March 11, 2017

Chicago Sun-Times, Almora makes great catch, Happ has huge day http://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/cubs-game-notes-almora-makes-great-catch-happ-has-huge-day/

Chicago Sun-Times, Is Kyle Hendricks a No. 1-quality starter? Maddon says not yet http://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/is-kyle-hendricks-a-no-1-quality-starter-maddon-says-not-yet/

Chicago Sun-Times, Addison Russell wants to steal more bases. Will Cubs let him try? http://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/addison-russell-wants-to-steal-more-bases-will-cubs-let-him-try/

Cubs.com, Prospect Happ triple shy of cycle as Cubs blast 3 HRs http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/218758142/ian-happ-cubs-lose-to-mariners/

Cubs.com, Efficient Hendricks could be ace on another club http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/218760646/cubs-kyle-hendricks-sharp-vs-mariners/

Cubs.com, Move to bullpen catapulted Davis' career http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/218750876/cubs-wade-davis-wasnt-always-a-closer/

Cubs.com, Andreoli catching Maddon's attention at Classic http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/218763326/cubs-john-andreoli-impresses-at-classic/

CSNChicago.com, Kyle Hendricks Has No Intention Of Taking Things Slow In Cubs Camp http://www.csnchicago.com/chicago-cubs/kyle-hendricks-has-no-intention-taking-things-slow-cubs-camp

CSNChicago.com, Cubs Attempting To Tap Into Albert Almora Jr.'s Offensive Upside http://www.csnchicago.com/chicago-cubs/cubs-attempting-tap-albert-almora-jrs-offensive-upside

Chicago Tribune, Albert Almora Jr. 'a star in the making' for the Cubs http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-albert-almora-jr-star-in-making-spt-0312-20170311-story.html#nt=oft03a-1la1

Chicago Tribune, Is Kris Bryant poised to eclipse Mike Trout as baseball's biggest star? http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/columnists/ct-kris-bryant-mike-trout-sullivan-spt-0312-20170311-column.html

Chicago Tribune, Cubs' Kyle Hendricks not looking out for No. 1 starter role http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-kyle-hendricks-finding-rhythm-spt-0311-20170310-story.html

Chicago Tribune, Cubs in no rush to make Anthony Rizzo the next 'Grandpa' http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-joe-maddon-anthony-rizzo-cubs-20170310-story.html

-- Chicago Sun-Times Almora makes great catch, Happ has huge day By Steve Greenberg

PEORIA, Ariz. — Kyle Hendricks was the first top-four member of the Cubs’ rotation to get a second spring start. The loose expectation going in was that he’d throw four innings, but 43 pitches of scoreless work proved to be enough for the day. His next start should take him into the 75-80 range. By their fourth spring starts, Hendricks, Jon Lester et al. could be pushing 100 pitches. “We still have three or four outings until the first one in the regular season, so that’s plenty of time to get our innings up and our pitch counts up,” Hendricks said. Some items of note from the Mariners’ 11-10 victory, a fun game in which the home team stormed back in the late innings from a 10-2 deficit: ALMORA’S DAY Albert Almora Jr. played center field, with Jon Jay in left, which might tell you something about how the Cubs will align their outfield when both players are in games together. Almora made a dazzling catch on a rocket off the bat of Mariners star Kyle Seager, chasing down what looked like a sure extra-base hit. HAPPY GUY Promising Ian Happ continues to look like the real deal. After ringing up four hits, including his first homer of the spring, he’s batting .375 with a 1.025 OPS. LOUD AND PROUD Wins and losses may not mean much at all in the spring, but a surprisingly loud crowd in Peoria seemed to think a heck of a lot was on the line. There were tons of Cubs fans, of course — that’s going to be the case anywhere — but tip of the cap to several thousand Mariners crazies for staying to the end and ringing in their team’s comeback from eight runs down over the final three innings. Good times. ON DECK Rockies at Cubs, Mesa, 2:05 p.m., cubs.com, Tyler Chatwood vs. Jon Lester. -- Chicago Sun-Times Is Kyle Hendricks a No. 1-quality starter? Maddon says not yet By Steve Greenberg PEORIA, Ariz. — If it walks like a No. 1 starter, swims like a No. 1 starter and quacks like a No. 1 starter, let’s just go ahead and agree it’s a No. 1 starter. Right? Not in the case of the Cubs’ Kyle Hendricks. Not in the opinion of manager Joe Maddon. “When you’re looking for that guy,” Maddon said, “that guy needs to show it over a period of time. Hendricks was 16-8 with a best-in-baseball 2.13 ERA last season. He beat the Dodgers’ Clayton Kershaw in the NLCS clincher. He outpitched the Indians’ Corey Kluber in Game 7 of the World Series. Kyle Hendricks got some pretty important work done last fall, in case anyone didn't noticed, but did that cement his No. 1 starter quality? Cubs manager Joe Maddon says not necessarily. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip) What does a guy have to do to get some “No. 1” respect around here — accomplish all that again? “I would say if you saw him somehow duplicate what he did last year, absolutely,” Maddon said.

