delivered a benches clearing incident Tuesday night at Wrigley Field but instead of tempers boiling over, a ticklefight ensued a few feet from home plate. Lewis Brinson lined a hard single to right field off Cubs pitcher Rob Zastryzny in the fourth inning. Ben Zobrist came up firing with an absolute beauty of a throw to home plate to nab Derek Dietrich trying to score: "He was out by 15 feet and that's just where the play took me," Caratini said. "I didn't really like the way he shoved me and that's what I told him: 'You didn't need to do that. You were out by quite a bit.' We exchanged some words and that was it. "I thought it was unecessary because he was out by so much, but I understand it's just part of the game, so I let him know that and we move forward." Some things to focus on: First off, what a throw from a guy that's about to turn 37 later this month and has played a lot more second base than outfield since joining the Cubs. Secondly, it was interesting and amusing to see the bullpen doors open and both teams come sprinting out from under the bleachers to join the foray. A couple years ago, a benches clearing incident would've just resulted in each team's bullpen coming from a couple hundred feet down the foul line. Willson Contreras was MOVING out of the Cubs dugout, looking like he was ready to hand out some serious punishment to protect his fellow catcher. But instead of an actual fist fight, however, we got some comedy gold, like Bryzzo teaming up to play-fight with former teammate Starlin Castro. First there was Kris Bryant tickling Castro: Shortly after that moment, Anthony Rizzo jokingly pushed Castro from behind and the two players laughed it off: "I pushed Starlin," Rizzo said, smiling, and acknowledged he didn't even know Bryant tried to initiate a tickle fight. Javy Baez loved it all: Nobody was ejected and the coaches and umpires were able to quickly gain control of the situation, which couldn't have been that difficult when opposing players are out there tickling each other and laughing. "It was rather entertaining," Joe Maddon said. "I mean, there was no reason for it. I was surprised. There was no animosity. It wasn't a dirty play, it was nothing. He was out by 52 feet, we got the ball, he bumps into him, play over, that's it. "It's kind of surprising. I don't think there was anybody who really got heated. Probably required tickling more than it did punches."

-- NBC Sports Chicago Victor Caratini has turned into a very valuable role player with Cubs By Tony Andracki Every championship-caliber team needs a handful of role players who step up in big moments. Victor Caratini sure looks to be one of those guys for the 2018 Cubs. It was a mild shock when the Cubs opted for the rookie Caratini to be the team's backup catcher coming out of spring training over the veteran Chris Gimenez, who also had familiarity with new free agent signing Yu Darvish. The 24-year-old Caratini has taken the opportunity and run with it and helped lift the Cubs over the Miami Marlins Tuesday night at Wrigley Field. It was the second straight start for Caratini, who filled in for Anthony Rizzo Monday night at first base and then gave Willson Contreras a break behind the plate Tuesday. After singling in his first at-bat Tuesday night, Caratini then stood his ground when Marlins outfielder Derek Dietrich gave him a shove on a play at home. It resulted in a benches clearing incident, but no punches were thrown and Caratini kept his cool. The Marlins never scored after that, while Caratini drove home the tying run in the sixth inning and then the go-ahead run in the eighth inning on a pair of groundouts. "It was nice," Rizzo said. "He comes in every day, he works hard, he wants to learn, he asks a lot of questions and he's ready to play. He's gotten a lot more playing time and it's nice. "It's not hard to cheer for him." On top of all that, Caratini also caught all nine innings of what morphed into a "bullpen day" for the Cubs as they used seven different pitchers. The end result was 7 shutout innings for the relievers with Caratini calling the pitches. "He did a wonderful job," Maddon said. The Cubs manager was singing Caratini's praises before Tuesday's game, talking about how he isn't afraid to play the young switch-hitter all over the diamond and not just as backup catcher. Maddon wouldn't even rule out a stop at third base or even a trip to the outfield. Caratini has played some third base in the minors (58 games) but has never played outfield and has most of his time at first base (94 games) and catcher (326 games). Maddon also raved about his quality of at-bats even when he's not getting results. After Tuesday's game, Caratini is hitting .288 with a .339 on-base percentage and doubled his RBI total with the big night.

