October 28, 2016 Cubs.com 71 years later, Wrigley welcomes World tonight! By Anthony Castrovince The ivy is beginning to change from green to red, an awesome autumnal attribute the public has rarely, if ever, seen. The corner of Clark and Addison is bustling with activity in the final days of October, some people simply gawking at the old yard that is still blissfully open for business, others lined up on the off chance an unclaimed ticket should rain down from the heavens or, less majestically but still successfully, from the ticket booths. Over at the Harry Caray statue at Sheffield and Waveland, they've placed green apples at the legs of the beloved broadcaster, a nod to his long-ago promise that "sure as God made green apples, someday the Cubs are going to be in the World Series." Well, finally, they are in the World Series, and it arrives at Wrigley Field tonight, with the Indians and Cubs knotted at one win apiece in a Fall Classic with historic implications. And the sound that is going to emanate out of this building -- from generations of fans who had to wonder if this day would ever come -- will be a roar 71 long years in the making. "It's going to be electric," Cubs outfielder Kyle Schwarber said. "It's going to be really, really loud." If the Cubs in the Series sounds like baseball's version of a miracle, then so, too, is Schwarber's active status in this Series, just six months after major reconstructive surgery on his left knee. Alas, Schwarber was not medically cleared to play the field in the games played under National League rules, but his prodigious bat, no worse for the rust, did help the Cubs earn a split at Progressive Field to ensure tonight's atmosphere will be all the more festive. "I know that people have been waiting for this for a long time [and] are going to savor it," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. "And hopefully on our part, we can do something to really make it even better." On the other side, the Indians are savoring their status as the unwelcome intruders to this North Side soiree. "It is going to be us against the world," Tribe manager Terry Francona said. "But 'us' is pretty good. We have a good feeling." The Indians were still feeling out the possibility of using designated hitter Carlos Santana in left field to keep his bat in the lineup. Santana's lone appearance in left in a big league game came on Aug. 12, 2012, and only for a few innings. Thankfully, the starting pitching options for this one were much easier to decipher. The Indians will send Josh Tomlin to the mound opposite the Cubs' Kyle Hendricks, and both men will be fighting the elements, which will call for 15-20-mph winds blowing out, a potential launching pad. Hendricks is an NL Cy Young Award candidate who has picked up precisely where his rousing regular season left off. He has a 1.65 ERA in 16 1/3 postseason innings. Tomlin, meanwhile, has been one of those surprise stars October tends to churn out. Injuries to Carlos Carrasco and Danny Salazar thrust Tomlin into a more prominent rotation role than expected, and he has delivered two strong starts against the tough lineups of the Red Sox and Blue Jays, allowing three runs in 10 2/3.

And if you think the Cubs returning home to a Wrigley World Series is a great story, consider what's going on in Tomlin's world. His dad, Jerry, hasn't watched him pitch in person since a rare condition left him paralyzed from the chest down in mid-August. The elder Tomlin was released from the hospital last week, and he will be in attendance for Game 3. "He hasn't been to a game in quite a while, and it wasn't looking like he was going to get to come to a game at all," Tomlin said. "So to have him here and just to be able to see him is the thing I'm most looking forward to. But the fact that we get to experience the World Series together is pretty neat." This Series has presented us with no shortage of satisfying subplots, but the games themselves have both been blowouts so far. The Indians locked down that loaded Cubs lineup with their two best weapons -- Corey Kluber and Andrew Miller -- in Game 1, but the Cubs, behind a strong start from Jake Arrieta and a sudden offensive upswing against Trevor Bauer and the bullpen, turned the tables against a sloppy Tribe team in Game 2. Game 3 looms as a potentially important swing spot. The team winning Game 3 of a 1-1 World Series has gone on to win it all on 37 occasions (64.9 percent of the time), including 11 of the last 14 instances. For what it's worth, the home team has won Game 3 after a tie just 45.6 percent of the time and only three times in the last 10 tries. Of course, for the Cubs, this is no ordinary home game. This is a game generations of fans have pined and pleaded for, and their prayers have finally been answered, possibly by the maker of those green apples. Just as Caray suspected, Wrigley Field is finally the center of the sporting world. And finally, the focus will no longer be on the years but the cheers. -- Cubs.com Doc's orders: Schwarber a pinch-hitter in 3-4-5 By Carrie Muskat CHICAGO -- Before the six-month checkup with the orthopedic surgeon who repaired Kyle Schwarber's left knee, the Cubs outfielder was asked to fill out a questionnaire. On the bottom of the page, Schwarber wrote, jokingly, "World Series?" The doctor surprised the Cubs and Schwarber by giving him permission to hit