May 27, 2017

Chicago Tribune, Jake Arrieta struggles as Cubs fall 4-0 to Dodgers http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-cubs-dodgers-spt-0527-20170525-story.html

Chicago Tribune, Kyle Schwarber's struggles have him heading into platoon role for Cubs http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-kyle-schwarber-platoon-role-cubs-spt-0527-20170525-story.html

Chicago Tribune, Scott Boras: Kris Bryant calm under pressure — unless doughnuts are involved http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-kris-bryant-scott-boras-donuts-20170526-story.html

Chicago Tribune, Cubs hope to neutralize Dodgers' pitchers and left-handed hitters http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-feature-cubs-dodgers-spt-0527-20170525-story.html

Chicago Tribune, Cubs' 'Anchorman' outfits earn their own baseball card http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-cubs-anchorman-topps-baseball-card-20170526-story.html

Chicago Tribune, Mike Montgomery could get a start, 'but haven’t nailed it down yet' http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-montgomery-starter-20170526-story.html

Chicago Sun-Times, Hard knocks: 2 more homers sink Jake Arrieta in Cubs’ 4-0 loss to L.A. http://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/westward-mo-cubs-jake-arrieta-plans-to-get-most-from-coast/

Chicago Sun-Times, Kyle Schwarber to sit against LHPs, works to get back on hitting horse http://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/kyle-schwarber-to-sit-against-lhps-works-to-get-back-on-hitting-horse/

Chicago Sun-Times, Through good times and bad, Cubs can fill up on NL Central cooking http://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/through-good-times-and-bad-cubs-can-fill-up-on-nl-central-cooking/

Daily Herald, Arrieta not far from winning form of last 2 seasons http://www.dailyherald.com/sports/20170526/arrieta-not-far-from-winning-form-of-last-2-seasons

Daily Herald, Cubs’ Schwarber cooling his heels http://www.dailyherald.com/sports/20170526/cubs-schwarber-cooling-his-heels

Cubs.com, Cubs get shut down by Dodgers' Wood http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/232598598/alex-wood-leads-dodgers-shutout-of-cubs/?topicId=27118368

Cubs.com, Arrieta's troubling homer trend continues http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/232601018/jake-arrieta-gives-up-two-homers-in-loss-to-la/

Cubs.com, Lackey, McCarthy set to face off in LA http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/232598588/lackey-mccarthy-set-to-face-off-in-la/?topicId=26688836

Cubs.com, Maddon wants Schwarber to ignore numbers http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/232598592/joe-maddon-believes-in-kyle-schwarber/?topicId=27118368

ESPNChicago.com, Kyle Schwarber to start vs. righties only for now, Joe Maddon says http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/19474198/kyle-schwarber-chicago-cubs-start-right-handed-pitchers-only-now-joe-maddon-says

CSNChicago.com, As Cubs Search For Answers, Scott Boras Doesn’t Believe Jake Arrieta Is Feeling The Pressure Of Free Agency http://www.csnchicago.com/chicago-cubs/cubs-search-answers-scott-boras-doesnt-believe-jake-arrieta-feeling-pressure-free

CSNChicago.com, Cubs: Is Joe Maddon Turning Kyle Schwarber Into A Platoon Player? http://www.csnchicago.com/chicago-cubs/cubs-joe-maddon-turning-kyle-schwarber-platoon-player

CSNChicago.com, The ‘Friendly Rivalry’ Between Theo Epstein And Andrew Friedman With Cubs, Dodgers Becoming NL Superpowers http://www.csnchicago.com/chicago-cubs/friendly-rivalry-between-theo-epstein-and-andrew-friedman-cubs-dodgers-becoming-nl

CSNChicago.com, Topps Releases Special Anchorman-Themed Cubs Card http://www.csnchicago.com/chicago-cubs/topps-releases-special-anchorman-themed-cubs-card-anthony-rizzo-kyle-schwarber

-- Chicago Tribune Jake Arrieta struggles as Cubs fall 4-0 to Dodgers By Mark Gonzales The Cubs ran into pitching dominance that Jake Arrieta possessed as recently as the first half of the 2016 season. And even as Arrieta improved his control and struck out nine in six innings Friday night, his penchant for surrendering home runs continued to make him as vulnerable as his offense was against Dodgers starter Alex Wood and two relievers. “We knew coming in we’d have a challenge,” Arrieta said after the Cubs were harnessed in a 4-0 loss to the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. “After they scored first, it pretty much was over.” The Cubs collected only two hits — consecutive singles by Jason Heyward and Javier Baez — with two outs in the second. But they advanced only one runner as far as third base, and that occurred in the sixth. That lack of success off Wood — who extended his scoreless streak to 25 1/3 innings — left Arrieta with no margin for error. Arrieta allowed a solo shot to Chase Utley to lead off the third and a two-run shot to Adrian Gonzalez with two outs in the sixth that increased his season total for home runs allowed to 10. Arrieta credited Utley for hitting a pitch on the outside corner but was upset for elevating a 3-1 fastball to Gonzalez after shaking off the sign for a changeup from catcher Willson Contreras. “I don’t intend to continue to give up as much hard contact, especially balls over the fence,” Arrieta said. “It’s been a little bit of tough luck. They flat-out beat us.” Although Arrieta has walked only 15 in 10 starts (compared to 76 last season), the one walk he issued to Corey Seager to start the fourth set up an RBI double by Yasmani Grandal. “It was a good baseball game,” Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. “They hit homers, we didn’t.