"Victor's sharp, man," Maddon said. "When he's not playing, he's studying. He's in [catching coach Mike] Borzello's back pocket all the time. He showed that in spring training; we saw that last year. "I mean, the kid is a big-league ballplayer, man. That's no joke. When he does something good out there, please don't be surprised. He's really good. And he's gonna keep getting better. With the appropriate number of at-bats, he's gonna be really interesting." -- NBC Sports Chicago Javy Baez brushes off minor injury and sets his sights on Gold Glove By Tony Andracki Breathe easy, Cubs fans. El Mago should be back in the starting lineup for Wednesday's series finale against the Miami Marlins. Javy Baez had to leave Monday night's blowout win with a groin issue after doing the splits on a throw from Kris Bryant at second base earlier in the contest. Baez was in good spirts before Tuesday night's game, joking about how he's not as flexible as Anthony Rizzo (who routinely does the splits at first base) and explained it was more of a cramp that cropped up rather than a serious injury. Baez said he was trying to lobby to play in Tuesday's game but manager Joe Maddon opted to give his star second baseman the night off before throwing him back in the lineup for Wednesday's day game against a left-handed Miami pitcher. "I feel better," Baez said. "Came here early today, went out there and I ran, stretched, talked to a trainer, talked to Joe. Everything is good. "It wasn't that painful. I was just sore and getting a little cramp. The cramp didn't stay there for long, so everything's good." The 25-year-old is enjoying a breakout season at the plate, putting his self-appointed title as a slow starter to rest. He entered play Tuesday leading the National League with 32 RBI to go with 10 homers, a .285 batting average and a .979 OPS. However, Baez has also made 8 errors already in 30 games, including 3 miscues in 8 games at shortstop. Of course, he's also made a bunch of eye-popping plays on the infield, but the mistakes have been head-scratching. "I'm just trying to do my best," Baez said. "I'm impressed in my start, even in a bad way. I already have 8 errors trying to get a Gold Glove. It's all about making adjustments and going out there and practicing and getting better at it." Baez casually slipped in the part about a Gold Glove, but that's clearly something both he and the Cubs are shooting for. Last year, Maddon kept saying how there should be a "utlity player" Gold Glove for guys that don't play just one position.

Baez one of the most dynamic fielders in the game with incredible instincts, a voracious appetitie to get to every ball hit anywhere near him and elite physical tools. But in the past, he has moved around too much and hasn't really been considered an everyday player, so the rest of the league hasn't noticed when it comes to Gold Glove time. Now that he is playing second base on a daily basis and the bat has caught up to his defense and baserunning, 2018 very well could be the year Baez is finally recognized on a national level for his glove, only to see a slow start halt any momentum of that before it could get going. "I've been making errors, but the next day, I'm out there taking ground balls and trying to get better." It's those mistakes that are still holding Baez back, but his potential as an elite all-around player is tantalizing. Defense isn't supposed to slump, but Baez admitted it may be part concentration lapse and part thinking too much. "Javy plays such a slow game. I mean that in a highly complimentary way," Maddon said about Baez earlier in the season. "On defense and on the bases, the game is very slow for him. He sees everything, he analyzes everything. "...I think to really perform at a high rate, you need to have a slow mind. Things don't get too quick. You're able to process the moment really clearly and that permits you to see. When your mind gets too quick, you can't see things clearly." Nobody could've predicted that as Baez ascends to the next level offensively, somehow his defense would take a step back. But his bat has been so good, he has forced the issue on playing time and worked his way into the lineup on an everyday basis. After challenging for the NL Player of the Month in April, he experienced a mini-slump before rebounding with a homer in his last three games, driving in 6 runs in the process. His strikeout rate has dropped dramatically — down to 19.8 percent from a career rate of 28.4 percent — and he doesn't have as many of those wild, out of control swings anymore. "I think he's consistently more under control," president of baseball operations Theo Epstein said. "When he takes a big swing, it's a one-pitch correction. He gets back to maybe he'll keep his foot on the ground or maybe he'll be a little bit quieter in his load. "It's an instant adjustment and he's seeming to be in such a controlled, aggressive stance that when he gets his pitch, he's putting a good swing on it and not missing it." -- NBC Sports Chicago Mr. Underrated: Pedro Strop just keeps doin' his thing By Tony Andracki The Cubs have had four different closers over the last three seasons.

