April 13, 2017

ESPNChicago.com, Diamonds are a Cub's best friend http://www.espn.com/blog/chicago/cubs/post/_/id/43712/diamonds-are-a-cubs-best-friend

ESPNChicago.com, Cubs' new rallying cry? Win one for Brett Anderson http://www.espn.com/blog/chicago/cubs/post/_/id/43705/cubs-pitcher-brett-anderson-wants-a-ring-too

ESPNChicago.com, With a little Grace, Javy gets his ring http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/19146600/with-little-grace-javy-gets-ring

ESPNChicago.com, Cubs receive World Series rings featuring diamonds, rubies and sapphires http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/19145716/chicago-cubs-receive-2016-world-series-rings

CSNChicago.com, How Life Has Changed For The Cubs Since Winning The World Series http://www.csnchicago.com/chicago-cubs/how-life-has-changed-cubs-winning-world-series

CSNChicago.com, John Lackey Got His Haircut — And A Championship Ring — Before Delivering The Line Of The Year http://www.csnchicago.com/chicago-cubs/john-lackey-got-his-haircut-and-championship-ring-delivering-line-year

CSNChicago.com, Could David Ross Make The Jump From 'Dancing With The Stars' To Mlb Manager? http://www.csnchicago.com/chicago-cubs/could-david-ross-make-jump-dancing-stars-mlb-manager

CSNChicago.com, Cubs Can't Turn Bling Magic Into Runs In Shutout Loss To Dodgers http://www.csnchicago.com/chicago-cubs/cubs-cant-turn-bling-magic-runs-shutout-loss-dodgers

CSNChicago.com, Cubs Go Big With World Series Rings And Remember The Goat, Ernie Banks And Ron Santo http://www.csnchicago.com/chicago-cubs/cubs-go-big-world-series-rings-and-remember-goat-ernie-banks-and-ron-santo

Chicago Tribune, Cubs ready to move on from 2016 festivities http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-cubs-john-lackey-kyle-schwarber-ring-20170412-story.html

Chicago Tribune, Cubs beaming with pride after receiving 'tasty' World Series rings http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-cubs-world-series-rings-20170412-story.html

Chicago Tribune, Ring ceremony brings out the kids in the Cubs http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/columnists/ct-cubs-world-series-rings-sullivan-spt-0413-20170412-column.html

Chicago Tribune, After perfect ring ceremony, Cubs will try to move on — good luck with that http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/columnists/ct-pitch-perfect-ring-ceremony-haugh-spt-0413-20170412-column.html

Chicago Tribune, Cubs' ring ceremony saturated with history http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-cubs-ring-ceremony-20170412-story.html

Chicago Tribune, Dancing David Ross: 'I can't imagine not being a Cub for life' http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/columnists/ct-david-ross-cubs-ring-ceremony-spt-0413-20170412-story.html#nt=oft03a-1gp3

Chicago Tribune, Cubs celebrate ring ceremony but Brandon McCarthy brings back reality http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-cubs-dodgers-spt-0413-20170412-story.html

Chicago Tribune, Miguel Montero likens World Series ring to expensive sports car http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-miguel-montero-ring-cubs-notes-spt-0413-20170412-story.html

Chicago Sun-Times, Ring tones: Cubs take 1 more victory lap before 2-0 loss to L.A. http://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/ring-tones-cubs-take-one-more-victory-lap-before-2-0-loss-to-la/

Chicago Sun-Times, Cubs are ring-goat stars: Diamond-studded bling celebrates title http://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/cubs-are-ring-goat-stars-diamond-studded-bling-celebrates-title/

Chicago Sun-Times, Clayton Kershaw: ‘Didn’t feel good then, doesn’t feel good now’ http://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/clayton-kershaw-didnt-feel-good-then-doesnt-feel-good-now/

Daily Herald, Lackey gets his jewelry, but Cubs fall 2-0 on ring night http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20170412/sports/170419480/

Daily Herald, A closer look at the Cubs' World Series rings http://www.dailyherald.com/article/20170412/news/170419531/

Cubs.com, Cubs get rings, Ross sings, loss to LA stings http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/223946420/toles-mccarthy-tarnish-cubs-rings-party/

Cubs.com, Indoor bullpens draw praise from Hendricks http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/223911838/kyle-hendricks-praises-cubs-indoor-bullpens/?topicId=27118368

Cubs.com, Dance all days: Ross basks in limelight http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/223995460/dance-all-days-ross-basks-in-limelight/?topicId=27118368

Cubs.com, Bling at Wrigley: Cubs celebrate with jewelry http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/223920676/cubs-receive-championship-rings-at-wrigley/?topicId=27118368

Cubs.com, Lackey shifts focus back to task at hand http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/224013458/john-lackey-refocused-after-ring-with-cubs/?topicId=27118368

-- ESPNChicago.com Diamonds are a Cub's best friend By Jesse Rogers CHICAGO -- You'll excuse the Chicago Cubs if they were a little distracted by some bright, shiny objects on their fingers Wednesday night. After receiving their World Series rings in a pregame ceremony, they didn't exactly play the best game of baseball, losing 2-0 to the Los Angeles Dodgers. But at 5-3 this season -- and with a world

championship banner hanging from last season -- the bling was the thing on the players' minds in the clubhouse after the game. One loss wasn't going to damper their spirits. "It's heavy," losing pitcher John Lackey said of the ring. "It's really nice. I'm fortunate to have a couple more, but this is next level." Lackey should be an expert in World Series rings. His teammate, Jason Heyward, pointed out the symmetry of the pitcher's three rings. "Lackey has an A ring for Angels [2002], B ring for Boston [2013] and C ring [for Cubs]," Heyward said with a smile. "It's cool for him." It's cool for everyone associated with the Cubs, who gave out a total of 1,908 rings and pins to their players, staff, front office and even ballpark personnel. The early sentiment from the players echoed what Lackey said: This was next-level stuff. "It's pretty sweet," shortstop Addison Russell said. "Never seen anything like it. It's almost indescribable. "I like the 'Never Quit,'" he added, referring to an inscription on the ring. "That's my favorite part." The Cubs packed so much into the ring that it was tough for players to choose what they liked best. Along with the "Never Quit" inscription were the scores of all three playoff rounds, plus the time of the final out. Perhaps most surprising was a picture of a goat on the ring. After trying for so many years to wave off the idea of a curse, the team embraced it after the fact. It's a reference to Game 4 of the 1945 World Series, when a local tavern owner was kicked out with his billy goat. He allegedly cursed the team, which didn't return to the World Series again until last year. "It's pretty funny," Kyle Schwarber said. "I guess the curse is gone now. It's a good little compliment to the ring." Joe Maddon added: "I didn't know there was a billy goat. That's awesome." It wasn't Russell's favorite thing, but no one could deny that having a goat on the ring was kind of amusing. "There's a goat," Russell said, smiling. "That's pretty cool." The other thing that stood out was simply the size of the ring; those 214 diamonds need to reside somewhere. Maddon said he loved the ring but wouldn't be wearing it, because he's not a jewelry guy and it's too big -- not that he was complaining. "Tasty," he said. "Despite being grande, [it's] tasty. ... I can't even steer my car with that thing." Maddon was most happy sharing the moment with some former Cubs, such as Fergie Jenkins, Ryne Sandberg and Billy Williams, who received their rings on the field before the current players were given theirs. "Even in the dugout they were beaming," Maddon said. "It's so neat they are involved in this whole thing. I love it." The accolades continued as the Cubs marveled at their new hand jewelry and what it represents. Wednesday was the final official reminder of what they accomplished in 2016. As such, Russell declared no more World Series talk until later this fall. And while Lackey was in a great mood despite the loss, he said it's time to turn the page. The Cubs have the talent to do it again. "The celebration is over," Lackey said. "Now it's time to start working on another one."

The page might be turning, but the memories will last a lifetime. The Cubs just have to look down at their ring finger to remember what they accomplished. "Kudos to the people that came up with the design," Schwarber said. "That's something that's going to stay with you forever." -- ESPNChicago.com Cubs' new rallying cry? Win one for Brett Anderson By Jesse Rogers CHICAGO -- Cubs pitcher Brett Anderson knew exactly when he would become the lone wolf. At approximately 6:50 pm CT on Wednesday evening, Cubs finished receiving their World Series rings in a pregame ceremony while Anderson looked on. He wasn’t on the 2016 team and neither were Wade Davis, Koji Uehara and Jon Jay. But those other three players had earned rings in previous years with other teams. Anderson is now the only active Cubs player without one. Anderson watched from the dugout as his teammates received their bling, and it made him hopeful of doing the same after this season. It’s been quite the turnaround for the franchise. Just three years ago, the team employed one player, backup outfielder Nate Schierhoz, who had won a championship. Now 24 out of 25 own rings. “Maybe the rallying cry for 2016 should be ‘Win one for Brett,'” Anderson had joked earlier in afternoon. “I’m the only one without one.” “That’s hilarious,” GM Jed Hoyer said. “I hadn’t thought about that. I guess he has to work a little harder. It gives him some extra incentive not to be the guy left out.” Hoyer was joking, of course, but reliever Justin Grimm was not. “He can’t have mine,” Grimm quipped. “We’ll get him one this year. I kind of feel bad. Kind of.” At least Anderson got to experience the raising of the championship banner before Monday’s game against the Los Angeles Dodgers -- though he wasn’t clear what the protocol for newcomers was. “I wasn’t sure what to do,” Anderson said. “I thought about going out, then thought maybe not. Eventually, I ran out there. It was cool.” Anderson starts against the Dodgers, his former team, on Thursday after giving up just one run in his Cubs debut. -- ESPNChicago.com With a little Grace, Javy gets his ring By Bradford Doolittle CHICAGO -- The story of how Javier Baez got his World Series ring begins long before he was a Chicago Cub or had ever set foot on the shores of the continental United States. In fact, it begins several decades before he was born. It ends with a young woman named Grace, whom, before Tuesday, he had never met. In a way, it is the kind of story that can happen only in a sport with a history as long as baseball's. Grace is the hero of this story, in both the literal and figurative sense. Baez is featured in a supporting role this time, one played by just about everybody Grace has ever known. This story includes beaming parents and extended family, some with us and some not. It includes another historic night at Wrigley Field, a city in the heart of St. Louis Cardinals' territory and, in the tiniest way, the writer of this story. Baez's emergence as one of baseball's most exciting players has been told of many times. Obviously, that part of the tale -- the one in which he helps the Cubs win their first title in 108 years -- was a pretty important prerequisite

to Wednesday's festivities. So too was another story that has been well-covered: the loss of Baez's sister, Noely, to spina bifida in 2015 at the tragically young age of 21. The Chicago Cubs on Wednesday received their World Series rings, which feature diamonds, rubies and sapphires. It was that part of Baez's story that caught the attention of Grace Davis, a young Cubs fan in Jefferson City, Missouri. Grace is now 20 years old, an age that no one was ever sure she would reach. Like Noely, she was born with spina bifida, a birth defect that wreaks havoc on her motor functions, in addition to a structural defect that affects her cerebellum. "It was touch-and-go there," her father, Matt, said. "What you see here is a remarkable young lady who has overcome so much." In her early years, Grace couldn't speak because her vocal chords were paralyzed. She could not swallow on her own, either, and lived with a tube in her throat. She didn't start crawling until the age of 3 or start walking until the age of 5. She does all of that and more these days, though the medical procedures and hospital stays are ongoing. Grace does one more thing pretty consistently, more so than you could reasonably expect of someone who has gone through so much: She smiles. A lot. And she smiled a whole lot more on Wednesday. "I've always been like that," Grace said. "Even when I go into the hospital, I'm not scared one bit." Let's back up for a minute. You might be wondering how someone from Jefferson City, the capital of Missouri situated smack dab between St. Louis and Kansas City, ends up such a rabid Cubs fan. That's where the story bends back in time. Back in the 1940s, there was a young usher at Wrigley Field named Ross Davis, a graduate of Senn High School on the North Side a few miles north of the ballpark. He went to college, married a Cubs-loving gal from Chicago and set out to open his own insurance business. It was suggested that he target western Iowa, which he did, and Davis Insurance was born in a little town called Red Oak. Red Oak is facing its travails like so many rural communities these days, but in many ways, it is the kind of small town that people who have never lived in one picture when they think of a small town. Most everybody knows everybody else, as did their parents and grandparents and on and on. Class reunions are like family reunions. There is a rustic town square in the middle of it all, an orange water tower that looms on the highest hill in town and the Nishnabotna River that winds its way through fields of corn and soybeans on the way to the Missouri River. As it happens, in the mid-1970s, I moved to Red Oak with my family at the age of 5. A couple of years later, I began playing little league baseball. My team's name was the Cubs. My coach was Ross Davis. In fact, it was he who gave me my first lesson in baseball statistics. At a dinner he threw for the team, he read off batting averages compiled from scorecards kept by his son Matt -- Grace's father -- who was a few years older than I was. I asked what my batting average was, though I had not, in fact, managed a hit. I had been walked once and thought that might count. "Zero. Zero. Zero," Ross Davis said. Well, I did better the next year. Many years later, I ended up helping cover the Cubs on their journey to an epic World Series win. Funny how things work out. As my Cubs-related stories began to appear on ESPN.com, the name struck a note of familiarity with Matt Davis, now well-established as the most exuberant Cubs fan in middle Missouri. He reached out to me on Facebook, which began a dialogue and a host of remembrances. He wanted me to understand how fortunate I was to be so close to history, which I already knew, but it never hurts to be reminded. He also messaged me during the World Series, urging me to ask Cubs manager Joe Maddon about a missed sacrifice bunt opportunity. The batter in question was Anthony Rizzo. I did not pose the question to Maddon.