“I thought (Arrieta) was sharper. His command was good, curve was outstanding.” Yet, Arrieta’s ERA swelled to 4.92 after pitching six innings and not allowing an earned in his previous start against the Brewers. Before the game, agent Scott Boras tempered speculation over a dip in Arrieta’s velocity as he enters his final four months before free agency. “For Jake, was coming from Baltimore to here (in the middle of the 2013 season) and establishing himself in the big leagues was something that was the major arc of his career, the most difficult moment of illustrating that he is an everyday major leaguer,” Boras said. “The fact he has skills and the things he has up here, the dynamic of winning two World Series games and things like that, I’d say he’s won the award of being measured when you win World Series games. That’s the most important thing. “That the thing you find many of the great ones, as great as they are, they’ve never achieved it. And he did it not once, but twice. If you want me to measure pressure, that’s World Series (courage). It’s his greatest measurement, I think. “I heard winning World Series in Chicago was difficult. That may have aided. I don’t know.” Boras emphasized that Arrieta is focused exclusively on helping the Cubs get back to the World Series. Arrieta backed Boras’ contention with a head-first dive to first base to beat Utley to the bag on a grounder in the sixth. “It was a do-or-die play,” said Arrieta, who moved far to the right of the mound to beat first baseman Anthony Rizzo to the ball. “Out of the corner of my eye, I can see where Rizzo is. He’s approaching the ball. I either have to go straight to the bag, or get the ball and try to make a play. I was able to get to the ball on time, redirect and dive. “It was a fun play. And I look forward to plays like that to show some athleticism.” -- Chicago Tribune Kyle Schwarber's struggles have him heading into platoon role for Cubs By Mark Gonzales Kyle Schwarber’s numbers have sunk to the point where Cubs manager Joe Maddon can't ignore his struggling left-handed hitting slugger is in a platoon situation. "I can't avoid it," Maddon said Friday night as Schwarber was on the bench against Dodgers left-hander Alex Wood. "I'm saying I'm going to do that until I feel good about him because I don't want to lay too many at-bats on him in a negative situation." Maddon said Schwarber will start Saturday against right-hander Brandon McCarthy, but there are no guarantees as to when he would resume playing full time. "If he's not swinging the bat well against righties, it's a bad assumption he's going to do well against lefties," Maddon said. "I'm just putting him in a deeper hole by throwing him out there just based on really bad logic. "I'm just trying to pick his spots right now to get him going. Once he goes, he'll play against anybody." Schwarber is batting .181 with 55 strikeouts in 160 at-bats, and he struck out in all four at-bats Thursday against the Giants. He's in a 2-for-16 rut with nine strikeouts. While Schwarber is hitting only .147 against lefties, he's not much better against right-handers at .190.

Schwarber's struggles haven't reached the point where Maddon is considering sitting him for an entire series, as he did last August with Jason Heyward. "I don't think it's there yet," Maddon said. "(But) my concern when a guy is struggling a little bit is I don't want him to get too many at-bats. And it's really hard to have that mentally and numerical whole. I'm looking at at-bats, process, what he's doing for the team. "He looks up at the scoreboard and sees the numbers everywhere and evaluates based on numbers. I don't want him to do that." -- Chicago Tribune Scott Boras: Kris Bryant calm under pressure — unless doughnuts are involved By Mark Gonzales Cubs slugger Kris Bryant calmly trotted off the field in the third inning Friday night after a replay overturned a safe call at second base after Bryant had been picked off by Dodgers left-hander Alex Wood. Bryant's poise wasn't surprising to longtime agent Scott Boras, who has witnessed his client get antsy only in specific moments. "I think when Kris and I eat doughnuts together, I see that moment of absolute anticipation," Boras said Friday, referring to their visits to Rose's Donuts in San Diego. "That’s the greatest anxiety, before we get to that doughnut." Boras noticed Bryant remaining calm at his wedding last January, in which his father Mike sang a song without his knowledge. "I would say that Kris has a rare skill because intellectually, emotionally and skill-wise, he’s a a guy who is very, very competitive and wants to get better every day," Boras said. "He’s one driven guy and he does it through thought. He does it not through his exhibition of his emotions or things like that. He does it through thought. He has an intensity about him that’s a true quiet intensity. "He’s that classic neurosurgeon personality. To get better with the scalp, you have to be lighter with it. That’s how he is. He has that touch about it." -- Chicago Tribune Cubs hope to neutralize Dodgers' pitchers and left-handed hitters By Mark Gonzales As the Cubs gradually warm up to their 2016 standards, there's a degree of uncertainty revolving around the Dodgers, whom they beat to advance to the World Series. But the Dodgers' major question — injuries to their pitching staff — could be shored up during the course of the season and provide a formidable threat if they meet the Cubs in the playoffs. The Cubs opened their three-game series Friday night against emerging left-hander Alex Wood and Cody Bellinger — the latest in a series of young stars Jake Arrieta must confront. "Bellinger wasn't there the last time I pitched against them," Arrieta said of the 21-year-oldwho had nine home runs and 25 RBIs in 28 gamesentering Friday night. "They have some talented left-handed hitters, with some veteran guys like (Chase) Utley mixed in."

The Cubs elected last weekend to tweak their rotation so Jon Lester would remain on his normal five-day schedule. But the change also enabled Lester to face Clayton Kershaw in Sunday's series finale in an attempt to take advantage of the Dodgers' .244 batting average against lefties (compared to their .266 mark against right-handers). Although Arrieta, who lost to the Dodgers in Game 3 of the National League Championship Series, hasn't allowed a run to the Dodgers in his past 16 regular-season innings, he's not going to alter his plan of attack. "I don't really worry about that," Arrieta said before opposing Wood, who hadn't allowed a run in his last 201/3 innings. "If you execute the same pitches over and over, they know you're going to throw those. You just try to minimize mistakes and try not to leave pitches in parts of the zones where they slug well. "You try to pitch away from the (slugging areas) and you're going to give up some hits. You're trying to limit them to singles and pitch away from damage, but that's about it." Arrieta believes his six innings of one-run ball against the Brewers on Sunday was an indicator he has turned things around after getting tagged for eight home runs and a 5.44 ERA in his first eight starts. "It's starting to come around," Arrieta said. "My timing was as good as it has been all year. The velocity is there. It's just some things I do that limit myself in terms of the lateral rotation versus trying to getting over my front side better, getting more extension. "Those are things that come with having sound mechanics and good timing. I think the uptick in velocity is just due to having more consistent timing. "My release point was more consistently in the same spot. I'm not necessarily where I want to be. It's a work in progress, as it always is. I'm just trying to refine things and get locked into midseason form pretty soon." The Dodgers' rotation was lined up so Brandon McCarthy, who pitched six shutout innings against the Cubs on April 12, and three-time NL Cy Young Award winner Kershaw will follow Wood against the Cubs. -- Chicago Tribune Cubs' 'Anchorman' outfits earn their own baseball card By Mark Gonzales The Cubs' "Anchorman"-themed road trip caught the attention of the Topps baseball card company. Anthony Rizzo and Kyle Schwarber, who sported attire replicating the characters from the hit movie, will be featured on a card. Topps announced Friday the card will be available for purchase on its website through 11 a.m. Saturday. -- Chicago Tribune Mike Montgomery could get a start, 'but haven’t nailed it down yet' By Chris Kuc Even with Eddie Butler doing an admirable job thus far in the role as the Chicago Cubs’ fifth starter, manager Joe Maddon is keeping his options open. Butler improved to 2-0 with a solid performance during the Cubs’ 5-1 victory over the San Francisco Giants on Thursday at Wrigley Field and afterward said, “if I do what I expect to do and I’m able to go out there and do it every time I should be able to hold this spot for the rest of the year.”

