June 4, 2017

Daily Herald, Schwarber's grand moment lifts Cubs over Cards 5-3 http://www.dailyherald.com/sports/20170603/schwarbers-grand-moment-lifts-cubs-over-cards-5-3

Daily Herald, Maddon plans to alternate Russell and Baez at short http://www.dailyherald.com/sports/20170603/maddon-plans-to-alternate-russell-and-baez-at-short

Daily Herald, Antioch grad thrilled to be back at Wrigley with Cardinals http://www.dailyherald.com/sports/20170603/antioch-grad-thrilled-to-be-back-at-wrigley-with-cardinals

Daily Herald, Ostrowski: Cubs destiny is in their hands http://www.dailyherald.com/sports/20170603/ostrowski-cubs-destiny-is-in-their-hands

Daily Herald, Rozner: What have Cubs done for you lately? http://www.dailyherald.com/sports/20170603/rozner-what-have-cubs-done-for-you-lately

Cubs.com, Cubs rise late, slam Cardinals for series win http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/234150870/kyle-schwarbers-slam-lifts-cubs-over-cards/

Cubs.com, Nine alive! Schwarber slugs first career slam http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/234171426/cubs-kyle-schwarber-hits-grand-slam-in-9-hole/

Cubs.com, Lester tested, foils strategy with rare pickoff http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/234175336/cubs-jon-lester-picks-off-tommy-pham-at-first/

Cubs.com, Kids come out to Play Ball at festive Wrigley http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/234158554/cubs-host-play-ball-weekend-at-wrigley-field/

Cubs.com, Viral video fan gets Wrigley VIP treatment http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/234163564/cubs-welcome-kolt-kyler-to-wrigley-field/

Cubs.com, Cubs, Hendricks seek sweep of rival Cards http://atmlb.com/2qPZWJm

Cubs.com, Sportsmanship, fun abound at Pitch, Hit & Run http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/234146772/wrigley-field-hosts-pitch-hit--run/

ESPNChicago.com, Cubs can't blame loss of Dexter Fowler for team's troubles http://www.espn.com/blog/chicago/cubs/post/_/id/44460/cubs-cant-blame-loss-of-dexter-fowler-for-teams-troubles

CSNChicago.com, Kyle Schwarber's Grand Slam Fuels Cubs' Comeback Over Cardinals http://www.csnchicago.com/chicago-cubs/kyle-schwarbers-grand-slam-fuels-cubs-comeback-over-cardinals

CSNChicago.com, Joe Maddon's Reasoning Behind Moving Kyle Schwarber To Ninth In Batting Order http://www.csnchicago.com/chicago-cubs/joe-maddons-reasoning-behind-moving-kyle-schwarber-ninth-batting-order

Chicago Tribune, Grand slam comes at dandy time for Cubs and struggling Kyle Schwarber http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-cubs-cardinals-spt-0604-20170603-story.html#nt=oft03a-1la1

Chicago Tribune, 'Maybe mode' at plate means extra rest for Cubs' Addison Russell http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-notes-cubs-cardinals-spt-0604-20170603-story.html

Chicago Tribune, Anti-LeBron James graffiti outside Cubs clubhouse at least mostly out of sight http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/columnists/ct-cubs-cardinals-sullivan-spt-0604-20170603-column.html

Chicago Sun-Times, ESPN analyst Boone reflects on Wrigley’s charm, Fowler & Schwarber http://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/espn-analyst-reflects-wrigley-field-charm-fowler-schwarber/

Chicago Sun-Times, Pickoff could pay dividends for Cubs’ Lester http://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/pickoff-could-pay-dividends-for-cubs-lester/

Chicago Sun-Times, Schwarber’s slam rallies Cubs past Cardinals, puts team back at .500 http://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/schwarbers-slam-rallies-cubs-past-cardinals-puts-team-back-at-500/

-- Daily Herald Schwarber's grand moment lifts Cubs over Cards 5-3 By Bruce Miles There's never been any doubt about how Kyle Schwarber's Cubs teammates feel about him. They saw how he rehabbed his surgically repaired knee last summer and got himself ready to play in the World Series. They've seen him struggle at the plate this season. So when Schwarber hit a grand slam in the seventh inning Saturday to rally the Cubs from a 3-1 deficit against the St. Louis Cardinals at Wrigley Field, there wasn't a fellow Cub who didn't want a piece of Schwarber. The opposite-field blast to left-center off pitcher Mike Leake with two outs in the seventh wound up being the decisive hit in a 5-3 victory that got the Cubs back to .500 at 27-27. "That's what we're here for," said starting pitcher Jon Lester, who minimized damage in the first inning, when the Cardinals got 2 quick runs. "We're not only teammates, but we're family. We all want, not just because of, 'If he's hitting, it makes our team better' aspect, but you don't ever want to see one of your brothers, one of your family members, struggle. "That was a big swing for him, I think, personally. Obviously for the team. Hopefully this is a sign of good things to come." Schwarber is hoping one swing of the bat signals a swing of fortune, but that remains to be seen. He has a line of .166/.284/.354, but with 9 home runs and 23 RBI. Manager Joe Maddon called Schwarber on the phone Friday night and gave him the news that he would be batting ninth Saturday, not as any kind of punishment or humiliation, but as a chance to be a "second leadoff hitter" and because Schwarber got nothing much to hit batting seventh on Friday. "It happened," Maddon said. "His at-bats really were decent prior to that. He gets a groundball to second base (against the shift). The next batter, (Ian) Happ, gets the same groundball and gets a hit. That's just defense playing

against you right there. So if that first ball would have gotten through, he'd have been really happy -- everything's right with the world. However, it's an out. That just speaks to shifting and defense. "But to hang in there like he did, that's what we've seen in the past, driving the ball to the other gap. That's what we've been looking for. So if we can just continue on that mental path, man, that's outstanding to see. Pretty relevant moment in today's game and hopefully something he can build upon." Down 2-0 early, the Cubs got a run back in the third on a Javier Baez homer before Yadier Molina's blast off Lester gave the Cardinals a 3-1 lead in the sixth. Jason Heyward and Willson Contreras singled in the seventh before Baez struck out. Pinch hitter Jon Jay was grazed with a pitch before Schwarber launched the first pitch he saw into the bleachers in left-center. It was his first career grand slam. "Obviously it was nice to come up in that spot and be able to help out," he said. "It's kind of a sigh of relief because I want to go up there and I want to help my team. For me to do that was great." Schwarber seems to appreciate the support he's gotten from teammates, Maddon and hitting coach John Mallee. "It's big," he said. "It's easy to kick a guy to the curb, seeing the numbers like that. It's been a big support system with the fans to the players to our manager to our coaching staff, front office, everything. It's really big. You can definitely go home feeling worse if they didn't treat me the way they did. But they're all here to pick us up. That's how our team is. We're going to pick each other up." -- Daily Herald Maddon plans to alternate Russell and Baez at short By Bruce Miles There's an interesting dynamic going on with the Cubs' shortstop situation. In Saturday's 5-3 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals at Wrigley Field, Javier Baez got the start over Addison Russell. On Friday, it was Russell, who has been the No. 1 guy at short since late in the 2015 season. For the series finale last Wednesday at San Diego, it was Baez. "It's not a day off," manager Joe Maddon said, referring to Russell. "I've been trying to go back and forth. I've been trying to alternate. It's almost like hitting Kyle (Schwarber) ninth. I don't want him to get too many at-bats when you're struggling right now. The fact that Javy's as good as he is permits us to do that with these two guys so that they just don't bury themselves, they don't get overwhelmed, they don't get too quick mentally. So it's a unique opportunity we have. "Also once you see them, particularly Addison, get back on track normally, then you're going to see him play a lot more often. But for now, there's a unique set of circumstances going on among this right now with our younger players, especially when it comes to hitting." Lester wows 'em: Jon Lester's problems throwing to first base have been well documented. So when he picked off baserunner Tommy Pham in Saturday's fifth inning, it definitely raised eyebrows. Lester low-keyed it. "I didn't see anything, just threw the ball over there," he said. "It's something I haven't shied away from (talking about) from Day 1. Thought it was a little weird (the Cardinals) had your 3-, 4-, 5-hole hitters bunting in the first inning, but whatever." Joe Maddon, who has downplayed Lester's fielding and throwing, was pleased.

