April 1, 2016

Chicago Tribune, Thursday's recap: Cubs 5, Mets 1 http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-gameday-cubs-spring-training-spt-0401-20160331-story.html

Chicago Tribune, Joe Maddon laughs off possible Kris Bryant consecutive game streak http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-kris-bryant-homecoming-bits-cubs-spt-0401-20160331-story.html

Chicago Tribune, Cubs final spring exhibitions with Mets should be measuring stick http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-spring-progress-cubs-mets-spt-0401-20160331-story.html

Chicago Tribune, Cubs' Kris Bryant plays RF in Las Vegas homecoming http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-kris-bryant-plays-right-field-20160331-story.html

Chicago Tribune, Cubs' Joe Maddon prefers wine to wagering http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-joe-maddon-likes-wine-20160331-story.html

Chicago Tribune, Cubs announce Wrigley Field changes, upgrades, new food http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-cubs-wrigley-changes-spt-0403-20160402-story.html

Chicago Sun-Times, Some of Justin Grimm’s best pitches are before game ever starts http://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/some-justin-grimms-best-pitches-are-before-the-game-ever-starts/

Chicago Sun-Times, Why Cubs think they can handle Mets pitching this time around http://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/why-cubs-think-they-can-handle-mets-pitching-this-time-around/

Daily Herald, Constable: This is the Cubs' year http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20160331/sports/160339882/

Cubs.com, Arrieta carries great expectations into Opening Day http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/169885240/cubs-jake-arrieta-ready-for-opening-day-start

Cubs.com, Homecoming king: Bryant lifts Cubs over Mets http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/169957746/cubs-kris-bryant-shines-in-vegas-return

Cubs.com, Bryant returns home a polished product http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/169958206/cubs-bryant-returns-to-las-vegas

Cubs.com, No bad blood: Cubs have no ill will toward Mets http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/169958606/loss-to-mets-in-nlcs-didnt-devalue-cubs-2015

ESPNChicago.com, Cubs beat the Mets behind stellar situational hitting http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/cubs/post/_/id/37243/cubs-beat-mets-behind-stellar-situational-hitting

ESPNChicago.com, Cubs 'play' Las Vegas, where they're tops among bettors http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/cubs/post/_/id/37234/cubs-play-vegas-where-theyre-tops-among-bettors

ESPNChicago.com, Joe Maddon on Jon Lester's home run: 'It didn't surprise me' http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/cubs/post/_/id/37228/joe-maddon-on-jon-lesters-wednesday-hr-it-didnt-surprise-me

ESPNChicago.com, Is this the year? Cubs have talent to win it all, but things could go wrong http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/cubs/post/_/id/37183/is-this-the-year-cubs-have-talent-to-win-it-all-but-things-could-go-wrong

CSNChicago.com, How Cubs finally landed Ben Zobrist as a piece to their World Series puzzle http://www.csnchicago.com/cubs/how-cubs-finally-landed-ben-zobrist-piece-their-world-series-puzzle

-- Chicago Tribune Thursday's recap: Cubs 5, Mets 1 By Mark Gonzales The Cubs relied on a three-run fifth inning Thursday night, and seven pitchers scattered eight hits in coasting to a 5-1 victory over the Mets before a crowd of 11,025 at Cashman Field in Las Vegas. Reliever Trevor Cahill pitched two innings and executed a squeeze bunt in the fifth. At the plate: Ben Zobrist batted leadoff and showed why he stands to improve the Cubs offense. Zobrist singled to score Tim Federowicz and spark the three-run rally, and he hit a long drive to right-center field for a single in the sixth. On the mound: Ryan Williams, who will start the season at Triple-A Iowa, pitched three scoreless innings. Williams took a Kevin Plawecki line drive off his lower right hamstring in the third but induced pinch-hitter Danny Muno to ground back to the mound to start a double play. In the field: Zobrist made a diving stop near second base to retire Neil Walker in the second, and Kris Bryant caught Yoenis Cespedes' fly for his only chance in right field. Key number: 14-12 — Cubs' record in exhibition games at Cashman Field The quote: "If anyone was upset with last season, come see me." — Joe Maddon Up next: Vs. Mets 3:05 p.m. Friday at Cashman Field. LH Jason Hammel vs. LH Steven Matz. -- Chicago Tribune Joe Maddon laughs off possible Kris Bryant consecutive game streak By Mark Gonzales Before local media swarmed his son regarding his return to Las Vegas, Mike Bryant had an interesting suggestion for Cubs manager Joe Maddon.

Bryant told two reporters to mention to Maddon the possibility of allowing his son Kris to try to break Cal Ripken Jr.'s record for consecutive games played. Maddon, who witnessed Ripken break Lou Gehrig's record of 2,130 consecutive games played as a coach for the Angels in 1995, was amused to learn of the elder Bryant's suggestion. "I don't think (Ripken's mark) ever will be broken," Maddon said. "It's something wonderful to shoot at. I love that KB's dad wants KB to do that. But I don't think that record is going to be broken." Kris Bryant played in 151 of 154 games after joining the Cubs on April 17. Sharing center stage: Although Bryant received plenty of local attention, Mets pitcher Paul Sewald gained some bragging rights when he retired Bryant on a fly to right in his first at-bat. Bryant (Bonanza High) and Sewald (Bishop Gorman) played against each other in high school before they were teammates at the University of San Diego. Seward, a 10th round pick of the Mets in the 2012 draft, has a 1.83 ERA in 138 relief appearances in the minors. "I play golf with him a lot in the offseason," said Bryant, who exchanged text messages with Sewald before the game. "I've been following him a lot. "He's one of the more underrated prospects in all of baseball. He always talks smack. On the golf course, too." Popularity contest: Maddon believes endorsements haven't gotten in the way of his players' preparation, adding that he likes his players being involved in the community at all levels. "When you do that, there's more of a comfort level when you go to the ballpark and interact with fans," Maddon said. "If you know them, and they know you, those bad moments on the field they'll support you more readily. "I enjoy being around our guys, and the fans recognize that." Extra innings: Maddon reaffirmed that Jake Arrieta will be ready for Monday's opener after experiencing a blister on his right thumb last week. "It's like it was never there." … John Lackey threw 70 pitches to catcher Miguel Montero in a minor-league game in Mesa. -- Chicago Tribune Cubs final spring exhibitions with Mets should be measuring stick By Mark Gonzales Cubs' first sight of the Mets since getting swept in the National League Championship Series fueled the perceived need to avenge their defeat. "It's important for us to learn from last year," Kris Bryant on Thursday said before the Cubs opened a two-game exhibition set against the Mets at Cashman Field. Bryant and other Cubs see the big picture in their goal to win the World Series. The Mets merely exposed shortcomings the Cubs were able to mask during most of their amazing run to the NLCS — such as not controlling opponents' running game, striking out at a high rate and failing too often to drive in runners from third base with less than two out. The Cubs realize they must improve in those areas — even with the additions of Ben Zobrist and Jason Heyward to bolster the offense and John Lackey to add playoff experience to the rotation.