Maddon believes a “slight regression,” at the least, on Hendricks’ part is likely just because his 2016 numbers were off-the-charts good. But the 27-year-old Hendricks isn’t wired to think that way. He doesn’t really think about numbers at all. It isn’t just talk when Hendricks says he’s about commanding his pitches and thinking one step ahead of the hitter, and let the numbers fall where they may. It’s entirely how he approaches the game, and what makes him so good. And here’s some great, if unsurprising, news: Hendricks has picked up where he left off. He has pitched five scoreless innings, including three on Friday, thus far in Cactus League action and is locating his changeup and fastball beautifully. When he has those two pitches working, all’s right in the world. “All my pitches last year had depth, had angle, and I was hitting all my spots,” Hendricks said. “So that’s really my focus now, making sure all my pitches are down in the zone, with good depth, and I’m seeing it so far. So I think I’m on the right track.” NOTES: Center fielder Albert Almora Jr. has a list of things he wants to get better at this season, and on that list is, well, everything. “I’d be lying to you if I said there’s just one thing,” he said. “I’m a baseball junkie. I like getting better at every aspect of my game. It might seem like that’s just the right answer to say, but it really is what I’m really focused on — everything in the game. I feel like the day I get complacent in one aspect of the game is the day I start going downhill.” • Cubs minor-league outfielder John Andreoli won a game for surging Team Italy Thursday night with a ninth-inning hit to beat Mexico in the World Baseball Classic. “I’m happy for him,” Maddon said. “He’s such a good kid. He works so hard. He cares so much.” Andreoli likely will start the season at AAA Iowa. • All-important update: Maddon’s TV watching these days consists of CNN and Fox News (both “pertinent,” he said) and — thank you, Netflix — “The Office,” “Seinfeld” and “Friends.” -- Chicago Sun-Times Addison Russell wants to steal more bases. Will Cubs let him try? By Steve Greenberg MESA, Ariz. — Nearing the beginning of his third season as the Cubs’ starting shortstop, 23-year-old Addison Russell sees no reason why he can’t take a large step toward becoming one of the premier players in baseball. Already an All-Star and a World Series champion, Russell has targeted one area of his game above all others for improvement in 2017. ‘‘Definitely baserunning,’’ he said. ‘‘I think I can get better at baserunning. I think it would take my game to the next level. ‘‘All facets, from rounding the bag to taking the lead to knowing who’s playing where and who’s on first, second, third. Also, knowing when to go first to third, second to home. The ball is hit in the hole, and you read it. And instead of just staying on second, you make a hard turn for third. Stuff like that.’’ Russell didn’t have any major baserunning blunders last season that he can recall, but he knows he left some opportunities out in the dirt. And he can’t help but feel he took zero meaningful steps in a part of the game he once was expected to be pretty good at: stealing bases. He tried to steal all of six times last season and converted five of those attempts. As a rookie in 2015, he stole four bases in seven tries.

Heading into that season, a Baseball America scouting report noted Russell’s ‘‘good first-step quickness’’ and pegged him as a player who could steal upward of 20 bases a season. That sort of production could inject extra juice into a team that stole only 66 bases (in 100 attempts) in 2016, well below the National League average of 93. ‘‘I know the speed’s there,’’ Russell said. ‘‘It’s just a matter of anticipating when to steal and reading that pitcher and getting comfortable on the basepaths. That’s the goal right now.’’ But should it be? Stealing bases clearly hasn’t been an emphasis of these Cubs, who have a lineup full of professional hitters. Dexter Fowler, no longer with the team, led the way with 13 steals last season. Javy Baez had 12, Jason Heyward 11, Kris Bryant eight and Ben Zobrist six. All but Zobrist have the ability to go significantly higher. It doesn’t mean they’ll try. ‘‘As far as [Russell] wanting to steal bases, it needs to be situationally based,’’ manager Joe Maddon said. ‘‘He’s not just going to go out there on a nightly basis and try to steal one base. Is it the right matchup? Who’s the pitcher? Who’s the catcher? What part of the game are we in? All those things. ‘‘So I like situational base-stealing being more of the concern right here. If we can pick out the right situations for him and he learns how to do that, it could be very helpful.’’ Translation: Russell won’t have a green light. The running game will happen mostly at the discretion of Maddon and his staff. With the Cubs, pretty much everything comes down to the game plan. That’s not to suggest Russell doesn’t have a voice in this, too. The more he studies, the more he learns, the likelier it becomes he’ll be turned loose. If that’s important to him — and it appears to be — then it certainly bears watching. -- Cubs.com Prospect Happ triple shy of cycle as Cubs blast 3 HRs By Greg Johns and Barry M. Bloom PEORIA, Ariz. -- The Cubs didn't bring many of their starting position players to Peoria Stadium for Friday's Cactus League contest with the Mariners, but right-hander Kyle Hendricks brought his "A" game and top prospect Ian Happ swung a big bat before the Mariners rallied from eight down in an 11-10 walk-off victory. Happ, the ninth overall pick in the 2015 Draft and Chicago's No. 2 prospect per MLBPipeline.com, went 4-for-5 with a double, home run and four RBIs from the designated hitter's spot. Right fielder Ben Gamel went 2-for-3 with a triple and run scored for Seattle, first baseman Daniel Vogelbach collected a pair of singles against his former organization. Minor League third baseman Joe DeCarlo ripped a three-run homer in the seventh, Luis Liberato added a two-run inside-the-park homer in the eighth and Shawn O'Malley hit the game-winning two-run single. "It was good to see the young kids -- DeCarlo with the big hits and Liberato is one of our better prospects," Mariners manager Scott Servais said. "That kid hit two triples in the exact same spot in a 'B' game the other day. I guess that must be what he does." Hendricks, who posted the lowest ERA in the Majors last year at 2.13, was masterful in his second outing of the spring, pitching three innings, allowing only a single while striking out four and walking none. "My timing felt good overall," Hendricks said. "The timing out of my glove was a little off, but I was able to make the adjustment on the next pitch. In the second inning, I think I fell behind too many guys. That was the only thing I could really pick out, just getting ahead of guys better. I turned it around in the third inning. All my pitches felt good, yeah, yeah."