"That was pretty solid moving forward," Maddon said. "It's a mind thing, man. It's all about the mind. If you believe you can do it, you can do it." Ninth is the spot: Joe Maddon said Kyle Schwarber would bat ninth again Sunday night after he hit ninth Saturday and had a game-deciding grand slam. Maddon batted Schwarber seventh Saturday and regretted it. "I didn't like it seventh at all," Maddon said. "If we could replay every pitch that was thrown to him yesterday, I hated it. Just off from the side, they were taking advantage of the eighth-hole hitter and the pitcher hitting behind him. He did not benefit from the wide strike zone. I hated it. So I called him last night after the game and said I want to do this, and this is why. Put him in front of the top of the batting order. So he's in essence another leadoff hitter." Schwarber said he was OK with it. "I'm like, 'Hey at least I'm playing,'" he said. "No, I didn't say anything. He told me his reason, and I was like, 'All right. I'm going with it.' Whatever the skipper does, I'm going to follow it. We got his back. He's got our back. It's all a process. It worked out today." -- Daily Herald Antioch grad thrilled to be back at Wrigley with Cardinals By Bruce Miles It's been quite a week for Paul DeJong. The 2011 graduate of Antioch High School made his major-league debut last Sunday for the St. Louis Cardinals at Coors Field in Denver, and all he did was hit a home run in his first at-bat, on his first swing. This weekend, the 23-year-old DeJong is back home, playing for the Cardinals against the Cubs at Wrigley Field. He made his Wrigley debut Friday before a host of friends and family. "It was pretty amazing to be on the field," he said before Saturday's game. "I've seen plenty of games here in the stands. It's a fun environment. I was really looking forward to getting out there on the field and seeing it from that perspective. It was everything I could have imagined. "I had quite a few former teammates and friends show up, also my parents and grandparents. It's been a steady stream of family and friends who have supported me these first few days. It's just been great to see everybody." DeJong, a fourth-round (131st overall selection) draft pick of the Cardinals in 2015, played his college ball at Illinois State. He led the Missouri Valley Conference with 14 home runs in 2015. The Cardinals purchased his contract from Class AAA Memphis last Sunday, and it was all he could do to get to Coors Field. There was a flight from Memphis, a connection in Detroit and on to Denver. "Took a cab from the airport to the field," he said. "Got my uniform on and went right to the dugout." DeJong is glad he made it. As a pinch hitter, he homered on his first swing against Greg Holland. He became the ninth Cardinals player to homer in his first major-league at-bat.

"It was of those days where I didn't even know if I was going to make it to the ballpark on time with my crazy flights," he said. "I was too tired to even think. So I just walked up there like it was any other at-bat. Just got a good pitch to hit and put a good swing on it. But yeah, running around the bases, it was amazing, surreal." While at Memphis, DeJong played shortstop, second base and third base. He started at second base Friday and Saturday against the Cubs. So far, he is 7-for-23 (.304) at the plate. As for his Antioch days, he says he remembers them fondly. "Absolutely," he said. "I still keep in touch with a few friends. It's all part of my journey to get here. I have baseball factored in there. Growing up near the Cubs, I get the culture, and I understand how passionate these fans are. I kind of see the same thing on the St. Louis side now with how passionate the fans are. Just a great rivalry, and I'm excited to play today. "One of my big goals in life was to make it to the big leagues. Now that the goal has been achieved, my next goal is to stay. I'm always working toward something whether it's getting here or staying here. It's really just about continuing to develop and continue to climb that ladder of success." -- Daily Herald Ostrowski: Cubs destiny is in their hands By Joe Ostrowski The National League Central is all up to the Cubs. They can continue to hang around .500 and battle the divisional foe that doesn't fall back or go on a tear, run away, and wait for October baseball. If they aren't able to separate themselves from the rest of the Central, September would be unchartered territory for this group. Last year, the Cubs opened up a 10 game lead on the division before even reaching the 60-game mark. In 2015, it was clear they would be a wild card team for the entire final month. They finished 3 games behind St Louis after winning the last eight games of the season and there wasn't a team in sight that could take their playoff spot. The 2017 version of the NL Central owns the worst 1st place record in baseball with Milwaukee at 29-27. The Brewers are the only team in the division above .500. Eric Thames set a franchise record for April home runs with 11, but Thames has hit only one dinger since May 9. The last place Pirates are the only team that hasn't had a losing record over the last two weeks. Pittsburgh and Cincinnati should be sellers at the trade deadline and that list could grow with the number of teams working on a rebuild. Las Vegas isn't buying the rest of the division either. 1st place Milwaukee is 100 to 1 to win the World Series. The now 2nd place Cubs are 5 to 1, the favorites to come out of the National League. The website fangraphs.com still expects the Cubs to reach 90 wins and gives the defending champs an 86-percent chance of making the postseason. The north siders' play has earned every bit of their mediocre 27 and 27 record with a run differential of +3. They've scored 248 runs and allowed 245. By comparison, a year ago, the Cubs were off to a 39 and 15 start. Their run differential was +142 at the time, 70 runs better than any other team. Record wise, the Astros are very similar, but nowhere near as dominant. Their run differential hasn't reached +100 yet.

If the Cubs want to run away and hide until fall, the opportunity is there for them right now. They could sweep the Cardinals on Sunday night. 16 of their 20 games after the St Louis series will be against teams below .500. But they just got swept by below .500 San Diego. Way below .500. It can be a stressful or relaxing summer of baseball. It's all up to the Cubs. -- Daily Herald Rozner: What have Cubs done for you lately? By Barry Rozner It's a few days into June and the Cubs have not yet repeated as World Series champs. Once again, Theo Epstein has failed Cubs fans. That's the new narrative -- or at least it will be if the Cubs don't go back-to-back. And it's irrelevant that it hasn't been done by any team since the 2000 Yankees. Yes, get ready for the next version of a decrepit storyline, which changed virtually by the month over the past few years. There was the one where Epstein did not need to rebuild, did not need to scrape the bottom before reaching the top. That proved he was afraid to go for it right away. The Cubs didn't have to trade Matt Garza or Ryan Dempster or Jeff Samardzija or Andrew Cashner or Scott Feldman. That proved he didn't know talent. Kris Bryant should have been here on Opening Day, for that crucial week of baseball his rookie year. That decision proved the Cubs didn't care about winning. They should have kept Alfonso Soriano and Aramis Ramirez because fans liked them. That decision proved Epstein didn't care about fans. They should have spent money on free agents Prince Fielder and Albert Pujols. That decision proved Tom Ricketts was cheap. That dim narrative -- and the many variations of it -- would have been humorous if not so tedious. It took a bit of imagination to see that Epstein was building toward something, which is all the explanation you need for why it escaped the grasp of some. And now, having witnessed the Cubs' first World Series title in 108 years, the narrative will change from the Cubs will never win under Epstein, to they will never win as much as they should under Epstein. The Cubs should have repeats and three-peats and nine-peats. Anything less is a failure. Of course, it has been 17 years and it may be another 17 before we see anyone repeat in baseball. But it's the first week of June and the Cubs play in a bad division. To our knowledge, MLB hasn't crowned a champ yet, and the Cubs haven't been mathematically eliminated from the playoffs. The reality is the Cubs have played mediocre baseball for two months and at times have played terrible baseball. They have earned their record.