Beyond Aroldis Chapman, Wade Davis, Brandon Morrow and Hector Rondon, they've had a handful of other pitchers who could be "the guy" if an injury befell the back end of the team's bullpen — guys like Carl Edwards Jr. or Koji Uehara or Steve Cishek or even Justin Wilson. Somehow, Pedro Strop always seems to get overlooked. The 32-year-old veteran has been one of the more underrated relievers in the game since he came over as "the other guy" in the Jake Arrieta trade with the Baltimore Orioles in July 2013. After two shutout innings Saturday in St. Louis — a ballpark and a team that has haunted him in the past (7.04 ERA, 1.76 WHIP at Busch Stadium, even after Saturday's outing) — Strop now has a 1.93 ERA and 1.07 WHIP on the 2018 campaign. Overall, he's 16-18 with a 2.68 ERA, 1.03 WHIP and 332 strikeouts in 285.2 innings in a Cubs uniform. He has never finished a year in Chicago with an ERA above 2.91. Since the start of the 2014 season (his first full year with the Cubs), Strop ranks 21st in baseball in ERA among relievers, just behind guys like Cody Allen and Kelvin Herrera and coming in ahead of pitchers like Roberto Osuna, David Robertson and Greg Holland. In that same span, he ranks 13th in baseball in appearances (278), more than stud relievers Kenley Jansen and Andrew Miller. This year, Maddon is using Strop more than ever, as he's on pace for 71 innings, which would represent a career high. Even despite the consistency and regular season numbers, Strop still found himself outside Joe Maddon's Circle of Trust during the 2016 playoff run. However, that was more due to a knee injury that sidelined him to end that regular season, leading to a bit of rust entering October. Pitching in a Cubs uniform on the postseason over the last three years, Strop has only allowed 7 hits in 16.1 innings, sporting a 2.20 ERA and 0.80 WHIP in 19 appearances. What's led to that consistency? "I think it's routine," Strop said. "Be professional in what you're doing, even when the day doesn't go well for you. OK, it's in the past, keep looking ahead and just try to do better whenever you get back in there. Stuff like that. "Little things can change the whole thing. I'm really mentally tough to walk away when things are bad. I think that's been a huge part of me being consistent — just let everything go and keep going." Strop has admitted he hasn't always been very good at letting the bad stuff go. The only reason he was even available in the deal five summers ago was because he had posted a 7.25 ERA in 29 games in Baltimore after looking like one of the game's bright young relief stars the previous two seasons (2.34 ERA). Strop has spent a lot of time learning from other veterans in his career and has now gotten to the point where he's now one of the seasoned, wise vets in the Cubs bullpen, lending counsel to younger guys like Edwards.