In the same game, veteran Mike Montgomery furthered his cause to earn some starts — and perhaps seize the fifth starter’s role — with a brilliant four-inning stint that resulted in his first save of the season. It marked the second time in Montgomery’s career that he went four innings in a relief appearance, having also done it against the Houston Astros on July 5, 2016 while the left-hander was with the Seattle Mariners. Against the Giants, Montgomery yielded one hit and walked one while throwing 41 pitches, 25 for strikes. “It was fabulous,” Maddon said. “We’ve had him out there at different times. The big thing with Mike is if he’s throwing strikes he’s going to pitch really well versus righties and lefties. He’s a groundball pitcher. He keeps the ball on the ground, which is also attractive here.” Maddon said the Cubs have talked about giving Montgomery a start, “but we haven’t nailed it down yet. That was part of the reason to keep him stretched out when we wanted to do that. He's in pretty good stretched-out mode. If we chose to do that obviously he’s trending in that direction.” The 27-year-old Montgomery has started 23 games during his career, including five with the Cubs last season after coming from the Mariners via a trade. He said he is open to whatever role the Cubs want him for. “I like starting,” Montgomery said. “It’s just been one of those things where I’ve been in the bullpen and being able to do different things for me it’s just going out there and trying to keep my mindset where it needs to be no matter what the role is. That’s kind of the focus. If they want me to start, I’m ready.” The Cubs are in Los Angeles where they will kick off a six-game road trip against the Dodgers on Friday night. -- Chicago Sun-Times Hard knocks: 2 more homers sink Jake Arrieta in Cubs’ 4-0 loss to L.A. By Gordon Wittenmyer LOS ANGELES — When asked Friday about the biggest difference between Jake Arrieta last year and this year, manager Joe Maddon immediately mentioned velocity: “a couple miles an hour.” But even before his return to historically Jake-friendly Dodger Stadium — and coming off one of his better starts of the season — Arrieta made it clear he’s getting tired of hearing that his fastball has lost something this year. “We’ve got to stop talking about velocity,” he said, “because it just has no bearing. This is the big leagues. It doesn’t matter. “Kyle [Hendricks] throws 87. I throw 92, 93, 94. It doesn’t matter. You watch how Kyle dominates a lineup with 86, 88 and a really good changeup. It’s more focus on command and changing speeds.” Arrieta’s velocity actually was as good Friday as it had been all year, reaching 95 mph for the second game this season. But neither that nor the powers of California were enough to prevent two more home runs in a 4-0 loss to the Dodgers in the opener of a six-game west-coast trip. It’s hard to say whether Arrieta is getting more tired of talking about his velocity or more tired of actually waiting for it to return. Less difficult to identify is the troubling trend of especially hard contact when he misses in the zone. Chase Utley’s leadoff homer to center in the third and Adrian Gonzalez’s two-run shot in the sixth — his first homer of the season — were the ninth and 10th allowed by Arrieta (5-4) this season.

That matches his total for his 2015 Cy Young season and is just six shy of last season’s total. And it’s still May. If there ever was an antidote for Arrieta’s 4.92 ERA, this road trip through Los Angeles and San Diego looked like the right prescription. Since the start of 2014, Arrieta was 7-1 with a 0.95 ERA in eight starts at five California ballparks before his start Friday. “It’s a good place to pitch,” Arrieta said of California, where he also pitches the final game of the trip Wednesday in San Diego. “Especially now with the weather we’ve dealt with, it’s going to be nice to get out there. I think we’ll get a little boost from that, after what we’ve dealt with, with all the delays and rainouts [during the recent homestand]. As much as we all love Chicago, I think we’re all about tired of all this rain.” Arrieta, a free agent at the end of the year, was in search of his own personal sunshine out west, too. Arrieta expected to get together informally with his agent, Scott Boras, who was at Friday night’s game but not because there’s anything new with his contract status or shelved discussions with the Cubs. If anything, the only change in potential status as a pending free agent has been about the inconsistent start to his season. “I’m making progress,” Arrieta said. “It’s not perfect. I don’t think it really ever is. It’s just a constant work in progress. But [last Sunday against Milwaukee] my timing was ideal.” He didn’t give up an earned run in six innings against the Brewers. “I want to try to [back that up] and then in San Diego build off that and just try and find that comfort zone and lock it in, for however long you can,” he said. “And if it leaves you for awhile, you just work to get it back and continue to move in the right direction, whichever way that is for an individual. “For me, it’s simply finding the timing and trying to be as consistent with that as possible.” -- Chicago Sun-Times Kyle Schwarber to sit against LHPs, works to get back on hitting horse By Gordon Wittenmyer LOS ANGELES — He stopped being the leadoff hitter a week ago. Now Cubs left fielder Kyle Schwarber isn’t an everyday player, either, until further notice. The lefty-hitting Schwarber, who’s a platoon player until he starts hitting better, was out of the lineup Friday against Dodgers left-hander Alex Wood. And he’s expected to sit Sunday against lefty Clayton Kershaw, too. “I’m going to do that until I feel good about him, because I don’t want to lay too many at-bats on him in a negative situation,” manager Joe Maddon said. “If he’s not swinging the bat well against righties, it’s a bad assumption that I’m going to think he’s going to swing it well against lefties. “So I’m just trying to pick his spots right now to get him going. Once he goes, he can play against anybody.” Schwarber, a two-time postseason hero who has yet to play a full regular season, struck out four times Thursday against the Giants.

He has a .181 batting average, with a team-leading 55 strikeouts, and he’s 5-for-34 (.147) with one home run and 15 strikeouts against left-handers. Maddon has used series and matchups like this one to give a struggling player a mental break for at least a full series. He did the same thing with Jason Heyward last summer. “I don’t think it’s there yet,” Maddon said. “I’ve had good conversation with him. I think it’s a different set of circumstances.” Start me up? Left-hander Mike Montgomery hasn’t been told when he’s starting, but he said he’s stretched out and ready. Montgomery, who made five starts for the Cubs last year after being acquired in a trade from Seattle in July, earned a four-inning save Thursday. He’s the first Cub in 20 years to earn a save with at least four scoreless innings (Kent Bottenfield at Philadelphia, July 4, 1997). It also was his first career regular-season save. “It’s a little different than two pitches in Game 7,” he said of his only other save, in last year’s World Series. “I’ll take it.” The Cubs have talked since last month about when to drop Montgomery into the rotation as a temporary sixth starter. But Maddon said no timeline has been determined for when he might start. The Cubs can use another lefty in the bullpen as soon as possible to combat the Dodgers’ left-heavy lineup. Montgomery said he felt good Friday and expected to be ready to pitch again by Saturday. Maddon: “I’ll be open to conversation [Saturday].” This and that After a 5-for-48 skid, first baseman Anthony Rizzo went 12-for-31 (.387) with five homers, five walks and nine RBI during the Cubs’ 7-2 homestand. • Entering play Friday night, the Cubs had 26 homers in their previous 14 games, second in the National League only to the Diamondbacks (30) in that span. • Through Thursday, the Cubs gave up 45 first-inning earned runs in their first 46 games. That’s an 8.80 ERA. The starters have a 3.20 ERA from the second inning on. -- Chicago Sun-Times Through good times and bad, Cubs can fill up on NL Central cooking By Rick Morrissey The Cubs were good, are good, will be good and however else you want to say, “I wouldn’t sweat the first two months too much.”