Over the winter, I received a message from Matt about the contest the Cubs were conducting to find ring bearers for the ceremony we all witnessed Wednesday night. I had seen pictures of Grace via Matt's Facebook page but was completely unaware of her struggles. She simply looked like a very happy young woman with an unusually strong affinity for the Chicago Cubs. Then Matt sent me the video he made on her behalf. I didn't think she could lose. She didn't. I met Grace for the first time across the street from the ballpark on Wednesday afternoon, along with her mother, Cindy, and a cousin named Luke. I also reconnected with Matt, who looks very much like a larger, older version of the boy I remembered keeping score at those little league games so many years ago. Everyone was very excited, but there was still one mystery lingering in the air: Grace did not know to whom she would be presenting a ring. The Cubs had not told her or any of the other contest winners, wanting to keep it a surprise. They wouldn't tell me, either, when I asked. Baez was her clear favorite -- and not just because of the connection to her story. "He can really hit," Grace said, putting on her proverbial scouting hat. "And he can make really flashy plays." When I settled in to hear Grace's story, of the early struggles, her progression from swallowing to talking, from immobilization to crawling to walking, it made me ashamed for ever complaining about anything. Her parents said that generally she doesn't like the kind of attention she has been receiving so much of lately, though she seemed to be enduring it just fine. She didn't know her father had shot the video that entered her in the contest, but she wasn't upset that he did. She was, of course, thrilled to win. My favorite story was the one they told when I asked what it's like to be a Cubs fan around so many Cardinals fans. Grace's mother talked about how the whole of Jefferson City looked out for Grace growing up, when she learned how to score ballgames from her dad's lap as he dutifully watched his Cubs from afar. That she would fall in love with the team was a given. She became well-known as a Cubs fan, and, well, that was OK. In fact, during Grace's junior year of high school, Cindy took her to school, only to find a bunch of Grace's schoolmates waiting for her in a line, all clad in Cubs gear. Once Grace climbed out the car, they pulled off their shirts. Underneath were Cardinals shirts. Typical. But when last fall rolled around, and the Cardinals were not part of the postseason mix, Grace's friends rooted for the Cubs -- for her. You can't blame them. Soon, it was time to head to the ballpark, and the Davis clan departed to rendezvous with the Cubs' staff and the other ring bearers. About an hour before the game, they came out onto the field and huddled in front of the visiting team dugout. I made my way off to the side, where the media had been corralled, and spotted Grace watching the field attentively. She was wearing a new Cubs jersey with gold lettering on the back. The number was No. 9, Javier Baez's No. 9. It was when the Cubs' staff handed her that jersey that she knew her wish had come true: She would be giving Baez his championship ring. "I was like, 'Yes!'" she said. A podium had been set up at home plate. Off to the side, the Cubs' World Series championship trophy was still sparkling after so many travels the past few months. Broadcaster Len Kasper emceed the ceremony, as the owners, front-office honchos, Maddon and his coach staff received their rings. In a nice touch, the Cubs also gave rings to their three living Hall of Famers: Ferguson Jenkins, Ryne Sandberg and Billy Williams. Those beloved Hall of Famers who left us in recent years -- Ron Santo and Ernie Banks -- were given their moments too, as rings for both were made to be displayed in the Cubs' archives. Through all of this, Grace watched, smiling, applauding and calmly waiting for her moment. She shook hands with Maddon and posed for pictures with a group of notables ranging from Tommy LaSorda to Chicago mayor Rahm Emanuel. The crowd exploded with each player introduced, and soon it was Grace's turn. She strode calmly to the

plate, ring box in hand, as Baez emerged from the Cubs' dugout and met her at home plate. In the first row of the stands, just behind me, Matt snapped pictures madly with his phone. Grace handed Baez his ring. The moment went by quickly, to the regret of Baez. "It was blessing to have a chance to have [Grace] give me the ring," Baez said. "She has the same condition as my sister. I'm a little sorry it went by fast, to just get the ring and take a picture. But there were a lot of people to get their rings. Like I used to say to my sister, they are special kids. It's blessing to help change their lives and make their dream come true." It was enough. Grace returned to her new friends by the dugout, and Baez took his place on the field next to his teammates. Later, I found Grace in the interview area of the Cubs' private club. She was with an ESPN crew, calmly answering questions with lights on and a microphone suspended above her. And she was smiling. Always smiling. The star of the show. "To get the fan involvement based on 108 years of difficulty is the perfect method to do this tonight," Maddon said. "The folks that are part of the ceremony, they're another group that's never going to forget tonight." Grace, she's doing pretty well, even after yet another procedure a few weeks ago. Her father posted a picture of her on Facebook then, in her hospital gown. She was, of course, smiling. Grace developed a passion for softball while serving as the team manager in high school and describes it as every bit as strong as her passion for baseball. She's taking a break from her studies at Lincoln University in Jefferson City, but she was the team manager there too. One funny part of her introduction during the ceremony was the very brief but perceptible murmur in the stands when her hometown was mentioned, as if it immediately registered in everyone's mind that, hey, that's Cardinals territory! But it's only because they didn't know her. "I have a lot of friends who are Cardinals fans," Grace said. "We get along very well." When the Cubs won the World Series, there was so much attention deservedly focused on the city of Chicago -- and the five million people who lined the streets for the celebration parade and crammed into Grant Park for the biggest rally in city history. But baseball teams are about much more than the cities in which they are centered. They represent whole regions, entire states in some cases or little nations defined only by shared affinity, bonds that know no state lines. "Baseball can connect you with anybody," Cindy said, summing it up as well as you can. It is that aspect of the sport that suggests just how far-reaching the Cubs' championship really was. It was a great moment for a city, and it was great to see John Cusack and Eddie Vedder and Billy Murray cavorting in happiness. But the gravity of the event isn't to be found in the newfound contentment of celebrities. It is found in the stories of countless families such as the Davises all across the Midwest. That that fact did not escape the Cubs organization is to their credit. Ross Davis passed away a few years ago. On the walls of his insurance office were team pictures of all the little league clubs he coached over the years, including one with an inept little hitter who didn't know that a walk didn't give him a batting average. Ross never got to see his Cubs win it all. When it finally happened, Matt and his family decorated the graves of his parents back in Red Oak with Cubs bric-a-brac. It was all still there, months later, on a cold spring night when Ross' granddaughter handed a Cubs World Series ring to her favorite player, and her parents watched so proudly nearby. "The whole day was an amazing day," Grace said. "I'm glad I got to share it with my parents and my cousin. It's something I'll never forget." --

ESPNChicago.com Cubs receive World Series rings featuring diamonds, rubies and sapphires By Jesse Rogers CHICAGO -- The Cubs received their 2016 World Series rings in a pregame ceremony Wednesday as commissioner Rob Manfred watched from home plate. The rings contain 214 diamonds at 5.5 karats, 3 karats of genuine red rubies and 2.5 karats of genuine sapphires. While there are 214 total diamonds in the ring, the bezel is surrounded by 108 round white diamonds -- symbolizing the 108 years the franchise had gone without a title before the 2016 championship. The Cubs tweeted out images of the rings. One side features the player's name set atop the "W" flag the team flies after every victory, which is created with 31 round white diamonds and a fire blue corundum understone that forms the "W." The other side features the year 2016 above the Wrigley Field façade and marquee, displaying the message "Cubs Win!" A silhouette of the World Series Trophy sits below the marquee with a large round white diamond set in the center, signifying the 2016 World Series victory. Two princess-cut diamonds flank the trophy, representing the team's two previous World Series titles. Wrigley Field's bricks complete the background. On the palm at the bottom of the outer band is the team's rally cry, "We Never Quit." On the inside of the ring is a custom triple arbor that features the local date and time the championship was won -- "11-3-16, 12:47 am" -- and the series scores and logos of the three teams the Cubs defeated en route to their championship. An image of a goat representing the franchise's infamous Billy Goat Curse is included on the inner band. The players were presented their rings by 20 fans who were selected after being nominated via videos sent in by family and/or friends. Team president Theo Epstein presented manager Joe Maddon his ring before the players received theirs. "It was truly an honor to help design the first World Series ring in franchise history, and our family is thrilled to reward those who contributed to this long-awaited championship," Cubs owner Tom Ricketts said in a statement. "It's fitting the players who completed the greatest journey in sports were presented with their rings by some of the greatest fans in all of sports this evening." The team also presented rings to Hall of Fame players Fergie Jenkins, Ryne Sandberg and Billy Williams, as well as to two players who have died. Rings for Ernie Banks and Ron Santo will be housed in the Wrigley Field archives. The ring maker Jostens is also selling Cubs championship jewelry to fans. The cheapest replica ring costs $299, while the most expensive is a white gold ring with diamonds, sapphires and rubies for $10,800. -- CSNChicago.com How Life Has Changed For The Cubs Since Winning The World Series By Patrick Mooney Mike Montgomery was standing in a Target checkout line in Southern California when he saw himself on the cover of Time magazine's year-in-review special, right in between photos of Prince and Beyonce. Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton took up one top corner, while Muhammad Ali standing over Sonny Liston and an image from Hurricane Matthew framed the bottom. There was Montgomery — a lefty swingman who had been traded three times — near the center of the Time cover and in the middle of the final-out celebration shot from an unforgettable World Series Game 7.

"Oh yeah, I got a couple," Montgomery said. "I grabbed like four or five of 'em, just because I thought that was pretty cool. "We're everywhere, man. You can't get rid of us." How do you turn the page when you're on the cover of national magazines? Maybe at some point, the Cubs will move beyond existential questions about their ultimate legacy and newfound celebrity, hard-hitting stuff like Sports Illustrated asking: "How Perfect is Kris Bryant?" Raising the World Series banner next to Wrigley Field's iconic scoreboard — and trying on 14-karat white gold jewelry during Wednesday night's ring ceremony — symbolized the end of the victory lap and the beginning of the rest of the 2017 season. It started with a 2-0 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers in front of 40,844. But in so many different ways, the Cubs also realize that their lives will never be the same again. Like how Anthony Rizzo didn't miss a beat when he reported for spring training and a reporter asked how he wound up on the red carpet at the Grammys. "World Series champion," Rizzo said. But this phenomenon isn't only limited to All-Star/Gold Glove/face-of-the-franchise players. It goes for the animated reliever with the tilted-hat look and chest-pounding celebrations. "I can't hide no more," Pedro Strop said. "People know who I am. It's awesome to see our fans happy, to see them smiling. If you go to a restaurant and you want to be chill with your family, your wife, kids, it's not happening. Now everybody just knows you." Cubs fans knew all about Bryant and viewed him as a franchise savior from the moment he got drafted with the No. 2 overall pick in 2013. After Bryant mentioned his wedding registries on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!," boxes from Crate & Barrel and Bed Bath & Beyond started piling up at his parents' Las Vegas home. "That was probably one of the smartest moves out of any player this offseason," colorful reliever Justin Grimm said. "Good for him. I should have waited another year (to get married) and said something. I might have got a couple gifts, you know what I mean? "But that's awesome. The fans wanted to take care of him. He gave them a pretty special moment in time, so they're giving back to him." Grimm delayed his honeymoon and noticed the difference while trying to decompress at the Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora. "I don't know if it was the front desk telling them," Grimm said, "or if they found out through social media and they happened to be there, but I had people yelling 'Go Cubs!' at me while I'm drinking with my wife on the beach. I won't say hammered, but I'm on the beach, in Bora Bora, just loving life and I hear: 'Go Cubs!'" First base coach Brandon Hyde, whose family lives year-round in Evanston, kept hearing it from strangers at restaurants and grocery stores. "You heard it was going to be a huge deal," Hyde said. "Living there, you know it's going to be a huge deal. But I didn't truly understand how a big of a deal it was (until) I had people coming up to me who I didn't know telling me their stories about how they went to their grandfather's grave. "They wanted to tell me these old family stories and how much it meant to them. Those (moments) would kind of catch me off-guard, like: 'Wow, what did we just do?'