"I've been learning a lot and I think [the mental aspect] is a really important part, especially for relievers," Strop said. "You don't have as much time to be thinking about bad outings. You just gotta put it away and get back in there the next day. "I don't want to say starting is easier, but when you have a bad outing as a starter, you have another five days to put everything together in bullpens and stuff. But as a reliever, you gotta be ready the next day." -- Chicago Tribune Kris Bryant's baserunning helps Cubs as he scores winning run in 4-3 victory over Marlins By Mark Gonzales Cubs manager Joe Maddon doesn’t care what anyone thinks about his penchant for employing different lineups. To illustrate his point, Maddon is considering using Kyle Schwarber at the leadoff spot despite Schwarber’s well-documented struggles there last season that subsequently led to a brief demotion to Triple-A Iowa. In the meantime, Maddon won’t hesitate to use his entire roster, which compensated for starter Jen-Ho Tseng’s short outing Tuesday night to rally for a 4-3 victory over the Marlins. Kris Bryant drew a walk to start the eighth inning against Kyle Barraclough and got a quick jump off third to score the winning run on Victor Caratini’s fielder’s choice as second baseman Starlin Castro paused before throwing too late to home plate. “(Bryant’s baserunning) gets overshadowed because of everything else he does,” Anthony Rizzo said. “His baserunning is something that every young player should look at because he does it the right way.” Six relievers — including recently-promoted Rob Zastryzny — combined to blank the Marlins over the final seven innings after Tseng gave up three runs in the first filling in for the ailing Yu Darvish. Recently-promoted David Bote pinch hit for Tseng in the second and whacked a two-run double. Caratini, starting in place of struggling catcher Willson Contreras, singled to start the two-run second and provided two RBIs with fielder’s choices. Caratini also stood up to Derek Dietrich when Dietrich tried to run him over at home plate after Ben Zobrist made an accurate throw to nail him by 15 feet. Words were exchanged as the benches emptied, but order was restored quickly as Bryant and Javier Baez joked with former teammate Castro. “(Dietrich) was out by 15 feet,” Caratini said. “That’s where the play took me. I didn’t like the way he shoved me, and that’s what I told him. He didn’t need to do it. He was out by quite a bit, and we exchanged some words, and that was it. “I thought it was unnecessary because he was out by so much, but I understand it’s part of the game.” Zobrist started in right field in place of Jason Heyward, who was placed on the seven-day concussion disabled list after hitting the wall in his failed attempt to catch Dexter Fowler’s game-winning homer Sunday.

Baez came off the bench, nursing an ailing right groin, and robbed Miguel Rojas of a hit at third base in the ninth. Maddon is intent on moving his various parts, even as his frequent lineup changes increasingly irritate Cubs followers. “I try not to comment on it because it’s such a poor discussion,” Maddon said before the game. “There’s no sophistication to it whatsoever. It makes zero sense. It doesn’t belong in today’s game. And it didn’t belong ever, except back when you had to be small to hit first or second. “They had uniforms. They were (32-inch waist) pants and (size) 42 shirts. And if you fit into that, you hit first or second. That’s the way it was back in the day. It goes with dress codes and making the first or third out at third base. It’s a boring argument. I can’t get caught up in it. But thank you very much.” -- Chicago Tribune Anthony Rizzo showing signs of overcoming his early struggles By Mark Gonzales For one of the few times in his career, Anthony Rizzo took his eye off the flight of his single in the sixth inning Tuesday night. Rizzo found some relief to his rough start as he pointed toward manager Joe Maddon before resuming his jog to first base. “Joe called a hit-and-run play and in my past here, when I get the hit-and-run sign I usually hit it to where the (second baseman) is running to,” Rizzo said. “It’s the first time it’s worked, so I pointed to him and let him know that.” Rizzo’s single advanced Kris Bryant to third and set up the tying run as the Cubs overcame a three-run deficit to pull out a 4-3 win over the Marlins. That was one of the few breaks Rizzo has received, as he has raised his batting average to .190 after his two-hit performance. Rizzo has hit safely in five of his last six games. “I feel it coming, and I want to get better every day,” Rizzo said. “It’s a cliché, but it’s in the right direction and I want to keep going that way.” -- Chicago Tribune Javier Baez could return to Cubs' lineup as soon as Wednesday By Mark Gonzales Javier Baez ripped a home run in batting practice that cleared the left field bleachers, and manager Joe Maddon believes his second base slugger could return to the Cubs’ lineup as soon as Wednesday’s series finale against the Marlins.