I say that with confidence, having seen enough of the National League Central to know the division is the gift that should keep on giving for the Cubs. You know what you call the Brewers, Cardinals, Reds and Pirates? Comfort food. These are not bad teams. The Cardinals can be a tough out. The Brewers have had a fine start but look ready to return to Planet Earth. The Pirates are without one of their best players, Starling Marte, who is serving an 80-game steroid suspension, which might be why he’s one of their best players. And the Reds? Yeah, I don’t think so. Aside from the Cubs, there are no teams in the Central with the potential to be great. This isn’t 2015, and there are no 97- and 98-victory Cubs and Pirates teams as an answer to a 100-victory Cardinals team. Not even close. On Thursday, the Cubs took sole possession of first place in for the first time in three weeks, and they reached a season-high four games above .500 for the only the third time this season. That’s a shrug of a start. By the standards of a World Series champion, it’s not nearly good enough. Last year, they went 50-25 in the Central. Only the Washington Nationals, at 51-25, had a better division record, in the NL East. So far this season, the Cubs are 15-11 in the division. That doesn’t mean the Cardinals, et al., are stronger than the picture I’m painting here. It means the Cubs haven’t played well. Their defense has to improve, as does the starting pitching, though there have been signs of life in both categories. Injuries can change everything, of course. But the one thing in the Cubs’ favor this season, the guaranteed slump buster, is the mediocrity of the division. We don’t know if the Cubs are good enough to flip a switch and start playing better when they feel like it. We do know that the Central can flip a switch for them. Or, to put it another way, the chances of the Cubs bouncing back from their unremarkable start are a lot better than the Cardinals topping last season’s total of 86 victories. I know that’s a risky statement, given how consistent the Cardinals have been over the years. Just when you count them out, they surprise you, and all that. But I just don’t see it. Their pitching has been good, though ace Adam Wainwright has struggled. Opponents are hitting .316 against him. The team that led the NL in home runs last season is second from last in that category this year. This isn’t your standard-issue Cardinals team that loses key players, inserts replacements you haven’t heard of and goes about winning a ton of games. The Brewers have hit well enough, but was it realistic to think that Eric Thames, who spent the last three seasons tearing up pitching in South Korea, would continue on the pace he was on? No, it was not. His slugging percentage, which was a silly .810 in April, is .373 in May. He recently has been dealing with leg problems, including cramps. It’s also possible he’s dealing with major-league-pitching problems. The difference between the Cubs and the rest of the division is depth. Jake Arrieta and John Lackey can struggle, and it drops the team to above average. A lot has been made of Kyle Schwarber’s struggles at the plate so far this season, but if Jason Heyward’s sad attempts at hitting last season proved anything, it’s that this team can still win a World Series despite a frozen bat or two. That isn’t the case with the rest of the teams in the division. They need everything going right. The Brewers were rightly seething when the Cubs called off a game May 20 because of the threat of rain that never came. Maybe Cubs manager Joe Maddon has identified the Brewers as a real threat and was playing mind games with Craig Counsell, his Milwaukee counterpart. Or maybe Joe needed time to plan for his next dress-up party. Whatever the reason, you couldn’t help but look at the Cubs’ rainout decision and see a thought bubble above their heads that said, “It’s good to be the king.” It’s hard to see the king not righting itself. Will these Cubs be as good as the 2016 Cubs? I don’t know. I do know the division will bring them together, and make them whole. The NL Central: holistic Cubs healer.

-- Daily Herald Arrieta not far from winning form of last 2 seasons By Bruce Miles LOS ANGELES -- The Chicago Cubs woke up Friday in first place once again, and that seemed a dose of normalcy, based on recent history. The Cubs returned to Dodger Stadium, where they won two of three games last October in the National League championship series on the way to a World Series title. Jake Arrieta was on the mound against the Los Angeles Dodgers, and the "normal" for 2015 and most of 2016 for Arrieta was dominance. It's not been quite the same this year. He entered Friday's game 5-3 with a 4.80 ERA. The Dodgers got home runs from Chase Utley and Adrian Gonzalez off Arrieta on the way to a 4-0 victory. Arrieta worked 6 innings, giving up 5 hits and 4 runs while walking one and striking out 9. The Cubs were outhit 5-2. "The biggest difference with Jake, a couple miles per hour and just overall command," said manager Joe Maddon. "A couple years ago, when he nailed it, (he was) so pitch-efficient. Fastball was a strike all the time. He's gotten better the last couple times out. I'd say the two biggest differences are, between Cy Young and really good Jake, is fastball command and maybe a tick or two velocity wise." This is a contract year for Arrieta, and tens of millions of dollars are at stake. On hand for the game was his agent, the powerful Scott Boras, who gave his take, albeit as a man who has Arrieta as a client. "You kind of take for granted guys that are pitching at that level year after year after year," Boras said. "Then you go back and say, 'Wait a minute, he's not and he's not and he's not and he's not.' And yet, Jake's out there doing what he does." Boras downplayed any dip in fastball velocity Arrieta may be experiencing this year. "Well, if that's a dip in velocity going from by 1 mile an hour ... the issue, I think, for him, is his mix of pitches, his location," the agent said. "(The Nationals' Max) Scherzer, everybody was telling me his velocity dropped off, and by midseason, he was throwing harder. I can't grade velocity in a month. I grade it over a two-season (period). He's at 93, 92.7. That's plenty of velocity." As far as any pressure of pitching in a free-agency year, Boras said Arrieta has been there and done that, in a different, yet important, way. "The dynamic of winning two World Series games and things like that, I'd say he's won the award of being measured when you win World Series games," he said. "That's the thing that you find, many of the great ones, as good as they are, they've never achieved that, and he did it not once but twice. If you want me to measure pressure, I'd say that's World Series (guts). When the postseason hits, that's Jake's greatest measurement. I heard winning World Series in Chicago was difficult. That (Arrieta's pitching) may have aided. I don't know." Arrieta was locked in a nice duel with Dodgers lefty Alex Wood (6-0, 1.69 ERA). The Dodgers scored first when Utley led off the bottom of the third with a home run to center field. They added 1 in the fourth an RBI double by Yasmani Grandal. Gonzlez hit a 2-run homer in the sixth.