Seattle starter Chris Heston also threw three scoreless frames on two hits with two strikeouts in a smooth 45-pitch outing. But the Cubs jumped on Seattle's relievers as first baseman Chris Dominguez racked up three RBIs with a home run and a double, and second baseman Chesny Young added a two-run homer in the sixth. The Cubs scored three runs off veteran reliever Nick Vincent in the fifth on Dominguez's two-run homer and an RBI triple by Albert Almora Jr., then broke things open with four more in the sixth off hard-throwing rookie Thyago Vieira. Vieira clocked upper-90s fastballs, but he gave up five hits -- including doubles by Happ, Dominguez and Jon Jay -- as well as Young's two-run blast before being replaced after just two outs. Happ added a three-run blast in the seventh off Micah Owings. Cubs Up Next: The Cubbies are back at Sloan Park on Saturday to face the Rockies in a 2:10 p.m. CT Cactus League contest. The game can be heard on Gameday Audio. It's slated to be veteran left-hander Jon Lester on the bump for Chicago against Colorado right-hander Tyler Chatwood. Mariners Up Next: Chris De Jong, a 23-year-old right-hander acquired from the Dodgers on March 1, makes his first Cactus League start in Saturday's 12:10 p.m. PT game against the Reds at Peoria Stadium. Promising prospect Andrew Moore is also expected to pitch three innings in relief, and hard-throwing right-hander Shae Simmons will get an inning in the MLB.TV and ROOT televised contest. -- Cubs.com Efficient Hendricks could be ace on another club By Barry M. Bloom PEORIA, Ariz. -- Cubs right-hander Kyle Hendricks was in midseason form Friday even though his Cubs squandered an eight-run lead in an 11-10 loss to the Mariners in Cactus League action at sold-out Peoria Stadium. Making just his second start of the spring, Hendricks pitched three innings -- one batter above the minimum -- allowing only a two-out Taylor Motter single in the second, while striking out four and walking none. Hendricks threw 49 efficient pitches, 29 of them strikes, and manager Joe Maddon said next time out Hendricks will begin to stretch it out to 80 pitches. The 27-year-old said there wasn't much in the outing to pick apart, aside from the timing at times he had getting the ball out of his glove, or falling behind hitters during the second inning. There's still some fine-tuning to do, but with another four starts to go this spring, Hendricks isn't about to look for any trouble. "If there's nothing there, you can't be searching if there's nothing there," Hendricks said. "If everything is good and feels good to me, I'm taking it for what it is. I'm just moving forward, making sure my arm is in shape and getting ready for Opening Day." Hendricks is ensconced in the No. 3 spot in the Cubs' rotation behind Jon Lester and Jake Arrieta. John Lackey is right behind him, and Brett Anderson and Mike Montgomery are battling it out for the fifth spot. Hendricks, 16-8 last year with a 2.13 ERA -- the lowest in the Majors -- could be a No. 1 starter on most big league clubs, Maddon said.

"I don't know. It's hard to say. He definitely had that kind of year last year," Maddon said. "If he duplicates that, definitely. Even if he has a slight regression, which is probably going to happen based on what he did, it depends on the team." Hendricks said he doesn't worry about any of that. After searching to find his depth as a pitcher in his three big league seasons, all with the Cubs, Hendricks said he's satisfied just where he is. "You know, we have some pretty good guys over here," Hendricks said. "This is really where I want to be. It doesn't matter if I'm a No. 1 or 5. As long as I'm on a big league roster and get a chance to pitch big league games, I'm going to take it." -- Cubs.com Move to bullpen catapulted Davis' career By Carrie Muskat MESA, Ariz. -- When the Royals acquired Wade Davis in December 2012 along with James Shields, the intent was to have Davis join Kansas City's rotation in '13. It turns out, Wade was a better closer, which is good news for the Cubs. Davis started for the Rays from 2009-11, then manager Joe Maddon moved him to the bullpen in '12. In '13 with the Royals, Davis went 6-10 with a 5.67 ERA in 24 starts, and after the switch, he gave up one run on three hits in seven relief outings to finish the season. Kansas City was competing for the American League Wild Card that year, Yost said, and he felt that having the right-hander in the bullpen would give the Royals more options at the end of the season. "The first time I brought him in a ballgame as a reliever, he was 96, 97 miles an hour," Yost said. "Wade was throwing 91, 92 miles an hour as a starter." Yost knew he'd made the right move on Sept. 7, 2013, in Davis' second relief outing. The Royals and Tigers were tied at 1 heading into the top of the fifth. Detroit loaded the bases with one out, and Davis took over and struck out Torii Hunter, walked Miguel Cabrera on a full count, then got Prince Fielder to pop up to end the inning. The Royals scored one run in the bottom of the fifth and ended up with a 4-3 victory. Cabrera, by the way, was batting .356 at the time. "I walked him, which was a good thing, and I got the next two outs," Davis said. Added Yost: "The rest of that year, every time I put him in a game, he was dominant. We went to Spring Training in '14 with the mindset that he was going to compete for a starter's job again. Luke Hochevar got hurt. I called Wade in and said, 'Look, that's a big bullet out of our gun with 'Hoch' going down needing Tommy John. We're going to start with you in the bullpen.' "Wade looked at me and said, 'Skip, I don't care what I do. If it's starting rotation, if it's the bullpen, I just want to be the best at what I do.' From that point on, in my mind, if he wasn't the best, he was certainly one of the top three relievers in the game." Maddon said he noticed an uptick in Davis' velocity when he moved him to the bullpen in 2012, and Yost saw the same thing a year later. According to Statcast™, Davis' pitch velocity on his four-seam fastball that season averaged 95 mph when he was strictly a reliever. Here's the year-by-year breakdown: 2015 (reliever): 95.96 mph 2014 (reliever): 95.62 mph