"We ran out of gas, but we struggled to pitch and struggled to put up runs," pitcher Jason Hammel said. "We ran into a very good Mets team. In spring training, we came in to work on things. I think we did that. "I saw a lot of good at-bats in the last few games when young guys showed their patience is coming along. The pitchers are hitting their stride right when they need to, especially Kyle (Hendricks). We are working on things we need to work on and still have some games left. I'm sure we'll be able to fine-tune it." Although the Cubs won't face Matt Harvey, Noah Syndergaard or Jacob deGrom during this two-game series, the hitters haven't forgotten that threesome's ability to keep them off-balance with breaking and off-speed pitches early in counts. "We were talking about it, how Harvey uses his fastball a lot and you better be ready for it, and then he's spinning stuff all through that game," said Bryant, recalling Harvey's nine-strikeout, four-hit performance in the 4-2 victory in Game 1. "They're smart pitchers, one of the best staffs in baseball, and it's a good challenge for us. But we know how they pitch now. We've seen them a little bit." During the latter part of spring training, manager Joe Maddon observed improvement in adjusting to situations, such as driving in runners from third with less than two out and two-strike hits. Scoring from third remains a greater priority, especially because Maddon acknowledges that the league average with two strikes is below .200. The Cubs batted .237 with a runner at third with less than two out last season. "We know every hitter wants to succeed in that situation," Bryant said. "The pressure is all on the pitcher during those games. "We can get better at that. I definitely can get better at that. I felt I did well with runners in scoring position (.292), but with a runner at third with less than two out, I could have gotten a lot better (than .241). As a team, we could have as well." -- Chicago Tribune Cubs' Kris Bryant plays RF in Las Vegas homecoming By Mark Gonzales Mike Bryant suggested that his son Kris ask Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon to let him have a shot at topping Cal Ripken Jr.'s record for playing in 2,632 consecutive games. Maddon chuckled when a reporter brought up the elder Bryant's suggestion, but Las Vegas fans will get a different look at Bryant when the Cubs face the New York Mets at Cashman Field. Bryant, who starred at Bonanza High School, will play right field in the first game of this two-game exhibition series. Bryant will face Mets pitcher and friend Paul Sewald, whom he played against at Bishop Gorman High School before becoming teammates at the University of San Diego. Jason Heyward will move to center as Dexter Fowler rests his left side for one more game, and Tommy La Stella will play at third base in place of Bryant. Also, John Lackey pitched seven innings in a minor league game at Mesa. Lackey will make his first start on April 7 against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. --

Chicago Tribune Cubs' Joe Maddon prefers wine to wagering By Mark Gonzales Manager Joe Maddon missed out on last spring's trip to Las Vegas because of the birth of a grandchild. And Maddon admitted Thursday that he isn't much of a gambler as the Chicago Cubs made their annual two-game visit to Cashman Field to play the New York Mets. "You can’t win with scared money, and if that’s how you are, you just can’t play," Maddon quipped. Maddon wasn't sure if he would have time to see downtown Las Vegas that was popularized by some of top actors in the 1960s. "I'm more into (Frank) Sinatra times, Sammy Davis and Joey (Bishop) and Peter (Lawford) and all those guys walking around," Maddon said. A local reporter asked Maddon, a noted connoisseur of wine, if he had a special bottle to commemorate the start of the regular season. Maddon said that he had curtailed his consumption but did enjoy a glass of Dancing Hare, which is produced in the Napa Valley. One wine that stands out is Pingus, which is produced in Spain. "If anybody wants to bring a bottle out, I’ll be happy to share that with them," Maddon said. Perhaps it's a good idea that Maddon doesn't gamble. Pingus' website touts its collection as "one of the world's most coveted wines," and some of its bottles cost in excess of $5,000. -- Chicago Tribune Cubs announce Wrigley Field changes, upgrades, new food By Mark Gonzales Arrive early and enjoy the upgrades. That's the message the Cubs are sending to their fans accustomed to arriving at Wrigley Field shortly after Wayne Messmer sings the national anthem. As mandated by Major League Baseball, the Cubs are taking preventive measures while adding more long-overdue features inside the park. The Cubs assure fans that their improvements will be well worth the effort of arriving earlier and walking through metal detectors. The marquee gate has been restored, and the ticket windows have shifted several feet north of the main entrance. New ramps have been constructed near the location of the Western gate. The restoration of steel and concrete on the main concourse will continue. All bleacher sections will be open, with the addition of the Budweiser Bleacher Bar at the entrance serving beverages.