"Couple mistakes," said Arrieta, who fell to 5-4 as his ERA went from 4. to 4.92. "Really one pitch away in the sixth with two outs. Just caught too much plate on a 3-1 count to a good hitter. For the most part, it was really good. It was." Maddon stood by his guy. "Really, Jake was fine," he said "The bad count on Gonzalez led to the home run. Just a different presentation to the game. They pitched well. Wood was good. Their bullpen was good. Good baseball game. They got homers. We didn't. "I thought he was sharper today overall. I thought command was good. I thought his curveball was outstanding. My analysis with the homers would be he's getting in some counts, and he's making mistakes. They're not missing. Maybe the velocity, not 95, not 93, might bleed into that a little bit. There's nothing to criticize there. They just hit a homer." -- Daily Herald Cubs’ Schwarber cooling his heels By Bruce Miles LOS ANGELES -- Kyle Schwarber was not in the Chicago Cubs' starting lineup for Friday night's series opener at Dodger Stadium. The Dodgers threw left-hander Alex Wood at the Cubs, and on Sunday, they'll go with the ever-tough Clayton Kershaw. Schwarber's best bet to play is Saturday evening against right-hander Brandon McCarthy. During the just-concluded homestand, Schwarber was 5-for-26 (.192) including a 4-strikeout day Thursday against the Giants. "Today, I was not going to play him anyway," said manager Joe Maddon. "Would I have played him if he had been hot overall? May have. My concern when a guy's struggling a little bit, you don't want to get him too many at-bats. It's really hard to get yourself out of that actual numerical hole. So by not giving him as many at-bats, as he gets hot again, it's going to be easier to get back to the numbers that he's more comfortable with. "I don't care about that. I'm looking at at-bats, process, what he's doing for the team in regards to on-base. But when the guy himself looks up at the scoreboard and he sees numbers everywhere and they evaluate themselves on numbers, and I don't want him to do that. I just want him to get back in the process of having good at-bats." Another first for Montgomery: The Cubs' postgame notes after Thursday's 5-1 victory stated that Mike Montgomery "notched his first career save in a game that did not clinch a World Series championship." Montgomery pitched the final 4 innings Thursday in relief of Eddie Butler and earned his first career regular-season save. He earned the save in Game 7 of last year's World Series. "A little different from 2 pitches in Game 7," he said Friday. "I'll take it. Both unconventional, different parts of the year. Yeah, I just telling them I felt good, and they kept running me back out there. Just keep getting outs." Montgomery threw 41 pitches Thursday. That could help down the line as he gets stretched out for a possible future start. "They haven't talked to me about it," he said. "I've told them, 'I'm ready if you want me to start.' I think they know I want to start. It's not a secret anymore, but in this role I'm in, I've got to be ready for anything, from coming in to get one out to starting."

The Cubs obtained Montgomery from Seattle late last July, and the trade turned out to be perhaps the biggest under-the-radar move of the season. "Our guys felt that way," Joe Maddon said. "That was part of the trade. When we got him, our scouting staff was really excited … Big difference: He's got a real curveball, a real left-handed curveball, and he's got a real left-handed changeup." -- Cubs.com Cubs get shut down by Dodgers' Wood By Carrie Muskat and Joshua Thornton LOS ANGELES -- In a rematch of the 2016 National League Championship Series, lefty Alex Wood tossed five innings of a combined two-hitter to lead the Dodgers to a 4-0 win over the Cubs in Friday night's series opener at Dodger Stadium. "They just pitched well," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said of the Dodgers. "It was a good baseball game -- they got homers, we didn't." Chase Utley and Adrian Gonzalez hit home runs to back Wood as he extended his scoreless streak to 25 1/3 innings, the longest active in the Majors. Wood, once thought to be headed to the bullpen, improved to 6-0 as he allowed only two hits, struck out eight and lowered his ERA to 1.69. "I definitely feel confident, for sure," Wood said. "But it's the consistency of my stuff is where my confidence is coming from. That's how it's been every time I go out there, and I just want to keep doing what I'm doing every time out." Cubs starter Jake Arrieta gave up multiple home runs for the fourth time this season as he fell to 5-4. His ERA sits at 4.92. "My analysis would be the homers [he's giving up are because] he's getting in some counts and making mistakes and they're not missing them," Maddon said of Arrieta. "Maybe because the velocity is not 95, 93 [mph] might bleed into that a little bit, but I thought he had good movement today, a good breaking ball. There's nothing to criticize. They just hit homers." MOMENTS THAT MATTERED Staying calm: Wood found himself in a minor jam when Jason Heyward and Javier Baez hit back-to-back two-out singles in the second, but he struck out Addison Russell to end the inning. The Cubs would not get another hit. Three-star grab: Dodgers rookie Cody Bellinger made a sliding grab in left field that robbed Jon Jay of hit in the eighth inning. According to Statcast™, Bellinger's catch had a 63 percent catch probability, as he had to cover 75 feet in 4.5 seconds. QUOTABLE "You talk about confidence of a player, he's as confident as any player I've ever been around. He prepares, he works hard and he's very confident. And in Spring Training, he told me he's as healthy as he's been in recent memory. Right now you can look at him as a 1A."-- Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, on Wood "They're good. I thought it was somewhat of a victory getting Wood out after five. I thought we had good at-bats. He's been pitching well, but getting him out after five innings I thought was a victory for us. Their bullpen is that good, and they challenged us." – Maddon