"Everywhere I went, everybody wanted to say congratulations. Everybody wanted to say how happy they were and wanted to tell me where they were at the time — and wanted to tell me how stressed out they were in the seventh game. "I truly underestimated the historical part of what it meant to so many people and their families — and there are generations of families. It was really cool to have something special to share and to be a part of something that made people feel so good." In another surreal, only-in-Chicago moment, fans swarmed Ben Zobrist's North Center home after the team returned from Cleveland in early November. The World Series MVP was outside playing with his children when some neighborhood kids stopped by and asked for autographs and it mushroomed from there. "The biggest thing that stuck out to me was how that championship really connected families," said Zobrist, who grew up in downstate Illinois. "For so many people, it was almost like a reunion of sorts, and even with loved ones that have gone before. It's just a remembrance of times in the past where they had always hoped together that the Cubs would win. "So for it to finally happen, I think it was a family experience. You realize that it's not really about us. It's about families experiencing life together and enjoying the entertainment of watching Cubs baseball together. For them, it's family time." That's why reliever Carl Edwards Jr. keeps getting this reaction from Cubs fans: "The first thing they say is 'thank you.'" "It's pretty special to see," Kyle Hendricks said, "because most fans that come up you would think they're wanting something. But even in Chicago, everywhere I went, you heard like different stories from people and they just wanted to say thank you. "They were all unique and specific to them, but they all kind of were the same stories, just where they were or something about their grandfather. It's really cool." That's why Hendricks will have to change up his Wrigleyville routine after winning an ERA title, becoming a Cy Young Award finalist and starting that World Series Game 7. "It's literally everywhere," Hendricks said. "I was in California, Arizona, Hawaii — it was just Cubs fans everywhere. I'm very inconspicuous. I don't really have that look. So it went from one year walking to the field back and forth every day, to now I don't think I can do that much anymore. In one year, man, a lot has changed. It's crazy." -- CSNChicago.com John Lackey Got His Haircut — And A Championship Ring — Before Delivering The Line Of The Year By Tony Andracki John Lackey walked into the media room sipping his standard postgame drink with one hand and flashing the bling with the other hand. The veteran who didn't come to Chicago for a haircut spent a spring training media session downplaying his excitement of receiving the Cubs' World Series ring — "I'm not a real flashy guy," he said. Yet he couldn't help gushing about the new rock on his finger. "It's really nice," Lackey said. "Seriously, I've been fortunate to have a couple, but this is kinda next level, for sure. I think the whole team — the Ricketts family, we wanna say thanks. It's pretty sick."

This is actually the third championship ring for the 38-year-old pitcher who won one with Jon Lester and David Ross in Boston in 2013 and also as a rookie with the 2002 Anaheim Angels when Joe Maddon was a coach there. Lackey said he has both of those rings in a box in his closet somewhere and really only takes them out for special occasions like a wedding. Obviously the ring is a symbol for winning it all, but Lackey outwardly seemed more excited about getting himself a pair of Cubs world champion cowboy boots in spring training. Yet on Wednesday night, he had no issue with breaking his typical pre-start warmup routine to grab a ring and then head straight to the new bullpen under the left field bleachers and prepare for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Lackey never minces words and typically spends his media sessions dropping one-liners like he's in the midst of a rap battle. One pitch into the game and he was already jawing with home plate umpire Sam Holbrook. His legendary haircut line was the topic of conversation before his 2017 home debut. "That stuff is very familiar to me," Maddon said after describing how he and Lackey were drinking buddies in Anaheim. "I loved when he did it. I like when our guys aren't censored like that. I like when they speak their minds." Lackey struggled at the outset of his Wednesday night start in 45-degree weather, allowing a leadoff homer to Dodgers left fielder Andrew Toles and loading the bases in the first inning before striking out Chase Utley looking. Lackey settled in from there, striking out 10 Dodgers in six hard-fought innings and keeping the Cubs in the game by limiting the damage to just the one run. He also retired 14 of the last 15 batters he faced. That was exactly the edge Maddon and Theo Epstein's front office have talked up since Lackey got into town last winter. Maddon also pointed to Lackey's unwillingness to settle into a content frame of mind in the twilight of his career and coming off another championship. "I love that," Maddon said. "That's part of the edginess that he brings. One day, he will retire to West Texas and you won't see him again, except for maybe a photograph on occasion riding a horse. "In the meantime, he's alive and doing really well right here and he definitely still has that edge." And that haircut? "I got a haircut over the offseason," Lackey said before delivering the line of the year to a roar of laughter from a large media contingent. "Actually, my wife was kind of ticked. She likes it long, so I kind of got in trouble for that one. "But what are you gonna do? Where is she gonna go?" -- CSNChicago.com Could David Ross Make The Jump From 'Dancing With The Stars' To MLB Manager? By JJ Stankevitz Nowadays, David Ross' biggest worry involves executing dance steps instead of hitting fastballs in front of millions on live TV. Or, in the case of a dance he did earlier this month, executing those steps while taking off his pants in front of that primetime audience on ABC's "Dancing With The Stars." "I did the ‘Magic Mike' routine the other night," Ross, fully clothed in the Wrigley Field press box, explained of his April 3 faux-striptease dance. "I literally couldn't sleep one night — I dropped my kids off at school, like half the

elementary school goes, 'Mr. Ross, I watched you on Dancing With The Stars.' And I knew I had Magic Mike. So I'm like, wait a minute, all these 7-, 8-, 9-, 10-year-olds are gonna watch me take off my pants and shirt. It scared me to death." Ross was back in the warm embrace of Wrigley Field on a chilly Wednesday evening to receive his 2016 World Series ring, throw out the ceremonial first pitch to Jon Lester ("I wanted to shake him off so bad," Ross laughed) and sing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" during the Seventh Inning Stretch. Life after baseball has suited the longtime backup catcher well, even the celebrity aspect of it has been surreal for a guy who'll remind anyone within earshot that he hit .229 in his 15-year career. He's hung out with Eddie Vedder, done the late-night talk show circuit, competed against the likes of Mr. T on "Dancing With the Stars" and has a book coming out next month. "Like, I can't even read," Ross said. "How do I have a book coming out?" But Ross has, on occasion, felt the itch to return to baseball. He's not getting back in as a player, but what about as a manager? "That's hard to say," Ross said. "I think that I've got a lot of people saying that I could manage and this and that. That's a huge compliment, and I take that very seriously. But I want to know what goes into it." A desire to figure out what it takes to manage a baseball team is why Ross took a job with the Cubs' front office as a special assistant to baseball operations in January. He'll do some amateur scouting from home but also wants to learn about the kind of information Joe Maddon receives and how he works with a coaching staff and roster. "I know it's a lot harder than people give it credit for, and I don't want to take that for granted and say 'Oh, yeah, I'd make a great manager, I could just step down there and do it,'" Ross said. "I know that's not true. There will be a time for figuring out what role that I'll have in baseball, and that's what's great about Theo (Epstein) giving me the opportunity to try different avenues and see what I like the most." Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo — one of Ross' closest friends — brought up a line of questioning the 40-year-old Ross will have to ask himself, though, if he ever does want to return to a major league dugout. "You know, there's just so many cons that come along with that," Rizzo said. "Why? Why would he? He's making more money this year off the field than if he was playing or managing. He's got his family. If he wanted to, I could see him being a manager, but I just don't see that right now for him." But if Ross ever were to decide to give managing a try, there are plenty around the game who believe he'd be good at it. Count his former manager among those people. Maddon explained that beyond his baseball knowledge, Ross is "people bright" and has the ability to work with a wide range of personalities. Those people skills are one of the biggest reasons why Ross left such an indelible mark on the 2016 Cubs. "I think he'd do a great job handling what he has to do on a daily basis," Maddon said. "His sense of humor, but also his intensity and his drive all would be obvious. He's going to do that at some point when he's done dancing. "Another reason why (he'd succeed) is he's stepping out of his comfort zone right now (on 'Dancing With The Stars'). That's not comfortable. That takes a big leap, literally, of some kind of faith to jump out in front of the nation on a dance floor after being baseball player for so many years. I love that. That in and of itself tells me he'll be a good manager. He has all the necessary requirements, plus he's not afraid to take a chance or a risk. Hire him." Maybe someday Ross will contact Maddon for a job recommendation, but that's somewhere off in the future. For now, he needs to figure out a way to impress Carrie Ann Inaba, the "Dancing With The Stars" judge who was booed by a sold out crowd Monday at Wrigley Field after giving Ross' waltz a "seven" rating (the other three judges rated Ross' dance as an eight).

"I'm enjoying the heck out of it," Ross said. "You think good things happen to good people, you try to do good things and hope it pays off, but I wasn't trying for any of this. I was just being myself and that's what I think the people appreciate." -- CSNChicago.com Cubs Can't Turn Bling Magic Into Runs In Shutout Loss To Dodgers By Tony Andracki OK, now the 2017 season can truly begin for the Cubs. The championship banner has been raised and flaps in the wind in right center at Wrigley Field. The epic 108-diamond-studded and goat-encrusted World Series rings are in the possession of their rightful owners. Wednesday night marked the end of the look back at the magical 2016 season, even if the 45-degree mid-April evening finished with the Cubs losing to the Dodgers 2-0. Roughly a half hour after the ring ceremony, Andrew Toles brought the entire stadium back to Earth with a leadoff homer into the blistering wind in right field. That was the only run of the game until the top of the ninth. Hector Rondon had Toles swinging on strike three in the dirt, but instead of ending the inning, Willson Contreras threw the ball off Anthony Rizzo's glove and into right field, allowing Chase Utley to motor all the way around from first base for an insurance run. Rondon was injured on the play in an awkward collision while trying to tag Utley out at home plate and had to be removed from the game. The Cubs had nine baserunners on the night on five singles, three walks and Albert Almora Jr. reaching on an error in the eighth inning. But no Cub advanced past second base against Brandon McCarthy and a trio of Dodgers relievers. John Lackey settled in to strike out 10 through six innings, allowing four hits, three walks and the lone run. The distractions have now concluded, and the Cubs can get back to focusing on the task at hand on the diamond. "The celebration's over," Lackey said. "Now it's time to start working on another one." The Cubs' "new" season begins Thursday afternoon on CSN and streaming right here on CSNChicago.com. Coverage begins at 12:30 p.m. with Cubs Pregame Live. -- CSNChicago.com Cubs Go Big With World Series Rings And Remember The Goat, Ernie Banks And Ron Santo By Patrick Mooney Jon Lester thought of the championship bling before Theo Epstein could even start his bender, yelling out a suggestion during the World Series trophy presentation inside Progressive Field's visiting clubhouse. After 108 years, Lester told Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts, "It better be big!" "Something along those lines," Lester said with a smile before Wednesday night's ring ceremony at Wrigley Field. "There may have been a few other words thrown in there."