They have not pitched well. They have not hit consistently, except for one homestand when the weather turned a bit warmer and the wind blew out. And they've been among the worst defensive teams for most of the season. That last part is the real shocker. Would not have guessed that. They entered this season with a club -- on paper -- that nearly everyone thought was good enough to win the World Series. Two bad months is probably not reason enough to start selling and rebuilding, not when the plan was to have several bites at the apple over the next decade. The division allows them the luxury of playing it out, waiting another month or six weeks to see who can get it together and who can't. At that point, significant additions may be necessary if Epstein still believes the Cubs are World Series caliber in 2017. He has already done the impossible on the North Side, having buried a tired story, but if the Cubs don't win again this year the Cubs president will spawn a new narrative. What happened to the nine-peat? -- Cubs.com Cubs rise late, slam Cardinals for series win By Carrie Muskat and Scott Chasen CHICAGO -- Kyle Schwarber may have finally found the perfect spot in the Cubs' batting order. Schwarber, who began the season as the leadoff man, was dropped to ninth on Saturday and belted his first career grand slam in the seventh inning to power the Cubs to a 5-3 victory over the Cardinals at Wrigley Field. "That's a pretty relevant moment in today's game and hopefully something he can build upon," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said of Schwarber, who began the day batting .163. The Cubs trailed, 3-1, against National League ERA leader Mike Leake with one out in the seventh when Jason Heyward and Willson Contreras both singled. One out later, pinch-hitter Jon Jay was hit by a pitch to load the bases and set up Schwarber, who launched the first pitch from Leake 403 feet into the left-center-field bleachers. Schwarber tipped his helmet to the fans from the dugout for a well-deserved curtain call. "It was nice to come up in that spot and be able to help out," Schwarber said. "It's kind of a sigh of relief. I want to go up there and help my team, and for me to do that today was great." Jose Martinez hit a two-run single in the Cardinals' first, and Yadier Molina added a solo home run in the sixth off Chicago starter Jon Lester, who did not get a decision. "It was nice to get a couple in the first and put pressure on 'em," Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. "Unfortunately, we weren't able to keep that going right until Yadi gives us a little more room later. But yeah, we've just got to figure out ways to get those runs in when they're giving them to us." This was Leake's first loss on the road this season, and he's now 0-5 in six career starts against the Cubs since 2016. His ERA is now 2.64. Schwarber was dropped to second in the batting order in late May, and then seventh on Friday. Saturday was his first game batting ninth, behind the pitcher, as Maddon was hoping Schwarber would get better pitches to hit. He was 5-for-60 before the grand slam, and his last three hits have been home runs.

"I did expect him to be pretty aggressive just because he has been scuffling," Leake said of Schwarber. " Obviously, it was off by a few inches of where I wanted it." MOMENTS THAT MATTERED Rumbling, then stumbling: The Cubs' third inning started well as Javier Baez led off with his ninth home run, belting a 1-1 pitch from Leake to center. Two outs later, Ian Happ reached on a broken-bat single, although he stumbled out of the batter's box and did a somersault. Happ got to his feet and to first in time. Kris Bryant was hit by a pitch, but Leake struck Anthony Rizzo out to get out of the inning. Lester tested, foils strategy: Tommy Pham walked with two outs in the Cardinals' fifth and took a huge lead at first base, testing Lester. The Cubs pitcher got Pham, throwing him out. It's the first time Lester has picked off a runner at first since Sept. 20, 2015, and the 27th time in his career. That pickoff in September 2015 was of the Cardinals' Jhonny Peralta. "Get a big lead, and this is the first time you know he's ever made a successful pick in who knows how long," Pham said. "Worked for him today. The approach was to get off about 20 feet, and I was going to go. I was looking to get at least two bags today. It didn't work." "I didn't see anything," Lester said. "I just threw the ball over there." SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS Schwarber's homer was the first go-ahead grand slam by a Cubs batter when trailing in the seventh inning or later since David DeJesus hit one on May 11, 2012, against the Brewers. Schwarber leads the Cubs with six game-winning RBIs. UPON FURTHER REVIEW With one out in the Cubs' fifth, Baez attempted to capitalize on what was initially ruled a throwing error by Leake. Baez was at second and tried to advance on the error and was ruled safe. The Cardinals challenged the call, and after a review, it was overturned. WHAT'S NEXT Cardinals: Right-hander Michael Wacha will get the ball for the Cardinals to finish off the series Sunday at 6:35 p.m. CT. Wacha has struggled in his last two outings, going 0-2 and giving up 10 runs (nine earned) in seven innings. He had gone at least six innings in every start prior to that stretch. Cubs: Kyle Hendricks will close the three-game series against the Cardinals on Sunday. Hendricks is 2-1 with a 3.49 ERA in five starts at Wrigley Field. He has not yet faced the Cardinals this season. -- Cubs.com Nine alive! Schwarber slugs first career slam By Carrie Muskat CHICAGO -- When Kyle Schwarber greeted Joe Maddon in the Cubs' dugout after hitting his first career grand slam in the seventh inning Saturday, he gave the manager a high five he'll remember. "My hand really hurt," Maddon said. "It was well struck."

So was Schwarber's homer, his ninth of the season and all the Cubs needed to post a 5-3 victory over the Cardinals at Wrigley Field. "I gave him a little extra," Schwarber said of his celebratory slap. "It was an exciting moment, a big moment to put us ahead in that spot, and to be able to hold those guys off and come out with a win was big." It's even bigger for Schwarber, who began the day with a .163 batting average and dropped from leadoff man to the No. 9 slot in the Cubs' lineup. He was 2-for-34 with 16 strikeouts in his last 11 games prior to Saturday, and both of those hits were home runs, too. Maddon moved Schwarber to seventh on Friday but didn't like that setup, so he dropped him to ninth. "I didn't like it [with him] seventh at all," Maddon said before Saturday's game. "If you could replay every pitch thrown to him yesterday, I hated it. I saw it from the side, and they were taking advantage of the eight-hole hitter and the pitcher behind him. I called him last night and said, 'I want to do this, and this is why.'" The manager called Schwarber on Friday night with the news and said the slugger took it "beautifully." "I'm like, 'Hey, at least I'm playing,'" Schwarber said, laughing. "No, actually, I didn't say anything. He told me his reason and I was like, 'All right, I'm going with it.' Whatever the skipper does I'm following it. He's got our back. It's all a process, and it worked out today." In case you were wondering, Schwarber will be batting ninth again on Sunday. The Cubs trailed, 3-1, against Mike Leake with one out in the seventh when Jason Heyward and Willson Contreras both singled. One out later, pinch-hitter Jon Jay was hit by a pitch to load the bases and set up Schwarber, who launched the first pitch from Leake into the left-center-field bleachers. "I did expect him to be pretty aggressive just because he has been scuffling," Leake said of Schwarber. " Obviously, it was off by a few inches of where I wanted it." An opposite-field shot was just what Schwarber needed. "He's got that kind of fortitude," Maddon said. "I like that the home run went to left-center, that's what I really like more than anything. If he hit it down the right-field line, nice, and of course we'll take it. But if he hits it to left central, that opens up a whole bunch of things." It's an at-bat the Cubs are hoping Schwarber can build on. "I'd say the last four or five days, I feel his at-bats have gotten good," Cubs starter Jon Lester said. "He's back to being Schwarbs. The game is tough. Hopefully, this is a step in the right direction for him and he goes home feeling good about himself." Part of the adjustments have involved getting Schwarber to be more on time at the plate; his movements had become too big. "Of course, his confidence is impacted, and that's the whole point," Maddon said. "I wanted to impress upon him it's not a loss of confidence from me to you. I understand you're going through a moment right now. What is the best way to deal with this? You can set aside your baseball ego -- hitting ninth. To me, it's so attractive. It's not hitting ninth and like the last kid playing right field in a sandlot game, it's not that at all. It's really attractive. "I just want to get Kyle back in a situation where he can work on things, get better pitches and get pitched to, as opposed to being pitched around." Schwarber got that opportunity Saturday, and he certainly didn't miss it.