Baez said his right groin felt better, one day after leaving in the seventh inning because of tightness. Baez said he began to feel discomfort gradually after reaching far to catch a throw from third baseman Kris Bryant and played the next two innings until he chased a ball in the seventh inning. “I started feeling it more when I was getting ready between pitches,” Baez said. “It was giving me cramps.” Baez received treatments and ran prior to taking batting practice. Maddon said Baez reassured him that he feels well, increasing the possibility could be in the lineup as soon as Wednesday. Maddon also could take a more conservative approach and give Baez another day of rest. With Thursday serving as a day off, Baez could be fully rested for this weekend’s series against the White Sox. -- Chicago Sun-Times Why Joe Maddon is considering Kyle Schwarber for a return to Cubs’ leadoff spot By Gordon Wittenmyer Don’t look now, but the Cubs’ 18-month search for a leadoff man might take them right back to where they started. Will Kyle Schwarber be back at the top of the lineup? “I have thought about it,” manager Joe Maddon said. “It came up a couple times recently.” Maddon’s riding Ben Zobrist right now against left-handers. But Schwarber’s first appearance at the top of the lineup since last season’s failed experiment could be imminent the way he is reaching base and the way Maddon talked Tuesday. “Listen, I’m not running to get there yet, but I’m not running away from it either,” Maddon said. “If it all makes sense, you’ll see him back up there, and he’ll embrace it.” The bigger question might be whether the shirsey-wearing public is ready to embrace it. Schwarber’s 36-start run last season as Dexter Fowler’s replacement resulted in a .167 average and eventually a two-week demotion to the minors. Never mind the perception that putting that responsibility on Schwarber’s shoulders to open last season contributed to his slow start. “That has nothing to do with anything,” Maddon said. “If he’s the best-suited guy in the moment, you’ll see him back up there.” The Cubs entered Tuesday with a miserable .308 on-base percentage from the leadoff spot (24th in the majors), with just 19 runs in 32 games. That still hasn’t improve, as Zobrist struck out in his first two trips to the plate.

The Cubs’ inability to solve their leadoff puzzle post-Dexter Fowler was a major factor in their feast-and-famine scoring last year. Things haven’t improved so far this season as the offense has scored three runs or less in 10 of 11 games until Monday’s outburst against the crappy Marlins. Schwarber, on the other hand, has quietly been the Cubs’ most consistent on-base performer this side of Kris Bryant since the season began. After going 1-for-4 in Tuesday’s 4-3 victory over the Marlins, Schwarber is hitting .268 with an on-base percentage more than 100 points higher (.372), thanks to 16 walks that tied him with Bryant for the team lead. “If they’re taking pitches out of the zone, if they’re controlling their strike zone, that’s what I’m looking for,” said Maddon, who has used 11 different players in the leadoff spot since Fowler signed with the Cardinals after the 2016 season. “When you’re 100 points over your batting average, you’ve pretty much got your strike zone organized,” Maddon said. Since Schwarber led off 26 of the Cubs’ first 27 games last season, he has hit in every spot in the batting order, including ninth. Schwarber hasn’t led off since June 10 of last season. But five teammates have just five weeks into this season, including first baseman Anthony Rizzo and catcher Willson Contreras. “If he feels he wants me to do that, I’m up for it,” said Schwarber, who looks more calm and comfortable at the plate than at almost any time last year. “I’m just trying to stay simple, confident, be me and go from there.” The Cubs already went through this year’s version of 2017 Schwarber — when Ian Happ opened the season as the regular leadoff man against right-handers before slumping badly and exiting the role at the end of April. Maddon said he is not letting anything in the past influence what he does with Schwarber and the leadoff spot moving forward. “I agree,” said Schwarber, who has crept toward the top with three recent appearances at No. 2, including Tuesday. “My swing was just messed up last year. I was messed up. I was in a bad place. [Leadoff] had nothing to do with it.” -- Chicago Sun-Times Cubs put Jason Heyward on 7-day concussion disabled list By Gordon Wittenmyer The Cubs lost more than a game to the Cardinals when Dexter Fowler’s walk-off home run sailed over the glove of Jason Heyward on Sunday night. Heyward hit his head on the wall on that play, and after a day of medical observation, the Cubs put him on the seven-day concussion disabled list before Tuesday’s 4-3 victory over the Marlins.