2013 (starter/reliever): 92.20 mph 2012 (reliever): 93.71 mph 2011 (starter): 91.81 mph 2010 (starter): 92.53 mph 2009 (starter): 92.20 mph When Davis switched to strictly a relief role for the last month of the 2013 season, his average velocity was 95.30 mph on his four-seam fastball. "When you're starting, you don't do it every single time because you can't," said Davis, now in Cubs camp after being acquired in a trade for Jorge Soler. "It's not like I gained these velocity gains. It just became more consistent. I think I got better because I got bigger and stronger and started working harder." What Yost liked the most about Davis was his fearlessness. "There were times when you think there'd be no way that Wade would get out of a situation," Yost said. "There was no situation too big for him. He always found ways." Game 6 of the 2015 AL Championship Series against the Blue Jays stands out. Kansas City held a three-run lead with Ryan Madson pitching. The Blue Jays had two on and one out in the eighth when Jose Bautista hit a two-run homer. Davis took over. "I knew it was going to rain," Yost said. "I did not want to bring Wade in that game. The next guy [Edwin Encarnacion] got on, and I had to bring Wade in. He got the next two outs, and then it rained for an hour. "Having Wade as a closer get hot, and then sit for an hour -- when he went back out, the first two guys got on and it was first and third with nobody out, and then he struck out Dioner Navarro. It was second and third with the go-ahead run on second base, and Wade punched the next guy [Ben Revere] out and got a ground ball for us to win the American League Championship. "Nothing fazed him. Not a one-hour rain delay, not first and third and nobody out to tie the ballgame, not second and third with one out to win the ballgame. It didn't affect him." -- Cubs.com Andreoli catching Maddon's attention at Classic By Barry M. Bloom PEORIA, Ariz. -- With his combined Italian-Polish background, Cubs manager Joe Maddon said on Friday he would have wanted to represent either of those countries in the World Baseball Classic. Maddon said it's a matter of pride, noting the success already achieved this year by upstarts Team Israel and Team Italy, which defeated Mexico on Thursday with the help of Cubs Minor Leaguer John Andreoli. "Primarily, it's your background," Maddon said prior to the Cubs playing the Mariners in a Cactus League game at Peoria Stadium. "It's American Jews and American Italians. The players have to feel some pride in those countries they're representing. I know they do. "I know being of Italian-Polish heritage, if I had the chance to play for Italy or Poland -- if they had a team -- I would've been very happy to do that, too." Poland doesn't field a team, and the World Baseball Classic wasn't inaugurated until 2006, long after Maddon's playing career ended.