and run the bases. However, Schwarber was told on Thursday that he could not play the outfield as the Series shifts to Wrigley Field with no designated hitter. "It's not disappointing at all," Schwarber said after a brief workout. "It was a long shot at the most. Obviously, I want to be out there with my teammates, but facts are facts. I just can't physically do it. I'll be ready any time during the game to be out there to pinch-hit. "This was a, 'What if?'" Schwarber said. "I wanted to give it a shot. We've got to respect the opinion of the doctor." Dr. Daniel Cooper, who performed the surgery on Schwarber's knee in April, and Cubs orthopedic specialist Dr. Stephen Gryzlo talked to the outfielder and team president of baseball operations Theo Epstein on Thursday. Epstein said the doctors felt there was too much risk in playing the outfield because of the actions involved and instantaneous reaction needed. "This was not just an ACL tear, it was a complete blowout of his knee and multiple ligaments, and an eight-month expected return to play, best-case scenario," Epstein said. "When he saw Dr. Cooper at six months, Dr. Cooper was surprised at the stability of the knee, and understanding what was at stake and Kyle's incredible work and desire to play, Dr. Cooper cleared him to hit and run the bases. That was an aggressive clearance." Schwarber tore the ACL and LCL in his left knee in a collision in the outfield with Dexter Fowler in the third game of the season on April 7. The injury was expected to sideline him for a minimum of eight months, and Schwarber was not expected back until 2017. But Cooper gave Schwarber the go-ahead to hit and run the bases, and he went to Mesa, Ariz., to get some at-bats in two Arizona Fall League games.

The Cubs were able to take advantage of opening the World Series in an American League ballpark for the first two games and start Schwarber at designated hitter, and he responded well, going 3-for-7 with a double and two RBIs. Now that the Fall Classic has shifted to Wrigley Field where the Cubs and Indians will play National League rules, Schwarber would have to start in the outfield to get multiple at-bats in a game. Now he'll be limited to pinch-hit duties. "Deep down in my heart I wanted to play, but there are obviously doubts," Schwarber said. "Not many people get this opportunity right now, and I'm embracing this opportunity that I've got." Schwarber took batting practice on Thursday and then stood in left field, flanked by coaches Dave Martinez and Mike Borzello. But he wasn't out there to prep to play the outfield and didn't test his knee. "I just kind of stood out there," Schwarber said. "I didn't really do anything to say it was tough or it wasn't tough." Epstein said they needed to talk to the doctors, who are more detached than anyone connected to the Cubs might be after watching how Schwarber provided a spark. "Seeing how well Kyle swung the bat and how it impacted us and the stage we're on, there's the possibility of us getting carried away and throwing caution to the wind," Epstein said. "That's why you have to consult the doctors. Dr. Cooper wants him to play, too, but he could not clear him. We're all disappointed, but we're all really excited to have him as a pinch-hitter and fully confident." During the playoffs last year, Schwarber started in the outfield in eight games, and he recalled having to warm up by hitting off a batting tee at one end of the old clubhouse. Now the Cubs have batting cages and he can prep that way. He'll be ready. Expect Schwarber to receive a loud ovation when introduced before Game 3. The home run ball that he hit on top of the right-field scoreboard in the NL Division Series last year is encased in plexiglass up there. For the Cubs' home opener on April 11, Schwarber joined his teammates along the third-base line, but he needed one crutch to get there and received a loud cheer. At the start of the playoffs this year, before he knew he could return, the crowd greeted him with a deafening roar. "It's going to be awesome," Schwarber said. "It's the World Series at Wrigley Field. It's going to be electric, and a fun atmosphere. I'm definitely going to soak it in." "The story," Epstein said, "is that it's absolutely remarkable what he did after only seeing live pitching for four days. We didn't expect him to be here at this point. He's facing the best pitching in the world, and had incredible at-bat after incredible at-bat [in the World Series] and got on base and drove in runs and helped us win a ballgame. We're in awe of what he did and excited about what he could do in the Series." -- Cubs.com Wrigleyville abuzz with WS history at hand By Alyson Footer CHICAGO -- Even on non-game days, Wrigleyville is a lively place. Given the number of apartments, homes, bars, restaurants and shops that are crammed into the relatively modestly-sized neighborhood surrounding charming Wrigley Field, it's common for the streets to be teeming with locals, regardless of whether the Cubs are hosting a game. Now, multiply the amount of hustle and bustle you'd find on a typical Thursday afternoon by about 100, and that was the scene outside Wrigley Field, on the eve of the first World Series pitch to be thrown at the Friendly Confines in more than seven decades. The crowd assembled early and grew with every passing hour. Clearly, the party is already starting.