The move was backdated one day. It is unclear whether he’ll be ready to return when he is eligible Monday against the Braves. “I knew he was not feeling 100 percent [Monday],” said manager Joe Maddon, who learned only the day after the 14th-inning play that Heyward smacked his head. “Then I talked to him in the dugout, and I could tell things were just off a little bit. “We just had to go through the protocol and take our time with it.” Baez ‘fine’ after groin scare Second baseman Javy Baez said he felt fine the day after leaving Monday’s game because of groin tightness, enough that he tried to talk his way into the lineup. Instead, Maddon chose to save Baez to start against left-hander Wei-Yin Chin on Wednesday afternoon. But the Cubs’ home run and RBI leader came off the bench Tuesday to single leading off the seventh and remained in the game at third base. Baez was hurt Monday on an awkward play in the fifth before leaving in the seventh after feeling tightness again. He tested his game fitness with the trainer and strength coach hours before the game. Tseng gets call for Darvish Despite an 8.04 ERA at Class AAA Iowa, Jen-Ho Tseng was recalled and started in place Yu Darvish, who was placed on the disabled list Monday because of the flu. Tseng gave up three two-out runs in the first inning on a two-run homer followed by back-to-back doubles and then pitched a 1-2-3 second inning before being lifted for a pinch hitter in the second. Maddon said several factors played into choosing Tseng, including who was available from the Iowa rotation based on their starting schedules. Top prospect Adbert Alzolay (2-1, 2.91 ERA) might have been in the conversation had he not pitched just three days earlier, Maddon said. David Bote, who was recalled from Iowa to take Heyward’s spot on the roster, hit a two-run double with two out in the second as the pinch hitter for Tseng. Pitching moves Trying to cover for a bullpen taxed by extra-inning games in St. Louis over the weekend and the anticipated short start by Tseng, the Cubs optioned Cory Mazzoni back to Iowa after his scoreless ninth inning Monday night. Left-hander Rob Zastryzny was recalled to take Mazzoni’s place and pitched two scoreless innings in relief of Tseng, allowing just one hit and a walk with two strikeouts. The Cubs scored the winning run with one out in the bottom of the eighth when Victor Caratini grounded to drawn-in second baseman Starlin Castro, who took too much time throwing to the plate as Kris Bryant slid home safely.

Caratini also drove in the tying run in the sixth on a grounder to short, with Bryant also scoring on that play. -- Daily Herald Everyone pitches in as Cubs edge Marlins 4-3 By Bruce Miles It was just as tough Tuesday to keep up with all of the Cubs' transactions as it was to track all the early action in their 4-3 victory over the Miami Marlins at Wrigley Field. First, the Cubs settled on Class AAA Iowa call-up Jen-Ho Tseng to start the game in place of the ill Yu Darvish. They also placed right fielder Jason Heyward on the seven-day concussion disabled list, recalling David Bote from Iowa. Tseng wasn't around long. He lasted 2 innings as he gave up 3 runs in the first inning, two coming on a homer by former Cubs farmhand Justin Bour. The Cubs got two back in the second, with Bote hitting a pinch, 2-run double. They tied it in the sixth on Victor Caratini's RBI forceout. Caratini got the game-winning RBI in the eighth when he grounded into a fielder's choice to former Cub Starlin Castro at second base with Kris Bryant running at third. Castro took a long time to throw home, and Bryant slid in safely. Tseng came up last year and worked in two games, getting a start and lasting just 3 innings. "I couldn't be very tolerant there," said manager Joe Maddon on the quick hook. "You saw how good their bullpen is. So you can't get so far behind that you have to play catch up against them." As for Heyward, he bumped his head on the right-field wall Sunday night at Busch Stadium in St. Louis as he tried in vain to catch Dexter Fowler's walk-off homer in the 14th inning. "I heard about it (Monday)," Maddon said. "And then I talked to him in the dugout. I could tell things were just off a little bit." The Cubs went with a bullpen committee to finish Tuesday's game, with newly recalled Rob Zastryzny following Tseng. Also pitching were Steve Cishek, Justin Wilson, Pedro Strop, Carl Edwards Jr., and Brandon Morrow. Benches cleared but no punches were thrown in the top of the fourth when Cubs right fielder Ben Zobrist threw out Derek Dietrich trying to score from second base on Lewis Brinson's single. Caratini fielded the ball and had plenty of time to wait for Dietrich, who slammed into Caratini. Words were exchanged and both bullpens and benches emptied but that was as far as things got. There were even a few playful exchanges between the Cubs and Castro.

