December 19, 2016

ESPNChicago.com, Cubs' offseason has been about smart moves, not big ones http://www.espn.com/blog/chicago/cubs/post/_/id/43101/cubs-offseason-has-been-about-smart-moves-not-big-ones

Cubs.com, Maddons host Thanksmas meal in Hazleton http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/211588180/cubs-joe-maddon-hosts-thanksmas-meal/

Cubs.com, Let it Joe! Small town a winner wonderland http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/211560938/cubs-joe-maddon-honored-in-hazleton-pa/

Cubs.com, Baez caps 'amazing' tour of Puerto Rico http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/211569428/mlbpa-puerto-rico-tour-gala-honors-clemente/

Cubs.com, Maddon's Integration Project unites community http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/211546900/joe-maddon-hosts-annual-hazleton-fundraiser/

Cubs.com, Maddon needs no excuse for Chapman moves http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/211549266/no-need-to-second-guess-joe-maddons-moves/

Chicago Tribune, Aroldis Chapman says Cubs manager Joe Maddon 'abused him a bit' http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-aroldis-chapman-joe-maddon-postseason-20161216-story.html

Chicago Tribune, World Series, Game 7: An oral history of Cubs' 8-7 triumph over the Indians http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-cubs-game-7-oral-history-spt-1218-20161217-story.html

-- ESPNChicago.com Cubs' offseason has been about smart moves, not big ones By Jesse Rogers CHICAGO -- A soon-to-be 42-year-old righty (Koji Uehara), a platoon outfielder (Jon Jay), a closer coming off an injury (Wade Davis), another pitcher with elbow problems in 2016 (Brian Duensing) and a Rule 5 lefty (Caleb Smith): It doesn’t sound like the makings of an offseason for a contending team -- let alone one vying to repeat as world champion. But those players are exactly who the Chicago Cubs have acquired this winter at a time when easy choices were set aside for difficult ones. Think about it. No one would have blinked if the Cubs had decided to re-sign popular outfielder Dexter Fowler -- especially knowing he probably would have taken a discount. Same goes for closer Aroldis Chapman, though it’s doubtful he was giving any discounts. The Cubs said "no thank you" to Fowler and Chapman and most likely will say the same to relief pitcher Travis Wood, who remains unsigned. The Cubs are left with contractual commitments to just four players beyond 2017, including just one pitcher, Jon Lester. Everyone else has expiring deals or is young enough that they haven’t hit arbitration yet. But that’s coming, and then tougher long-term decisions on core players such as Kris Bryant, Addison Russell, Kyle Schwarber and Kyle Hendricks will be looming.

And here’s the thing: As much as Fowler is beloved in Chicago – and he most certainly would have made the 2017 Cubs better -- the team probably made the right decision. There’s little doubt they did so with Chapman, and though it would be nice to have Wood, the front office has created all sorts of roster and payroll flexibility with its decisions. Chapman’s situation is the most intriguing aspect of the offseason. The New York Yankees gave him big money (five years, $86 million) though they’re not really ready to compete, yet the current World Series champion has no interest. Chapman has more immediate value to the Cubs, and while the Yankees didn’t make a big splash for a position player, they gave long-term security to a closer who may be of real service to them only on the back end of his deal. He may not be as effective at that point. The Cubs, in contrast, chose to trade for a closer on the last year of his contract, Wade Davis. Different strategies, indeed. Of course, flexibility doesn’t win championships, talent does. And if Duensing, Davis, Uehara or Smith can’t pitch, or the Cubs have an on-base hole at the top of the lineup, then some observers will be critical of their moves this winter. Either way, they have the means to dive back into a deeper free-agent market next offseason. That’s the good news -- as long as it doesn’t cost them a chance at repeating in 2017. There’s really no indication that it will, especially when you consider the Cubs still have more players than positions for them, even with the loss of Fowler. After indicating they likely will start the season with eight relievers, here’s how the team shapes up after the addition of Uehara: Infielders: Anthony Rizzo, Javier Baez, Russell, Bryant, Ben Zobrist, Tommy La Stella. Catchers: Willson Contreras, Miguel Montero Outfielders: Schwarber, Jay, Albert Almora, Jason Heyward. Pitchers: Lester, Jake Arrieta, Hendricks, John Lackey, Mike Montgomery, Smith, Justin Grimm, Pedro Strop, Duensing, Carl Edwards Jr., Hector Rondon, Uehara, Davis Even within that framework, the Cubs have some flexibility because Smith, as a Rule 5 pick, can be sent back to the Yankees if Chicago finds a better option. At the moment, it leaves holdover Matt Szczur on the outside looking in considering Bryant and Zobrist’s abilities to play the outfield, giving La Stella an edge as the final infielder. Of course, the roster could easily change between now and Opening Day. If a deal is to be struck for a young pitcher, look for third-base prospect Jeimer Candelario to be on the move. He’s a good trade chip who is blocked at the major league level. Free agent Tyson Ross (shoulder) is still a good sign-and-stash player until he’s healthy enough to pitch. Will the Cubs’ strategy this offseason pay off? Even if there are issues on the mound, Chicago can always go back into the trade market midseason. One bigger immediate narrative revolves around team chemistry. At the winter meetings last week, agents and opposing team personnel alike stressed how important bringing in the right kind of player is to the Cubs' front office. When all things are equal, they will defer to people they know -- for example, Wade Davis played in Tampa Bay for Cubs manager Joe Maddon. Uehara was in Boston, where they have had a good pipeline of players come from because they know a lot of people there and can always get a good assessment on players. A different vibe is bound to emerge than the one that broke the 108-year drought. The free-agent loss of Fowler and the retirement of catcher David Ross create a void in the locker room. Schwarber’s return might fill some of that, but it’s likely that Jay and Davis will pick up some of the slack as World Series veterans. Uehara has a ring as well. But make no mistake: The Cubs will need to replace a couple of emotional leaders.