"I've been a Cub fan all my life," said 65-year-old Steve Cramer. "We knew this was going to be a historic moment. We did not want to miss out." Cramer and his wife, Carol, and their grandchildren, Skylar and Clara, made the three-plus-hour drive from Galesburg, Ill., simply to walk around Wrigleyville and take in the scene. They considered the visit to Wrigleyville on Thursday their way of experiencing a possible once-in-a-lifetime moment together, as a family, before heading home to watch the World Series on FOX. "We did not have tickets, but we didn't want to miss out on a little piece of history," Steve Cramer said. "We're here taking pictures and just trying to be a part of the atmosphere." That was a sentiment that could be heard everywhere, especially around the statue of late broadcaster Harry Caray. Located on the corner of Waveland and Sheffield, just across from Murphy's Bleachers, Caray's statue is as much a tourist attraction as anything a fan could find tooling around Chicago. Since the postseason began, a steady stream of onlookers have stopped to pose in front of the Caray statue, now adorned with a modern-day Cubs jersey. "I'm so happy that the Cubs are in the World Series," said Chicagoan Yasukazu Tomimitsu, a fan for more than 40 years. And what will he be doing during Game 3? "I'll be drinking beer, watching it on TV," he said. "I want to be here [at Wrigley], but too much money. So I'll watch it from home." Even non-Cubs fans are soaking in the scene. Four friends hailing from Miami, on their way to Notre Dame for the Hurricanes game on Saturday, stopped at Wrigleyville for some selfies and group shots around the historic ballpark. "Hopefully, our grandkids will see this someday and say, 'Wow, they were here. They watched history,'" said Steve Alcin, adding that they're Marlins fans. "This is amazing. A great time in history." Added Marc Docteur: "The people are fun, the community is great. I see cheerfulness and love everywhere. This is great for the whole city. "The way the community has come together, with all of the W's on the windows, it's just fascinating. It's going to be great." -- Cubs.com Cubs, fans embracing moment, each other By Richard Justice CHICAGO -- For the players, it's simple. This is a weekend that could define them forever. "That's why we came here," Cubs pitcher Jon Lester said. "This is it right here. This moment." This moment. That's why the Cubs would like to soak up every moment. To embrace expectations. To understand the larger meaning. "You go out and have people coming up and hugging you," catcher David Ross said. "I think they feel part of this group."

Now here the Cubs are about to play the Cleveland Indians in Game 3 of the World Series tonight at Wrigley Field. The two teams are tied 1-1 after splitting games in Cleveland on Tuesday and Wednesday. The Cubs wonder if the atmosphere can be any more electric than it was last Saturday when they beat the Dodgers to win their first National League championship in 71 years. When the Cubs returned to their home clubhouse from Cleveland at 2:30 a.m. Thursday morning, they saw electric fans blowing the carpet dry. That was a reminder of the celebration they'd had after winning the pennant. It's not just that their fans in the stands were loud or that they had Wrigley Field rocking to its brick and steel soul. It was that they simply refused to leave. They stayed to cheer and to laugh and even to cry some. They'd waited so long for this moment that they were unable to let go. They were still there when the Cubs came back on the field almost an hour later to celebrate with their families and take photos. "We knew it was going to be nuts," Ross said. "We come back out on the field, and every seat is full all the way over to the rooftop decks across the street. "These people were just locked in, staying around. It was amazing. I think they've fallen in love with this group." The Cubs finally left for a party at Lester's house around 1 a.m. Saturday, and hundreds of people were still lined up around the park. Those crowds were a reminder that this team owns the heart and soul of their fans in a way teams seldom do. If the Cubs win this World Series, it will touch people in all sorts of ways. There'll be reminders of the grandfather who loved his Cubbies. Or the father who took his son to Wrigley Field, just the two of them. The Cubs were not very good for a long time, but fans still cared. They still loved the ballpark. They loved Harry Caray and Ron Santo, Ernie Banks and Billy Williams, and all the other things that made the Cubs special. Winning 103 games this season has only intensified the passion. Because these fans never lost hope. They were forever optimistic about the next hot prospect or the most recent free-agent signing, the one that just might get the boys over the top. Regardless of what happens here this weekend, there'll be memories created that will endure. The Cubs haven't been able to write their own ending in 108 years, and this young, athletic team with baseball's best starting rotation is good enough to do that. Cubs owner Tom Ricketts has made his franchise a model for every other by hiring brilliant people, like his top baseball guy, Theo Epstein, and giving them the resources and patience to do their jobs. This season, the Cubs won more regular-season games than any club had won in seven years. They play lots of kids, five and six who are 25 or under some nights. But they've got a veteran rotation that sets a tone for everything. The Cubs eliminated the Giants and Dodgers in the first two rounds before going to Cleveland to play the World Series. Now they're three victories away from winning. When Lester was recruited off the free-agent market two offseasons ago, part of the pitch was showing him his photo on the scoreboard winning a World Series for the Cubs.