"It was nice to come up in that spot and be able to help out," Schwarber said. "It's kind of a sigh of relief. I want to go up there and help my team, and for me to do that today was great." -- Cubs.com Lester tested, foils strategy with rare pickoff By Carrie Muskat CHICAGO -- The Cardinals' Tommy Pham knew Jon Lester didn't have a great reputation as far as throwing out baserunners, so he decided to test the Cubs left-hander. It didn't work. With two outs in the Cardinals' fifth during the Cubs' 5-3 victory at Wrigley Field on Saturday, Lester walked Pham. The Cardinals outfielder then extended his lead at first base, testing the pitcher. Lester fired to first baseman Anthony Rizzo, who easily tagged Pham out. "Anthony was really goading him along there to try to do it, and he did it," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. "It was pretty solid moving forward." It's the first time Lester has picked off a runner at first since Sept. 20, 2015, and the 27th time in his career. The pickoff in September 2015 was of the Cardinals' Jhonny Peralta. "Get a big lead, and this is the first time you know he's ever made a successful pick in who knows how long," Pham said. "It worked for him today. The approach was to get off about 20 feet, and I was going to go. I was looking to get at least two bags today. It didn't work." Did Pham think Lester would throw? "Nope," Pham said. "You just go off what he's done in the past. If I'm vice versa, if I'm hitting the ball good away, they're not going to keep throwing me balls away. I don't know. He did something different today. It worked for him." Lester didn't see anyone being goaded or dancing, or at least if he did, he didn't want to talk about it. "I didn't see anything," Lester said. "I just threw the ball over there." "It's a mind thing, man," Maddon said. "If you believe you can do it, you can do it. It's that simple. I know the other teams will definitely jot that down. It's something to be reckoned with. However, we've done a nice job controlling the running game with him all year. It's not been an issue. There's been a lot made of it ... but he's done a great job. He's probably our quickest guy to the plate. To this point, it's worked in our favor." It's helped to have Lester matched up with Willson Contreras, who has seven catcher pickoffs since 2016, most in the Majors. Asked if he was surprised the Cardinals tested him, Lester shrugged. "You've got to talk to other teams about it," he said. "It's something I haven't shied away from since Day 1. I thought it was a little weird to have your three- or four- or five-hole hitter bunting in the first inning, but whatever." It was Pham who bunted in the first after Lester walked leadoff man Dexter Fowler, and he was safe on the bunt single. "If anything, I felt like I probably could've got another step," Pham said of his effort in the fifth. "You know, he just picked. He normally doesn't pick. That's it." Worth noting

Addison Russell did not start on Saturday, but Maddon said it wasn't that the shortstop was getting a day off. Russell and Javier Baez have been sharing shortstop as they both try to get on track offensively. Baez hit a solo homer in the third inning. "I call it the 'maybe mode,'" Maddon said of what he sees from Russell, who was batting .213. "For me the 'maybe mode' is when you're trying to decide what to do as the ball's coming in. It's got to be your pitch to hit, every pitch that's thrown, until you decide to turn it down." Maddon said he didn't want Russell getting too many at-bats when he's struggling at the plate. "The fact that Javy is as good as he is permits us to do that with these two guys so they don't bury themselves and don't get overwhelmed," Maddon said. "It's a unique opportunity we have to have two shortstops who are so young." -- Cubs.com Kids come out to Play Ball at festive Wrigley By Scott Chasen CHICAGO -- Alex Chaltin had been there before -- two years earlier to be exact. Still, after taking his turn in the Pitch, Hit & Run competition at Wrigley Field on Saturday, Chaltin said he was having just as much fun as the first time. "Yeah, it's pretty cool," he said with a smile. Chaltin and 23 other youngsters gathered for the "Official Youth Skills Competition of Major League Baseball," which invites kids to demonstrate their pitching, hitting and running abilities in baseball and softball. The competition coincides with the Play Ball initiative between Major League Baseball, USA Baseball and USA Softball, which encourages widespread participation in all forms of baseball/softball activities among all age groups, especially youth. The second annual Play Ball Weekend features a variety of youth engagement activities by nearly 200 Major League and Minor League clubs to highlight the fun of youth baseball and softball. It is a complementary program of the Play Ball initiative, designed by MLB to celebrate youth baseball and softball participation. MLB has provided clubs with more than 300,000 youth plastic bat and ball sets to distribute in both ballparks and at community events. Many MLB clubs are hosting skills and physical fitness clinics as well as surprise "takeovers" of youth baseball and softball games or practices featuring appearances by Major League players, alumni, mascots, public address announcers and more. Activities will include kids participating in special news conferences, pregame meet-and-greets and catches with players, ceremonial first pitches, public address duties, lineup card exchanges, taking the field with players, postgame running the bases and more. Major League players, coaches and managers will wear Play Ball Weekend patches during the weekend's games, and players on home clubs will wear custom T-shirts during batting practice on the date of their club's activations. Teams that are on the road Saturday and Sunday will host their Play Ball Weekend activities during another homestand. As for Saturday's competition, the children each tried their hand at taking swings off a tee, trying to hit a target with a baseball and sprinting around and through cones that represented the distance between second base and home plate.

Victoria Kuhn, the winner in the 13/14 softball division, wore a big smile as she completed her turn in the running competition. She was greeted by the other competitors telling her how fast she was, only to sheepishly downplay her accomplishment. "It isn't my thing," she said. Upon finding out she took first in the division, that smile returned as Kuhn hugged the other winners and told the competitors in her age group she thought they had all done really well. In addition to the competition, the regional winners were honored on the field before Saturday's game against the Cardinals -- the top competitors nationwide will go on to compete in the National Finals at Marlins Park in Miami during 2017 All-Star Week. Other weekend high point involved local youth baseball and softball players taking the field before meeting players at each position. In addition, Clark, the team's mascot, was to surprise a local girls softball team with plastic bats and balls. -- Cubs.com Viral video fan gets Wrigley VIP treatment By Carrie Muskat CHICAGO -- Kolt Kyler, the 9-year-old Indiana boy whose dad presented him with Cubs tickets as a reward for all the hard work he's done, had his day at Wrigley Field on Saturday. Kolt was accompanied by his brother, Klay, 6, his parents, Andy and Natalie, and his sister, Hannah, who posted the video of the boy receiving the tickets as a surprise. Andy Kyler said he became a Cubs fan because of his grandfather and father, and gave Kolt the tickets before Easter. "We always have the Cubs games on," Andy said. On Saturday, while Wrigley Field hosted Major League Baseball's second annual Play Ball initiative, Kolt got to touch the ivy on the outfield wall, help the grounds crew prep the field, sit in the dugout, and meet the Cubs players, including his favorite, shortstop Addison Russell, which sort of upset Anthony Rizzo. Rizzo met the boys first, and he asked Kolt who his favorite player was. "Addy," Kolt said. "Let's try that again," Rizzo said. "Who's your favorite player?" "Addison Russell," Kolt said, not budging. Klay then jumped in to say Rizzo was his favorite. "It's just mind boggling to think it came to this," Natalie said of being on the field. "We just thought [the video] would be on there for family and friends and the normal group on social media and didn't think too much of it." But daughter Hannah posted it on Twitter and got responses from Rizzo, Jon Lester and the Cubs. "I just thought it was a cute video to post," Hannah said. When the Kyler group arrived at Wrigley Field on Saturday, Clark the mascot was there to greet them. "The look on their faces was priceless," Natalie said.