UPON FURTHER REVIEW Kris Bryant drew a two-out walk off Wood in the fourth inning. During Anthony Rizzo's at-bat, Wood tried to pick off Bryant at first, and Bryant broke for second. He was initially called safe as Gonzalez's throw to shortstop Corey Seager appeared to be late, but the Dodgers challenged and the call was overturned to end the inning. Utley opened the Dodgers' fifth by hitting a grounder between first and the pitcher's mound that Arrieta scooped up before diving to tag the first-base bag. Utley was called safe, but the Cubs challenged, and the call was overturned. "It's a do-or-die play," Arrieta said. "It was actually a fun play. I kind of look forward to plays like that to show a little athleticism." WHAT'S NEXT Cubs: John Lackey will start Saturday in the second game of this three-game series. He's 3-1 with a 4.32 ERA in four starts on the road, and a late-afternoon game in Southern California should be a nice change of pace. In his last three starts, Lackey has pitched at Colorado, then had to deal with strong hitter-friendly winds at Wrigley Field in back-to-back outings. He threw seven shutout innings against the Rockies, but gave up eight runs over 10 1/3 innings in two games at home. First pitch will be 6:15 p.m. CT. Dodgers: Dodgers will send out Brandon McCarthy on Saturday as the series continues against the Cubs. McCarthy is 4-1 with a 3.76 ERA in seven starts this season. The right-hander's last start was his best of the season, giving up a season-low three hits, and one run in a win vs. the Marlins. First pitch is scheduled for 4:15 PT. -- Cubs.com Arrieta's troubling homer trend continues By Carrie Muskat LOS ANGELES -- The Cubs' Jake Arrieta didn't pitch badly Friday night against the Dodgers, and he definitely showed he can field his position. Arrieta served up five hits, including a solo homer by Chase Utley in the third and a two-run shot to straightaway center by Adrian Gonzalez in the sixth in the Cubs' 4-0 loss to the Dodgers. It's the fourth time in 10 starts this season that the right-hander has given up multiple home runs, a trend he'd like to stop. "I don't intend to give up as much hard contact, especially balls over the fence," Arrieta said. "It's been a little bit of tough luck. They just flat out beat us tonight. "We knew coming in that we were going to have a challenge," Arrieta said. "After they scored the first run, it was pretty much over." Arrieta showed some impressive glovework in the fifth. Utley hit a dribbler that rolled between first base and the pitcher's mound. Arrieta scooped it up and instead of flipping to first baseman Anthony Rizzo, the pitcher dove to tag the bag. Utley was called safe, but the Cubs challenged, and the call was overturned. "It's a gutsy play right there with the runner running down there," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. "It's a do-or-die play," Arrieta said. "Out of the corner of my eye, I could see where Rizzo is, I knew where he was approaching the ball. It's one of those things where I have to either go straight to the bag or get the ball and try to make a play. I was able to get to the ball in time. I had to re-direct and dive. "It was actually a fun play. I kind of look forward to plays like that to show a little athleticism."

Did Rizzo say anything? "You hear things," Arrieta said, "but it's a game-time decision. I either have to attack the ball or go to the base, and I knew it was going to be a bang-bang play. I did my best to retrieve the ball and get to the bag as fast as I could." Arrieta thought he had beat Utley to the bag and was glad the Cubs reviewed the play. "When you're in the moment and it's happening game-speed, you just don't know," he said. Despite the loss, Maddon was pleased with Arrieta's effort. Utley's homer came on a 1-1 pitch, while Gonzalez took advantage of being in a 3-1 count. They were home runs Nos. 9 and 10 off the right-hander, matching the total he gave up in 33 starts in 2015 when he won the National League Cy Young Award. "My analysis would be the homers [are because] he was getting in some counts and making mistakes and they're not missing them," Maddon said. "Maybe the velocity is not 95, 93 [mph] might bleed into that a little bit, but I thought he had good movement today, a good breaking ball. There's nothing to criticize. They just hit homers." Arrieta admitted the pitch to Gonzalez caught too much of the plate. Catcher Willson Contreras called for a changeup but Arrieta shook him off and threw a fastball. "I expect to locate a little better than I did," Arrieta said. "For the most part, it was really good. Just a couple mistakes came back to get me." -- Cubs.com Lackey, McCarthy set to face off in LA By Joshua Thornton With John Lackey squaring off against Brandon McCarthy in a battle of veteran right-handers, the Cubs and Dodgers will continue their three-game series on Saturday at Dodger Stadium. Lackey will be trying to bounce back after having his three-start winning streak snapped on Monday, when he allowed five runs on seven hits and lasted only five innings against the Giants. Meanwhile, McCarthy is coming off his best start of the season -- a six-inning, five-strikeout, three-hit win vs. the Marlins on Sunday. He also held the Cubs to four hits over six scoreless innings in a win on April 12. In four career appearances against the Cubs, McCarthy is 1-1 with a 1.47 ERA, 18 strikeouts and a 1.20 WHIP. Things to know about this game • Lackey holds a 1.73 ERA against the Dodgers in 12 career starts, his lowest against any opponent. • The Dodgers struggled against Lackey when they faced him on April 12, only mustering four hits and striking out 10 times. • Cubs outfielder Kyle Schwarber, who is batting .149 with 20 strikeouts in 67 at-bats this month, did not start Friday against lefty Alex Wood, but he is expected to start on Saturday. The lefty-swinging Schwarber is hitting only .190 against righties, but six of his seven homers have come against right-handers. -- Cubs.com Maddon wants Schwarber to ignore numbers By Carrie Muskat

LOS ANGELES -- The Cubs' Kyle Schwarber, who is batting .149 this month, did not start on Friday against Dodgers lefty Alex Wood, but the lefty-swinging slugger will be back in the lineup on Saturday. Manager Joe Maddon is trying to figure out a way to get Schwarber on track while helping him ignore his batting average on the scoreboard. "My concern when a guy is struggling a little bit is you don't want him to get too many at-bats because it's hard to get yourself out of the mental or physical numerical hole," Maddon said Friday. "By not giving him as many at-bats, as he gets hot again it'll be easier to get back to [a better] number. "I don't care about [the batting average]. I'm looking at at-bats, the process, what he's doing for the team, getting on base. But for the guy, when he looks up at the scoreboard and sees numbers everywhere, and they evaluate themselves based on numbers, I don't want him to do that. I want him to get back to the process." Last year, Maddon gave Jason Heyward a weekend off in an attempt to get him back on track at the plate. Schwarber doesn't need an extended break, Maddon said. "I don't think it's there yet," Maddon said. "I think it's a different set of circumstances." Montgomery gets another save Mike Montgomery pitched four innings on Thursday to pick up his first career regular-season save. His only other save came in Game 7 of the World Series last year. According to Elias, Montgomery is the first pitcher to earn a four-inning save in a game decided by a margin of fewer than five runs since Marcus Stroman, when the Blue Jays beat the Orioles on Sept. 26, 2014. "The first save of the regular season -- it's a little different than two pitches in Game 7 [for a save], but I'll take it," Montgomery said Friday. "Yesterday was probably the best I felt as far as attacking the zone. I felt strong." Maddon said Montgomery has developed a good curve and changeup that helps him deal with right-handed hitters. Edwards, future closer? Speaking of relief work, Maddon said it's only a matter of time before Carl Edwards Jr. is closing games. "He's still learning," Maddon said of the 25-year-old right-hander, who is in his second full season. "He's able to put a bad moment behind him. I think he believes there isn't anybody out there who he can't get out." Maddon said they don't want to overwork Edwards, and they will try to avoid using him in back-to-back outings. "The brain's there, the mindset is there," Maddon said. "The physicality, we just have to be patient with that." Maddon's words of wisdom Is there anything Maddon has learned in the last few months since winning the World Series? "The primary thing you know is that it's not going to be the same path; it's not going to happen the same way," Maddon said. "Everybody was anticipating us to come out and just roll it. I never for a second anticipated that." The other thing Maddon has learned is the importance of rest. He has seen positive effects on players such as Heyward, Ben Zobrist and Kris Bryant after they get a breather. -- ESPNChicago.com Kyle Schwarber to start vs. righties only for now, Joe Maddon says