Among the new drink options will be Chicago Dog Bloody Mary, classic Bloody Mary with a celery salt and poppy seed rim, skewer with a mini Vienna Beef Chicago dog served in a souvenir mason jar. Hot Doug's will also continue to offer a rotating menu of sausages in the bleachers. The Wrigley marquee has been restored and will be reinstalled before the April 11 home opener against Cincinnati. About 7,000 new seats were installed in the left field terrace section. The Cubs also will open a Marquee Grill serving tradional ballpark food in back of the marquee on the terrace level. In remaining consistent with their plan to maintain Wrigley's authentic look of the 1930s, the return of the ornamental fencing and terracotta along the façade on the west side is nearly completed. Much of the work near the Marquee Gate has been completed. The physical structure of the Western Gate is nearly completed but work will continue throughout the season, with the entrance open to fans once the plaza opens in 2017. Wrigley will have the same number of women's and men's bathroom fixtures as it had at the end of last season. Perhaps the Cubs players will benefit the most from the latest upgrades that won't be directly visible to fans. Their narrow, shoebox-sized clubhouse will turn into a temporary batting tunnel. Their walk to the field will be longer, but they'll have the comfort of preparing in a 30,000-square foot clubhouse that is second only to the New York Yankees in size. No longer will manager Joe Maddon have to walk through the clubhouse and a narrow corridor to address reporters in a dinky room that once housed Jake Arrieta's Pilates machine. Maddon will need only to cross a short path to address reporters, but he was more anxious to see his players make the most of their new digs and not spend as much time preparing on the field. "The old configuration was probably more difficult for our guys mentally to have confidence in their ability to get ready during part of the game, based on facilities," Maddon said. "So I think this year they'll feel better about it, which I'm happy about. "There's just a whole myriad of items that will be there that will permit them to get ready in a more intelligent manner and not just wear themselves out." -- Chicago Sun-Times Some of Justin Grimm’s best pitches are before game ever starts By Gordon Wittenmyer MESA, Ariz. – Brett Eldredge has four No. 1 country music singles. He has a gold album. He’s won country music awards for best new artist and best song. And somewhere among all those awards and accolades, on a shelf in his home, rests a baseball signed by Justin Grimm. At least Justin Grimm likes to think so. “He just told me the other day he’s still got the ball sitting up on his shelf,” said Grimm, the Cubs’ charismatic, off-center reliever. “So, yeah, job well done.” When he says job, he means it.

Baseballs autographed by Grimm are thought to be in the possession of celebrities across at least a dozen genres, on at least two continents, from Las Vegas to Manchester, England. It’s all part of Grimm’s fascination with being the Cubs’ all-but-official catcher of ceremonial first pitches at home games, a job he has claimed as his and his only – never mind that it’s a job other players in baseball typically want no part of. “I can’t mess up a first pitch. That’s my goal,” said Grimm, who started doing it regularly as a favor to Cubs marketing man Jim Oboikowitch, who’s tasked with cajoling a player into doing it before each game. Then Grimm started to enjoy it. “You’re meeting a lot of cool people,” said Grimm, who has caught – and signed balls for – not only Eldredge, one of his favorite music artists, but also for such luminaries as Wayne Newton (“the ambassador of Las Vegas himself”), Criminal Minds star Joe Montegna and legendary Manchester United manager and former player Bryan Robson. “And it’s not just about the stars,” he said. “You’re meeting war veterans and all sorts of people. I caught a lady who was 100 years old last year. And she was able to let the ball go. I mean, that’s just awesome. “It’s small things like that, that make it pretty cool.” It’s that kind of off-beat perspective that makes Grimm one of the most unique personalities in the Cubs’ clubhouse – and probably doesn’t hurt when it comes to dealing with the heat of the brushfire moments manager Joe Maddon seems to reserve for him during games. “Yeah, Grimm, he’s one of a kind,” Cubs bullpen mate Neil Ramirez said. “I’ve been around him for five or six years now, since we played with each other in the Rangers organization. And he’s just a free spirit. Just a clown, man. Just a goof. But a great kid, great heart.” And great stuff. Maddon calls Grimm his “middle-inning closer,” sending the right-hander into games with men on base 30 times last year — often in the fifth and sixth innings. Despite missing the first month of the season because of forearm inflammation last year, Grimm made 62 appearances, recorded a 1.99 ERA, and only nine National League pitchers faced more inherited runners than his 42. He performed better than most by stranding 31 – and Ramirez credits his nature and personality for part of that. “Grimm has a great ability to just not think too much and just go right at guys,” Ramirez said. “And he’s got awesome stuff. He’s got closer-type stuff with that fastball and curveball he has.” Grimm – whose role might make him the most important, if easiest to overlook, member of the Cubs’ bullpen — said Maddon’s confidence in putting him in those hot spots is a big part of his success. “That and I have no choice but to attack the hitter,” he said. Someday that could lead to being the guy who throws the final pitch in games for the Cubs, Maddon said. These days, it’s the first pitch that keeps him occupied enough that he has built a pregame routine around it: being ready in the dugout before anybody else, getting the adrenaline going as part of the pregame show in front of 40,000 fans. Except when Anthony Rizzo gets in the way.

“Yeah. He took away Charles Barkley,” Grimm said, mock anger rising in his voice. “We had a little drag-out on that one. I told him, `You never do the first pitch. That’s crap! I always do it.’ And he’s like, `Not today.’ “ Rizzo: “I don’t know what to say about that. It depends on who it is.” Even Rizzo admits Grimm’s daily first-pitch routine keeps teammates from having their routines interrupted for possible duty. And after patching things up after the Barkley affair, Rizzo seems to have come to a new understanding: “He can have whoever he wants.” -- Chicago Sun-Times Why Cubs think they can handle Mets pitching this time around By Gordon Wittenmyer LAS VEGAS – They’re not going to prove anything this week in Vegas. But a Cubs lineup with Ben Zobrist and Jason Heyward holding down the first two spots Thursday against the Mets offered at least a glimpse of why the Cubs believe – and why Vegas odds-makers seem to agree – that they’re better equipped this year to handle the Mets’ electric young pitching staff. Zobrist has a career .355 on-base percentage; Heyward, .353. “I think they help,” Cubs manager Joe Maddon said of the free agent hitters the Cubs added over the winter. “I also want to believe it’s the natural progression of a young hitter to be able to work an at-bat and move the baseball in the latter part of the count and just naturally get better.” As the Cubs and Mets faced Thursday for the first time since the Mets’ four-game playoff sweep, they ranked 1-2, respectively, on the local odds lists for the National League pennant. The Cubs, Giants and Mets are 1-2-3 among odds-makers to win the World Series. In the National League Championship Series last fall, the Mets scored as many runs in the clincher (eight) as the Zobrist/Heyward-less Cubs did in the whole series against a pitching staff headed by flame-throwing starters Matt Harvey, Noah Syndergaard, Jacob deGrom and Steven Matz. Both starting pitchers in Thursday’s game were minor leaguers. Friday’s 3:05 p.m. game is a Game 4 pitching rematch between Matz and Jason Hammel. “Our guys are really talented,” Maddon said of a mostly young position player group that returns four 2015 rookies. “Our DNA’s been really to power the baseball; strikeouts are OK. But I’ve really made a push this camp for even our bigger guys to understand to make adaptations when you get into the count.” The Cubs struck out 37 times against the Mets in the NLCS (compared to 30 combined hits and walks), with a .164 team average and .225 on-base percentage. The emphasis this spring that Maddon is talking about has been on two-strike approach, with Javy Baez’s dramatically cut-down swing later in counts this spring the most conspicuous example. “To me that’s more a mental adjustment,” Maddon said. “Some of it’s physical, but most of it’s mental. So, yeah we are better suited with some additions, plus the guys that are here that I’d like to see continue to make improvements.”