Kolt helps on the farm with the cows and the pigs, who are his 4-H project. Klay helps collect eggs from the chickens. The pigs weren't named after any of the players, but are called "Ebony" and "Ivory." Maybe next time? "This is surreal," Andy said, looking around Wrigley Field. "We just wanted to take the boys to a ballgame." -- Cubs.com Cubs, Hendricks seek sweep of rival Cards By Scott Chasen When the Cubs and Cardinals meet for the finale of a three-game series at Wrigley Field on ESPN's Sunday Night Baseball, with Chicago seeking a sweep, it'll mark a chance for two starting pitchers to get back on track. Kyle Hendricks (4-3, 3.75 ERA) will get the ball for the Cubs, looking to shrug off his last outing against the Padres on Monday, which was his worst of the year. In that start, Hendricks allowed a season-high five runs and tied a season low by going just five innings. That snapped a stretch of three straight quality starts -- as well as six straight starts with two or fewer earned runs allowed -- for the right-hander, who finished May with a 3.34 ERA in the month. Opposing Hendricks will be Michael Wacha (2-3, 3.99 ERA), who hasn't made it past the fourth inning in his last two outings, both against the Dodgers, after lasting at least six in his first seven starts this year. Part of the problem for Wacha has been the number of baserunners he has allowed, which has in turn allowed teams to get his pitch count up early. In his last start, which lasted just three innings, Wacha allowed five hits and three walks. In the start before that, he allowed seven hits and two walks in four innings. The right-hander averaged more than 25 pitches per inning between those two outings. Things to know about this game • Cubs infielder Javier Baez, who homered in Saturday's game, is batting .412 with four homers and 11 RBIs in his last 10 starts. He also has 11 multi-hit games this year, tied for second-most on the team. • Hendricks is 1-2 with a 3.56 ERA in seven career starts against the Cardinals. In his last start against the Cards at Wrigley Field, he struck out a career-high-tying 12 batters. • Cardinals third baseman Jedd Gyorko is expected back from paternity leave for the series finale. Gyorko, whose third child was born Tuesday, went 3-for-4 in his last game with the team, a 2-0 win over the Dodgers. -- Cubs.com Sportsmanship, fun abound at Pitch, Hit & Run By Scott Chasen CHICAGO -- Deep out to left in Wrigley Field, Brady Gromacki took a swing at a ball off a tee and then another. Both were hit too low and didn't register for the distance marks he was trying to reach. His third swing turned some heads, as a loud crack of the bat launched the ball some 238 feet all the way to right-center. A fellow competitor ran up to him to congratulate him after marveling at the hit. "What's your name?" the child asked. "Brady," Gromacki answered.

"Nice job." That was the scene at Wrigley Field as 24 youngsters gathered for the regional Pitch, Hit & Run competition on Saturday. Pitch, Hit & Run, the official youth skills competition of Major League Baseball, invites kids to demonstrate their pitching, hitting and running abilities in baseball and softball. The competition coincides with this weekend's "PLAY BALL" initiative between Major League Baseball, USA Baseball and USA Softball, which encourages widespread participation in all forms of baseball/softball activities among all age groups, especially youth. The first of the three Pitch, Hit & Run activities involved the kids divided up into four age groups, taking swings off a tee. From there, they moved onto the warning track by the wall in left to throw, trying to hit a target positioned 35-45 feet away. Destiny Heinrich, a participant in the age 7/8 softball division, didn't have her best day throwing, but proudly proclaimed with a big smile that she preferred the running portion. Alex Chaltin, who eventually took first place in the age 11/12 baseball competition, was a little more pleased with his outing, and said he was equally pleased with the experience. Finally came the running portion of the events, as the children sprinted around a cone and through the finish line, representing the distance from second base to home plate. A strong display of sportsmanship came right away, as after taking her turn running in the 7/8 division, Olivia Schuster stood at the finish line, waiving on Kailin Habben, the next finisher and eventual winner of that age group. Schuster clapped for Habben on her way to the finish, capping off the gesture with a celebratory high five. The winners for the softball competition were Habben (7/8 division), Natalie Furguson (9/10), Claire Girkin (11/12) and Victoria Kuhn (13/14). After finding out she'd won, Kuhn hugged the other winners with a big smile, while telling the members of her own division: "I swear I got third." The winners of the baseball competition were Eli Penne (7/8 division), Evan Spillman (9/10), Chaltin (11/12) and Tyler Cleaver (13/14). In addition to having a chance to advance to the next level of competition, the winning participants were set to be honored at Wrigley Field before Saturday's game against the Cardinals. -- ESPNChicago.com Cubs can't blame loss of Dexter Fowler for team's troubles By Jesse Rogers CHICAGO -- It's as if he knew the debate was raging in social media circles when he led off Friday's game with a home run. How much do the Chicago Cubs miss Dexter Fowler? The 3-2 pitch from John Lackey that Fowler deposited in the right-field bleachers -- for his new team in St. Louis -- might have answered that question, but in reality, it's impossible to know what effect Fowler would have on an offense that so far is a shell of its 2016 self. There's no doubt that the popular Fowler is missed, simply because he's a good player as well as a strong clubhouse presence, but that doesn't mean the Cubs should have anted up the five years and $82.5 million that the Cardinals committed for his services. Still, the win/loss numbers are eye-popping. According to ESPN Stats & Information, the Cubs were 179-102 with Fowler in the lineup the past two seasons. Without him, they were just 21-21. That's why manager Joe Maddon can simultaneously miss Fowler and David Ross -- the latter of whom is broadcasting Sunday’s night game between the Cubs and Cardinals for ESPN -- while understanding that annual roster turnover is part of the game.

"They were such a big part of what we've done the last couple of years," Maddon said. "It's hard to quantify what they did do, but you can have a pretty strong idea. The reality is they are not here. Other guys have to ascend. That's either leadership within the group or younger guys growing up. That's how this game works." So far, the Cubs' young hitters haven't exactly grown up, and when you consider their lack of production from the lead-off spot, the loss of Fowler seems to sting. However, as bad as the Cubs' lead-off hitters have been, the Cardinals have been just as anemic at the top of their lineup. Going into Sunday's game, the Cubs had a .213 batting average and .316 on-base percentage from their lead-off men, while the Cardinals were at .218 and .311, respectively. Would the Cubs be faring better offensively with Fowler? It's impossible to say, but one thing is for sure: The Cubs lost some leaders from their championship team, and Fowler was one of those. Despite the losses, Maddon defended his group recently. He believes they have enough in the clubhouse to turn things around. "I think we have the leadership capability," Maddon said. "I think young guys are going to grow up. If we had to struggle, I prefer it now as opposed to the end of the year." The win/loss record of the Cubs in 2015 and 2016 might bolster the Fowler supporters, who believe the Cubs made a mistake in letting him go, but it can be a misleading statistic. The team's slump, which coincided with when he was hurt last season, came during a 24-games-in-24-days stretch that no one player could have reversed. Fowler has heard the talk of his value and downplays it. "People say that," he said. "It's all hindsight. You never know if I was in there it [the slump] would have happened. To think about that is kind of selfish." More than any production Fowler might or might not have provided, it is what he represents that has been missed the most by the Cubs. He was the face of a runaway juggernaut, a team that won 200 games over two seasons, plus a World Series. Fowler embodied the Cubs' swagger from the second half of 2015 that carried over for the entirety of the following season. At the moment, they no longer have that. While the Houston Astros mimic the Cubs of last season and the Washington Nationals' battle with unfinished business on their minds, the defending World Series champions are still searching for who they are. The loss of Fowler was a blow, but it can't be the defining moment of the 2017 team. That narrative would be too easy. The problems run deeper. As the halfway point nears, the Cubs -- and the Cardinals, for that matter -- are searching for an identity. Who finds theirs first might determine if Fowler's old team or new one is playing come October. "Every team goes through a rut," Fowler said with a shrug. "I'm sure they'll snap out of it some time." -- CSNChicago.com Kyle Schwarber's Grand Slam Fuels Cubs' Comeback Over Cardinals By Paul Roumeliotis Kyle Schwarber’s first career grand slam came at a perfect time. The Cubs slugger crushed an opposite field grand slam in the seventh inning to power the Cubs past the St. Louis Cardinals, 5-3, on Saturday afternoon at Wrigley Field. Schwarber’s grand slam was his ninth home run of the season. "Obviously, it was nice to come up in that spot and be able to help out," Schwarber said. "It’s kind of a sigh of relief because I want to go up there and I want to help my team. For me to do that today was great."