By Jesse Rogers LOS ANGELES -- Until further notice, Chicago Cubs outfielder and World Series hero Kyle Schwarber is likely to start against right-handed pitchers only, according to manager Joe Maddon. Schwarber, who bats left-handed, is hitting .181 this season after going 0-for-4 with four strikeouts in Thursday's game against the San Francisco Giants. He has started just six games against left-handed pitchers this season, and none since April 30, according to ESPN Stats & Info. "My concern when a guy is struggling a little bit is, you don't want him to get too many at-bats," Maddon said before Friday's 4-0 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers. "Then it's really hard to get out of that mental, physical and numerical hole. By not getting him as many at-bats, it will be easy to get back to a number he's more comfortable with." Maddon isn't really concerned with Schwarber's batting average but knows young players tend to look "up at the scoreboard" and can put extra pressure on themselves because of it. Maddon said he just wants to see good at-bats, and right now Schwarber is not getting enough against righties or lefties. He has struck out 55 times, fourth most in the National League. "If he's not swinging the bat well against righties, it's a bad assumption on my part he's going to swing it well against lefties," Maddon said. Schwarber wasn't in the lineup Friday against Dodgers southpaw Alex Wood, and he won't play Sunday against Clayton Kershaw. Regarding the possibility of Schwarber being labeled a platoon player right now, Maddon said, "If people want to say that, I can't avoid it." Wood is probably a pitcher Schwarber would have faced in the past, but Maddon said Schwarber's slump combined with Wood's recent performance made it an easy decision. "Would I have played him if he was hot, overall?" Maddon said. "May have." Schwarber's on-base percentage also has plummeted, falling below .300 (.299) for the first time this season after Thursday's performance, but Maddon isn't quite ready to compare Schwarber's situation with that of Jason Heyward's in 2016. Maddon dropped a slumping Heyward in the batting order last season and even gave him a full weekend off late in the year. "Different set of circumstances," Maddon said. "[We'll] pick his spots right now. Once he goes [starts hitting], he'll play against anybody." -- CSNChicago.com As Cubs Search For Answers, Scott Boras Doesn’t Believe Jake Arrieta Is Feeling The Pressure Of Free Agency By Patrick Mooney LOS ANGELES – It’s harder to find perspective when the lights are flashing all around Dodger Stadium and the techno music is thumping and Adrian Gonzalez just launched a two-run homer 429 feet to straightaway center. But that’s why Jake Arrieta pays Scott Boras. The super-agent sat in a front-row seat behind home plate on Friday night, watching his client go through another up-and-down start for a Cubs team that needs Arrieta to pitch more like an ace. It’s easy to lose sight of this during a 4-0 loss where the Dodgers looked more like the team on a mission after getting eliminated from last year’s National League Championship Series.

But Arrieta is someone who has already experienced the low points that made him think about quitting baseball as he shuttled back and forth between the Orioles and Triple-A – and the intoxicating high from ending the 108-year drought and creating so much joy for generations of Cubs fans. So Boras isn’t buying the idea that Arrieta might be feeling the weight of his upcoming free agency. “Coming from Baltimore to here and establishing himself in the big leagues was the major arc of his career,” Boras said, “the most difficult moment of illustrating that he is an everyday major-leaguer. The fact that he has the skills, and what he has up here (in his head), the dynamic of winning two World Series games and things like that, I’d say he’s (been) measured. When you win World Series games, that’s the most important thing. “If you want me to measure pressure, I’d say that’s World Series cojones.” To get back into October, the Cubs will need more consistency from Arrieta (5-4, 4.92 ERA), who’s still fine-tuning his delivery and not always getting that extra burst of velocity that made him a Cy Young Award winner and unhittable one night at Dodger Stadium. Two aging Dodgers crushed Arrieta fastballs. Chase Utley – who began the game hitting .204 – drove one over the center-field wall in the third inning. Gonzalez had gone 131 plate appearances this season before notching his first home run with two outs in the sixth inning. “I understand how difficult this game is,” Arrieta said. “It’s a work in progress. I’m still not exactly where I would like to be. But it’s close. It really is.” Even as Arrieta worked through command/mechanical issues last season, he still wound up winning 18 games and limiting opponents to a .583 OPS that ranked second in the majors. It took until the middle of last August before he gave up his 10th home run, or where he’s already at through 10 starts this season. “The one that Utley hit out was on the corner – that’s a good piece of hitting,” Arrieta said. “The one to Gonzalez was too much plate in a 3-1 count. It was elevated. Willson (Contreras) called a changeup. I shook to the fastball. I expected to locate a little bit better than I did. But I feel like if I continue on this progression, I think I’ll be OK. “I don’t intend to continue to give up as much hard contact, especially balls over the fence. It’s been a little bit of tough luck, but they just flat out beat us.” There’s some truth to that – Arrieta continued to pile up the strikeouts (nine) and limit the walks (one) – while Dodger lefty Alex Wood extended his scoreless streak to 25.1 innings before handing the game over to a dominant bullpen. But whether it’s an underperforming offense, a defense not playing at the same historic level or those velocity questions, Arrieta doesn’t appear to have the same margin for error anymore. All those elements could come roaring back, but the Cubs are now a 25-22 team that could be looking to replace 60 percent of the rotation by Opening Day 2018. “You don’t really think about (it),” Boras said. “When the Cubs come to town, I look at the standings: OK, where are they at? They’re trying to win again. This club’s a good club and you think about what moves they’re going to make to make it better. “Jake’s total focus has always been about putting himself in a position that few players get to be in – and that is being on a club where you can win more.” Whatever happens over the next several months, this will be the reservoir of confidence Arrieta draws from, and ultimately his legacy as a Cub. “When the postseason hits, it’s Jake’s greatest measurement,” Boras said. “I don’t know, I heard winning a World Series in Chicago was difficult.”