Notes: Maddon said he talked to ace Jake Arrieta, who worked through a thumb blister over the past week, and the Cy Young winner is all clear for Monday’s opener. … Light-hitting backup catcher David Ross had an impressive streak of four consecutive at-bats with an extra-base hit snapped in Thursday’s second inning when he struck out against Paul Sewald. …Leadoff hitter Dexter Fowler (side) was out of the lineup for the fourth straight day Thursday. Maddon said he wanted to get him in a game before Monday’s opener, leaving him Friday and Sunday (vs. the Angels) to do that. …Thursday’s Cubs starter, Ryan Williams, was struck on the foot by a Kevin Plawecki line drive leading off the third inning, but after getting checked he remained in the game and finished the inning. -- Daily Herald Constable: This is the Cubs' year By Burt Constable You might notice today's new column logo and immediately think that my short-billed white Cubs hat, like all Cubs hats, makes me appear nerdish, bordering on pathetic. But I am just following the dress code advice that manager Joe Maddon, the only guy in my age bracket who can make a Cubs hat look cool, told his 2016 Chicago Cubs: "If you think you look hot, you wear it." I'm rockin' this hat because it isn't just your run-of-the-mill Cubs chapeau; it's a replica of the 1908 cap worn by the last Cubs team to win the World Series. A die-hard Cubs fan since Glenn Beckert was a rookie, I start every season with a hunch that this could be the year the Cubs win another World Series. This season, my perennial bandwagon of delusion welcomes aboard a host of real, impartial baseball experts who predict the Cubs will win (or at least get to) the World Series. Fans who believe destiny is defined by goats, black cats, Sports Illustrated covers and other jinxes worry that a columnist donning a 1908 cap and making World Series plans is equivalent to slapping bulky headphones over my Cubs hat and reaching for a foul ball down the left-field line at Wrigley Field. But I look at my personal quest to see the Cubs win the World Series in the same way that the "Peanuts" cartoon character Linus embraces his desire to meet The Great Pumpkin. I give in completely to my hope and will enjoy it until someone (notably the 1969 New York Mets, the 1984 San Diego Padres, the 2003 Miami Marlins, the 2008 Los Angeles Dodgers and last year's Mets again) breaks my heart. The Cubs open this season Monday night in Anaheim. As a boy, I remember listening to the 1969 season opener on the radio with my dad. Ernie Banks hit two home runs and Willie Smith cracked a walk-off, two-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning to give the Cubs a 7-6 win. That was a truly glorious Cubs team, until it wasn't. On Opening Night 2015, Cubs outfield Chris Coghlan dove for this ball but couldn't stop the St. Louis Cardinals' Jason Heyward from getting three hits and leading his team to a 3-0 victory. This year, Heyward is a Cub, and fans are pumped for a glorious Cubs season. On Opening Night 2015, Cubs outfield Chris Coghlan dove for this ball but couldn't stop the St. Louis Cardinals' Jason Heyward from getting three hits and leading his team to a 3-0 victory. This year, Heyward is a Cub, and fans are pumped for a glorious Cubs season. - Associated Press Last season's Opening Night took place on Easter with Wrigley Field and the Cubs both undergoing massive renovations. The bleachers were covered in plywood, Rookie of the Year Kris Bryant was playing in Iowa, and the Cubs lost to St. Louis 3-0 behind three hits by Cardinals right fielder Jason Heyward. Now Heyward is the Cubs' new right fielder. On Opening Day in 2008, new Cubs right fielder Kosuke Fukudome hit this game-tying homer in the bottom on the 9th and had a perfect day at the plate. But the Cubs still lost. On Opening Day in 2008, new Cubs right fielder Kosuke Fukudome hit this game-tying homer in the bottom on the 9th and had a perfect day at the plate. But the Cubs still lost. - Mark Welsh | Staff Photographer

The last time the Cubs started a new right fielder who attracted this much attention was in the 2008 opener, when Japanese star Kosuke Fukudome went 3-for-3 at the plate and smacked a game-tying 3-run homer in the bottom of the ninth inning. And the Cubs still lost. But the best Opening Day performance in Cubs history belongs to an American who later became one of the greatest sluggers in the history of Japanese baseball. As the new starting center fielder for the Cubs in 1994, Karl "Tuffy" Rhodes hit 3 home runs off New York Mets ace Dwight Gooden and went a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate. And the Cubs still lost. After hitting 3 home runs in his first 3 at-bats, Rhodes cooled off considerably, hitting just five more homers in the following 161 games. The Cubs and Major League Baseball gave up on Rhodes in 1995. So Rhodes went to the Nippon Professional Baseball league in Japan, where he slugged 464 home runs across 13 seasons, tied the legendary Sadaharu Oh's single-season homer record with 55 and became the greatest foreign-born slugger in Japanese history. This year, I expect that "happy ending" story to stay with the Cubs and last through the World Series. These "This is the year" columns will run during the Cubs season. Since this essentially is a fan outlet, feel free to send your thoughts, photos, videos and ideas to me at bconstable@dailyherald.com. Plans can change, but on the cusp of the 2016 season, it's fun to think we'll all be part of the year the Cubs make it to the promised land. -- Cubs.com Arrieta carries great expectations into Opening Day By Carrie Muskat LAS VEGAS -- The 2015 season was remarkable for Jake Arrieta. He set a career high with 22 wins, threw his first no-hitter, and posted a 1.77 ERA, lowest for a Cubs qualifying starting pitcher in 96 years. The season ended with champagne as he was crowned the National League Cy Young Award winner. Arrieta became the fifth pitcher in Major League history to have at least 22 wins with no more than six losses and an ERA under 2.00 since ERA became an official stat, joining Sandy Koufax, Denny McLain, Ron Guidry and Dwight Gooden. Arrieta's 0.41 ERA over 12 starts from Aug. 4 to the end of the season was the lowest by any pitcher from Aug. 1 to the end of the regular season since ERA became an official stat. So what does Arrieta do for an encore? "It was a record in all of baseball ever, so to say I'm going to have those numbers again is probably not realistic, but they're going to be good, I know that," Arrieta said of picking up from his stunning second half. The right-hander will get the regular-season started Monday night when the Cubs open against the Angels at 8:05 p.m. CT., the first time in franchise history they will begin against an American League team. The Cubs are hoping to close the season with a win over an AL team as well. This will be Arrieta's second Opening Day start -- he also did so for the Orioles on April 6, 2012. But after throwing a career-high 229 innings, the Cubs were careful this spring to ease Arrieta, 30, back into work mode. A hint of a blister on his right thumb forced him out of one spring start, although it wasn't a big deal. The problem was more the Super Glue that Arrieta applied than the blister itself. Arrieta showed that the blister was a non-issue on Tuesday when he threw 102 pitches against the Athletics in his final Cactus League game. Can Arrieta win 20-plus and post a sub 2.00 ERA again? "It's something that's hard to repeat," catcher Miguel Montero said. "That could be the best year of his career. Even if he comes up and wins 18 games and has an ERA of 2.20 or 2.30 or 2.50, that's a really good year, that's Cy