In a season that hasn't gone Schwarber's way so far, his confidence is still intact, especially after a big win against a division-rival. "You’ve just got to stay the course," Schwarber said. "You’ve got to know that you’re here for a reason. That’s half the battle is knowing that you’re a good player, and more than half of this game is mental. "I always try to stay as positive and mentally strong as I can be because I know how crazy this game is. It can put you at your highest highs and your lowest lows, and you’ve just got to be able to stay the same person." Prior to Saturday's game, Joe Maddon moved the struggling Schwarber to the ninth spot after the Cubs manager "hated" what he saw on Friday hitting seventh. Maddon personally called Schwarber after Friday's game to explain that he wanted the 24-year-old to hit last, essentially becoming another leadoff man with Jon Lester batting eighth. It worked on Saturday, as Schwarber delivered in the clutch to help give his team a win. "He told me his reason, and I was like, 'all right,'" Schwarber said. "I’m going with it. Whatever the skipper does, I’m going to follow it. We’ve got his back, he’s got our back. It’s all a process. It worked out today." Maddon plans to keep Schwarber in the ninth spot for Sunday's series finale. Lester, who started the game on extra day's rest, struggled with his command early, allowing two walks and a single to the first three batters of the game, which loaded the bases. Cardinals' Jose Martinez followed with a single, which scored two. Again in the second, the Cubs ace allowed the first to batters to reach base with back-to-back singles, but the Cubs left the inning unscathed. Javier Baez cut the Cubs' deficit in half in the third when he belted with a solo homer to center field, his ninth of the season. Yadier Molina answered and got the Cardinals' run back when he homered in the sixth inning to give the opposing team a 3-1 lead. In the seventh, Jason Heyward and Willson Contreras kicked things off with back-to-back singles of their own. After a Javier Baez strike out, Jon Jay was beamed, loading the bases for Schwarber, who went deep on the first pitch he saw to give the Cubs a 5-3 lead and secure the win. Schwarber has received his fair share of criticism because of his struggles, but "it's big" that he has the support of his teammates. "It’s easy to kick a guy to the curb, seeing the numbers like that. It has been a big support system with the fans, to the players, to our manager, to our coaching staff, front office, everything," Schwarber said. "It’s really big. You can definitely go home and feel even worse if they didn’t treat me the way that they did, but they’re all here to pick us up, and that’s kind of how our team is. "We’re going to pick each other up." When Schwarber was heading in the dugout following his grand slam, Maddon said his hand hurt after Schwarber put some extra juice into his high-five. "Yeah, I gave him a little extra," Schwarber said. "It was an exciting moment, it was a big moment. To put us ahead in that spot and to be able to hold those guys off and come out with a win was big." Schwarber said that he had actually been wanting to hit a ball hard to the opposite field. He did just that. Now, he wants to take the momentum and ride with it.

"Hopefully, this was a good sign today," Schwarber said. "I’m just going to keep with the course, working with (John Mallee) and everything like that. I’m feeling good at the plate. Let’s keep it going." -- CSNChicago.com Joe Maddon's Reasoning Behind Moving Kyle Schwarber To Ninth In Batting Order By Paul Roumeliotis Two weeks ago, Joe Maddon put the Kyle Schwarber batting leadoff experiment on hold. The Cubs manager has been trying to get the 24-year-old slugger to hit out of his slump. On Saturday, Maddon moved Schwarber to a new spot in the order: last. The change comes a day after Maddon hit Schwarber seventh in Friday’s series opener against the St. Louis Cardinals at Wrigley Field, which he didn’t like at all. “If you could replay every pitch that was thrown to him yesterday, I hated it,” said Maddon. “(I) saw it from the side. They were taking advantage of the hole hitter and the pitcher behind him. He did not benefit from a wide strike zone. I hated it.” After Friday’s game, Maddon said he called Schwarber — who went 0-for-2 with two strikeouts — to explain his decision to bat him ninth. “He’s in essence another leadoff hitter,” said Maddon. “The other part is he gets one less at-bat possibly while he’s working through this whole thing. I did it before with Addison (Russell) to try to get Addison better pitches, but I did not like that look at all. “I thought I put him in a really bad situation by hitting him seventh yesterday, how good he is, his reputation, and with the other team’s able to do vs. him based on just his spot in the batting order, I hated it.” Schwarber is batting .165/.286/.341 in 2017 with eight home runs and 19 RBI this season. When Maddon had the phone conversation with Schwarber, he said the left fielder handled it “beautifully.” “He understood,” said Maddon. “It’s just one time through and for me it is in essence it’s like he’s hitting leadoff again in front of (Ian) Happ and then (Kris Bryant), etc. So we’re still getting that kind of flavor out of him. “But I do believe he should benefit and see a better pitch and if he doesn’t then just take your walk and set it up for 1-2-3, which he will do.” -- Chicago Tribune Grand slam comes at dandy time for Cubs and struggling Kyle Schwarber By Paul Skrbina Kyle Schwarber hit a grand slam. Jon Lester picked off a runner. The Cubs beat the Cardinals 5-3. For Saturday, at least, all felt right for the home team at Wrigley Field. Schwarber, the 24-year-old left fielder with the batting average in the .160s, shook the 103-year-old ballpark to its base when he unloaded the bases on the first pitch he saw from Mike Leake in the seventh. He also solidified himself as the Cubs' new No. 9 hitter, for now, while helping his team to its second consecutive victory as the ball sailed into the left-center field bleachers.

Schwarber dug into the left-handed batter's box having struck out and grounded out his first two times up. Having had three hits in his previous 41 at-bats. Having been pulled for a pinch-hitter with the bases loaded the day before. "It's kind of a sigh of relief because I want to help my team," Schwarber said. "To do that today was great." The Cubs, from the front office to his teammates, have done nothing but support Schwarber through his mess of an offensive season, something not lost on the third-year player who a few months ago was a postseason folk hero. Schwarber shook his head in relief — and disbelief — as he held his helmet in his right hand and waved to the crowd of 41,164 with his left after emerging from the dugout post-first-career grand slam. "It probably felt good for him to run out of the dugout like he did," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. "It has been very difficult to this point. He has that fortitude. None of it surprises me, but it's just one game." Maddon said Schwarber has been working on his timing, which ended up being perfect and helped the Cubs even their record at 27-27. He also said Schwarber is an easy guy for whom to root, struggles or no. The ball wasn't the only thing that was "exceptionally well-struck" by Schwarber, though. "My hand really hurt," Maddon said of the result of Schwarber's high-five. Until the seventh inning, the Cubs' offense looked malnourished again, a day after it managed five hits in a 3-2 victory. The team had not scored more than one run in an inning in the previous 40. They had three hits off Leake, including Javier Baez home run, and offered little support to Lester. The 17-foot lead that helped Lester pick off Tommy Pham in the fifth inning seemed like nothing compared to the one-run lead the Cardinals had at the time. Maddon said first baseman Anthony Rizzo "goaded" Lester, who had not picked off a runner since 2015, into trying the play. "I didn't see anything," Lester said. "I just threw the ball there." A pair of walks sandwiched around a bunt single loaded the bases with nobody out in the first before Jose Martinez's two-run, broken-bat bloop single to right looked like it might break open the game. Lester, though, allowed just four more hits and one more run during the next five innings to keep the Cubs' hopes alive, though the team trailed 3-1 after his six innings. It was just the time for Schwarber to step in. When Maddon called him Friday night to tell him he was dropping him to ninth in the batting order, Schwarber, who has led off 35 games this year, said little. "I'm like, 'Hey, at least I'm playing,'" Schwarber joked. "I'm kidding. He told me his reason and I was like, 'All right; I'm going with it.'" He had no idea how the audition would go. It culminated with a curtain call and a promise to bat ninth Sunday. --