Even so, Maddon showed a lot of enthusiasm about the upstart Italian team, which for the second Classic in a row, vanquished the Mexicans. In Friday night's thriller, Italy scored five runs in the bottom of the ninth to beat host Mexico, 10-9, at Estadio de Beisbol Charros de Jalisco. Andreoli, a 26-year-old outfielder in the Cubs' organization, drove in the winning run with a walk-off single. In the first inning, the right-handed hitter smacked a homer, the first of four Italian blasts in the game. Maddon was more than thrilled for the youngster, who he says is targeted again for Triple-A Iowa this season and is a member of the next wave of young stars coming through the Cubs' system. "I'm so happy for him, he's such a good kid," Maddon said. "He works so hard, he cares so much. A few days ago, I saw him bear down in front of one of our video computers looking at pitchers he might face in this thing, this tournament. "So give him a lot credit. It's great, it's absolutely great." That homework obviously helped. Andreoli's homer came off Mexico starter Yovani Gallardo, and the game-winning single -- a grounder to second -- came against left-hander Oliver Perez. Both are veteran Major League pitchers. Four years ago, Italy knocked out Mexico in the first round and ascended to the second where it lost to eventual finalists Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico in a pair of hard-fought one-run games. The Dominicans swept through the tournament, winning all eight games and the title. Andreoli was not a member of that Italian team. But Chris Colabello and Alex Liddi were, and both had a hand in Thursday's big ninth-inning rally. Colabello also homered in the game. "So Mexico doesn't like to see Italy among the rest of the teams," Maddon said. "The upsets are very interesting, what Italy is doing, what Israel is doing. For whatever reason, I think [the tournament] has garnered more interest this year than it has in the past, which I also think is a good thing." As far as Andreoli is concerned, he'll ride this puppy out as long as he can and then return to Cubs camp in nearby Mesa, Ariz., to get ready for whatever the season has in store for him. The Italians still have tough games left in the Pool D bracket against Venezuela (2 p.m. CT on Saturday) and Puerto Rico (2:30 p.m. CT on Sunday). The top teams head to San Diego's Petco Park for second round play beginning on Tuesday. Andreoli has played the last two seasons at Iowa, with 565 games under his belt without a sniff of the Major Leagues. His time is coming, Maddon said. "We have kids who are up and they're kids," Maddon said. "We have a nice group of kids who are still coming and they're being held back a little bit. So for [Andreoli] this year, it's more like Triple-A, knocking on the big league door." The World Baseball Classic runs through March 22. In the U.S., games air live exclusively in English on MLB Network and on an authenticated basis via MLBNetwork.com/watch, while ESPN Deportes and WatchESPN provide the exclusive Spanish-language coverage. MLB.TV Premium subscribers in the U.S. have access to watch every tournament game live on any of the streaming service's 400-plus supported devices. The tournament is being distributed internationally across all forms of television, internet, mobile and radio in territories excluding the U.S., Puerto Rico and Japan. Get tickets for games at Marlins Park, Tokyo Dome, Estadio Charros de Jalisco in Mexico, Petco Park, as well as the Championship Round at Dodger Stadium, while complete coverage -- including schedules, video, stats and gear -- is available at WorldBaseballClassic.com. --

CSNChicago.com Kyle Hendricks Has No Intention Of Taking Things Slow In Cubs Camp By Tony Andracki PEORIA, Ariz. — Kyle Hendricks has picked up right where he left off last season. Following the best season of his career, the Cy Young candidate sees no reason to take things slow this spring training. Nope, he's jumping right in with both feet. Even with Joe Maddon and the Cubs taking special care to reign in the starting pitchers in an effort to maintain health. Hendricks made his second appearance of the spring Friday at Peoria Stadium against the Seattle Mariners, allowing only a groundball single in three shutout innings, striking out four batters. That runs his official Cactus League line to: 5 innings, 2 hits, 0 runs, 0 walks, 5 strikeouts. Spring training stats don't matter, sure, but going beyond those numbers, Hendricks said he already feels comfortable with his mechanics and feel of his pitches. It's as if he didn't even take three-plus months off in between that epic Game 7 of the World Series and Feb. 14, when Cubs pitchers and catchers reported to Mesa, Ariz. "I've approached every spring the same way," Hendricks said. "I know what I need to get in throwing-wise and what I need to do to be ready. "I've learned more about myself what I need to do to get ready, but as far as kinda taking it easy or waiting until Opening Day, that's not really my style." Hendricks is unique in that he throws nearly every day, even in spring training. Most pitchers take time to work up to that. After throwing approximately 20 pitches in his first spring start last week, Hendricks went and tossed another 40 or so pitches in the bullpen immediately after, just because he felt he needed to throw more and wanted to build up his arm strength. "You just have to know who you are and for me, it's taken me years to find my routine and what works best," he said. "I definitely know now I'm one of those guys that likes to throw a little more." Here's Hendricks' typical four-day plan in between starts, as he ran down Friday afternoon: Day 1: Weighted ball routine Day 2: Bullpen + band work Day 3: Bodyblade routine Day 4: Light band work That changes a little bit, of course, in spring training when he's not necessarily throwing every fifth day, but he said he's also worked in long toss and is still making sure he does something every day. "Shoulder strengthening stuff has really helped me stay in shape, prevent injury," Hendricks said. "So I put a lot of stock into it. I do it every day. "I know some guys don't. Some guys only do it bullpen days or when they start. I think it's just a personal preference thing."

Of course, Hendricks is also a unique case in that he is very low-stress, from his repeatable delivery to his below-average velocity to his incredibly calm demeanor that helps keep him from overthrowing or trying to do too much. That being said, Hendricks still endured the longest season of his career in 2016, throwing 215.1 innings (27 more than 2015 or any other year) and pitched into November for the first time ever. So is there any part of him that thinks he needs to take the foot off the gas a little bit after last season? "It's something you really have to watch because each year, I've thrown more and more," he said. "It's really keeping up on your arm care and your workouts and your running. Just being in good shape helps: Preventing injury, those kinds of things. "But you have to just be aware of your body. I know what my body feels like now that I've gone through a couple full seasons, so it's just really being aware of that and seeing if you are starting to regress a little bit. "If you notice that, maybe take a step back. But I haven't hit that point, really, ever. Until I get there, I'm just gonna keep with my routine, but definitely need to be aware of that." Hendricks feels like everything is right where it needs to be on March 10, a little over three weeks before the Cubs' Opening Day tilt against the Cardinals in St. Louis. "You can't be searching for things that aren't there," Hendricks said. "So if everything's good and feels good for me, I'm taking it for what it is and I'm just moving forward and making sure my arm's in shape to be ready for Opening Day. "You can take more advantage of what you're doing in spring if your mechanics are in line and you're already feeling good about everything. You can take advantage of the next step, working on the sequences with the catchers already or making one start feeling like it's a regular season start and taking it a little more seriously. "There's a lot of things you can do, I think, to progress yourself even if everything's falling in line already." -- CSNChicago.com Cubs Attempting To Tap Into Albert Almora Jr.'s Offensive Upside By Tony Andracki PEORIA, Ariz. — What if Albert Almora Jr. became a really good big-league hitter? Cubs fans might start salivating at the thought of that. Almora has always been highly regarded as a Gold Glove-caliber defender in center field, but the jury isn't out yet on how productive he'll be as a hitter. Almora — who turns 23 next month — has only a .738 OPS in five minor league seasons despite a .290 average. That's in part due to his low walk rate, but it's also buoyed down by a .416 slugging percentage. He'll probably never walk a ton (that's just not his approach/style), but Almora did post a .455 slugging percentage in 47 games in the big leagues last season and the Cubs think there's more power to come. "Albert's really showing why he's such a good baseball player," Joe Maddon said. "Him and the hitting coach have done a lot of good work. There's just a plane to his swing itself; he gets the ball in the air more easily now. "Beyond that, he's such a good baseball player: He's such a good outfielder, throws well, he's a good baserunner — you saw the tag-up last year [in the World Series].