-- CSNChicago.com Cubs: Is Joe Maddon Turning Kyle Schwarber Into A Platoon Player? By Patrick Mooney LOS ANGELES – Joe Maddon doesn’t want to put the platoon label on a young hitter who became a World Series legend before his 24th birthday. But the Cubs manager also isn’t planning to start Kyle Schwarber against left-handers anytime soon. “If people want to say that, I can’t avoid it,” Maddon said Friday at Dodger Stadium, where Schwarber sat against lefty Alex Wood, who took a 20.1-inning scoreless streak into this National League Championship Series rematch. “I’m going to do that until I feel good about him, because I don’t want to lay too many at-bats on him in a negative situation. “If he’s not swinging the bat well against righties, it’s a bad assumption that I’m going to think he’s going to swing it well against lefties. Then I’m just putting him in a deeper hole by throwing him out there, just based on really bad logic. “I’m just trying to pick his spots right now to get him going. Once he goes, he can play against anybody.” Schwarber – who’s hitting .181 with a .656 OPS and 55 strikeouts in less than 200 plate appearances this season – will start Saturday against Dodger right-hander Brandon McCarthy. But even with Clayton Kershaw looming on Sunday, Maddon didn’t want to give Schwarber the entire weekend off, the way Jason Heyward mentally reset last August at Coors Field. “I don’t think it’s there yet,” Maddon said. “I’ve had good conversations with him. I think it’s a different set of circumstances.” For the Cubs, this doesn’t really change their overall evaluation of Schwarber as a core player and potentially one of the most dangerous left-handed sluggers in the game. But Maddon has been backing away from the idea of Schwarber as a leadoff hitter, trying to reboot the player who had been such an intimidating postseason presence. “My concern when the guy is struggling a little bit is you don’t want him to get him too many at-bats,” Maddon said. “It’s really hard to get yourself out of that mental, physical and numerical hole. By not getting him as many at-bats, it will be easy to get back to a number he’s more comfortable with. “I don’t care about that – I really don’t. I’m looking at his past, process, what he’s doing for the team in regards to on-base, everything else. But for the guy himself, he looks up at the scoreboard and he sees numbers everywhere and they evaluate themselves based on numbers. “I don’t want him to do that. I just want him to get back into the process of having good at-bats.” -- CSNChicago.com The ‘Friendly Rivalry’ Between Theo Epstein And Andrew Friedman With Cubs, Dodgers Becoming NL Superpowers By Patrick Mooney LOS ANGELES – A man stepped to the microphone during a Q&A session at Cubs Convention and called Theo Epstein and Andrew Friedman “the two boy geniuses.” The fan told Epstein how his friends used to call the Dodgers baseball boss “your Mini-Me,” asking about their personal rivalry and if beating L.A. in the playoffs had any extra meaning. “We have a friendly rivalry,” Epstein told a packed hotel ballroom in downtown Chicago in January. “First off, didn’t he interview for an internship with us and we turned him down way back in the day?

“And then like nine months later, he was GM of the Rays. When he was with Tampa and I was with Boston, we never spoke, because we were in the same division. It was kind of a heated rivalry. We literally never called each other on trades or anything like that.” But where it’s so difficult for the small-market Rays to keep up with the ultra-rich Red Sox – and replace Friedman’s vision and Joe Maddon’s star power and survive a string of wasted first-round draft picks and find a long-term stadium solution – the Cubs and Dodgers are positioned to be superpowers for years to come. That’s what makes this Memorial Day weekend showdown at Dodger Stadium so compelling beyond the National League Championship Series rematch. It’s not just upcoming free agent Jake Arrieta returning to the site of his onesie no-hitter on Friday night, a reigning MVP (Kris Bryant) and Rookie of the Year (Corey Seager), two of the best closers on the planet (Wade Davis and Kenley Jansen) and a classic Jon Lester vs. Clayton Kershaw matchup on Sunday afternoon. The Cubs eliminated the Dodgers less than a month after Epstein finalized a five-year contract worth in the neighborhood of $50 million, likely surpassing Friedman as the game’s highest-paid personnel executive. “Jed developed a pretty good relationship with him, because I didn’t like talking to him,” Epstein said, referencing GM Jed Hoyer, another Boston transplant on the Cubs Convention panel that day. “But then when I came out here with the Cubs, a different league and everything, I developed a much better relationship with Andrew and we became friends, so now it’s much more of a friendly rivalry. “I will say that losing to the Dodgers would have been a bitter pill to swallow on a number of fronts, including that one. But they’re developing a powerhouse out there. “We see them as a team we have to go through each year to get where we want to be.” Backed by Guggenheim Partners’ financial muscle and flush with new TV money, the Dodgers have won four straight division titles and 90-plus games each season while ramping up a farm system that’s now ranked fourth, fifth or sixth by Baseball America, ESPN and MLB.com. “Everyone’s got their own style and their own approach,” Epstein said. “Ours was more kind of bottom-up (where) they needed to keep it rolling at a high level in the big leagues while retooling their system and nurturing the talent that was already there. “We had to go out and transact and bring some stuff in. We were at different points of the success cycle. They’ve done a really nice job of winning while kind of establishing something new at the same time.” The blue-blooded franchise that produced 17 Rookie of the Year winners last month rolled out Cody Bellinger, a 21-year-old, left-handed first baseman/outfielder with nine homers in his first 28 games in The Show. Julio Urias – who might be the next Fernando Valenzuela – is supposed to be conserving some innings at Triple-A Oklahoma City for another October where the Cubs could be standing in the way of the Dodgers’ first World Series title since 1988. “They’ve been producing great young talent for a long period of time,” Epstein said. “If you go back and look at some of the young studs they have in the big leagues that (former scouting director) Logan White and (the previous regime) brought in, some of the guys are still coming. “They’re stocked and the Dodger tradition runs really deep. With Andrew and his front office, we know they’re going to be dynamic. They’re going to have more resources than anyone. And they’re a big threat to the whole league for a long period of time.” --

CSNChicago.com Topps Releases Special Anchorman-Themed Cubs Card By Tony Andracki Cubs fans weren't the only ones who enjoyed the team's "Anchorman" romp out to the West Coast Thursday afternoon. Trading card company Topps released a special edition card for the Cubs' "Stay Classy" trip, featuring Anthony Rizzo and Kyle Schwarber — complete with their awesome wig and hat: The back of the card reads "After defeating the San Francisco Giants by a score of 5-1 at home, the Cubs left Wrigley Field in style. The team kept it classy with their road trip attire as they set out on a west coast road trip, beginning with a series against the Los Angeles Dodgers." The cards are being sold on Topps' website for $9.99. --