Chicago Tribune 'Maybe mode' at plate means extra rest for Cubs' Addison Russell By Paul Skrbina Addison Russell has had his share of off days at the plate this season. As a result the struggling Cubs shortstop — and his .211 batting average — has had some days off. Just don't phrase it that way to manager Joe Maddon, who kept Russell out of the starting lineup in favor of Javier Baez for Saturday's 5-3 victory against the Cardinals. "It's not a day off," Maddon said. "I've been trying to go back and forth (with Russell and Baez). It's almost like hitting Kyle (Schwarber) ninth — I don't want him to get too many at-bats when you're struggling." Maddon said Russell's rest was more of a mental break he prefers to give struggling hitters, "so they don't bury themselves, they don't get overwhelmed." Maddon explained Russell's restlessness at the plate as the "maybe mode." The 23-year-old struck out twice Friday and has 41 in 174 at-bats this season. He has appeared in 50 of the team's 54 games, including as a pinch-hitter Saturday (groundout to second in the eighth). "The 'maybe mode' is you're trying to decide what to do as the ball's coming in," Maddon said. "It has to be your pitch to hit, every pitch that's thrown, until you decide to turn it down subconsciously. "'Is it going to be good? Do I want to swing?' All this other interior language really gets in the way. It never works." Sixth man in? With just one more scheduled day off in June, the Cubs likely will add a sixth man to their starting rotation, at least temporarily. That man could be left-handed long reliever Mike Montgomery, though, Maddon said discussions haven't yet begun. "I didn't know that," Maddon said of the lack of days off. "It probably will creep in as we get later into the month before the All-Star break. We've done that in the past." Montgomery started five games last season. -- Chicago Tribune Anti-LeBron James graffiti outside Cubs clubhouse at least mostly out of sight By Paul Sullivan LeBron James famously inserted himself into the baseball postseason last year when he and some of his Cavaliers teammates cheered on the Indians in the World Series. The sight of James and pals going wild in a suite at Progressive Field after Rajai Davis poked his game-tying, eighth-inning home run off Aroldis Chapman in Game 7 was hard for many Cubs' fans to stomach, and probably would have been cemented in their heads forever if the Cubs had lost. James also made a prominent bet on the Series with Bulls' star Dwayne Wade, and was forced to wear a Cubs' jersey to the United Center last December before a Bulls-Cavs game. But now James is back in the NBA Finals trying to get his fourth ring, and Cubs' first baseman Anthony Rizzo said he's rooting for him and the Cavaliers to get it done against the heavily favored Warriors.

"He has been nothing but a good role model for 15 years," Rizzo said. "He has been the biggest superstar in America, he says the right things, does the right things. He has won, and he gets criticized for doing so, and he handles it all so well. It's hard not to root for him." OK. But if he's so lovable why does the wall outside the Cubs' home clubhouse have the message "(Bleep) LeBron" on it? Rizzo laughed, and was momentarily stuck for an answer. It's true, and here's the story. Before the season, the Cubs blew up a picture of the outer wall of the Wrigley Field bleachers during last year's playoff run — when fans wrote messages on the brick wall with chalk — and plastered the photo over an entire wall in a hallway the players seldom use. Most of the messages written on the wall were positive, just fans signing their own names or the names of dear, departed relatives who had loved the Cubs. It was an occurrence that drew fans from all over, and the wall became so iconic the Cubs have a Wrigley Field Wall Mini Chalkboard giveaway scheduled for Sunday night against the Cardinals. As cool as it looked, the wall had to go. Once the third phase of the Wrigley Field renovation project began last November, the Cubs power-blasted the walls to remove all the messages, after first photographing it for posterity's sake. The particular session of the wall the Cubs chose to decorate their hallway with features a large rendering of Joe Maddon's horn-rimmed glasses. But a few feet underneath those glasses, written in pink chalk, was the message "(Bleep) LeBron!" The two-word message only filled up a couple of bricks, but it's visible to anyone who walks by the clubhouse. Most of the Cubs don't even know the "(Bleep) LeBron" message exists because they don't use that hallway to get in and out of the clubhouse. Cubs' management knew it was there, but decided to use it anyway instead of Photoshopping the message out, figuring it was part of the 2016 season's history and didn't need to be censored. A work of art is a work of art. But no matter your opinion on James, is it appropriate for a professional team to have a vulgar message about another athlete plastered on its clubhouse wall? Rizzo said it was not a problem at all, even if he disagreed with the sentiment. "Everyone is entitled to their own opinion," Rizzo said. "We didn't write it. Someone else who thought it was funny to write something on the Wrigley Field wall did. It was not made for (reasons of) hate." Cubs right fielder Jason Heyward, who also had no idea the message was even on the wall, said there was no need for the organization to try and whitewash history. "I don't know where it was coming from, whoever wrote it," he said. "It's not my wall. I didn't put it in the clubhouse. We don't choose what goes on our clubhouse (wall), and it's not actually in our clubhouse. So we had no idea. None of us players went along the wall outside Wrigley Field and looked at every single saying." Heyward said he was quite certain James wouldn't care about a message written about him on a wall outside the Cubs' clubhouse wall. Obviously James has other things on his mind these days.

"I think he would take it in stride, like any of us would," Heyward said. "People feel like (the bleacher wall) was a part of history. Some people may have written '(Bleep) the goat' on there, I don't know. So it's like, what are you going to say?" The message remains, and is likely to stay up there for a while. Sorry, LeBron, but that's the price of rooting against the Cubs on TV during a World Series. Will the Cubs ever remove the "Bleep LeBron" message? "Yeah," President Theo Epstein said. "When he signs with the Bulls." -- Chicago Sun-Times ESPN analyst Boone reflects on Wrigley’s charm, Fowler & Schwarber By Madeline Kenny After playing for six clubs in 12 seasons and spending the last seven years as an analyst for ESPN, Aaron Boone has seen his share of ballparks. He spent the bulk of his playing career in the National League and became very familiar with Wrigley Field. From its marquee to its ivy-covered outfield walls, Wrigley is a special place to Boone. “Wrigley is special because of the people there,” Boone said. “It’s everything from the people there who enjoy baseball. It’s the Midwest, Chicago and just embracing all that comes from the charm on the field.” That charm is what attracts millions of fans who want to experience a piece of baseball history in the second-oldest stadium in the majors. But recently, Wrigley has been taken over by offseason construction projects, giving it a new look. Boone said the Cubs have done a good job adding modern-day luxuries while saving the park’s original allure. “They’re modernizing it, but they’re able to do these changes while keeping the nostalgia and charm of what makes Wrigley so unique,” Boone said. “They’ve really been able to modernize and update the park while keeping the old charm.” Boone will return to Wrigley on Sunday to help call “Sunday Night Baseball” on ESPN alongside play-by-play man Dan Shulman and former Cubs catcher David Ross, who is subbing for analyst Jessica Mendoza. First pitch is 6:35. The Cubs will go for the sweep against the Cardinals. Though it’s always interesting when the longtime rivals meet, this series has had extra intrigue because of Dexter Fowler’s return to Wrigley. The former Cubs center fielder signed a five-year, $82.5 million contract with the Cardinals in December. Fowler had quite a homecoming Friday. After being presented with his 2016 World Series championship ring and receiving a standing ovation, he led off the game with a home run. Boone said it can be weird for a player to return to a ballpark he once called home. “You build these relationships in the clubhouse with your teammates, and then, in Dexter’s case, go to arguably the team’s biggest rival,” Boone said. “It’s going to be a special experience but weird.” Boone said he doesn’t think Cubs fans appreciated how versatile Fowler was at the plate. “Even though Dexter is not off to a great start with the Cards, the Cubs lost a guy who got on base over 30 percent of the time hitting from both the left and right side of the plate,” Boone said. “I don’t think people realized how special of a player he was.”