"But more than anything, what makes him play right now is the adjustments they made in the swing, where it's a much more functional big-league swing and there's more power in it." Almora tripled off the right-field wall in the fifth inning of Friday's 11-10 loss to the Seattle Mariners, missing a home run by just a few feet. (Of course, Almora also made a really nice catch running toward the wall in left-center to rob Kyle Seager of extra bases.) Prior to Friday, Almora hadn't played since Sunday as he was nursing a sore calf. But he hit a grand slam and doubled in that last game, making it four extra-base knocks this spring, including his last three hits. Maddon believes he's seeing a different Almora this spring, as the Cubs manager used one of his go-to sayings — "He's more comfortable in his big-league skin" — to describe the difference in a young player's confidence. "None of what he's doing surprises me," Maddon said. "I just think he's finally arriving." Almora has always believed in himself and the abilities and intangibles that helped make him the No. 6 overall pick in the 2012 MLB Draft. But even he admits this spring — and this year — is different. "I don't feel like it's anything to do with my swing. My swing is the same; it's just little things mentally that transition out physically," Almora said. "For me, it's all been confidence. "I came in this spring with my confidence at an all-time high. I'm just having a lot of fun working, learning new routines that work for myself and just going out there and letting it eat." Almora couldn't point to specifics in his routine that have helped him tap into his offensive potential more, but believes it's everything from his tee work to batting practice to where he's standing in the box. And don't discount the impact of the experience he garnered in the Cubs' road to the championship last fall. "I've always been comfortable in myself, but now, after we won, I was able to see that my expectations for myself personally are over the top," Almora said. "I feel like personally, there's a lot more improvement for myself of the player I can become. "So it's going out there and play, let it happen. It's pretty simple." -- Chicago Tribune Albert Almora Jr. 'a star in the making' for the Cubs By Paul Skrbina Albert Almora Jr. hunched forward in his chair and began swinging away. Thwack. Thwack. Thwack. The Cubs center fielder was beating the unvarnished hell out of his new glove with a baseball bat in front of his locker earlier this week, pausing between hacks only to put the glove on his left hand to ensure progress was being made. The ritual for breaking in his latest mitt seemed barbaric, but Almora's approach is borderline scientific: Put the glove down, just so, grip the bat high on its barrel and violently yet precisely introduce leather to polished wood. Try the glove on. Turn it over. Put it on the floor. Swing away.

Thwack. Thwack. Thwack. "I don't like anyone touching my gloves," Almora said with a grin. Not many can. The 23-year-old didn't make an error in the 41 games he played last season. He's destined to become the Cubs' incumbent center fielder. Dexter Fowler's departure to the Cardinals during the offseason only furthered the notion that likely would come sooner rather than later. Yes, the Cubs signed John Jay, Almora's friend and a fellow Miamian, to a one-year, $8 million deal. But that was done more to provide depth — and support — during Almora's transition. "I'm here to learn, gather a lot of experience from (Jay) and from other players," said Almora, who will turn 23 on April 16. "You might think that's kind of a quote-unquote right answer, but that's the way it is for me. I love this team and what I can bring to it." Almora's moxie isn't limited to defense. Pinch running for Kyle Schwarber during that fateful 10th inning of Game 7 of the World Series in Cleveland, Almora headily headed to second base on Kris Bryant's flyout. His tag-up put him 180 feet from home plate, where he found himself putting the Cubs ahead 7-6 after Ben Zobrist's double. Last season Almora batted .277 with three home runs, 14 RBIs and a .763 OPS in 47 games. He was 0-for-10 during the postseason, but manager Joe Maddon went out of his way to laud Almora's decision to run on Indians right fielder Rajai Davis during Game 7. National League MVP Kris Bryant, who roomed with Almora during a couple of past spring trainings, went a step further in his praise. "He's a star in the making," Bryant said. "Everybody has seen what he can do, what he's going to give you on defense. More importantly, you know he's … going to play his heart out every single day." Bryant recognized that the first time the two played together during a fall league and again in Double A. That hasn't stopped since Almora made himself part of the plan last season when he was called up in early June. Almora, ever the pleaser, paused again when he heard Bryant's great expectations. Almora is not the most vocal person, he said, but rather absorbs a lot by watching. But hearing one of the best players in the game say that about him ignited something inside Almora. His eyes, unable to deny that, widened and a smile visited his face. "I hope he's serious about it," Almora said. "Kris and I have had a great relationship since he got drafted. That's pretty cool he said that about me. Hopefully I don't let him down." Bryant was among Almora's teammates who was present for his courthouse wedding on an off day last season. Almora was assigned to Triple-A Iowa the next. Before he returned to the major leagues, his wife, Krystal, had their first child, son A.J., on Aug. 18, while Almora was on the disabled list. The September call-up played his way onto the postseason roster and into the conversation of everyday player. Cubs President Theo Epstein last year called Almora's experience "a perfect introduction to the big leagues for him." Maddon continued to try to find ways to play him.