Young numbers right there, and people may be a little disappointed because of that? I don't think you can be disappointed in that." A fitness freak who is devoted to his workout routine and kale-blended smoothies, Arrieta reported to camp in better shape this year than last. If anyone has the potential to repeat such a fine season, it could be him. The Cubs have never had back-to-back Cy Young Award winners. "He's got the potential to do it, but that being said, I don't want to put more pressure on him than what he already has," Montero said. "I know he probably thinks he has to do the same, and he doesn't need to do the same." Arrieta does have at least one surprise up his sleeve this year: He wants to break out an eephus pitch. Arrieta has tried to downplay the Opening Day assignment. "It means something special to everybody, not only myself, but my team behind me," he said. "Everybody's been waiting for this moment. It's finally here. To be the guy on the mound for the first one is something special. After that game is over, there's 161 games on the schedule to fight through as a team." -- Cubs.com Homecoming king: Bryant lifts Cubs over Mets By Anthony DiComo LAS VEGAS -- Kris Bryant drove in the go-ahead run during his Vegas homecoming on Thursday, leading the Cubs to a 5-1 win over the Mets in the first of two exhibitions at Cashman Field. A Las Vegas native who played some of his earliest ball at nearby Bonanza High School, Bryant singled home the second of the Cubs' three runs in the fifth against Mets reliever Chasen Bradford. But it wasn't the only highlight of the Chicago slugger's day. As the families and acquaintances of both players hooted and hollered, Bryant also flied out against good friend Paul Sewald -- a fellow Vegas native and former University of San Diego teammate -- in the first. Normally a reliever, Sewald was efficient throughout three shutout innings, with Bryant's deep flyout the only threat against him. But Bradford allowed three runs on Bryant's single in the fifth, a Ben Zobrist run-scoring hit and a Trevor Cahill sacrifice bunt. That rally gave the Cubs the first and only lead they would need, after Lucas Duda briefly put the Mets ahead with an RBI single in the fourth inning. Duda finished with three hits. "It was amazing to get to pitch so well, and get to have that kind of audience," Sewald said. The Cubs' reigning Minor League pitcher of the year, starter Ryan Williams matched Sewald with three shutout innings, allowing two hits and striking out one. He will open the season at Triple-A Iowa. Williams was hit on the lower right hamstring by Kevin Plawecki's comebacker in the third but stayed in the game to finish the inning, starting a 1-6-3 double play. Outfielder Jorge Soler widened the Cubs' margin with a sacrifice fly in the sixth inning, before prospect Yasiel Balaguert launched an estimated 450-foot homer in the eighth. "We've got to get it going a bit offensively," Mets manager Terry Collins said of a team that has not won since St. Patrick's Day. "We're going in to face a very, very good pitching staff in Kansas City, so we've got to start swinging the bats better. Mets up next: Steven Matz will make his final spring tune-up when the Mets meet the Cubs for a 4:05 p.m. ET rematch Friday at Cashman Field in a free game live on MLB.TV. The Mets have not yet slotted Matz into their Opening Day rotation, because he will be available for multiple innings out of the bullpen Tuesday in Kansas City.

Cubs up next: Jason Hammel makes his final tune up for the regular season on Friday when the Cubs face the Mets in the series finale at Cashman Field in Las Vegas. Hammel has looked sharp this spring after adjusting his offseason routine. And what will Kris Bryant do for the hometown fans? First pitch is scheduled for 3:05 p.m. CT and the game can be seen for free on MLB.TV and broadcast on a free exclusive webcast on Cubs.com. -- Cubs.com Bryant returns home a polished product By Carrie Muskat LAS VEGAS -- Kris Bryant only needed 20 tickets for Thursday's exhibition game between the Cubs and the Mets in his hometown, joking that he didn't have many friends. However, the Cubs third baseman is quickly becoming a popular guy. Last year, his jersey was ranked the most popular in Major League Baseball. Manager Joe Maddon likes the attention the young Cubs get. "I like the fact that people consider our players charismatic," Maddon said. Bryant's homecoming went well, as he went 1-for-2 with a walk and knocked in the go-ahead run as part of a three-run fifth inning as the Cubs rolled to a 5-1 victory. Bryant's Q rating is on the rise. When the Cubs played in Las Vegas last March, Bryant led the Major Leagues in Spring Training home runs, hitting a pair in the Las Vegas series. But he opened the season at Triple-A Iowa. Once he joined the Cubs, he was there to stay, batting .275, hitting 26 home runs and driving in 99 runs. He was named National League Rookie of the Year. "It was a really good year for me and a lot of good things coming my way," Bryant said. "There were a lot of opportunities and I'm grateful for them. I can't put into words what last year was like. It was so much fun for me." He signed a clothing deal this offseason to add to his list of endorsements. So far, it hasn't detracted from his game. "You talk about what you need from baseball and I think our group [of young players] is good for baseball in regards to attracting young customers," Maddon said. "I think our goal should be not to just attract players but make young people want to follow baseball and stick with a team." Bryant, 24, is staying with the team rather than at home to stay in work mode. He did have lunch with his family, but his father, Mike, who helped Kris with his hitting, didn't make his son do any extra work on Thursday. "He's pretty pleased with the way my swing looks like now," Kris said. So is Maddon. "Progressively, this year, he's hit one home run this Spring Training," Maddon said. "I'm going to tell you he's a much better hitter this year. He's driving in runs with singles, which will put him in that 100-plus [RBI] category on an annual basis. He'll still hit his home runs this summer. "My point is he's made a lot of adjustments in the count," Maddon said. "It's a new and improved version of K.B. from last year and it will keep getting better." Asked to compare Bryant with other players, Maddon declined. "I'd just like him to be the first Kris Bryant," Maddon said.