"He was out by 15 feet," Caratini said through a translator. "That's just where the play took me. I didn't really like the way he shoved me, and that's what I told him. 'You didn't need to do that. You were out by quite a bit.' We exchanged some words, and that was it." Baez off the bench: Second baseman Javier Baez did not start after suffering right-groin tightness in Monday night's game. He did lead off the seventh inning as a pinch hitter and singled up the middle. In Monday's game, Baez had to reach behind him at second base to field a throw from third baseman Kris Bryant. "I feel better," Baez said. "I came out here early. I ran and stretched, talked to the trainers, talked to Joe (Maddon). Everything's good. It wasn't that painful. I was just sore and getting a little cramp." Here and gone: To make room on the roster for Rob Zastryzny, the Cubs optioned reliever Cory Mazzoni back to Iowa. Mazzoni came up Monday and pitched the ninth inning of the Cubs' 14-2 victory over the Marlins. -- Daily Herald Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon is tired of talking about set lineups By Bruce Miles Every now and then, it's good to push a Joe Maddon button. Tuesday seemed the right day since the subject of Maddon and the whole tired idea of "set lineups" seemed to be in play for the umpteenth time in various public circles. As you know, Joe doesn't believe in the set lineup, and that bothers some fans. Well, here are a few things. • Nobody in today's game believes in the "set lineup," and that's a good thing. • Those who deride Maddon for his lineup alchemy are the baseball version of flat-earthers and science-deniers. With all of the data on matchups and advantages/disadvantages available today to even the most casual of fans, a big-league manager would be derelict in his duties if he trotted out the same eight position players in the same order every day. "Honestly, it's such a non-sophisticated conversation," Maddon said before Tuesday night's game against the Miami Marlins. "It really is. I don't know how it begins. I've heard it from old baseball dudes. I think fathers pass it down to sons on occasion. It's like teaching your kid how to drive a stick shift. It just gets passed along. "I try not to comment on it because it's such a poor discussion. There's no sophistication to it whatsoever. It makes zero sense. It doesn't belong in today's game. And actually, it never belonged in anybody's game except that back then, you had to be small to hit first or second. They had uniforms that were probably like 32 (inch) pants and 40 shirts, and if you fit into that, you hit first or second. That's just the way it was back in the day.