This team doesn't do subtle. More than five months after that epic Game 7 victory over the Cleveland Indians, the Cubs unveiled a Jostens creation made from 14-karat white gold. The traditional Cubs logo on the top features 33 red rubies surrounded by 72 round white diamonds, all within a circular perimeter framed by 46 blue sapphires. The design includes 108 symbolic round white diamonds and "an image of the infamous goat representing a supposed franchise curse" on the inner band, according to the team press release. "I'm definitely going to wear it sometimes," veteran catcher Miguel Montero said. "It's like buying a Ferrari and putting it in the garage, right? You want to drive it. You want to show it off. It's something that you earned and you want to be able to enjoy it." Cubs broadcaster Len Kasper became the pregame emcee, introducing the Ricketts family, baseball executives Epstein, Jed Hoyer and Jason McLeod, manager Joe Maddon and his coaching staff, and Hall of Famers Fergie Jenkins, Ryne Sandberg and Billy Williams. Twenty contest-winning fans became the ring bearers for the players. In total, the Cubs plan to distribute 1,908 rings and pins to everyone from front-office associates, ballpark staff, sponsors and Cooperstown alumni, including posthumous rings for Ernie Banks and Ron Santo that will be saved in the Wrigley Field archives. "I'll wear it just occasionally, when I got a suit on, if I want to rub it in some people's face," said Jake Arrieta, who transformed the team when he blossomed into a Cy Young Award winner. "I'm not a big ring guy, but who knows? I'll put that thing on and I might change my mind." One side of the ring displays the player's name atop the W flag with silhouette images of the bricks and ivy around the player's number. The other side shows the year 2016 above the Wrigley Field marquee — "CUBS WIN!" — and a silhouette of the World Series trophy. The Los Angeles Dodgers aren't just The Other Team during this week's festivities. The design elements also include the opposing logos and series scores from last year's three playoff rounds and the local date and time the World Series ended: "11-3-16, 12:47 a.m." "I'll be curious to see which guys wear it, which guys don't, which guys put it on a necklace," pitcher Kyle Hendricks said. "The guys are all unique, so they're going to do their own thing with it." Maddon predicted stylish, high-energy reliever Pedro Strop would be the Cubs player who rocks his ring the most: "He'll wear it in his sleep. He'll wear it in the shower. He'll wear it everywhere, man." After breaking one curse, Epstein gave his 2004 World Series ring to his father, Leslie, and he doesn't wear his other ring from the 2007 Boston Red Sox. Maddon also doesn't show off the 2002 championship ring he earned as an Anaheim Angels bench coach. "Never have," Maddon said. "I gave it to my mom right afterwards, and Beanie still has it somewhere. I'm not a jewelry guy in regards to wearing it. I really absolutely love the concept or thought of having it. But I've not worn it one time." What about this one? "No, I just don't wear jewelry," Maddon said. "I will put it in a special spot. I'll give it to Jaye, and then whenever (my wife) wants to move it along, she will." After raising a once-in-a-lifetime banner — and getting the most exotic jewelry in professional sports — it's time for the Cubs to move it along and focus on defending their World Series title. "The best part about last year was we all got to be a part of something bigger than ourselves," Epstein said, "and feel connected to each other and the fans and the organization and the city. They say all glory is fleeting — and it is

— but the flag will fly forever and that feeling of being part of something bigger than ourselves will last forever, too." -- Chicago Tribune Cubs ready to move on from 2016 festivities By Mark Gonzales The 14 mph gusts from the east provided a dose of cold reality following the Chicago Cubs’ World Series ring ceremony Wednesday night. The Cubs were brought back to earth during a 2-0 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers in which deep drives by Willson Contreras and Anthony Rizzo stayed in play thanks to the strong winds on another brutally cold night. “Wrigley got us,” manager Joe Maddon said. But both sides had to cope with the strong winds, and the Cubs collectively admitted some relief in putting their storied 2016 season past them and moving onto the task of repeating as World Series champions. “The celebration is over,” losing pitcher John Lackey said. “Now it’s time to start working on another.” Lackey altered his pregame routine somewhat to become one of the first players to receive his ring before starting his pregame warmups. “I definitely was off my routine, but I think we can break a routine to go catch one of these,” Lackey said. “I’m OK with that. No big deal.” Lackey pointed that the Cubs have played an uneven schedule with three days off in the first 10 days of the season that included one rainout that already was made up. “We’ve had so many off-days, a lot of weird stuff going on, then the ceremonies,” Lackey said. “I think guys are ready to settle in, play several games in a row, and get back into our routines.” Left fielder Kyle Schwarber seemed just as eager to get into a normal rhythm. “It was great to celebrate what we did,” Schwarber said. “Now it’s time to focus on getting back there and doing it over again. That’s the best feeling in the world, winning the World Series. It’s a long road, take it game-by-game but looking forward to the challenge.” -- Chicago Tribune Cubs beaming with pride after receiving 'tasty' World Series rings By Mark Gonzales John Lackey received his third World Series ring Wednesday night, so he could provide an expert evaluation of the rings presented to Cubs executives and players in pregame ceremonies. “It’s heavy, man,” Lackey said while looking at the ring, which contained 214 diamonds - including 108 white round diamonds around the Cubs' logo. “It’s really nice. Seriously, I’m fortunate to have a couple more, but this is kind of next level, for sure. “The whole team wants to say thanks to (the Ricketts family). It’s pretty sick.” Kyle Schwarber said the ring “exceeded expectations” and that he would wear it for special occasions.

“I don’t think you can just wear it with street clothes,” said Schwarber, emphasizing he would keep the ring stored in a safe play. Schwarber marveled at how the designers provided details, such as the W flag on the side, date and time of the final out of the World Series and their slogan “We Never Quit,” as well as the goat commemorating the Curse of the Billy Goat that finally vanished with the World Series win. “Pretty funny,” Schwarber said. “A good little complement to the ring.” Manager Joe Maddon didn’t seem bogged by being asked for the fourth consecutive day whether he would wear the ring. For the fourth straight day, Maddon said he would not wear the ring but was impressed by the design that he described as “very tasty.” Maddon also caught a glimpse of Cubs Hall of Famers Billy Williams and Ryne Sandberg beaming over their rings during pregame ceremonies. “Even in the dugout they were beaming,” Maddon said. “It’s so neat they’re so vicariously involved. They feel it, they get it, they’re happy for everyone, including themselves.” Lackey received plenty of notoriety last August when he said he didn’t sign with the Cubs to get “a haircut. I came here for the jewelry.” Lackey got his haircut this winter, to the dismay of his wife Tina. “Actually my wife was kind of ticked,” Lackey chuckled. “She likes it long. I kind of got in trouble for that one. What are you going to do? Where is she going to go?” -- Chicago Tribune Ring ceremony brings out the kids in the Cubs By Paul Sullivan One of the men most responsible for Wednesday night's World Series ring ceremony was standing near the Dodgers' dugout an hour before the big event. If Andrew Friedman didn't leave the Rays for the Dodgers in October 2014, Cubs manager Joe Maddon wouldn't have been able to exercise the opt-out clause in his contract, the one Maddon didn't know about until his agent informed him during a trip in his RV to Jellystone Park. Once he became a free agent manager, Maddon drove the RV to Pensacola, Fla., to meet with Cubs President Theo Epstein and general manager Jed Hoyer, who convinced him to sign a five-year, $25 million deal to replace Rick Renteria. That set off the chain of events that led to last year's title and Wednesday night's party, where Maddon received some of the loudest cheers when Epstein introduced him and handed him his championship ring. Would the Cubs have ended their drought without Maddon at the helm? Just a guess here, but not in this lifetime. Friedman's Dodgers lost to the Cubs in the National League Championship Series last October after being up 2-1 and having Games 4 and 5 in their own park. Still, Friedman had to feel happy on this special night for Maddon, his old friend and confidant from their Rays' days.

"No," he replied with a reluctant grin. Uh, OK. Friedman actually admires Maddon, who helped make him look like a genius with the Rays, who lost the 2008 Series in their tenure. "He does a tremendous job of putting his players in the best position to succeed," Friedman said. "He takes the time, from an interpersonal standpoint, to get to know the guys and has a good feel for when a guy needs a pat on the back or how to get them to play with more confidence." The ring ceremony was nice, and the ring was even nicer, with 214 diamonds at 5.5 carats, and another 5.5 carats of red rubies and blue sapphires. The 2015 Blackhawks ring reportedly had 355 diamonds, but who’s counting? The Cubs eventually will distribute 1,908 rings and pins throughout the organization, including posthumous rings for Ernie Banks and Ron Santo, who surely deserved theirs just for being Ernie Banks and Ron Santo. "Surprised to hear it," Santo's son, Jeff, said. "Got emotional when Len (Kasper) said it. Very moved and grateful the Cubs did that for him and Ernie. So cool." A personal favorite touch was putting an image of a billy goat on the inner band of the ring, a nod to the curse tavern owner William Sianis placed on the team when the Cubs wouldn't let him bring his goat in to the 1945 World Series. A Cubs news release said the goat represented "a supposed franchise curse," neglecting to mention Chairman Tom Ricketts repeatedly has said since his family bought the team, "there is no curse." At least Ricketts has a sense of humor about it now. It had to be hard for the Dodgers to have to witness this Cubs' celebration, coming two nights after the banner ceremony, knowing they blew a chance to put their foot on the Cubs' throats in the NLCS in L.A. The Dodgers threw back-to-back shutouts in Games 2 and 3, and Anthony Rizzo was a no-show at that point. Then Rizzo borrowed Matt Szczur's bat in Game 4 and snapped out of his slump. The rest is history. Rizzo got his ring Wednesday. Szczur's bat did not get one, but Szczur did. Rizzo, who has the longest tenure of any current Cub, said he was talking Tuesday to someone with a 2015 Blackhawks ring and was advised he should let everyone "touch the ring and wear it" if they ask him. "That's really cool," he said. "When people out in the streets see these rings, they're going to want to see it. It's special." So Rizzo plans to walk around out on the street wearing his ring? "I probably won't," he said. "But then again, I probably will. I'll have fun with it. We'll see." The players showed off their rings for a group photo like a bunch of kids on a Little League field. It was fitting. This is, after all, a kids' game. When a TV reporter asked him who will get to wear his ring the most, Rizzo just smiled. "Me," he replied, "and 'Sully.'" I promise not to lose it. -- Chicago Tribune After perfect ring ceremony, Cubs will try to move on — good luck with that By David Haugh

After leading Villanova to its first Division I FCS football title in 2009 with a victory over Montana in which he was the game's offensive MVP, Matt Szczur thought he would wear his national championship ring everywhere. "And I never did, only for special occasions,'' Szczur said. Like most teammates agreed, the Cubs outfielder believes winning the 2016 World Series ring the team handed out before Wednesday's game against the Dodgers always will mean more than wearing it. In sports, championship rings always complement careers better than wardrobes. But what an accessory it is, featuring the traditional Cubs bull's-eye with 33 red rubies surrounded by 72 white diamonds, all within a perimeter of 46 blue sapphires. Exactly 108 white diamonds — no coincidence — line the logo. Of most interest, the inner band includes an image of a billy goat, a fitting touch for a team that never shied away from the curse nonsense. The Game 7 victory's date and time: 11-3-16, 12:47 a.m. — also were etched on the inside, along with the Cubs' mantra: "WE NEVER QUIT.'' As commemorative jewelry goes, it's exquisite. "This blows the other two out of the water,'' Jon Lester, a two-time World Series champion with the Red Sox, told WSCR-AM 670 immediately after receiving his Cubs ring. In a pitch-perfect pregame ceremony announcer Len Kasper emceed, the Cubs produced another memory, incorporating 20 giddy fans in Cubs jerseys with gold numbers to distribute the rings to even giddier players. An adoring Wrigley Field crowd of 40,844 loved seeing Cubs legends Ryne Sandberg, Ferguson Jenkins and Billy Williams presented rings. Even Joe Ricketts, the controversial family patriarch, received warm applause accepting his. Cubs President Theo Epstein got a rock-star welcome. But, inexplicably, the loudest roar came for backup catcher and “Dancing With the Stars” contestant David Ross, the national celebrity who also threw out the first pitch to former batterymate Lester. Putting a ring on his finger only will extend Ross’ 15 minutes a little longer. Kyle Schwarber planned to put his new pricey piece of jewelry in a safe. Miguel Montero will pick his spots to accessorize but definitely will display the shiny bauble because, "it's like buying a Ferrari and putting it in the garage. You want to drive it.'' A clubhouse debate revolved around who would break out the flashy, new bling the most, Javier Baez or Pedro Strop? "Strop,'' Cubs manager Joe Maddon said without hesitation. "He will wear it to sleep, in the shower.'' Maddon never has worn the 2002 World Series ring he won as a bench coach with the Angels. He confessed he expects to don his Cubs keepsake just as often. "I just don't wear jewelry,'' Maddon said. "I don't like how it feels. I'm not into it.'' Neither is Szczur, not that he will pass if an opportunity comes after his playing career to make a bold fashion statement. "Down the line, if I'm trying to get a job at a job interview, you bet your butt I'll be wearing it,'' Szczur said, laughing. Nobody doubts that the sight of a World Series ring can open doors, moisten eyes and deepen meaning. If Monday's banner satisfied all the people who waited so long to see the Cubs win it all, the ring was personal. "As a player, it's what you play for,'' Montero said. Added Schwarber: "It's more what it stands for to us.'' To a man, the Cubs also tried selling the idea that the ring ceremony symbolized the end of the celebrating of the World Series. Good luck with that. Are they new in town? In Chicago sports, the past can be harder to avoid than