“I don’t know we knew how important that piece was until it actually came back to us,” manager Joe Maddon said last spring when Fowler returned to the Cubs. “Everything felt good, but all of a sudden everything felt right.” You don’t need to read quotes about Ross to recognize the meaning he had to the Cubs, but that doesn’t mean the changes are necessarily bad. A new and different vibe can be good after winning a championship. Sure, the Cubs could have brought everyone back -- perhaps including Ross if the offer was high enough -- but they chose this path in part to keep them flexible for the future. Can it lead to another championship as soon as 2017? That remains to be seen, but the Cubs are playing from a position of strength. Their strategy this offseason proves as much. -- Cubs.com Maddons host Thanksmas meal in Hazleton By Paul Hagen HAZLETON, Pa. -- This is how Thanksmas began: Long before Joe Maddon managed the Cubs to their first World Series Championship in 108 years, he was a coach for the Angels, and he used to ride his bicycle up and down the Southern California coast. His usual route was between Sunset Beach and Huntington Beach, and the vistas could be spectacular. But he focused on something else. "You'd see so many guys and ladies pushing their entire life in a shopping cart," Maddon explained. "It really bothered me. Bothered me. I didn't have the platform as a bench coach to really do something. So I swore if I did, I would try to utilize the soap box better." This is what Thanksmas has become: At the Hazleton One Community Center in his hometown, nearly 600 people who might otherwise have gone without were treated to a meal. And not just any meal. This one included homemade meatballs and sausage, pasta with homemade sauce, pirogues with butter and onions, chicken with rice and beans, salad and rolls, with cake and cookies for desert. Bob Curry is founding president of the Hazleton Integration Project. He was there at the beginning along with Joe and Jaye Maddon and his wife, Elaine, who is Joe's cousin. "The heart of our message is that the people who come to us can have as fine a quality meal as in any restaurant," Curry said. It's Maddon who sets the tone. On Sunday, he wore a Santa cap and an apron with a Cubs logo, greeting the guests as they came through the door. A brass quartet and singers added to the festive atmosphere. The event capped a whirlwind weekend. On Friday, there was the groundbreaking for a $250,000 playground at the community center and a sold out fundraiser at the local country club (at which Bill Murray made an unannounced appearance.) On Saturday was a question-and-answer session with local kids (which was preceded by a ceremony in which Maddon was honored for his good works, not to mention the Cubs' historic championship). And it wrapped up with Thanksmas on Sunday. The vision became a reality after Maddon was hired as the manager of the Rays. One of the first things he did when he arrived was share his vision of doing something to help the underserved. "We started with a little shelter in St. Petersburg," Maddon recalled. "We actually cooked the meal there in the morning and served it. So there was one meal. Then we finally figured out that we would be much better off cooking it in advance, putting it in a fridge, getting more venues to serve and become more efficient at it, which we did next. We started cooking at [Tropicana Field]."

From the Tampa Bay area, the program expanded up and down Florida's Gulf Coast to Bradenton, Port Charlotte and as far south as Fort Myers. "I wanted to infiltrate Red Sox country," Maddon said with a laugh. Maddon initiated a program in Chicago when he went to the Cubs. And of course, it's been Thanksmas in Hazleton for the past several years. "My objective is to make it more national," Maddon said. "It's hard to do that just because of the time element. But the reason I wanted to call it 'Thanksmas' was that I wanted to point out that folks are in need of our help not just during the holidays. So I said' Thanksmas' to try to illustrate any day between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Just pick a day and do it." While Maddon was still with the Rays, there was a Thanksmas during the summer. "That's really what I'd like to get to," Maddon said. "That this happens at any time of the year to indicate the spirit of volunteerism. And what the volunteers do, man, is staggering. People have no idea how these places function. I mean, I get credit for whatever I do. Believe me, you talk about a drop in the biggest bucket you've ever seen. "My wife and I do as much as we can. But the boots on the ground here are spectacular daily. Walk into these facilities and watch what these people do every day. They're preparing two meals for a lot of folks who come through those doors every day that absolutely need it and are grateful that it was cooked for them. That, to me, is what we were trying to highlight. Make a dent somehow." Years ago, riding his bike all alone, Joe Maddon vowed he'd try to help others if he ever had the opportunity. With a lot of help from his friends, look at what that's become. -- Cubs.com Let it Joe! Small town a winner wonderland By Paul Hagen HAZLETON, Pa. -- To his old friends here, he's just Joey. He easily slips back into saying "youse" and referring to pizza as "pitz." For everyone else, Saturday was Joe Maddon Day. The Cubs manager was honored by his hometown for his years of service to the community. And, yeah, the fact that the Cubbies won the World Series for the first time in 108 years this fall had a little something to do with it, too. Maddon likes talking about baseball. But he lights up when the subject turns to efforts to give back to the community. And he totally gets that the Cubs' historic victory provides a bigger platform for him to talk about the things that are near and dear to his heart. "That's the really cool part about it," he said. "It really supersedes baseball for me. When I get questions or interviews about [community work], that's when I really do light up. So anything we can do to get out the word and make people more aware of what's happening here, and how important it is and the strides we've been making, that to me is very exciting." About 200 people braved wintry weather to attend Saturday night's event at the Hazleton One Community Center, home of the Hazleton Integration Project, which Madden helped found in 2011. The center serves about 2,000 people a week with a variety of classes and programs. A procession of government leaders, including Pennsylvania Secretary of State Pedro Cortes, State Representative Tarah Toohil and Hazleton Mayor Jeff Cusat, saluted the local kid who made it big. Maddon was a standout athlete