As Lester said, that idea sold him. He could have gotten similar money almost anywhere. But he was intrigued by the idea of what it could be like to win a World Series with the Cubs. "I hope people understand that it's just as exciting for us as it is for them," Lester said. "It's something we want to be part of as well. If we're able to give them that joy, that's awesome to be part of it." One of the first things manager Joe Maddon does before each game is look way up in the right-field seats, to the very last seat. He loves seeing that the seat is occupied, that the Cubs have packed the Friendly Confines once more. He has told his guys to embrace how special all of this is. Expectations? Love 'em. Pressure? No sweat. "Not lost on me whatsoever," Maddon said. "It's going to be an absolute blast. I know that people have been waiting for this for a long time and are going to savor it, and hopefully we can do something to really make it even better." -- Cubs.com Famous fans stretch their pipes at Wrigley By Adam McCalvy CHICAGO -- "Take Me Out to the Ball Game" was 165 days old when the Cubs last won the World Series. The United States Copyright Office received two copies of the tune from composer Albert von Tilzer and lyricist Jack Norworth on May 2, 1908, about a young girl who insists her beau take her to the ballpark rather than the theater. One hundred and eight years later, a stadium full of fans will instinctively turn and raise their gaze toward the press box during the seventh-inning stretch of Game 3 of the World Series at Wrigley Field tonight. Baseball's unofficial anthem is as much a part of attending a game here as the peanuts and Cracker Jack. "Whenever you come to Wrigley Field, you have two questions," said Jim Oboikowitch, a 14-year veteran of the Cubs' front office who manages game and event production. "Who is the starting pitcher? And who is singing the seventh-inning stretch?" The tradition began during bombastic, Hall of Fame broadcaster Harry Caray's tenure calling games for the White Sox, and it continued when he moved to the Cubs. It has lived on as a tribute since his death in 1998, with Cubs fans famous and otherwise taking the mic, leaning out the open window and beginning, "Ah one, ah two, ah three…" Both of this year's presidential candidates have done it -- Hillary Clinton as First Lady in 1994 and Donald Trump in 2000. Diehard Cubs fan Bill Murray, who will have the honor for Game 3 of the World Series, arguably does it best, and fellow celebrity fans Jim Belushi, Vince Vaughn, John Cusack and Jeremy Piven have all followed. Actor Will Ferrell and former Cub Ryan Dempster have sung in character as Caray. Ernie Banks, Billy Williams, Ron Santo and Ryne Sandberg are among the former players to show their pipes. But the bad renditions are the best renditions. Former Bears coach Mike Ditka's rushed version is one of the most memorable. NASCAR champion Jeff Gordon was in trouble before he sang a note, referring to the old yard as "Wrigley Stadium." Rock 'n' roller Ozzy Osbourne didn't need the lyric sheet; he opened with, "Let's go out to the ballgame" and made it up the rest of the way.