potholes. The 1985 Bears won the Super Bowl 30 years ago and the victory still influences our city's sports culture every day. The 2011 Blackhawks were compared constantly to the 2010 Stanley Cup champions for months after their celebrations. The Cubs can try keeping their heads on 2017 but the hearts of their fans will make it hard to move past 2016. Look how long it took to forget 1969, 1984 and 2003. It will take at least another month before this feels like a new season, with a different dynamic, and even then the celebratory tone figures to linger all summer. "Once this game is over, it's all baseball and trying to get back (to the World Series),'' Schwarber said before the game. That's easier said than done. On the Cubs off day, Schwarber signed autographs at a downtown department store, Kris Bryant hit baseballs into the Chicago River at a promotional event and Baez had a street named for him. It's April. The bookers are only getting warmed up. "It's fun stuff,'' Maddon said. "That's what happens when you do win.'' Just ask the 1986 Bears. But if Maddon was worried about off-the-field distractions interfering with the Cubs' focus the way outside interests helped derail that potential dynasty, he hid it well. "I don't even talk to them about that — I'm kind of insulting them if I do,'' Maddon said. "There's always that threat, no question about it, but I like the way our guys go about our business. … We won't stop working.'' Has a nice ring to it. -- Chicago Tribune Cubs' ring ceremony saturated with history By Mark Gonzales It was fitting that the Chicago Cubs will distribute 1,908 rings and pins to Cubs players, coaches, ownership, executives, front office associates, ballpark staff, partners and Hall of Fame alumni. The 1,908 number represents 1908 - the year the Cubs won their last World Series title before last November. The Cubs unveiled their rings, which had plenty of pizzazz and history, during a ceremony prior to Wednesday night's game against the Los Angeles Dodgers. The Ricketts family, led by Chairman Tom Ricketts, led the presentation. President Theo Epstein received the largest ovation from the sellout crowd at Wrigley Field, where Jake Arrieta and Javier Baez quickly put on their rings. Commissioner Rob Manfred attended the ceremony, and 20 fans selected from a contest presented the rings to players. The rings, designed and produced by Jostens, is made from 14-karat white gold. The top of the ring features the traditional Cubs logo, crafted from 33 custom-cut genuine red rubies surrounded by 72 round white diamonds, all within a circular perimeter made up of 46 custom-cut, genuine blue sapphires. The bezel is surrounded by 108 round white diamonds lifting the Cubs logo to victory and representing the end of a historic 108-year championship drought. The ring contains 214 diamonds at 5.5 karats, 3 karats of genuine red rubies and 2.5 karats of genuine sapphires. One side of the ring features the player's last name atop the W Flag, created from 31 round white diamonds and a fire blue corundum understone that forms the “W.”

Images of Wrigley Field’s bricks and ivy surround the flag and the player’s number, which was placed below the flag. The other side features the year 2016 above the iconic Wrigley Field façade and marquee, displaying the message “CUBS WIN!” A silhouette of the Commissioner's trophy sits below the marquee with a large round white diamond set in the center, signifying the 2016 World Series win. Two princess-cut diamonds flank the trophy, representing the team’s two previous World Series titles. On the palm at the bottom of the outer band is the team’s rally cry, “WE NEVER QUIT.” The inside of the ring includes a custom triple arbor that features the local date and time the World Series was won – “11-3-16, 12:47 am” – and the series scores and logos of the three teams the Cubs beat in the playoffs - the San Francisco Giants, Dodgers and Cleveland Indians. An image of the infamous goat representing the franchise Curse of the Goat was included on the inner band." Posthumous rings for the late Ernie Banks and Ron Santo will be saved in the Wrigley Field archives. -- Chicago Tribune Dancing David Ross: 'I can't imagine not being a Cub for life' By David Haugh David Ross smiled recalling the advice he recently received from a former Cub. "Ryan Dempster said if your wife is ever giving you a hard time or you're having a bad day just hop on a flight and head to Chicago and you'll feel better,'' Ross said Wednesday night at Wrigley Field. "I feel this city has embraced me for some reason and, these guys, I love them to death. They have changed my life forever. So I can't imagine not being a Cub for life.'' Based on the way the Wrigley Field crowd welcomed Ross back to town during the pregame ring ceremony, Cubs fans wouldn't have it any other way. Nobody heard a louder ovation than "Grandpa Rossy,'' the popular backup catcher on the 2016 World Series champions whose celebrity during retirement only has increased. Ross, who has appeared on "Saturday Night Live,'' currently participates in ABC's "Dancing With the Stars,'' and has a scheduled guest date on Ellen DeGeneres' TV show. Plans already are underway to turn the recently released book about his life into a movie. One Chicago reporter even called him a legend when asking a question, which Ross humbly corrected. "First of all, legend isn't what I think I am — I really feel like I'm the luckiest man ever,'' Ross said. "I mean, I can't even read, how do I have a book coming out. … Like, who am I? I don't even know anymore. I feel so appreciative. "The emotional part for me is that the love I get is for who I am, not for my stats. That's what gets me emotional, that people like me for (who I am) as a person, not just as a player. I try to make sure I give the credit where credit is due. I'm not a superstar player and it's about the dudes on the field still playing.'' Some of the dudes still playing reunited with Ross on Tuesday night before he visited the clubhouse before Wednesday's game. But work came before play: Ross spent six hours rehearsing his dance moves before hurrying over to Wrigley to join his buddies.

"I was like 12 years old driving to the park today,'' Ross said. "I felt like I sprinted down the stairs to get to the locker room. … I miss the guys a ton. When you're in that environment with those guys, and everybody's on the same page grinding, that's a special thing I'll never get back.'' Looking fit and thinner than he was in his final season, Ross reflected with amazement at this unlikely rise not even he can believe. "I'm enjoying the heck out of it,'' Ross said. "You think good things happen to good people and you try to do good things and hope it pays out. I wasn't trying for any of this. I was just trying to be myself. I just try to spread the love and be positive.'' The only negative Ross referenced was the embarrassment he felt one day dropping his young kids at school in Georgia and their fellow classmates complimented his dancing the night before — when he performed a "Magic Mike" routine. Other than that, it would be harder to find a happier retiree around baseball. "I'm a .220 backup catcher — what am I doing on the show (DWTS)?'' Ross asked. "Mr. T is on there. How cool is that? He's a Chicago guy. He actually has said he's my teammate now because we're representing Chicago. I feel really, really blessed.'' Before leaving, Ross asked one request of every reporter whose hand he just shook. "Put my number at the end of your stories so people vote for me next week,'' Ross said. "I need the help.'' Not by the sounds of the home crowd. -- Chicago Tribune Cubs celebrate ring ceremony but Brandon McCarthy brings back reality By Mark Gonzales A few hours before receiving his World Series ring, Cubs left fielder Kyle Schwarber described the overlap in celebrating their signature 2016 achievement and their challenge of repeating in proper perspective. "It's the last little hurrah before we can completely turn the page," Schwarber said Wednesday night. After a festive ceremony revealing their gaudy rings that included 214 diamonds, the Cubs' concerns about the tough task of repeating were realized quickly as the Dodgers' Brandon McCarthy handled them nicely over six innings of a 2-0 victory at Wrigley Field. Adding to the Cubs' misery was that reliever Hector Rondon hurt his left knee in a collision with Chase Utley covering home plate in the ninth inning. Utley scored all the way from first base when catcher Willson Contreras committed an error throwing to first after a third strike in the dirt to Andrew Toles. Manager Joe Maddon said Rondon would be evaluated Thursday. Cubs starter John Lackey, like McCarthy, allowed only four hits in six innings. But Lackey paid for a home run he gave up to Toles leading off the game. "The celebration is over," Lackey said. "Time to work on another one." Lackey, a member of the 2002 Angels and 2013 Red Sox teams that won World Series, was one of the first players to receive his ring the pregame ceremony with Commissioner Rob Manfred in attendance. It was only fitting that Lackey would have enough time to participate in the ceremony and still have enough time to warm up while his teammates received their rings and lined up around the infield.

Last August, Lackey, 38, famously said, "I didn't come here for a haircut. I came here for the jewelry." The Cubs will distribute 1,908 rings and pins to players, coaches, ownership, executives, front office and ballpark employees, partners and Hall of Fame alumni. The latter included posthumous rings for the Ernie Banks and Ron Santo, which will be saved in the Wrigley Field archives. The 1,908 figure symbolizes 1908 — the last season the Cubs won a World Series before 2016. The bezel is surrounded by 108 round white diamonds raising the Cubs' logo and signifying the Cubs' 108 years since their last title. The ring made from 14-karat white gold, features 33 custom-cut red rubies that former the Cubs' logo and is surrounded by 72 round white diamonds and a circular perimeter made up of 46 custom-cut, blue sapphires. The ring contains 214 diamonds total at 5.5 karats, 3 karats of red rubies and 2.5 karats of blue sapphires. "They were tasty," manager Joe Maddon said. Other details include the players' names, numbers and "W" flag on one side and a silhouette of the Wrigley marquee with the words "Cubs Win" on the other side. The words "We Never Quit" and a replica of the billy goat that symbolized the supposed curse the Cubs finally snapped also are inscribed on the ring. Jake Arrieta and Javier Baez wasted little time in opening their jewelry boxes and putting on their rings before the rest of their returning teammates posed for photos in front of the mound. But the festive mood turned tense on the first at-bat, when Lackey's third pitch to Toles barely cleared the wall in right field for a home run. Lackey immediately turned and snapped at home plate umpire Greg Gibson. Unfortunately for Lackey, run support was non-existent against McCarthy, who made his major-league debut here with the White Sox on May 22, 2005. McCarthy induced three double plays and allowed only two runners in scoring position through six innings. -- Chicago Tribune Miguel Montero likens World Series ring to expensive sports car By Mark Gonzales Cubs veteran catcher Miguel Montero presented an interesting aspect of owning a gaudy World Series ring. "It's like buying a Ferrari and putting it in the garage," Montero said before receiving his ring in pregame ceremonies. "You want to drive it, show it off. It's something you earn and want to be able to enjoy." Montero said he would wear his ring frequently and understood its significance. "You play for a ring, a World Series," Montero said. "It's a blessing we have one. And with the Cubs, it's even more impressive. After 108 years of not being able to do that, it's tough. Mission accomplished. I already have a ring. Let's try to get another one this year." Manager Joe Maddon said he gave his 2002 ring from the Angels to his mother and reiterated he doesn't plan to wear his Cubs ring.