Almora hit a no-doubt-about-it grand slam last week, a day after his pal Bryant hit one that might have been aided by a spectator in the stands. "Nothing he's doing surprises me," Maddon said of Almora. "He's a real baseball player. High draft choice, you can see the pedigree. He's finally arriving. That's all." With his glove and his bat. -- Chicago Tribune Is Kris Bryant poised to eclipse Mike Trout as baseball's biggest star? By Paul Sullivan Kris Bryant broke Mike Trout's record for a second-year player salaries, a league source confirmed, with the $1.05 million deal he signed on Thursday. Now Bryant, the National League's Most Valuable Player, may be in line to replace Trout as the proverbial "face of the game." It's no fault of Trout, the reigning American League MVP who joined Barry Bonds last year as the only two players with five successive seasons of finishing in the top two of MVP voting. Trout continues to excel while playing on a mediocre team that plays second fiddle to the Dodgers in Southern California, a reality he said he doesn't think about. As for being "the face of baseball" since his rookie season, Trout said all he cares about it "being a good role model. That's all I can do." While Trout's Angels aren't expected to contend in 2017, Bryant is playing for a defending champion in a big market that will get plenty of TV time this year on ESPN, Fox and TBS. Reporter Bill Whitaker of "60 Minutes" was in camp last week for a report on the team's success, and the Cubs are blowing away everyone in spring training attendance at Sloan Park. Baseball likes to showcase winners, and until the Angels get their act together, they're doomed to obscurity, leaving Trout a big fish in a smallish pond. Trout said the Cubs "are good for baseball" because they're "a bunch of young guys coming together," which is what the sport needs to attract millennials. Aside from their many skills, one other thing both Bryant and Trout share is a belief that the game is doing fine and no major changes are necessary. "The young guys coming in are going to change the game," Trout said. "I think that's what they're looking for. I know they want to speed it up a little bit, and it is a long season, but I don't see any big changes for me. I don't really pay attention to it." Bryant said "real fans don't really care about shortening the game 10 minutes," while quickly adding, "I don't make the rules." "The game has been the same to me since I was young," he said. "I don't think there's anything wrong with it. I think that's what makes our game great. It is a long game, and we play 162 games a year, and there's more strategy and stuff involved. It could be a slippery slope once you start changing things. "The people you really need to ask are the fans. The diehard fans are going to be the ones who oppose more changes. They're the ones who pay to watch us play."

Tebow time Of the more than 40 baseball scouts who went to watch Tim Tebow's workout last August, none of them were from the Cubs. They were one of the few teams that passed on being part of the dog-and-pony show, and it looks like the Cubs made the right call. The Mets were the "lucky" team that wound up signing Tebow, and even though he batted only .194 with 20 strikeouts in 62 at-bats in the Arizona Fall League, he was still given an opportunity to play this week in Grapefruit League games, going 0-for-7 with three strikeouts in two games through Friday. Tebow could probably be forgiven for going toward the wrong on-deck circle before the first at-bat in his debut, which prompted AL Cy Young winner Rick Porcello to quip: "I thought he was a ball boy." Tebow explained he thought "you walk around (to the first-base side) because you're a left-hander," adding, "I found out you don't do that." Huh? If the Mets just want to sell tickets to spring games and get on the back pages of the New York tabloids, letting Tebow continue to flail away in meaningless games was the way to go. But based on his skill set, Tebow should've been confined to playing in "B" games on backfields with the rest of the low-level minor leaguers who lack a Heisman Trophy. After Friday's game, manager Terry Collins said Tebow would return to minor-league camp. "All things considered, I think he did a nice job," Collins said. Yeah, sure. Imagine an NFL team letting a failed baseball player take some snaps at quarterback in an exhibition game. You can't because it would never happen. Too bad the Mets are embarrass-proof. Comeback continues Cubs slugger Kyle Schwarber went into the weekend hitting .125 (2-for-15) with six strikeouts in his comeback from torn ligaments in his ACL after his legendary return in the World Series. Hitting aside, the Cubs are more interested in how he fares in left field while wearing a brace on his left leg. A couple of Schwarber's miscues in left during the 2015 NLCS against the Mets put the onus on Schwarber to prove he can play defense. So far, he has looked fine. "There was some negative stuff said about him after a couple games, and I think that was totally unfounded," manager Joe Maddon said. "I thought he played pretty well. We had him out in the outfield and he had a couple tough plays maybe that everyone encounters, a moment when they don't make the right decision, diving or something and a ball getting by him. I'm confident with him." Schwarber had made only one error in left through Friday and looks comfortable playing with the brace. --