at Hazleton High School, pitching the baseball team to a district championship in 1971 and also quarterbacking the football team. Along with his wife, Jaye, Maddon was presented with a series of commendations, citations and proclamations. He also answered more than a dozen question from audience members, most of them children. From Joel: "Were you the one who named the team the Cubs. And, if not, what would you have called it?" (No, and the Mountaineers, Hazleton High School's nickname.) From Shirley: "Who will lead off for the Cubs next year?" (Probably Kyle Schwarber. Maybe Ben Zobrist.) The HIP and community center have grown by leaps and bounds in just a few years. On Friday night, Maddon helped break ground on a $250,000 playground that will be built at the center, and then hosted a sold-out fundraiser at the Valley Country Club that included celebrities, including Bill Murray. "The playground is really important, giving a venue for something to do in the summertime also, getting them outside the building," Maddon explained. The skipper is always thinking about ways to make the center better. "For me, what I'd like to see is a speech-and-debate club," he said. "I wanted two things when we started. I wanted boxing, and we kind of had that for a bit. And then I thought speech and debate. Because beyond learning in a classroom, beyond getting an A, B or C for a grade, when you go out into the real world and you go out for a job interview, your ability to transmit your thoughts to the person you're speaking to probably exceeds any letter grade that you got while you were in school. "I really think we lack in the ability to teach our kids to think on their feet and project what they're thinking to somebody else. I think that's very important." The weekend will be capped off Sunday, when the annual "Thanksmas" meal will be served to the needy. Maddon has coached with the Angels, managed the Rays to a World Series in 2008 and took the Cubs to heights the franchise hadn't been in over a century this year. It all started in Hazleton, though, and Maddon has never forgotten how being from this place influenced everything that has happened since. "Toughness," he said during the latter part of the Q&A session. "The fact that [my mother] permitted me to play football when I was 10. I had to go to practice every day. We had skull sessions the day before the game. The weather was unpredictable. It hurt sometimes. But you played. You got yelled at sometimes. And you played. "When I played baseball, there was a lot of failure involved. So you had to deal with failure. So I think this town breeds a toughness and an accountability and I think that's really what it comes down to." -- Cubs.com Baez caps 'amazing' tour of Puerto Rico By Jesse Sanchez SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico -- The baseball world descended on the Enchanted Island this week to honor the past, help the sport's future and celebrate the present. "Peloteros Por Puerto Rico," a star-studded Puerto Rico goodwill tour spearheaded by the Major League Baseball Players Association in conjunction with Major League Baseball, concluded Saturday evening with a gala honoring the legacy of Roberto Clemente and celebrating the future of baseball on the island.

"It's been an amazing few days with everything that has been done on the island to honor Clemente and his legacy," said former Major League pitcher Javier Vazquez, an international special assistant for MLBPA. "It's been really fun to watch the guys interact with the kids. The players and the kids are having a good time and that's what it's all about." It was a busy final day. The players -- the Astros' Carlos Beltran (Puerto Rico), Nationals reliever Oliver Perez (Mexico), Indians shortstop Francisco Lindor (Puerto Rico), White Sox pitcher Jose Quintana (Colombia), Rays closer Alex Colome (Dominican Republic), Astros second baseman Jose Altuve (Venezuela), Cubs second baseman Javier Baez (Puerto Rico), Mariners closer Edwin Diaz (Puerto Rico) and Rays starter Chris Archer -- conducted a baseball clinic for almost 200 kids in Salinas, located 50 miles south of San Juan, earlier in the afternoon. They were joined this week by former Major League players Sandy Alomar Jr., Carlos Delgado, Alex Cora, Bernie Williams, Eduardo Perez, Bobby Bonilla, Jose Cruz Jr., Jose Cruz Sr., Dennis Martinez and Tom Walker, along with legends of the Puerto Rican winter league. The tour's first stop was in nearby Carolina with a baseball clinic for 150 young players at Estadio Roberto Clemente on Friday. Beltran opened the festivities with a reception a day earlier. "It was awesome," Archer said. "We are just trying to do a sliver of what [Clemente] did and continue to pass on that legacy. It was very successful. I compliment the Major League Baseball Players Association for putting this together. It was a very unique one-on-one experience for the kids and that's what this trip was all about." The Alomar brothers grew up less than a mile from Manuel Gonzalez Stadium, where Saturday's clinic was held. Sandy Alomar Sr., now an instructor for the Blue Jays, played on the same field when he was a boy. "To have the opportunity to be here with the Major League Players Association and show them where me, my brother Roberto, my father and [former Major League outfielder] Ricky Ledee played is an honor," Alomar Jr. said. "It's very important for us to be here. We want kids and parents to be interested in baseball because it's always been one of the top sports here and we want to keep it that way." Hours after showing kids how to play ball, Perez served as the master of ceremonies for the gala Saturday night. Vazquez, Martinez and Walker, who played winter ball with Clemente, later shared heartfelt stories of the Puerto Rican hero to 300 people during the hour-long program before dinner. "Clemente was the first person to tell me that I was a special player, and I was just a young player when he said it," Martinez said. "But he said it and I believed him. I believed I was special because Roberto Clemente saw something special in me. And I'm grateful to God for the career that I had." It was Walker who helped Clemente load supplies on the airplane to Martinez's earthquake-torn Nicaragua that crashed on Dec. 31, 1972. Walker begged Clemente to let him get on the plane. The Hall of Fame outfielder refused to let him board. "It was an incredible time here in Puerto Rico, a very sad time," Walker said. "Roberto gave his life for what he cared about the most, and that's philanthropy and giving back and being a server. There is a way to give back and he did it very well. I've learned to give back. I've learned that there's a more important mission in life than just going through life." -- Cubs.com Maddon's Integration Project unites community By Lindsay Berra HAZLETON, Pa. -- It's not a proper party until Bill Murray shows up.