"I just don't wear jewelry. I don't like how it feels," said Maddon, who wears his wedding band and several rubber wrist bands. Wall watch: Left fielder Kyle Schwarber noticed balls carom stronger off the new bullpen walls so outfielders must adjust. The previous walls tended to deaden balls, but that has changed some with the bullpens moving from the foul lines to under the bleachers. Schwarber went as far to declare shortstop Addison Russell should be more aware of the caroms as the cutoff man in relays. Ross the boss: Sources said there was internal talk about David Ross becoming the head coach at Auburn, his alma mater, before Butch Thompson took over before the 2016 season. There's no question among his former Cubs teammates that Ross is qualified to manage, but the issue is when. "He has his family," Anthony Rizzo said. "I can see him being a manager, but I don't see that right now." Said Maddon: "He's going to do that at some point when he's done (with 'Dancing with the Stars.') He'll be able to move it on to another arena. "He has all the necessary requirements, and he's not afraid to take a chance or a risk." -- Chicago Sun-Times Ring tones: Cubs take 1 more victory lap before 2-0 loss to L.A. By Gordon Wittenmyer The only thing missing was David Ross actually dancing to the mound before throwing out the ceremonial first pitch of all ceremonial first pitches Wednesday night at Wrigley Field. “I thought about doing a little kick ball change on the way out there,” said Ross, the former backup catcher who has done anything but retire since “retiring” after last fall’s World Series. As the current big shot from Dancing with the Stars talked during Wednesday’s 2-0 loss to the Dodgers, his enormous World Series ring sparkled from his right hand, 108 diamonds strong – and much bigger than the 2013 ring he won with the Red Sox. Like Monday’s walk-off victory over the Dodgers, this game served as the compulsory event that followed a ceremony that upstaged any game the Cubs could play in April. “It’s unbelievable. It exceeded expectations,” leadoff hitter Kyle Schwarber said of the ring. Manager Joe Maddon called the design – which features a goat image on the inside of the band – “tasty.” “In spite of being grande, very tasty,” he said. Twenty fans serving as ring bearers for the players, with the baseball commissioner watching from near the on-field ceremony, made history in staging the first championship ring ceremony in Cubs history – the Cubs’ last championship in 1908 far predating the tradition of rings. “Additionally, it’s the most anticipated championship ring in the history of American sports,” said Cubs broadcaster Len Kasper, the emcee for the event – which, in a fitting move, included rings presented to Cubs Hall of Famers Fergie Jenkins, Ryne Sandberg and Billy Williams.

“It’s heavy, man,” said Wednesday’s starter John Lackey, who won rings with the Angels in 2002 and the Red Sox in 2013. “I’ve been fortunate to have a couple more, but this is the next level for sure. “I think the whole team like we want to say thanks to the Ricketts family,” said Lackey, who gave up a homer to Andrew Toles leading off the game but pitched around enough traffic early to survive six innings allowing only the one run. “It’s pretty sick,” he said of the ring. Since their dramatic Game 7 victory in the World Series, the Cubs have partied, made the late-night talk circuit, twerked on Saturday Night Live, been subjects of books and documentaries, in one case gone backstage at the Grammys (Anthony Rizzo), in another, had a street named after him in Chicago (Javy Baez) and now, twice, held championship pregame ceremonies before their first two home games of the season. “You should take the time to celebrate achievement,” manager Joe Maddon said. “You should not worry about what other people are thinking if it doesn’t work out well. And our guys do not do that. I like our approach.” The Cubs won five of their first seven games before Wednesday’s loss. “The celebration’s over,” Lackey said. “Now it’s time to start working on another one.” The Dodgers added an unearned run in the ninth when catcher Willson Contreras picked up a dropped third strike and threw it past first base for a two-out error. Reliever Hector Rondon banged his left knee covering the plate on the play and left the game. He is to be evaluated again Thursday morning, possibly getting an MRI at that point. He said he heard a “pop” when he turned toward the sliding runner but said it felt much better after the game and seemed optimistic about Thursday. He said he thought having his new ring would make it feel even better. “Kudos to the people, who came up with the design,” said Schwarber, who laughed when asked about the goat image. “I guess the curse is gone now, so it’s just a good little complement to the ring.” No matter what anybody else says, Miguel Montero plans to wears his. Otherwise, he said, “It’s like buying a Ferrari and putting it in the garage. You want to drive it. You want to show it off.” -- Chicago Sun-Times Cubs are ring-goat stars: Diamond-studded bling celebrates title By Rick Telander Nothing says it like a ring. Ask Frodo or Gollum. Or Beyoncé and Jay-Z. Try to imagine bike tires, steering wheels, toilet gaskets, even doughnuts without the genius of the ring. And now the Cubs have their own rings, glitzy ones of honor and success, not servitude or betrothal or mechanical assistance. Their 2016 World Series championship rings were passed out in a ceremony Wednesday night at Wrigley Field before the game against the Dodgers, and what rings they are.

You figured that since it had been 108 years since the Cubs last won the title, they’d have 108 diamonds on them (they do, surrounding the bezel alone, whatever that is) and weigh half a ton (well, they sure looked heavy as the players tried them on). Anyone who has ever gotten a school ring from the hosting Jostens company — and that includes this scribe, who, many years ago, had a Peoria Richwoods Community High School ring for all of five days before losing it — knows that these honorary rings are very cool but kind of crazy to wear. And the rings are so loaded with jewels and arcana that they should be studied under microscopes far more than used as bling. Of course, they say ‘‘CUBS’’ and ‘‘World Champions.’’ And they say 2016 and display a miniature Wrigley Field with a tiny front marquee that reads in dinky little letters, ‘‘Cubs Win!” There are also tiny ‘‘W’’ flags flying in the outfield and mini-ivy leaves crawling up the opposite side of the ring, below each player’s name and around another, larger ‘‘W” flag. We get it. The Cubs won. The title can’t be taken away, folks! Then there’s the slogan ‘‘Never Give Up’’ and a bunch of playoff dates and scores engraved on the inside of the ring. I did mention that the thing is filthy with jewels, didn’t I? Is it a coincidence that the Cubs’ colors of red, blue and white can be nicely duplicated, bling-wise, by sapphires, rubies and, oh, yeah, diamonds? Probably not. Fans have been waiting for this for so long that it was absolutely appropriate that 20 die-hard fans were selected in a contest to hand each ring to each individual Cub. (May I ask why now-retired catcher David Ross — lifetime batting average: .229; career home runs: 106 — got maybe the biggest cheer from the crowd? OK, I’ll answer myself. Ballroom dancing is our new ‘‘Duck Dynasty.’’) Cubs manager Joe Maddon said Monday that he has ‘‘never been that much into jewelry, but I do like banners.’’ So the ring didn’t mean as much to him as the blue ‘‘2016 World Series Champions’’ pennant blowing in the chill breeze. Yet these ceremonies have been meaningful and symbolic and necessary. Two rings were even made for deceased Hall of Famers Ron Santo and Ernie Banks. Hall of Famer Billy Williams, who also got a ring, said earlier that he always thinks of those two Cubs and the way they loved the team. ‘‘When [Anthony] Rizzo caught that throw from [Kris] Bryant in Game 7,’’ Williams said, ‘‘I thought of Ronnie and Ernie, how much they would’ve loved that. That’s all I could think of.’’ Old Dodgers icon Tommy Lasorda, 89 and still dressed in Dodger blue, reflected on what the event meant for the Cubs: ‘‘I said last fall that for the next 10 years this team will be good, all this talent. They’ve got a great general manager [actually, team president] in Theo Epstein. He’s the one who spins the wheel.’’ Lasorda thought for a moment. ‘‘I’ve been with the Dodgers 67 years,’’ he said. ‘‘But I always said, if I didn’t manage the Dodgers, I’d want to manage here. It’s a great place for an Italian manager.” He was joking about his good pal Maddon, whose original family name was Maddonini. Dodgers president Stan Kasten had his own view of the ceremony.

‘‘It’s frustrating, but it’s inspirational,’’ he said. ‘‘Success like this is what we think about every day of our lives.’’ And the Cubs have it. And they have their rings. And the part of the ring that might be the best of all? That little black goat head engraved on the inside gold. Slain for at least a century or so. -- Chicago Sun-Times Clayton Kershaw: ‘Didn’t feel good then, doesn’t feel good now’ By Gordon Wittenmyer The best player on either side of the diamond this week at Wrigley Field is pretty sure he watched the Cubs raise their championship banner Monday night. “Yeah, I guess so,” Clayton Kershaw said. “Yeah.” It was not must-see viewing for the Dodgers ace, and Kershaw wasn’t trying to avoid it, either. He just happened to be in the dugout for the first banner raising in Wrigley Field history — just five months and 21 days after making his final start of 2016 at the same place in a Game 6 loss that eliminated the Dodgers and sent the Cubs to their first World Series since 1945. Clayton Kershaw during Game 6 of the NLCS last fall. The Cubs won 5-0 to advance to the World Series. “It’s not my first time to lose in the postseason. It’s happened before,” he said. “It’s not fun no matter who it is.” During Monday’s rain delay and again Wednesday just before the start of the third inning, the Cubs replayed parts of their Game 6 NLCS victory over Kershaw and the Dodgers. That came just more than an hour after the Cubs received the first World Series championship rings in franchise history (no rings made in 1908) — and what’s believed to be the most expensive in major league history. Kris Bryant suggested Monday that banner raisings and ring ceremonies might provide motivation for opponents. After all, manager Dale Sveum made it mandatory viewing for the 2012 Cubs to watch the ceremonies in St. Louis before the Cardinals’ home opener. That was the first Cubs team to lose 100 games in nearly 50 years. And none of those players were on last year’s World Series roster. “I don’t think we need motivating,” said Kershaw, whose three Cy Young Awards and 2014 MVP make him the most decorated player on either team, albeit without the bling of the ring. It’s great of the schedule makers for us to get to be here for this,” he added. “But other than that, it’s not like — I mean, we all want to win it, and we’ve got a good team. We’re pretty singular focused on that as a group. Watching all that, I don’t really even let myself think, like man I would like to do that, just because I’d like to be in that spot.” The Dodgers are the National League favorites this year according to some odds-makers. Kershaw is at the center of those expectations. Speaking of odds, consider that Kershaw won his first of three Cy Young Awards in 2011, the announcement coming three weeks after Theo Epstein was hired to overhaul the Cubs’ baseball operations. What are the odds that the Cubs would get rings before Kershaw? What would the odds look like if you throw in the provision that Kershaw would finish in the top five in Cy Young voting each of those next five years?

“From an outsiders perspective, yeah, I can understand how the Cubs winning the World Series is like a big deal,” Kershaw said. “But to us it’s just another team that we lost to, for me personally. I don’t care if the Marlins, the Yankees, whoever wins the World Series. It’s just another team that we lose to. “We lost last year, and it didn’t feel good then, and it doesn’t feel good now,” Kershaw added. “That’s the great thing about baseball is we get another chance.” -- Daily Herald Lackey gets his jewelry, but Cubs fall 2-0 on ring night By Bruce Miles On the way to a world championship last year, Chicago Cubs pitcher John Lackey uttered one of the best lines of the season. "I didn't come here for a haircut," he said. "I came here for jewelry." Lackey's locks got trimmed during the off-season, and he did get his jewelry Wednesday night before pitching against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Wrigley Field. The Cubs received their rings for winning the 2016 World Series. Lackey picked his up before heading out to the bullpen to warm up. He allowed a homer to start the game, and the Dodgers went on to win 2-0, getting another run in the ninth. During his postgame news conference, Lackey was wearing the ring. "It's heavy, man, it's really nice," he said. "Seriously, I'm fortunate enough to have a couple more, but this is kind of the next level for sure. I think the whole team, to the (owning) Ricketts family, we want to say thanks. It's pretty sick." The Cubs signed Lackey to a two-year deal in December 2015, and one of the reasons they got him was to provide the club with a little edginess. Lackey can be a mite prickly at times, but the Cubs felt they needed that type of spice. "We thought that from the beginning," said manager Joe Maddon. "We talked about that Tuesday game in a particular city where the other team might not be doing as well to have that edge to go out there and play well and that Johnny would provide it. That was exactly part of the conversation. He is. He's all of that. But he's always been that guy. Even when he was a rookie, he was kind of like that." Lackey needed every bit of that edge to work out of early trouble. Andrew Toles led off the game with a line-drive home run to right field. The ball was hit too low to be stopped by a cold wind. Corey Seager doubled and Logan Forsythe walked before Lackey struck out the next two Dodgers. He loaded the bases with a walk to Joc Pederson but retired Chase Utley on a strikeout to limit the damage. Lackey wound up pitching 6 innings, giving up 4 hits and the 1 run. The Cubs scored no runs against Dodgers starter Brandon McCarthy but not because they didn't hit the ball hard. Double plays helped McCarthy in each of the first two innings. In the bottom of the fifth, Jason Heyward led off with a single. Willson Contreras crushed a pitch to keep left field, but a cold wind held the ball up and kept it in the park. Anthony Rizzo hit one to deep center in the sixth after Kris Bryant walked with one out, but again, the wind knocked the ball down. "Wrigley got us, man," Maddon said. "Those were definitely just part of the game."