Chicago Tribune Cubs' Kyle Hendricks not looking out for No. 1 starter role By Paul Skrbina Joe Maddon bought some time with an extended "ummm" Friday afternoon while he sat atop a bench in the visiting dugout at the Peoria Sports Complex. The Cubs manager was pondering his answer about whether Kyle Hendricks is a No. 1 starter. "That's hard to say," Maddon said. "He definitely had that kind of year last year. If you saw him duplicate what he did last year, absolutely." But Hendricks is no No. 1 just yet. "That guy needs to show that over a period of time," Maddon said. Hendricks, who led the majors in ERA in 2016 after entering the season as the team's fifth starter, found himself starting Game 7 of the World Series in early November. And starting all over again in February, when spring training began, though this time he's not fighting for a spot in the rotation. Maddon remains rooted in reality and suggested that because Hendricks' 2016 numbers — 16-8, 2.13 ERA, 1.88 ERA-plus, 142 hits, 170 strikeouts, 44 walks in 190 innings — were so good, a slight regression, at least statistically, would be neither surprising nor disappointing. Hendricks, an Ivy League-educated 27-year-old, agreed. "You're always competing with yourself in a way," he said. "As long as you're not focusing on the outside factors, focusing on what you can control. I'm always trying to raise the bar. It's always a process." That process continued Friday, when the right-hander allowed one hit, struck out four and threw 43 pitches in three innings of the Cubs' 11-10 loss. He has allowed two hits, no runs, no walks and struck out five in his two spring starts. Finding his rhythm so early during spring training hasn't left Hendricks looking for something to fix just to find something to fix. The only nit he could find to pick about his performance Friday was that he fell behind too many hitters in the second inning. "If I'm making bad pitches and giving up runs, I'm not going to be happy about it," he said of his spring starts. "If I'm making good pitches and they squeak a couple through and get a few runs, I'm not gonna be too concerned about it." And right now, Hendricks doesn't seem too concerned about any facet of his pitching routine. The way he sees it, finding few flaws just means he can move on the next steps of preparation, whether that be working on pitch sequences with catchers or treating a spring start more like a regular-season start. "You can't be searching for something that isn't there," he said. "If everything's good from me, I'm taking it at what it is and making sure my arm's in shape for opening day." Even if he's not the starter. For the record, that will be Jon Lester. But not being No. 1 doesn't concern Hendricks, he said, even if he's pitching like one. "We have some good guys over here," Hendricks said. "This is definitely where I want to be. It doesn't matter to me, No. 1 or No. 5. Having a chance to pitch in big-league games, I'm gonna take it."

It's unlikely Hendricks ever will pitch in a bigger game than he did that early November night in Cleveland, what with 107 years of frustration and futility on the line and him on the mound. But he figures he'll have a chance to pitch in games just as big. "You want to pitch in big games, always," he said. "That might be the biggest game, the magnitude of it, the drought. But for us, any time we get into a World Series now it's going to be the biggest game. It's all present moment." -- Chicago Tribune Cubs in no rush to make Anthony Rizzo the next 'Grandpa' By Paul Skrbina Anthony Rizzo will be a "Grandpa" someday. But Cubs manager Joe Maddon doesn't anticipate that day will happen anytime soon. With undisputed clubhouse leader and Rizzo confidant David "Grandpa" Ross having traded his catcher's gear for dancing shoes, the Cubs are waiting for their next clubhouse leader to emerge. As usual, Maddon's not worried. Veterans such as Jon Lester and John Lackey are around. Maddon acknowledged Ross' value but said Rizzo will "just keep being Rizzo. ... His time will come to be that person within the clubhouse." But leadership happens organically, so Maddon isn't about to push the issue. "He's still the same," Maddon said. "David's absence is what it is. We have a lot of other guys. A lot of the leadership last year wasn't just David. "I don't want to put that kind of pressure on Rizz. ... I don't think it's necessary he feels that kind of weight right now." The All-Star first baseman will turn 28 on Aug. 8 and is entering his sixth season with the Cubs. Last year he batted .292 with 32 home runs, 109 RBIs and a .928 OPS, his best season across the board. Shortstop Addison Russell, 23, said he views himself as one of the team's many leaders but added that he could see Rizzo eventually assuming that role. "The way Rizzo goes about his business off the field, he is a leader," Russell said. "We don't expect anything out of Anthony when it comes to that, but I think he takes it upon himself to be a clubhouse leader." Justin's time? Maddon said he envisions right-handed reliever Justin Grimm as a "middle-inning closer." "They're the guys who win games," Maddon said. "When he's throwing the ball right, he can get anybody out." Grimm's role could change as the season progresses. He is entering his fifth season with the Cubs and was 2-1 with a 4.10 ERA in 68 games last year. Where's the circus? Last spring the Cubs brought in mimes to lead a morning stretch, a baby cub visited from the local zoo and Munenori Kawasaki sang karaoke to Aerosmith's "I Don't Want to Miss a Thing." This spring has been tamer on the outside-entertainment front, but center fielder Albert Almora Jr. said there's still plenty of time left.

"I would give it a couple weeks," Almora said. "I'm sure Skip has something up his sleeve. We keep it fun here." --