During his two seasons with the Cubs, Fowler hit .261 with 30 home runs, 94 RBI and a .367 on-base percentage. This season, Fowler is batting just .228 with an OBP of .319. Despite the slow start, Boone said Fowler was a big pick-up for the Cardinals, who desperately needed a center fielder. He believes Fowler will play a key role once he gets back into his hitting groove. Fowler’s hitting woes are nothing compared to those of Kyle Schwarber, who has struggled offensively all season. Schwarber is batting .166 with nine homers, although he did hit a game-changing grand slam Saturday in the Cubs’ 5-3 win. With Schwarber, Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo, Boone said the Cubs have the potential to be dangerous if Schwarber can get on base more consistently. “I love it. I think you have to move him down until he gets moving a little since right now he’s struggling,” Boone said. “But once he gets going like I know he can and Maddon knows he can, he has power and can get on base. Following him up with Bryant and Rizzo, it’s a tough trio for pitchers to throw against.” -- Chicago Sun-Times Pickoff could pay dividends for Cubs’ Lester By Tom Musick As he took a big lead at first base, Cardinals outfielder Tommy Pham practically dared Cubs left-hander Jon Lester to pick him off. To almost everyone’s surprise, including Pham’s, Lester accommodated. He flicked a throw to first baseman Anthony Rizzo, who tagged out Pham to end the fifth inning Saturday. It was Lester’s first pickoff since 2015 and only his third since 2012. For years Lester has battled the ‘‘yips,’’ a mental block that prevents him from throwing accurately to first. He went through the entire 2014 season with the Red Sox and Athletics without even trying a pickoff throw. Manager Joe Maddon said Lester’s successful move against the Cardinals might pay dividends later in the season. ‘‘It’s all about the mind,’’ Maddon said. ‘‘If you believe you can do it, you can do it. It’s that simple. I know the other teams will definitely jot that down. It’s something that needs to be reckoned with. ‘‘However, we’ve done a nice job controlling the running game with him all year. There’s a lot been made of it. I’ve rather enjoyed reading about it, but he’s done a great job. He’s probably our quickest guy to the plate.’’ Lester shrugged off questions about the pickoff move and what he thought about foes taking big leads. ‘‘Whatever,’’ Lester said. ‘‘Just try and get outs.’’ Home cooking Lester overcame a rocky first inning to limit the Cardinals to three runs and six hits in six innings. Although he got a no-decision, Lester turned in his sixth quality start in seven outings this season at Wrigley Field. He is 0-3 with a 7.11 ERA and no quality starts in five outings on the road. ‘‘I think everybody feels more comfortable at home than they do on the road,’’ Lester said. ‘‘Regardless of how many times you’ve been to the other stadiums or you haven’t, you just feel comfortable here. You’ve got your routine. You hop in your own car and drive to the field when you want to.

‘‘It’s kind of a more controlled setting, whereas on the road you have other things you have to worry about. I think we all, from top to bottom, want to play well at home.’’ Odd man out Javy Baez started at shortstop and hit a home run in place of Addison Russell, who watched most of the game from the bench before grounding out as a pinch hitter in the eighth. Russell is hitting .140 (12-for-86) in his last 29 games, and his season average has plummeted to .211. Maddon said Baez’s defensive versatility has enabled him to sit Russell during his slump. ‘‘It’s a unique opportunity we have by having two such good shortstops being that young,’’ Maddon said. ‘‘It’s not a day off. I’m rotating these guys a little bit right now to keep them fresh. ‘‘Once you see Addison get back on track, then you’re going to see him play a lot more often.’’ -- Chicago Sun-Times Schwarber’s slam rallies Cubs past Cardinals, puts team back at .500 By Tom Musick As the ball jumped off his bat and took flight toward the bleachers in left-center field, struggling slugger Kyle Schwarber paused for a moment to savor the view. Who could blame him? ‘‘It’s kind of a sigh of relief,’’ Schwarber said. Schwarber’s first career grand slam in the seventh inning Saturday keyed the Cubs’ 5-3 comeback victory against the St. Louis Cardinals at Wrigley Field. Perhaps more important, it provided a feel-good moment in a season filled with frustrations for Schwarber. It also helped the Cubs (27-27) climb back to .500. ‘‘To hang in there like he did, that’s what we’ve seen in the past — driving the ball to the other gap,’’ manager Joe Maddon said. ‘‘If he can continue on that mental path, that would be outstanding to see.’’ On Friday, Maddon had called Schwarber to tell him he would bat ninth Saturday for the first time in his career. Maddon almost never calls players at home, but he wanted Schwarber to understand how the move could benefit him and the team. By batting ninth, one spot behind the pitcher, Schwarber could serve as a pseudo-leadoff hitter ahead of Ian Happ, Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo, Maddon said. Pitchers would have to throw him strikes. ‘‘I wanted to really impress upon him, ‘It’s not a loss of confidence from me to you,’ ’’ Maddon said. ‘‘ ‘I understand you’re going through a moment right now, so what is the best way to deal with this?’ ‘‘If you could set aside your baseball ego, hitting ninth, to me, it’s so attractive. . . . It’s not the last kid playing right field in a sandlot game; it’s not that at all. If you look at the lineup, the way it sits, when it gets to him coming back around, it becomes interesting.’’ And how did Schwarber take the news?

‘‘I’m like, ‘Hey, at least I’m playing,’ ’’ Schwarber said jokingly. ‘‘No, I’m kidding. I didn’t say anything. ‘‘He told me his reason, and I was like, ‘All right, I’m going with it.’ Whatever the skipper does, I’m going to follow it. We’ve got his back, he’s got our back.’’ It’s too early to tell whether Schwarber’s blast will go down as a blip or a breakthrough. He’s still hitting .166 with a .284 on-base percentage. Still, fans rose to their feet and screamed as Schwarber dug into the batter’s box against Cardinals starter Mike Leake with the bases loaded and two outs. His teammates leaped in the dugout and danced in the bullpen after he ripped Leake’s first pitch an estimated 403 feet. The support isn’t lost on Schwarber. ‘‘It’s easy to kick a guy to the curb, seeing the numbers like that,’’ Schwarber said. ‘‘It has been a big support system, [from] the fans to the players to our manager to our coaching staff, front office, everything. It’s really big. ‘‘You can definitely go home and feel even worse if they didn’t treat me the way that they did. But they’re all here to pick us up, and that’s kind of how our team is.’’ Schwarber will bat ninth again in the series finale Sunday, Maddon said. No one is complaining. ‘‘I always try to stay as positive and mentally strong as I can be because I know how crazy this game is,’’ Schwarber said. ‘‘It can put you at your highest highs and your lowest lows, and you’ve just got to be able to stay the same person. . . . ‘‘I’m feeling good at the plate. Let’s keep it going.’’ --