There's no pressure, Bryant said. "What Joe says a lot is 'pressure is a privilege,'" Bryant said. "We wouldn't want to be in any other position. We're all embracing the situation we're in. No pressure -- we're out here having fun. We know we have a pretty good team this year and we have to go out and play now." -- Cubs.com No bad blood: Cubs have no ill will toward Mets By Carrie Muskat LAS VEGAS -- Seeing the Mets for the first time since they posted a four-game sweep in the National League Championship Series last October didn't get the Cubs' blood boiling on Thursday. "When you see the Mets, it's not like you're motivated to win more games because they beat you at the end of last year," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said, noting the Wild Card win over the Pirates and beating the Cardinals in the NL Division Series were more motivating. "If anybody was upset with last season, come see me," Maddon said of the Cubs' 97-win season. "There's nothing to be upset about. It was a great building block for us. Our goal is get farther than we did last year. It was a great season nonetheless and you do want to focus on the positives." The Cubs wrapped up the exhibition portion of their schedule with two games against the Mets at Cashman Field, with the first game on Thursday. In the NLCS, the Cubs had trouble against the Mets pitchers, batting .164. With the additions of Jason Heyward and Ben Zobrist, are the Cubs better suited to deal with the Mets pitching? "I think they help," Maddon said. "I also want to believe the natural progression of a young hitter to be able to work an at-bat, move the baseball in the latter part of the count, should just naturally be better. Our DNA has been to power the baseball. I've made a push in this camp for the bigger guys to understand to make adaptations when you get into the count." • Outfielder Dexter Fowler, sidelined since he hit a home run in the first inning on Sunday because of mild tightness in his left side, could play Friday in the Cubs' final exhibition game against the Mets. The Cubs still have one more game Sunday against the Angels before the regular season begins Monday in Anaheim. • Maddon was not surprised at all to see Jon Lester hit a home run, and predicts the Cubs pitcher will fare much better at the plate this season. Lester hit a two-run shot against the Rockies on Wednesday in the team's last Cactus League game in Mesa, Ariz. It was his first professional home run. "I've been saying all last year he has a great swing," Maddon said of the lefty. "It didn't surprise me. He'll get more hits this year. He's got a technically good swing, he's a good bunter. "I thought he did a great job controlling the bunting game yesterday. His pitching was spot on. I loved everything about his day yesterday. He'll get some big hits for himself. He has, mechanically, technically a really good swing." Maddon also said Opening Day starter Jake Arrieta is on track for Monday's game. The blister on Arrieta's right thumb is not a factor. "It's like it was never there," Maddon said. John Lackey, who will follow Arrieta and Lester in the Cubs rotation, threw seven innings Thursday in a Minor League game in Mesa, Ariz., to prepare for the season. • Hall of Famers Billy Williams, Fergie Jenkins and Ryne Sandberg will throw out ceremonial first pitches on April 11 before the Cubs home opener at Wrigley Field. The gates will open 30 minutes earlier than the standard two-hour window to accommodate the new security procedures implemented at Wrigley Field this season. There will be

mandatory metal detector screenings as fans enter the gates. Fans are encouraged to arrive earlier this season and can find information about the new screening process at www.cubs.com/security. -- ESPNChicago.com Cubs beat the Mets behind stellar situational hitting By Jesse Rogers LAS VEGAS -- The Chicago Cubs beat the New York Mets 5-1 on Thursday in the first of two exhibition games between the teams. Here are some takeaways from Game 1. Situational hitting: Cubs manager Joe Maddon thinks his team has been better late in camp, especially with two strikes and/or getting a runner home from third with less than two outs -- a big weakness from a season ago. On Thursday Ben Zobrist singled home a teammate from third in the fifth inning, and Kris Bryant followed with a ground ball that plated another run. Both came with one out. In the next inning, Jorge Soler -- fresh off the bench -- hit a fly ball deep enough with the bases loaded to drive in another run. The Cubs came through each time they had the chance. Tommy La Stella: A delay in his spring due to a calf injury hasn’t thrown off his timing. La Stella had a hit in each of his first two at-bats, raising his average in 10 games to .391. Maddon will call upon him in the biggest of pinch-hitting situations beginning next week. He looks ready. Ryan Williams: He took a ball off his right leg but finished a three-inning stint without any damage on the scoreboard, and his spring ended with a 0.00 ERA over nine innings of Cactus League or exhibition play. He heads to Triple-A Iowa as a possible midseason call-up. John Lackey: He stayed back in Arizona with catcher Miguel Montero, throwing seven innings in a minor league contest. The Cubs wanted to make sure he “got up” seven times in a controlled environment, choosing to pitch him in Mesa instead of Las Vegas. He’s set to start the third game of the regular season, next Thursday against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Up next: The Cubs and Mets play again on Friday afternoon, with Jason Hammel on the mound. Lefty Steven Matz starts for the Mets. -- ESPNChicago.com Cubs 'play' Las Vegas, where they're tops among bettors By Jesse Rogers LAS VEGAS -- It’s only appropriate the Chicago Cubs play a set of exhibition games against the New York Mets on Thursday and Friday in Las Vegas before opening the season against the Los Angeles Angels next week. After all, Las Vegas is the city that has made the Cubs the favorites to win the World Series in 2016. “First time I can remember so much hype and buzz about the Cubs in Vegas sports books,” Chuck Esposito, race and sportsbook director at Sunset Station/Station Casinos, said Thursday. “They are currently 3-1 favorites to win the World Series. Putting it into perspective, the closest other teams are both the Mets and San Francisco Giants at 7-1.” Yes, everyone loves the Cubs in Las Vegas, and it’s just not transplanted Chicagoans. After they blew past their projected win total of 82.5 last season on the way to 97 victories, Vegas has set the total for 2016 at 92.5, according to Esposito. That’s the highest in baseball.