The legendary actor and comedian participated in the clubhouse festivities after the Chicago Cubs won their first World Series in 108 years and was the life of the party on Friday night in Hazleton, where Cubs manager Joe Maddon hosted his annual Hazleton Integration Project fundraiser at Valley Country Club. "Around the Horn with Joe Maddon and Friends" featured a live and silent auction, along with blackjack, craps and roulette for approximately 350 guests, all of whom all had the pleasure of mingling with both Maddon and Murray. "We are going to get snow tonight, and it's going to sound very much like Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania," Murray told the crowd, making reference to his 1993 film "Groundhog Day." "I want to thank Joe and all of you for making it possible for me to have a destination journey to Hazleton, Pennsylvania. It's very nice of you to have me here." I had the pleasure of participating in Maddon's event for the third year in a row, continuing a tradition and a friendship begun by my grandfather, Yogi Berra, years ago. Other special guests included MLB Network Insider and FOX Sports reporter Ken Rosenthal, ESPN's Tim Kurkjian and Peter Gammons, WFAN's Ed Randall and two-time world heavyweight champion boxer Tim Witherspoon. The event sold out moments after Maddon and the Cubs won the World Series on Nov. 2. "If people want to come here and talk about the World Series, that's great, and then we can educate them about what we're doing here," Maddon says. "Whatever it takes to get the message out. Winning the World Series is wonderful. I love the game. But this is real life. Our kids are spectacular -- and I promise they can all conjugate a verb better than most of us." The HIP was founded by Maddon, his wife, Jaye; his cousin Elaine Maddon Curry; and her husband, Bob Curry, in 2011 in an effort to unite the people of many cultures who call Hazleton home. "When I grew up here in Hazleton, it was primarily a European immigrant community," Maddon says. "We had one black kid, and other than that, there were no minorities. In the mid 2000s, we had a large influx of Hispanics and there became a tremendous disconnect in the community, and we decided we needed to do something about it." The main focus of the foundation is the Hazleton One community center, which is housed in a former Catholic school and offers educational, athletic and cultural after-school programs, homework help and hot snacks to local children. "When you have a community center, you bring the kids in, and our thought was that the parents have to follow," Maddon says. "The kids have no preconceived notions. The kids don't care what color the other kid is or what language he speaks, as long as they can communicate somehow. The parents are the ones with the built-in prejudices and concerns. It's working extremely well culturally, athletically and academically, and we will continue to grow and get better." This weekend is packed with activities in Hazleton. On Friday afternoon, before the sold-out dinner event, Maddon helped break ground on a new $250,000 playground that will be built at Hazleton One. On Saturday evening, the public was invited to attend a free program at Hazleton One at which Maddon planned to answer questions from children who attend the center. Local government officials, including U.S. representative Lou Barletta, state senator John Yudichak, state representative Tarah Toohil and Hazleton mayor Jeff Cusat, were also scheduled to speak at the event. Finally, on Sunday afternoon, Maddon's annual "Thanksmas" meal will be served to those in need. Maddon hopes that HIP will become a national model for the integration of diverse communities. "It's all about creating a positive environment for kids to grow up in," Maddon said. "When I grew up, Hazleton was the best place in the world to grow up, and then it was not. My goal is that kids growing up here will come back 10 years from now and be able to say, 'Man, that was the best place in the world to grow up.'" --

Cubs.com Maddon needs no excuse for Chapman moves By Phil Rogers CHICAGO -- Joe Maddon is returning to manage the Cubs next season, and then probably the one after that, and two or three after that. Maybe even 10 more. Who knows? Winning never gets old, at least not to the people actually doing it. Try as they might, second-guessers in the media and among the Cubs' post-drought fan base aren't going to be able to run off Maddon. He would love some more World Series rings to go with the one he won in 2016, even if the criticism he's receiving for his handling of Aroldis Chapman is putting a cloud over his celebration. "My intent was to win, and we could not have won without him," Maddon said on Friday at an event in his home town of Hazleton, Pa. Maddon was responding to Chapman saying he was overused in the postseason, which has been a common theme since Maddon pulled Mike Montgomery to bring the closer in during the seventh inning of Game 6 against the Indians. Cry me a river. This was the World Series, and the Cubs forfeited their chance for delicate handling of pitchers by putting themselves in a three-games-to-one hole when they couldn't hit Cleveland pitching. If ever there was an all-hands-on-deck situation, this was it. And not only did Chicago manage to come back in dramatic fashion, with Chapman playing the role of Goose Gossage or another old-time closer, but the lefty has since signed a five-year, $86 million contract with the Yankees. Where's the angst in all this? The Cubs ended their 108-year drought and Chapman became the most highly paid relief pitcher ever, shattering the pre-2016 mark set by Jonathan Papelbon by $36 million. Yet Maddon's handling of Chapman remains a hot-button issue among fans. Chapman had thrown 2 2/3 innings to get a save in the Cubs' 3-2 win in Game 5, then would throw 1 1/3 innings in both Games 6 and 7, piling up 97 pitches in four days. The takeaway moment for critics came when Rajai Davis delivered a game-tying home run in the eighth inning of Game 7. It came on a 97-mph fastball, matching the slowest of the season from Chapman, who wound up throwing 15 2/3 frames in the postseason. "Personally, the way he used me during the playoffs, I believe there were a couple of times where maybe I shouldn't be put in the game and he put me in," Chapman said through an interpreter. "So I think, personally, I don't agree with the way he used me." Chapman pointed to Maddon bringing him into Game 6 with a 7-2 lead in the seventh inning, even though he only allowed him to throw 20 pitches. It was surprising and deserved scrutiny, like bringing him in with the bases loaded and nobody out in Game 4 against the Giants in the National League Division Series. There's no question that Maddon put Chapman into tough spots through the postseason. Many of those were the result of other pitchers not getting the outs that would have let the skipper take it easier on Chapman. If Montgomery doesn't give up a two-out single to the Indians' Jason Kipnis in the seventh inning of Game 6 after he'd already walked Roberto Perez, Chapman wouldn't have been used before the eighth (although he probably would have been used, even with the 7-2 lead). If Jose Ramirez doesn't get an infield single off Jon Lester with two outs in the eighth inning of Game 7, Chapman would have started fresh in the ninth.