"It goes with dress codes and making first and third outs at third base. Really, it's a boring argument. I can't get caught up in it. Now that you asked the question, thank you very much." You're welcome, Joe. Maybe fans long for the nostalgia of the days when Leo Durocher trotted out the likes of Kessinger, Beckert, Williams, Santo, Banks and the rest on a daily basis and won all those pennants from 1966-72. Oh, wait. Maddon, on the other hand, went with 130 different starting eights in 2016, and the Cubs won their first World Series in 108 years. He added he has a lot of talented position players for whom he needs to find playing time. "When you have the roster that we have, that permits you do to these things," he said. "B, when you got everybody bought in, in the clubhouse, it matters. The only way you get that done is everybody participates. If you sit people for a week or 10 days at a time and then you ask them to play and anticipate something good, that's a really horrible assumption." Players seem to be buying in. Albert Almora Jr., who had a nice run at leadoff hitter recently, said players come to the clubhouse every day willing to roll with the changes. Team president Theo Epstein said the lineup changing gets mischaracterized. "I think it's out of a desire to put every player in a position to succeed," Epstein said. "Sit them when they need to and protect them against matchups that he doesn't think are going to work out for them as well and make sure they're in there in a prominent spot when he likes the matchup. And keep them rested to they can thrive all season long. It's a bit of a red herring because we've a lot of games the last three years and six weeks. "Whenever we're winning, no one ever talks about how we've overcome moving guys around the lineup." -- Daily Herald Rozner: Chicago Cubs won't go anywhere if they don't improve pitching, defense By Barry Rozner At least for a day, the hysteria over the Cubs' offense dissipated. That's what happens when a team produces 14 runs on 15 hits and 5 walks against the Marlins' Jarlin Garcia, who entered Monday night leading the majors in ERA. But it misses the point. The Cubs are going to hit. There's little doubt about that. Whether it's this week or next, this month or next, the Cubs will eventually hit and their offense will look like what you thought it would be going into the season.

And still, it won't matter if they don't get better starting pitching and solid defense, which has been a big problem this year. Lost in Monday's barrage was that Kyle Hendricks was superb and the defense played well. That hasn't happened often enough in 2018. The Cubs went into the week 20th in baseball in quality starts, which is bad, but when you add in poor defense -- let's call it a quality start plus a clean game -- they were bottom five in all of MLB. They were also bottom five in unearned runs allowed and bottom five in walks issued. So you can talk all you want about the offense, but offense comes and goes. Teams get hot as a lineup and they get cold as a lineup. It's normal during the course of a baseball season. What you can control is how you pitch the baseball and how you catch the baseball. If you do those two things well, you will win a lot of games and you have a chance to go deep into the postseason. The Cubs have been bad at both through the first fifth of the season and it's kind of impressive that they've won as many games as they have considering how poorly they've played to this point. That's a positive, assuming they begin to pitch well and play better defense. The Cubs have invested a lot of money in their rotation in dollars (Jon Lester, Yu Darvish, Tyler Chatwood) or prospects traded (Jose Quintana), but only Hendricks has held up his end so far with 5 quality starts in 7 appearances, while Lester is 3-for-7, Quintana 2-for-6 and Darvish 2-for-6. Chatwood is 3-for-6, but has walked 27 in 32 innings, has a WHIP of 1.53 and even in his 3 quality starts has walked 14 in 19 innings. It's not about the offense, though it's always more exciting to talk about the hitting, which Theo Epstein addressed Monday. "I think every reasonable look at it … you remind yourself these guys are going to come out of it," Epstein said. "Anthony Rizzo is going to be Anthony Rizzo again and Willson Contreras is going to be Willson Contreras. We're due for some positive regression at some point. "We're last in the league (offensively) in walks. That's not going to last. We're not going to lead the league in soft contact. We're not going to be standard deviations worse than other teams with runners in scoring position. "That's not going to last." It doesn't mean Epstein has enjoyed the first 30-plus games any more than you have. "It was easy to look at the World Series hangover thing last year. There's no cute name for this. It's not pretty," Epstein said. "We know our fans are probably really frustrated, but our guys care a lot. "They're pressing, but we know it's not going to last forever, and you just have to keep grinding your way through it. There's no easy answer."

The offense will get it going and hit consistently at some point here soon, but it's hard to score enough to overcome bad starting pitching and poor defense. If you really want something to worry about, start with that. • Listen to Barry Rozner from 9 a.m. to noon Sundays on the Score's "Hit and Run" show at WSCR 670-AM and follow him @BarryRozner on Twitter. --