“I don’t get it,” Cubs manager Joe Maddon said, smiling. “I don’t want to get it. ... To be World Series favorites really doesn’t matter. I don’t look at it in those terms. You have to prove it on the field. To have other people think you’re favored to win the last game of the year, that’s wonderful, but I don’t process the day that way at all.” A few of Maddon’s players echoed the same thought but didn’t deny they might take a peek into a casino while they’re in town just to see the Cubs at the top of the betting board. But asked if it means anything, there’s not a person associated with the Cubs who would say so. “At the end of the season, no one remembers who was favored to win it,” infielder Tommy La Stella said. “All people remember is who won it.” The Cubs have been so insulated from outside influences during spring training some didn’t even know they were favorites, though oddsmakers declared them so before camp opened. As you would expect, it’s basically a non-issue inside the clubhouse, where the Cubs' motto is "embrace the target." “I’m so not into gambling,” Maddon said. “I know there are people that are motivated, but I’m not. ... Our goal is to play the last game of the year and win it. I don’t feel anything more because of other people’s expectations.” -- ESPNChicago.com Joe Maddon on Jon Lester's home run: 'It didn't surprise me' By Jesse Rogers LAS VEGAS -- At least one person in the stadium wasn’t surprised when Chicago Cubs pitcher Jon Lester launched a 3-1 pitch into the left-center field stands in Wednesday’s Cactus League finale against the Colorado Rockies: his manager. “I was saying all last year [that] he has a great swing, and I’m going to stand by it,” Joe Maddon said Thursday. “It didn’t surprise me. He’s going to get more hits this year. He can swing the bat.” Maddon isn’t wrong about Lester's stroke. He has a nice, line-drive, opposite-field kind of swing, and in Lester's second year in the National League, the Cubs think he’ll be better at the plate. Lester, who had 38 at-bats heading into 2015, made headlines last season by setting the all-time record for most at-bats (66) without a hit to start a career. He finished 2015 with four hits in 62 at-bats, but he did have six sacrifice bunts. “He’s going to get some big hits for himself this year,” Maddon said. “Mechanically, technically, a really good swing. That ball was struck really good.” Lester's start against the Rockies was arguably the best performance by any Cubs pitcher this spring. Lester struck out 10, walked one and gave up just one hit. But it was his home run swing that had the Cubs buzzing. “It didn't surprise me,” Maddon reiterated. “He's going to get more hits this year. I loved everything about his game.” -- ESPNChicago.com Is this the year? Cubs have talent to win it all, but things could go wrong By Jesse Rogers MESA, Ariz. -- Optimism is usually found in abundance among Chicago Cubs fans during the spring, and 2016 will be no different. But this year there’s good reason for it: Their favorite team is stacked with young, talented players who last season were four wins shy of making the World Series for the first time since 1945 and eight wins from winning it all for the first time since 1908. It’s with that backdrop the Cubs begin their mission.

Reasons for optimism The lineup is so deep that the starting shortstop and right fielder from the NLCS are backups at the moment. Among that group, they have at least three legitimate MVP candidates in 2015 fourth-place finisher Anthony Rizzo, Rookie of the Year Kris Bryant and $184 million addition Jason Heyward. Heyward won’t be asked to hit home runs, but simply get on base, same with newcomer Ben Zobrist. Behind them come the sluggers, who can do damage with the long ball. In the few games during the spring in which manager Joe Maddon played his regular lineup, they have lived up to all this hype. It’s one dangerous bat after another. They scored 15 against the Arizona Diamondbacks and came from behind in another contest that they were trailing 11-5. An eight-run fifth inning erased that deficit to the San Francisco Giants. There is no relief for an opposing pitcher. “Even with the pitcher in the lineup we’re an AL lineup,” hurler Jon Lester said recently. “The thing that makes us unique is the switch hitters.” Dexter Fowler and Zobrist will set the tone near the top along with Heyward. They'll feed sluggers Rizzo, Bryant, Kyle Schwarber and Jorge Soler. Even shortstop Addison Russell has sneaky gap and home-run power. It leaves Javier Baez to come off the bench -- not a bad option if there is an injury or two. Even Soler and Schwarber can’t play every night. One has to sit until he can be unleashed. There might be a perception that pitching is a weakness because it came up short in the playoffs, but for 162 games last year the Cubs had the third best ERA in the National League and it wasn’t all because of Cy Young winner Jake Arrieta. The bullpen ranked fourth in ERA and closer Hector Rondon had a very underrated season, compiling a 1.67 ERA to go along with a 1.00 WHIP which included a .212 batting average against. The Cubs recognized they ran out of depth in the playoffs and fortified by bringing in former World Series champion John Lackey and swingman Adam Warren. They won 97 games last year playing up to five rookie position players throughout the season. Those five players now have some experience under their belts, and the front office added to the core with some costly acquisitions. The result is a team favored to get to the World Series and win it, but let’s start with games 1-162. There are more reasons why the Cubs will make the postseason than they won’t. In Chicago that alone is reason for optimism. Reasons for pessimism In 1985, the Cubs were coming off a glorious season in which second baseman Ryne Sandberg won the MVP, Rick Sutcliffe the Cy Young award and the team won 96 games. They came within one win of making it to the 1984 World Series but blew a 2-0 series lead to the San Diego Padres. By mid-year in 1985, four starting pitchers were on the disabled list and the season was lost as they finished with a 77-84 record. No one saw it coming. That’s the kind of history the Cubs are facing, as they’ve reached the playoffs in back-to-back years just once since a run from 1906-1908. They did it in 2007 and 2008, but didn’t win a single playoff game out of six tries combined in those years. Of course, what happened a year ago let alone a decade or more has no bearing on what’s to happen this season -- just don’t try telling that to a Cubs fan. Does anything sum up the Cubs' futile history better than the fact that Schwarber is the all-time postseason home run leader with five? Extra rounds of playoffs or not, this is a team that has existed since 1876. Setting all that aside, let’s only examine the tangible not the voodoo-related to the Cubs. Arrieta is coming off a 90-inning increase from 2014 to 2015. That’s a warning sign, although no one is more physically fit than the Cubs righty. Still, he faded in the postseason. Can there be a carryover affect? Lackey’s age (37) will eventually catch up with him and even if both Arrieta and Lackey are healthy, can they repeat a 1.77 and 2.77 ERA, respectively? It’s questions like these -- mostly tied to heavy workloads -- that could persist in 2016. It even extends to the bullpen, where Pedro Strop has made 277 appearances over the last four seasons.