But Maddon needed to push Chapman, and he pushed him more than the closer had ever been pushed before. What did anyone expect? The Cubs acquired Chapman to slam the door. The need for him to work multiple innings increased greatly when Hector Rondon and Pedro Strop became less reliable, in part due to health concerns. So Maddon leaned on Chapman heavily. And now there's a lot of championship gear and other merchandise under Christmas trees in Chicago, and wherever Cubs fans reside. Chapman tells us more about himself and maybe the cushy role of the modern closer than anything else by complaining about the responsibility he was given. As much as you might want a manager to be creative and use his best reliever in the toughest spots, most closers want to work the ninth inning and not much else. That's why Andrew Miller is such a special cat, and why every contender (including the Cubs) had him atop their wish list at the Trade Deadline. Maddon has got to be sick of hearing about his handling of the bullpen. He's talked before about how second-guessing is fueled by "an outcome bias." A managerial move is good if it works and stupid if it doesn't, no matter the other variables, including luck. Chapman blew the Game 7 save, so that's on Maddon, right? But somehow this second-guessing feels harsher than usual. Maddon has somehow become a dunce in many fans' eyes, even though his team delivered a happy ending. Not to mention, of course, that he's the same "dunce" who has overseen teams that have gone 82-35 in August and September the past two seasons. What would Cubs fans have given if Leo Durocher's club played so well late in 1969? Second-guessing Maddon for overusing Chapman is the lesser second-guess. You realize that, right? Imagine if Maddon had handed more big situations to Rondon, Strop, Carl Edwards Jr. and others and Chicago had lost Game 5, 6 or 7. Take your choice. There's your far more familiar Cubbie occurrence. Props to Maddon for explaining his reasoning over and over again in the past month. Now can we just move on and appreciate the World Series for giving us everything we love about baseball? -- Chicago Tribune Aroldis Chapman says Cubs manager Joe Maddon 'abused him a bit' By Paul Skrbina Aroldis Chapman wasn't expected to be much more than a rental when the Cubs acquired the top-flight closer from the Yankees for top prospect Gleyber Torres and three others in July. Chapman, a Yankee again after finalizing a five-year, $86 million contract Thursday, insinuated Friday he felt like Cubs manager Joe Maddon used him like one. During a conference call to talk about his new deal, the left-hander questioned Maddon's decisions to use him so much toward the end of the run to the franchise's first World Series championship since 1908. "I think he was wrong in the way he used me," Chapman said. "He abused me a bit on how much he made me pitch, and sometimes he made me pitch when I didn't need to pitch."

Chapman threw 273 pitches in his 13 playoff appearances, including 42 during 22/3 innings of relief in Game 5, a 3-2 Cubs victory and Chapman's first career eight-out save. After one day of rest, he threw 20 more in Game 6. He was summoned from the bullpen with two runners on and two outs in the seventh and pitched into the ninth despite his team's seven-run lead. "I don't think I needed to come in the game," Chapman said. "The important game was going to be Game 7 because basically we had (Game 6) almost won. Then I had to pitch Game 7 and I was a little tired." Chapman, 28, said he felt "a little different" in Game 7 and that fatigue affected him. He also added that Maddon "knows his stuff." "It was his decision, and my duty is to be prepared," Chapman said. "I prepare myself to be strong, so that my arm is healthy. Thank God I was able to do the job." Chapman added 35 more pitches in Game 7, for which he earned the victory despite allowing the Indians to tie that score 6-6 in the eighth inning courtesy of Brandon Guyer's RBI double and Rajai Davis' two-run home run. After pitching a scoreless ninth, Chapman reportedly was crying in the clubhouse during the rain delay. Efforts to reach Cubs President Theo Epstein and Maddon for comment were unsuccessful Friday. But Maddon repeatedly has defended his use of Chapman and has said he welcomed scrutiny of his decisions. "Chappy had just pitched yesterday, and I felt really confident because he felt great going into (Game 7)," Maddon said. "So the Cubs beat up on (Indians reliever Andrew) Miller and got to their other guys because the Cubs are good. The Indians beat up on Chapman because the Indians are good. So that's the part of this game. "I love it. I think bar-room conversations are great. … But sometimes people forget that both sides are good." Chapman, whose fastball averaged 100.9 mph, according to Statcast, reached a major-league record-tying 105.1 mph against J.J. Hardy on July 18 and threw the 30 fastest pitches in baseball last season. He was 4-1 with 36 saves, a 1.55 ERA and 90 strikeouts in 58 innings pitched for the Yankees and Cubs in 2016. The four-time All-Star made headlines upon his arrival in Chicago when his introduction to the media quickly went south and seemed riddled with confusion and indifference. Major League Baseball suspended Chapman for the first 30 games of the season because of an episode in which he allegedly choked his girlfriend and fired a gun eight times inside his garage. No charges were filed and Chapman said he had grown a lot and learned a lot since the incident. Tax tacked on: The Cubs are among a record six teams paying Major League Baseball's luxury tax, though their bill is the lowest at $2.96 million. First-time offenders who exceed baseball's salary cap, such as the Cubs, pay 17.5 percent of every dollar spent above $189 million. The Dodgers ($31.8 million) and Yankees ($27.4 million) incurred the two highest taxes according to information the Associated Press obtained. -- Chicago Tribune World Series, Game 7: An oral history of Cubs' 8-7 triumph over the Indians By Staff A rain delay helped end a drought.