Reliever Hector Rondon said he felt his knee "pop" while covering the plate in the ninth, when the Dodgers scored on a dropped third strike. Rondon said he was OK but sore. He may go for an MRI in the morning, he said. As for Lackey's haircut, he quipped with a smile: "Actually my wife was kind of ticked. She likes it long. I kind of got in trouble for that one, but what are you going to do? Where's she going to go?" -- Daily Herald A closer look at the Cubs' World Series rings By Bruce Miles Chicago Cubs players could hardly contain their anticipation Wednesday before receiving their World Series rings before the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Selected fans, including several from the suburbs, who won a contest, presented the rings to the players. "I don't know how they're going to keep their composure," said first baseman Anthony Rizzo, who gave a nod toward team chairman Tom Ricketts. What a cool experience for the fans. Mr. Ricketts preaches to us, 'It's all about the fans.'" It was even more special for Cubs infielder Javier Baez. "I know the girl who is giving me my ring is handicapped like my sister; it's going to change her life," he said. Baez's sister, Noely, died two years ago at 21. It's been quite a week for Baez. On Tuesday, he was honored as the city of Chicago named part of a Humboldt Park street "Javier 'Javy' Baez Way." At 24, Baez is off to a fast start to his major-league career. "It's like a dream, man, it's like a dream," he said. "Obviously it's early in my career for all this to be happening. Just really excited and live in the moment." According to a Cubs news release, the ring, "designed and produced by Jostens, is made from 14-karat white gold. Its top features the traditional Cubs bull's-eye logo masterfully crafted from 33 custom-cut genuine red rubies that are surrounded by 72 round white diamonds, all within a circular perimeter made up of 46 custom-cut, genuine blue sapphires. The bezel is surrounded by 108 round white diamonds lifting the Cubs logo to victory and signifying the end of a historic 108-year championship drought. Overall, the ring contains 214 diamonds at 5.5 karats, 3 karats of genuine red rubies and 2.5 karats of genuine sapphires. "One side features the player's name set atop the iconic W Flag, which is created from 31 round white diamonds and a fire blue corundum understone that forms the "W." Silhouette images of Wrigley Field's bricks and ivy surround the flag and the player's number, which sits below the flag. "The other side features the year 2016 above the iconic Wrigley Field facade and marquee, displaying the message "CUBS WIN!" A silhouette of the World Series Trophy sits below the marquee with a large round white diamond set in the center, signifying the 2016 World Series victory. Two princess-cut diamonds flank the trophy, representing the team's two previous World Series titles. Wrigley Field's bricks complete the background. "On the palm at the bottom of the outer band is the team's rally cry, 'WE NEVER QUIT.' On the inside of the ring is a custom triple arbor that features the local date and time the championship was won -- "11-3-16, 12:47 a.m." -- and the series scores and logos of the three teams the Cubs defeated ... to becoming 2016 World Series Champions. An image of the infamous goat representing a supposed franchise curse is included on the inner band."

Not just the pitchers: Much of the talk about the new Wrigley Field bullpens, under the bleachers, has been about the pitchers. But outfielders have to contend with the new glass doors. The doors allow the pitchers in the bullpen to see out onto the field, but from the other side, fans see a green door. "It (the ball) comes off a little bit hotter," said left fielder Kyle Schwarber. "It's more Plexiglass out there. You've got to be more aware of how that ball's to come out. You've got to know how hard the ball is hit. If it's smoked off it, it can go back a good amount. It's just something to be heads-up about." -- Cubs.com Cubs get rings, Ross sings, loss to LA stings By Carrie Muskat and John Jackson CHICAGO -- The Cubs celebrated their World Series championship one more time on Wednesday, handing out diamond-, ruby- and sapphire-studded rings to the players. The Dodgers quickly brought the Cubs back to reality. Andrew Toles defied the wind and hit a leadoff home run to back Brandon McCarthy and lift the Dodgers to a 2-0 victory over the Cubs and spoil the festivities. "Wrigley got us, man," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. "It's part of the game here. We know that. Toles crushed his -- that was low enough and the trajectory was better." It seemed appropriate that John Lackey started for Chicago. Last August, the right-hander quipped: "I didn't come here for a haircut. I came here for the jewelry." He got his ring before heading to the bullpen to warm up for the game, played in chilly 45-degree weather. A total of 1,908 rings will be distributed to those connected with the Cubs -- fitting since 1908 was the last time the team won a World Series. "It exceeded expectations," Chicago's Kyle Schwarber said of the ring. "That was unbelievable. It's a beautiful ring. It's perfect." The wind was blowing out of the east at 14 mph, but that didn't matter to Toles, who drove a 2-0 pitch from Lackey into the wind to right field for his first career leadoff home run. Toles got the start in place of Franklin Gutierrez, who was placed on the disabled list because of a strained left hamstring. "It wasn't a cheap homer," the Cubs' Jason Heyward said. "If it was to the right a little more, it might have been off the wall. That's the way it goes sometimes." Said Toles: "[Lackey] threw it low and I hit it on a line so the wind was no factor because it was so low. It was a line drive." McCarthy kept the Cubs in check, inducing double plays in the first, second and fourth innings. The right-hander, coming back from Tommy John surgery, scattered four hits over six innings. "Against a lineup like that, they'll take their walks all day," McCarthy said. "They're unbelievably disciplined. You have to be able to come into the zone to get results. We had to go with our best stuff and see how it matched up." MOMENTS THAT MATTERED Start me up: Lackey was miffed from the start when home plate umpire Greg Gibson called the first pitch a ball. The right-hander faced seven batters in the first, including Toles, and needed 32 pitches to get through the inning.

Lackey then settled down to retire 14 of the last 15 batters he faced. He fanned 10 for his 22nd career double-digit strikeout game. "I told him, 'You're getting better game in progress,'" Maddon said. "The first pitch might have been a strike, or was a strike, and I think that threw him off a little bit. Once he regrouped, he was outstanding after that." More > Utley's wild run: The Dodgers had a runner at first with two outs in the ninth against Hector Rondon. Toles battled Rondon in an eight-pitch at-bat, and struck out on a slider but the ball got away from catcher Willson Contreras. He threw to first, but the ball sailed into right field for an error. Chase Utley, who was on first, had a head start because he was running on the 3-2 pitch and scored. Rondon, however, had to leave the game with an apparent injury after Utley collided with him at home plate. "There's probably [only] a handful of Major League players that would have [scored]," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. "It's just the attention to detail and the care." Maddon felt Contreras may have rushed his throw. "It's a throw he would make almost 100 percent of the time," Maddon said. "That's a tough run. Willie does so many good things. He's catching great, he's blocking the ball, he's calling a real good game." SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS Don Zimmer used to say Wrigley Field was two different ballparks depending on the wind. That was evident Wednesday as nature stymied Anthony Rizzo. In the Cubs' sixth, Rizzo hit a ball 105 mph at a 28 degree launch angle, which, according to Statcast™, is a home run 81 percent of the time and has a 91 percent hit probability. Instead, center fielder Joc Pederson caught it for the second out. Contreras also hit a fly ball to left in the fifth that might have gone out if not for the wind. "I guess [Toles] cut it right through it and kept it low enough," Schwarber said. "You can't hit the big high majestic homers. 'Riz' got into his and you saw what happened -- it didn't make it to the warning track. It's the nature of Wrigley, and you're going to have to deal with it." INJURY UPDATE Rondon will be re-evaluated on Thursday after having to leave the game in the ninth with a sore left knee. He felt something pop as he tried to cover home plate. "They said everything's good with my knee and we'll see tomorrow how I feel," Rondon said. "When I tried to catch the ball, I slipped and I felt it a little bit. ... Right now, I feel normal, a little sore, but nothing big." UNDER REVIEW Kris Bryant stole second in the Cubs sixth and was called safe, but the Dodgers challenged the call. After a review, the call was overturned, and the inning was over. WHAT'S NEXT Dodgers: Hyun-Jin Ryu, who pitched in just one game the previous two years following shoulder surgery, makes his second start of the season Thursday. He allowed two runs on six hits in 4 2/3 innings last Friday against the Rockies to get the loss in Los Angeles' 2-1 defeat. First pitch is at 11:20 a.m. PT. Cubs: Brett Anderson will make his first start at Wrigley Field as a Cub, and will do so against his former team, the Dodgers. The lefty has never faced them. In his first start this season, he went 5 2/3 innings against the Brewers. First pitch will be 1:20 p.m. CT. --

Cubs.com Indoor bullpens draw praise from Hendricks By Carrie Muskat CHICAGO -- Kyle Hendricks has thrown twice in the new bullpens at Wrigley Field, now located under the bleachers, and as far as the Cubs pitcher is concerned, they've passed all the tests. "I loved it," Hendricks said Wednesday. "It's a little bit of a change -- it's loud in there and makes me feel like I'm throwing harder." The sound is from the pop of the ball into the catcher's mitt, he said. The bullpens used to be outside along the foul lines, but this is the first year they've been moved indoors. "You have enough space, you don't feel like there's anything over you," Hendricks said. Hendricks noted that at Minute Maid Park in Houston, the lighting is a little strange where the bullpens are located. "Here, they did a good job, it's so enclosed, the lighting is perfect, and you can see your lanes well," Hendricks said. Jon Lester asked bullpen coach Lester Strode to open the bullpen door so he could hear what was going on outside Monday night because it was a little too quiet while he was warming up. "It is really quiet in there, and it can get kind of warm," Hendricks said. "But the mound is perfect and it felt just like the game mound." Cubs keep busy • It's been a whirlwind week for Javier Baez, who took part in the banner-raising ceremony on Monday night, had a street in Chicago named after him on Tuesday, and received his championship ring on Wednesday. "It's like a dream, man, it's like a dream," Baez said. "It's been pretty early to have all this happening in my career. It's really exciting, and I'm just living in the moment." A street in Humboldt Park, which has a large Puerto Rican community, was named after Baez, 24, and Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel took part in the ceremony. "To see all the people there waiting for me, it was really exciting," said Baez, who helped Team Puerto Rico earn silver medals in the World Baseball Classic. A few other Cubs players also were busy on Tuesday, an off-day on the schedule. Anthony Rizzo, Willson Contreras and Mike Montgomery surprised fans on American Airlines flights, Kris Bryant hit home runs into the Chicago River as part of a promotional event, and Kyle Schwarber posed as a mannequin in a store window, then answered fans' questions. "It's all fun stuff, and that's what happens when you win," manager Joe Maddon said. "I believe our guys can balance things." Maddon didn't think he needed to say anything to the players about keeping their focus on the field. "I have a lot of faith in our guys and how they are," Maddon said. "I won't even talk to them about that, because then I'm kind of insulting them if I do." -- Cubs.com Dance all days: Ross basks in limelight