The Cubs seem to have enough depth to withstand any issues, but if Trevor Cahill or Travis Wood are thrust into starting roles it changes the dynamic of the entire pitching staff. After all, there are reasons why those players lost their starting gigs in the first place. The Cubs have bodies, but are they capable enough? Most teams can’t assume bad health, but when it comes to the Cubs expecting the worst is an annual rite of summer. So if there is any reason for pessimism, it stems from a history of being let down; sometimes lightly and sometimes with a massive thud. See Steve Bartman for evidence of the latter. Only the massively unexpected could derail the Cubs in the regular season, although that has nothing to do with the playoffs. October has a whole other cursed feel to it. This Cubs team would like to buck the trend, but until they do some might say pessimism reigns in the fall as much as optimism does in the spring. -- CSNChicago.com How Cubs finally landed Ben Zobrist as a piece to their World Series puzzle By Patrick Mooney While Ben Zobrist made a recruiting trip to New York – with the Mets showing him around the affluent suburbs in Westchester County and Connecticut – the Cubs did everything over the phone and didn’t even need to offer the most money. That’s the buzz around a team that sells itself now, the sense that after two meaningless exhibition games on Thursday and Friday in Las Vegas, a National League pennant could be on the line if the Cubs and Mets clash again in October. Zobrist also visited the Bay Area to meet with the San Francisco Giants, a model franchise that ultimately matched New York’s four-year, $60 million offer. The Washington Nationals even presented a three-year, $56 million contract that would have meant a higher average annual value. “The Cubs pretty much stay under the radar,” said Zobrist, who took a four-year, $56 million deal for the chance to end the 1908 drought and be closer to his family in downstate Illinois. “That was one place I knew – just because of Joe – and I knew the city a little bit. (With) the stadium, Theo’s track record, I didn’t feel like I needed a face-to-face.” Chicago already knows all about insider deals. The Cubs had a closer in Joe Maddon, who managed Zobrist for nine seasons with the Tampa Bay Rays and is represented by the same agency. Theo Epstein had worked with Octagon Baseball – which has a John Hancock Center headquarters – in putting together Maddon’s $25 million landmark contract. The president of baseball operations needed those relationships and that sense of goodwill. The Cubs had to move Starlin Castro before signing Zobrist and only one team really had the resources to take on $38 million and the belief in an inconsistent three-time All-Star bumped off shortstop to second base. But the New York Yankees didn’t want to do that deal – and give up versatile pitcher Adam Warren – at the July 31 trade deadline last year. By the time the winter meetings started to heat up at the sprawling Nashville Opryland biodome – not far from Zobrist’s offseason home in Tennessee – the Yankees had reconsidered their youth movement and created an opening at Wrigley Field. Everyone understood the Cubs had Zobrist on their radar. It just didn’t seem like Maddon’s roster had a glaring need for a 34-year-old second baseman or Epstein’s baseball-operations department could afford that luxury item. The Cubs tried to trade for Zobrist after the 2014 season, but let’s just say that Tampa Bay probably wasn’t in the mood to help. Not when the Rays were pushing Major League Baseball to pursue the Maddon tampering case.

At that point, Tampa Bay wanted a big-time prospect along the lines of a Kyle Schwarber or an Addison Russell. Even if the Cubs knew they probably would’ve had the inside track to sign Zobrist to an extension, giving up a long-term asset didn’t make sense for a one-year rental in what was supposed to be a steppingstone season (and not a 97-win carnival). Until they made it to The Show, teams could keep asking about the Schwarbers and the Russells and hope they weren’t untouchable. The Cubs generally found it difficult to get teams to move down the list and focus on a different return when Russell was a Double-A player and not a big-league shortstop. Maddon remembered the Rays being intrigued by Schwarber leading up to the 2014 draft, when the Cubs surprised the industry by taking the Indiana University catcher/outfielder with the No. 4 overall pick With Miguel Montero and David Ross now in place, the Cubs wanted to unload Welington Castillo, a young catcher with a good attitude and all the physical tools. But the Rays are a data-driven operation focused on pitch-framing skills and Castillo does not grade out as well in those metrics. “As a player, you try not to pay too much attention to rumors, because that’s all they are,” Zobrist said. “Whenever you’re on the trade block, you never know if anything will actually happen. Plus, you got a job to do.” Tampa Bay finally traded Zobrist to the Oakland A’s in the middle of January 2015. The Cubs tried again last summer, but never felt close, because “Moneyball” architect Billy Beane wanted a frontline pitching prospect in return. The Kansas City Royals offered Sean Manaea, a pitcher the Cubs had considered for the No. 2 overall pick in the 2013 draft before his junior season at Indiana State University. Kris Bryant went out and put together a monster year at the University of San Diego, while injury concerns dropped Manaea to the Royals at No. 34. The Cubs didn’t have any prospects close to joining a big-league rotation. The Royals watched Zobrist strengthen their overall team defense and lengthen the lineup (.880 OPS in 16 playoff games) against New York’s power pitching in the World Series. “He’s so professional,” Maddon said. “He’s a winner. It’s just the way he plays the game (with) patience at the plate, both sides of the plate. He works a great at-bat almost every time out there (and) can play multiple positions well. He’s a good, heads-up baserunner. “When you talk to him – and when he’s going to talk to all these guys (in the clubhouse) – what’s his agenda? To win. That’s it. He’s got nothing else on his mind.” Zobrist is a self-made player who wasn’t drafted out of high school and started out at Olivet Nazarene University before transferring into Dallas Baptist University. His father, Tom, is a pastor at Liberty Bible Church in Eureka, which is about 20 miles east of Peoria. “I believe in a divine plan,” Zobrist said. “The early part of my career in Tampa Bay was exactly what I needed at that time. Last year, (we) knew it was going to be a transition year. “But to be able to land with Kansas City was a huge blessing. To get a sense of playing there – and playing in the playoffs and going all the way – all of that has kind of prepared me for this moment.” Zobrist is a rich man now, but it really wasn’t all about the money. Still, everything had to click into place for a player the Cubs saw as a missing piece to a World Series team. “Illinois is home,” Zobrist said. “To be able to come home and try to win a championship where it hasn’t been done for a long, long time – in front of my hometown state, family, friends and with my manager that I grew up with in the major leagues – is kind of a dream situation for me. “They’ll get everything I got for the next four years. Hopefully, we can win at least one (title) during that time.”

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