The sky opened over downtown Cleveland that unseasonably warm Nov. 2 night, giving Cubs fans 17 long minutes to ponder their panic and question curses — a cat, a goat, a fan and a first baseman. Mother Nature also allowed Jason Heyward to summon the longtime Lovable Losers to a weight room for a speech that will live in Cubs lore forevermore. An inning after the Indians' Rajai Davis improbably tied Game 7 of the 2016 World Series 6-6 — and tied emotions in knots — with a two-run homer off Cubs closer Aroldis Chapman, showers fell from heaven, and the fateful 10th inning would have to wait. Both franchises were used to that, though. The Cubs hadn't won a Series since 1908. The Indians had the second-longest championship drought in baseball, their last World Series title coming in 1948. Here is the story of the Cubs' 8-7 triumph in Game 7, one of the most memorable games in World Series history, from those who lived it. First inning The Cubs wasted no time. Center fielder Dexter Fowler clobbered Corey Kluber's fourth pitch over the center-field wall, the first time anyone had led off a seventh game of a World Series with a home run. Fowler then introduced a home run trot that won't soon be forgotten. Fowler: It wasn't what you think. Here's the real story: Every time I hit a homer, I dap up my first base coach, Brandon Hyde. It's just something I do after I hit a bomb. Just showing some love. But this time things were a bit different because during the biggest game of my life, after the biggest hit of my career … I got caught in no-man's land. It was like I was floating as I left the batter's box, and the next thing I knew, the ball cleared the wall … and I already had passed first. So when I turned to my first-base coach, I was already way past him. I had to improvise. And that's what you saw. I just kind of turned around too late and had to wing it. I mean, I'd love to take credit for doing something cool, but in reality, it was just that simple. Kyle Hendricks and the Cubs survived a Javier Baez error in the bottom half of the inning to preserve their 1-0 lead. Second inning An uneventful frame, other than Hendricks picking off Jose Ramirez, who had led off the Indians' half with an infield single, and the Cubs turning a double play after Lonnie Chisenhall's single. Third inning Indians tied it up when Coco Crisp led off with a double and Carlos Santana singled him home with one out. But the Indians couldn't capitalize further after a failed force on Baez's second error puts runners at first and second as Hendricks retired the next two hitters. Cubs radio announcer Ron Coomer: I don't think it sucks the wind out of you. But it's a situation where you knew this wasn't going to be easy. … Cleveland was too good a team. If you thought you were going to roll over Cleveland, nobody felt that way. Fourth inning The Cubs answered with two runs off a tired Kluber. The 2014 AL Cy Young Award winner was pitching for the third time in nine days. Addison Russell's sacrifice fly scored Kris Bryant, and rookie catcher Willson Contreras followed with an RBI double. Hendricks then retired the Indians in order. Coomer: I don't believe in curses … and all that crap. If you play a good game and hit the ball on the button and make good plays, you win.

Fifth inning Javier Baez led off the fifth with a home run to center to chase Kluber. Then, after Kyle Schwarber hit into a double play off reliever Andrew Miller, Bryant walked and scored on Anthony Rizzo's single to make it 5-1. Hendricks retired the first two Indians before walking Santana. Then Cubs manager Joe Maddon surprisingly pulled Hendricks, baseball's ERA leader during the regular season, after just 63 pitches. Maddon: To expect a lot more than that at this time of year would be kind of a stretch. … It's not every day you have Jonny Lester warming up in your bullpen in the seventh game of a World Series. So in came Lester, his first relief appearance in nine years, and his personal catcher, the retiring David Ross. And back came the Indians. Jason Kipnis reached on an infield single that Ross fielded but threw wildly to first, allowing Kipnis and Santana to advance to second and third. They both scored on Lester's wild pitch to Francisco Lindor, which cut the Cubs' lead to 5-3. Lester then struck out Lindor. Maddon: Here is Kipnis, who had done well the day before against (Jake) Arrieta, and it was a 5-1 game. In my mind, in a situation like that, if you leave Kyle in and Kipnis (hits) a two-run homer with Jonny warmed up, that's when you get upset with yourself. It was Santana at first base with two outs and a four-run lead. He's not going anywhere. It's almost like there's a ghost at first base. It's almost like Jonny did have a clean inning, and I told him that when he came in. Those are the nuances in the moment that you have to determine in advance. So if David is able to make that play and Kipnis is out at first base, there is no narrative to follow that. But the ball dribbled far enough away that a wild pitch occurs and two runs score, and all of the sudden it's a concern. That's where I failed to connect the dots with everybody else. Jonny was ready to pitch, he did, he pitched well. Ross on his error: I'm like, "All we gotta do is get an out.'' Kipnis: The first step (on the wild pitch), I was making sure Santana was going. Then I saw it kind of knocked Ross onto his back leg, so he had no momentum carrying toward the direction of the ball. I got a good jump on it and was going full speed, and I was thinking of scoring right away. It got us back in the game. Davis: That was like new life for us. New energy. Santana: I've never seen that in my life. Especially in the World Series. Lester, on his wild pitch: I didn't want to make a mistake. The curve was short. Two runs scored, but we got out of it and (kept) the lead. Ross: Inside I'm like, ''Crap.'' But in the scheme of things it's 2-0. That was my fault. I didn't have a good grip on that ball. Sixth inning Ross atoned for his mistakes quickly against Miller, one of the best relievers in baseball and a former teammate. The 39-year-old backup drilled a 1-2 pitch over Davis' outstretched left arm and over the center-field wall for a 6-3 lead. Rizzo: I'm in the clubhouse and I'm seeing the live feed. As soon as he hit that ball and the way he reacted, I sprinted to that dugout.