By Phil Rogers CHICAGO -- David Ross wasn't quite dancing, but he still seemed light on his feet. After throwing out a ceremonial first pitch on Wednesday night at Wrigley Field, Ross did do a quick step to home plate toward his old battery mate, Jon Lester, who caught it. Ross skipped his first couple of steps, a huge smile on his face. And why not? Really, why not? "I couldn't control my emotions," Ross said. "The day built up on me. I was excited to get here. I felt like I was a kid coming to his first Major League game. Even watching the game from the stands, it was the first time I ever did it. It was really, really cool. I felt like a kid out there. It came out in my walk, my skip, my high-fives." Ross has become a special assistant to Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein, a baseball analyst for ESPN, an author, a motivational speaker and most notably a national phenomenon on the show "Dancing with the Stars" in the 161 days since ending his career with a home run off Andrew Miller in Game 7 of the World Series. That's a lot for a guy who had thought his plate was full as a backup catcher, husband and father. "I really feel like I'm the luckiest man ever," Ross said. "I've got a book coming out. I can't even read. How do I have a book coming out? Somebody bought the rights to my book to make a movie. I'm on 'Dancing with the Stars;' I was on "Saturday Night Live" and "Ellen," then doing some charity things. Eddie Vedder gave me a shoutout in Game 5 [of the World Series]. Who am I? I don't even know anymore. It's so crazy. "I'm appreciative, and the emotional part for me is the love I get, is for who I am, not my stats. That's the part that gets me emotional. People like you for you, who you are as a person, not just who you are as a player." Ross was on the "Dancing with the Stars" set in Los Angeles on Monday night, when the Cubs raised the World Series banner at Wrigley Field. He and his partner, Lindsay Arnold, survived elimination while doing a Viennese waltz, which wasn't easy considering how much of Ross' heart was with his old team on the diamond and in the clubhouse. Ross is the first person tied to baseball to participate on ABC's popular dance show, which is in its 24th season. The 40-year-old said he would not have done the show if the schedule hadn't worked out so he could have been at Wrigley when the World Series rings were passed out. That was first order of business Wednesday night, when players and coaches received rings encrusted with 108 diamonds, signifying the drought that ended with the seven-game victory over the Indians last fall. Ross drew one of the loudest cheers from the crowd of 40,844, popping out of the third-base dugout wearing a championship jersey -- his name and No. 3 written in gold on the back -- over khaki pants. His new-found star power is a marvel to behold, even for his best friends. "The guy is an A-list celebrity," Anthony Rizzo said. "I have to contact his assistants now just to [talk to] him." Rizzo was joking, sort of. He and many of his teammates hung out with Ross on Tuesday, the night after Rizzo's ninth-inning single delivered a 3-2 victory in the Cubs' home opener. But Ross' popularity has soared since he signed a two-year, $5 million deal with the Cubs in December 2014, not coincidentally less than two weeks after Lester signed with the Cubs. Ross had been Lester's personal catcher for two seasons in Boston and they reprised that role in Chicago, this time with Ross becoming nicknamed "Granpa Rossy" by Rizzo, Kris Bryant and his younger teammates. "We had some text messages going back and forth," Ross said of Lester in the time when the Cubs were pursuing him. "I wasn't just trying to follow Jon Lester; I was trying to take care of my family at that point. The fact the Cubs wanted me as well as him was special. The way that's worked out was obviously the best decision I've ever made.

Theo tells me all the time, 'Aren't you glad you didn't go here or there?' I tell him, 'Hey, 'I would have won there, too, buddy.' " Ross embraced the chance to play at Wrigley Field, and Cubs fans quickly came to treat him with affection. He counseled Lester through the public examination of his yips throwing to bases and rode alongside him through his 19-5 season in 2016, when he was second to Max Scherzer in the National League Cy Young Award voting. Ross was squeezed onto the Opening Day roster in 2015 alongside fellow catchers Welington Castillo and Miguel Montero, and spent much of '16 in a three-catcher rotation with Montero and rookie Willson Contreras. Ross spent time on the disabled list with concussion symptoms his first season in Chicago, and he let it be known early that he wouldn't play after the end of his contract. The thing nobody saw coming was that Ross had one of the most productive years of his career as a 39-year-old, delivering 10 home runs and a .784 OPS in 166 at-bats. Ross' 1.8 WAR matched the second best of his 15-season career, the only better one coming with the Braves in 2009. Had the Cubs not given him a chance to ride off into the sunset, they might have tried to talk him out of retiring. "I mentioned it a little bit," manager Joe Maddon said. "[But] maybe he played so well last year because he knew it was going to be his last year. He just put it all out there. He worked hard to get in shape to play as well as he did. After winning the World Series, I'd say, 'Please don't come back. Just go be with your family and do other things.' I thought it was really the perfect ending to an interesting career." Like Ross' former teammates, Maddon has been impressed by Ross' work on "Dancing with the Stars." He said it shows him that Ross could have a career ahead of him as a manager if he gets the itch to get back into uniform. "One thing I love is that he's stepping outside his comfort zone now," Maddon said. "It's a big leap of faith to jump out on a dance floor in front of the nation after being a baseball player. I love that. That in and of itself tells me he'd be a good manager. He has all the necessary requirements, plus he's not afraid to take a chance or a risk." Ross says that Maddon is right about him being outside his comfort zone. Ross said he had to conquer his own inhibitions a couple weeks ago, when he and Arnold did a dance that played off the movie "Magic Mike," about a male stripper. "I'm as far out of my comfort zone [as I could be]," Ross said. "I did the 'Magic Mike' routine the other night, and I literally couldn't sleep one night. I drop my kids off at school, and like half the elementary school goes, 'Mr. Ross, we watched you on 'Dancing with the Stars.' I knew I had 'Magic Mike.' I'm like, 'Wait a minute. All these 7-, 8-, 9-, 10-year-olds are going to watch me take off pants and shirt.' It scared me to death. It took a lot to do that. I feel like it's the first World Series game I ever caught every time I step out there. My heart rate is through the roof. The emotions are crazy." Arnold accompanied Ross to Chicago so they could work on next week's performance. Ross said they rehearsed from 8 a.m. CT until almost 3 p.m. on Wednesday before he could focus on seeing his former teammates and picking up his World Series ring. Pretty solid day. "It was just a joy for me," Ross said. Dance on, David. Dance on. -- Cubs.com Bling at Wrigley: Cubs celebrate with jewelry By Carrie Muskat

CHICAGO -- For the first time ever, Cubs players received World Series championship rings, a piece of jewelry and history that they will cherish forever. In a pregame ceremony Wednesday night at Wrigley Field, the diamond-, ruby- and sapphire-loaded rings were presented to commemorate the Cubs ending the 108-year drought and winning the World Series. Cubs chairman Tom Ricketts was first to receive his from Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred. A total of 1,908 rings and pins will be distributed to Cubs players, coaches, ownership, executives, front office associates, ballpark staff, partners and Hall of Fame alumni, including posthumous rings for the late Ernie Banks and Ron Santo, which will be saved in the Wrigley Field archives. Cubs fans selected through a contest were the ring-bearers and presented the jewelry to the players. World Series MVP Ben Zobrist was the last of the players to get one. "I think it's the perfect method to do this tonight," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said of the fan presentation. "The folks who are part of the ceremony, they will never forget tonight, and even the folks sitting in the stands watching." The ring is made from 14-karat white gold. Its top features the traditional Cubs' bull's-eye logo, crafted from 33 custom-cut genuine red rubies that are surrounded by 72 round white diamonds, all within a circular perimeter made up of 46 custom-cut, genuine blue sapphires. The bezel is surrounded by 108 round white diamonds to signify the end of a historic 108-year championship drought. Overall, the ring contains 214 diamonds at 5.5 karats, 3 karats of genuine red rubies and 2.5 karats of genuine sapphires. One side features the player's name set atop the iconic "W" flag, which is created from 31 round white diamonds and a fire blue corundum understone that forms the "W." Silhouette images of Wrigley Field's bricks and ivy surround the flag and the player's number, which sits below the flag. The other side features the year "2016" above the iconic Wrigley Field facade and marquee, displaying the message "CUBS WIN!" A silhouette of the World Series trophy sits below the marquee with a large round white diamond set in the center, signifying the 2016 World Series victory. Two princess-cut diamonds flank the trophy, representing the team's two previous World Series titles. Wrigley Field's bricks complete the background. On the palm at the bottom of the outer band is the team's rally cry, "We never quit." On the inside of the ring is a custom triple arbor that features the local date and time the championship was won -- "11-3-16, 12:47 am" -- and the series scores and logos of the three teams the Cubs defeated on their epic journey. An image of the infamous goat representing a supposed franchise curse is included on the inner band. Jon Lester received his third World Series championship ring, Zobrist got his second, while young Addison Russell, 23, got his first. The jewelry might mean even more to people like the Cubs clubhouse staff, manager Tom Hellmann and assistant Gary Stark. This is Hellmann's 43rd year in baseball, Stark's 40th. Stark began as a bat boy at Wrigley Field, while Hellmann started in 1974 with the Reds in Cincinnati. "I've been waiting a long time," Hellmann said. The practice of giving out World Series rings dates to the early 1920s. The Baseball Hall of Fame website includes photos of World Series rings, with the earliest from 1922. Prior to rings, it was up to the teams to decide what, if anything, they would give the players and staff. Among the items were commemorative watches, stick pins, pendants and money clips. The 1907 and '08 World Series-champion Cubs received watch fobs, which was a small medallion designed to be added to the chain of a pocket watch. The rings are a little nicer than a watch fob.

"It truly represents quite an accomplishment, and it's something we'll have for the rest of our lives," Maddon said. However, don't expect to see Maddon wearing his ring. He has never worn the ring he received after the Angels won the World Series in 2002. "I'm not a jewelry guy," Maddon said. "I love the concept or thought of having it. I have not worn it one time." Javier Baez is the opposite. "I'll probably wear it a lot," Baez said. "I probably won't [wear it]," Anthony Rizzo said, "but I probably will. We'll see how it fits, we'll see how it looks." Who will wear it the most among the players? "[Pedro] Strop," Maddon said of the Cubs reliever. "He'll wear it to sleep, he'll wear it in the shower, he'll wear it everywhere, man." Rizzo has talked to people who have championship rings, and they say everyone wants to simply touch it. "When people on the street see these rings, it's special," Rizzo said. Think about it -- it's the first World Series championship ring ever for the Cubs. "I'm definitely going to wear it sometimes, but it's not something I'll wear every day," Miguel Montero said. "It's like buying a Ferrari and putting it in the garage -- you want to drive it, you want to show it off. It's something you earned and you want to be able to enjoy it." He wouldn't mind another one either. "Mission accomplished -- now I'll get a ring, so let's try to get another one this year," Montero said. -- Cubs.com Lackey shifts focus back to task at hand By Carrie Muskat CHICAGO -- John Lackey walked into the interview room Wednesday proudly wearing his new World Series ring. "It's heavy," the Cubs pitcher said, showing off his new bling. "It's really nice. Seriously, I've been fortunate to have a couple of them, but this is next level for sure. I think the whole team, to the Ricketts family, we want to say thanks. It's pretty sick." Lackey altered his routine so he could get take part in the pregame ceremonies, then went to the bullpen to prepare to face the Dodgers, who spoiled the party with a 2-0 win. "The celebration's over," Lackey said. "It's time to start to work on another one." That attitude is shared by others in the Cubs clubhouse as well. As much as they'll enjoy counting the diamonds and looking at the sapphires and rubies, it's time to move on. "We'll be really proud of that thing," Kyle Schwarber said of the jewelry to commemorate the Cubs' first World Series championship since 1908. "It's time for 2017." The Dodgers have had enough reminders of last year's National League Championship Series, when they were ousted by the Cubs in six games. On Monday, the Cubs raised their championship banners, and on Wednesday, the

players received their rings. The Dodgers' win evened the series, and reinforced that it's time for the Cubs to move on. "We're really happy we could celebrate, and now that it's done, we're really focused on trying to get back there again," Schwarber said. "That's the best feeling in the world to win it." The Dodgers held the Cubs to five hits, while the wind stymied fly balls by Anthony Rizzo and Willson Contreras that might have gone out at Wrigley Field on another day. Somehow, Andrew Toles was able to line a homer to right, keeping the ball low enough that the wind wasn't a factor, which ended up being all the Dodgers needed. Lackey wasn't happy with the homer, obviously, but he was ticked even before that. The right-hander didn't like home-plate umpire Greg Gibson's call on the first pitch of the game. Toles launched a 2-0 pitch for the homer. "The first pitch might have been a strike, or was a strike, and I think that threw him off a little bit," manager Joe Maddon said of Lackey. "Once he regrouped, he was outstanding after that." Lackey did retire 14 of the last 15 batters he faced, and notched his 22nd career double-digit strikeout game with 10 K's. Maddon knows the veteran pitcher well from their days together on the Angels. Maddon was a coach then, and he and Lackey were drinking buddies. "I don't think he's necessarily satisfied with any of this," Maddon said of Lackey, who now has three World Series rings, having won with the Angels and with the Red Sox. "I love that. That's part of the edginess he brings. One day, he will retire to West Texas and we will not see him again outside of a photograph on occasion riding a horse. In the meantime, he's alive and doing really well right here." --