Ross: You'd be stunned, too, if you had my swing. … I was floating around those bases. But I was focused on the win. I felt like I let two in as soon as I came into the game. I gave up two runs. So it was nice to get one back. … The guys kept coming up to me when I was trying to focus on catching and they were like, "Dude, you just homered in Game 7, off Andrew Miller." Broadcaster Len Kasper: Ross hitting the home run in Game 7 just capped the most storybook year you could have scripted for him. Seventh inning A potential Cubs rally is snuffed out when Fowler is caught stealing on Bryant's strikeout to end the top of the inning. Eighth inning Chapman, the fireballing closer the Cubs acquired from the Yankees precisely for this kind of moment, relieved Lester with two outs, a three-run lead and a runner on first. But the Indians strung together three straight hits, including Davis' 364-foot, two-run homer on a 2-2 pitch that tied the score 6-6. Davis touched home after the fastest home run trot of the postseason and set off a celebration of new life for the Indians. Davis: I'm going up there looking to drive the ball. A couple of innings before that I went up to the cage. I wasn't quite feeling right and I kind of found what I needed to do. I went down there and did it. ... I definitely thought it had a good shot because I knew I squared it up pretty good. I was just hoping it would go over that tall wall out there, and it did. That was definitely one of my most thrilling moments ever. It's a battle between me and Chapman. We have to go head to head. I was thinking, "I'm going to win this battle.'' … It just felt like this is going to be a fight that I'm going to win. I definitely thought we were going to get another run that inning. I thought that was our break, that was our chance to make history. The home run later brought Chapman to tears and set the stage for a dramatic ending. Davis: You could see their heads kind of drop a little bit. You would think that moment would be a momentum change, but they obviously were able to keep enough composure to score a couple of runs and go up. Chapman: It's hard for me to find words to express how I feel after this roller-coaster of emotions that I've had. I had been given the opportunity to win the game, and then it got complicated. And because of those complications, once that hitter got that ball out, it was difficult for me. We were leading comfortably and on our way to a victory. We were so close to being champions in a Game 7. They placed their confidence in me in that inning, and (the Indians) tied the game. I felt bad, and my eyes got watery. Kasper: I was in the tunnel … and they were wheeling in a lot of stuff for the trophy presentation. There was a rack of T-shirts. There were all these people going in and out of our clubhouse. When Davis hit that home run, everybody came running back in to take the stuff out. I hear everyone go crazy. I thought, "Oh, no! He didn't hit a home run; maybe a double in the gap." That was kind of a surreal experience. The Indians never took the lead, but it felt like the Cubs were trailing when it was tied. Cubs radio broadcaster Pat Hughes: Kind of sick to my stomach for a minute or two, to be honest with you. Stunned. After all these years one of the beautiful things about baseball is the unpredictability of the game and the shocking reversals that take place out of nowhere. And I put that one in that category. Maddon had summoned Chapman despite the lefty having thrown 62 pitches in four innings in the previous two games.

Maddon: Chappy is our guy in that moment. We narrowed it down to four outs. If you want to really complete the thought process, their guys are really rested, and we hit them. Whereas Chappy had just pitched (Tuesday), and I felt very confident because he felt great going into the game. So the Cubs beat up on Miller and got to their other guys because the Cubs are good. The Indians beat up on Chapman because the Indians are good. That's part of the game. Cubs Chairman Tom Ricketts: I was like a lot of other people, hoping these would be the last few outs of the game. It didn't work out that way. Aroldis has been so clutch for us all season, and to give up a hit like that was unexpected. Cubs President Theo Epstein: I've been through it before, man. The 2003 ALCS, with five outs away, and you know Pedro (Martinez) stays in and we give it up and lose to Aaron Boone. That's baseball. You can never get too excited. People are texting me congrats, I'm like, "(Expletive) you, this is baseball, anything can happen." Cubs catcher Miguel Montero: It's not a good position when we brought in the closer and he gave up three runs, but you have to understand, he has been out there a lot. He's human. He gets tired. The more they see him, they feel a little better at the plate as a hitter. He battled. He did his best out there. Unfortunately they tied it, but he did his best. Ben Zobrist: It was like, ''How did this happen? How did we get here?'' Rizzo: You kind of just go numb. ''No way this just happened.'' Ninth inning The Cubs pushed the potential go-ahead run to third with one out, but Baez struck out trying to bunt and Fowler grounded out to end the threat. Baez: I was mad at myself because it was a pitch right in the middle and I couldn't get it down for my teammates. ... I was trying too much and missed the bunt with two strikes. Chapman remained in the game and retired the Indians in order. Maddon: I give (Chapman) credit for hanging in that next inning and doing what he did, and that permitted us to win. Don't overlook that. Cubs board member Laura Ricketts: My nephew started crying in the ninth, and I said, "Hey buddy, Cubs never quit. We never quit. Don't cry. We're going to get another at-bat. I promise you.'' And they did. The rain delay How much can one team pack into a 17-minute rain delay? A lot, apparently. Crew chief John Hirschbeck: We don't want to have them play now in the seventh game of the World Series in extra innings, tied score, in conditions that aren't right. Just to keep the field perfect, we covered it and we'll wait this out. Fowler: As we came off the field and walked back through the tunnel, some guys were mad, other guys were sad, some guys were way too pumped. We were all over the place. You had grown men crying. Literally. I believe the rain delay was God telling us to calm down. Zobrist: None of the players wanted to take a break. No one wants to put a pause on anything at that moment in the game.

Maddon: It's crazy how things happen. … I walk off and see them all gathering in that little room down below there and they had a meeting. And I'm upstairs checking out the weather map. … I love when players have meetings; I hate when I do. So they had their meeting, and a big part of it was: ''We don't quit. We don't quit.'' Cubs general manager Jed Hoyer: I really feel like in some ways, that rain delay was kind of divine intervention. The game was going really fast for us at that point. … To get that little break there, I definitely think it helped us a lot. We had the best part of our lineup coming up. Heyward: I just had to remind everybody who we are. … We never worry about wins or losses, we just worry about how we're going to go out there, have fun, compete, be right there for the guys next to us and not take the situation for granted. Lester, on Heyward's speech: I thought he hit the nail on the head. I think that should stay between us. Russell: We all had heart-to-hearts. We all felt we had to say things that were on our minds and get them off our chest. … It was information we already knew, just reiterating it and putting it into a type of way. J-Hey said it so beautifully, and we all came together. Rizzo: Kind of settled us down, got us regrouped. Epstein: After we blew that three-run lead, in the rain delay, I had to talk to Major League Baseball. I went downstairs and walked past our weight room. I saw all our players. I got a little concerned about what was going on. I popped the door open a little bit, and they were all saying: ''This is only going to make it sweeter. Let's grind, boys. Let's go.'' 10th inning After Schwarber singled and Albert Almora Jr. came in to run for him, Indians manager Terry Francona elected to walk Rizzo intentionally. He paid for it when Series MVP Zobrist poked a double down the left-field line to score Almora. Then he chanced another intentional walk to Russell, and Montero followed with an RBI single past a drawn-in infield for an 8-6 lead. Zobrist: "I was just as nervous as anyone else would be going up there. They intentionally walked (Rizzo) to get to me, so there's a part of you that your pride is a little hurt that they'd rather face you than that guy. Kind of makes you want to really, really do it at that point. … I had to block out all the emotion. If you try to be the hero in that situation, it never works out. On a 1-2 count, Zobrist finally got his pitch, a back-door cutter from reliever Bryan Shaw. Zobrist: I was really uncomfortable. He got me down. I was just flailing at balls, just taking an emergency hack. And then the last one was just over the plate and up enough that I could get enough of the barrel to it. When I hit it, I think I lost consciousness. I didn't remember anything until I was jumping at second base. We felt we knew right then that we were going to win the game. It was just a matter of time to get to those last three outs. Lost in the shuffle was the rookie Almora, whose heads-up tag at first on Bryant's flyout put him in scoring position for Zobrist. Almora: I was just thinking of getting to second base for my teammates, for Rizzo, who was coming up behind me. It's funny, when they intentionally walked Rizzo, I thought, ''I don't think that's a good idea. We have one of our best hitters coming up behind him.'' Montero, the third Cubs catcher of the night, then provided what turned out to be the game-winning RBI.

Montero: You shouldn't load the bases to get to me. (Shaw) threw me one too many (cutters). I'm not going to look for anything else. If he threw me a breaking ball, he probably would strike me out because I wasn't looking for it. I told myself to choke up, be short, because all we need is a base hit. I got it. I got my base hit. Shaw: Everything felt great. Everything was good. Just one of those days. … Those guys are good hitters. With Chapman done, rookie right-hander Carl Edwards Jr. entered the game. He retired two Indians before walking Brandon Guyer and giving up an RBI single to Davis. Maddon then brought in left-hander Mike Montgomery, who joined the team in July in a trade with the Mariners. Edwards: I was kind of upset with myself, but then there was relief because I knew the guy coming after me (Montgomery) would get the last out. After the rain delay we were walking back to bullpen, then he goes: ''Hey, bro, it's coming down to us two, man. We're going to win this game, man." And I was like, huh? And he said, "It's coming down to us two. ... I said, bro, we're going to finish this together." And we end up finishing the game off to kill this drought. Montgomery did just that, inducing Michael Martinez's grounder to Bryant at third base. Bryant: I knew he was fast, I knew I had to get rid of it. It's wet out here. Hughes: I'm thinking this could be it. This. Could. Be. It. The final play. This could be the one. Montgomery: The edge started in the third inning. A couple of guys got on and I got loose. … At that point I knew tonight was going to be kind of different. … To be a part of that and to be able close it out for the last out, it's something I'll never forget. Bryant headed straight for Rizzo, and the two embraced before the entire team swarmed the infield. Rizzo tucked the last-out ball into his back pocket, and the celebration generations had coming finally had arrived. The aftermath Chapman: I was so ecstatic that these guys were able to pick me up and bring this victory to us. I felt every emotional in terms of how happy I was that they were able to do this for me. Fowler: As you can imagine, my phone's kind of been blowing up for the past week, but one call and one text in particular stand out. My mentor, Barry Bonds, called me up after we won Game 7, and he was elated. He was just so happy for me, and it was really awesome. Barry likes to joke around with me by pointing to all the trophies and awards that he won during his career. So throughout this playoff run, I've been looking forward to when I could come back with: Hey, yeah, those trophies are cool … but have you seen this World Series ring? Then, a little while later, in the midst of all the congratulatory text messages, I saw one from Michael Jordan. He congratulated me and told me how happy he was for me, and he told me to pass along his congrats to the boys. And then he just wrote, "MJ." That's … crazy. Actor/comedian Bill Murray: "The great thing about it is we became such great losers, good sports, good losers. I just hope we're good winners. I hope we're good winners. I hope we're just as good sports as winners as we were when we didn't win. You know what I mean?" Sources: Chicago Tribune, The Players' Tribune, Business Insider, Fox Sports, Boston Herald, TBS, MLB.com, Akron Beacon Journal, Washington Post, Gainesville Sun, USA Today.

Compiled by: Paul Skrbina, Mark Gonzales, Phil Thompson, Joe Knowles, Tim Bannon. --