An inning before there was Steve Bartman, comedian Bernie Mac sang, "Root, root, root for the CHAMPS" in Game 6 of the 2003 National League Championship Series. It was a bad omen for what was to come. And in Game 6 of this year's NLCS, there was former Bulls forward Scottie Pippen, completely forgetting the words two lines into the song. Thankfully for long-suffering Cubs fans, there was no on-field repeat of '03. "Sometimes it's so bad it's good, if that makes any sense," said Cubs TV analyst Jim Deshaies, who along with broadcast partner Len Kasper, steps aside to make way for the performer. "If someone comes up and just sells it, it works, even if their singing voice is terrible. I like when people turn it loose and get loud." Kasper watches to see whether the conductor studies the lyrics before the first note. If he or she does, it often signals trouble. "That third out happens, and sometimes it's a great diving play or a strikeout and the fans go crazy, and then all of a sudden, 40,000 people turn at you all at once," Oboikowitch said, a few hours before Pippen arrived at the pressbox. "That bright light comes on, they hand you that hot mic, and it's a little intimidating." When Wrigley Field became the last Major League stadium to get a massive video board, it opened new possibilities for "Take Me Out to the Ball Game." When a scheduled guest backs out, the Cubs air video of a Caray performance. The idea was spawned when the Cubs opened their new bleachers last year; it seemed fitting, given Caray's connection to those fans during his lifetime, that he should be part of the occasion. Fans loved it. Other vintage performances from Banks, Williams, Santo and Sandberg have since joined the rotation. A Vin Scully rendition aired this season when the Dodgers were in town. "I tell everyone who comes in there, even if you sing it slowly, it's only 29 seconds," Kasper said. "If you forget the words, if you don't hit the right key, you're going to have 40,000 people who will help you sing it. You almost can't go wrong. That's the part of it that's really great. "And then if it really goes badly, you'll be a YouTube sensation. That's OK, too." -- Cubs.com World Series return meaningful for former Cubs By Paul Hagen CHICAGO -- Randy Hundley sat in the upper deck at Wrigley Field last Saturday night, cheering along with the rest of the sellout crowd as the Cubs beat the Dodgers in the National League Championship Series, advancing to the World Series for the first time since 1945. Hundley, the Cubs' catcher for 10 years, including the ill-fated '69 season, couldn't get enough of the celebration going on below. He stayed, he said, "until they ran us out." The World Series returns to the Friendly Confines for the first time in 71 years with Game 3 against the Indians tonight. That's special. It's why Hall of Famers Ryne Sandberg and Billy Williams returned for the NLCS, why Kerry Wood, Ryan Dempster and Rick Sutcliffe were among the former stars who joined them. With that in mind, MLB.com spoke to a handful of prominent ex-Cubs about what having the World Series back at Wrigley Field means. They represent a cross-section of the heartbreaks and near-misses that have bedeviled the franchise over the years. Hundley, who caught an incomprehensible 160 games in 1968, is a Spring Training instructor for the organization. He was nearly as durable the following season when the Cubs had an eight-game lead on Aug. 19 before losing 25

of their last 40 and were edged by the Miracle Mets. For him, it's all about those, like Hall of Famers Ernie Banks and Ron Santo, who didn't live long enough to see this day. "Mostly, I'm thinking about the people who didn't get to be a part of this," Hundley said. "They've passed on and never had a chance to see the Cubs win and go to the World Series. My old teammates and the people around those teams, those are the ones I'm thinking of.'' Gary "Sarge" Matthews was an outfielder for the 1984 Cubs team that was one win away from making it to the World Series before losing three straight to the Padres. For him, this is an exorcism. "It really gives me goosebumps," Matthews said. "I asked [Sandberg] one time how often he thinks about that collapse we had in San Diego. He said, 'Every day.' And I believe it. I've had Bull [first baseman Leon Durham] call and say he wishes they win it because he's tired of people talking about that ball that rolled between his legs [for a crucial error]." Durham confirmed that. "They got there and now they have to win it, because that way I don't have to look at that ball rolling through my legs no more," Durham said. "It doesn't bother me, because I know I gave it my best. ... It's a good thing seeing these guys doing it, and I'm so happy for the fans and the city of Chicago and the organization. They've always been great to me." Durham and Matthews both plan to attend the games at Wrigley. It will be Durham's first time in the ballpark since he played for the Cardinals in 1989 and his first time watching a baseball game from the stands. Doug Glanville was the Cubs' first-round Draft choice in 1991. He made his Major League debut in 1996 and then returned to the North Side on June 30, 2003, after stints with the Phillies and Rangers. That was the year the club took a 3-1 series lead in the best-of-seven NLCS only to lose three straight to the Marlins in what has been known as the Bartman Series. For him, it's all about the fans. "It's going to be something we've never seen," Glanville said, "and that's what makes it exciting with all the possibilities. And then you have a bunch of young guys who are like, 'Hey, it's another ballgame' in a way. Because they're not carrying that burden. Most players don't. "Fans have generational and institutional knowledge. The grandfather passes it on to the father. They're lifelong fans. It's a little harder to shake, but I think they may have a little greater appreciation when it does happen. As opposed to, maybe, Addison Russell, who's in his first full season playing shortstop every day. If he wins a world championship, it has to be a very different feeling from the lifelong, 93-year-old Cubs fan." The Cubs won their division in 2007 and '08, but they were swept in the Division Series both times. Mark DeRosa was one of the most popular players on those teams. He said the whole Wrigleyville experience was unique. "When I was sitting at home watching them clinch their spot in the World Series, they kept doing so many scenic shots of the fans," DeRosa said. "And you could tell, there was almost a sense of not knowing how to react, a sense of not believing this day would actually come. I expect it to be a culmination of 108 years and a generation. "What makes this place so special -- I always said this -- I really felt like the team blends into the fabric of the community and the town. A bunch of guys live within walking distance of the ballpark. They get to know their neighbors. I know for me, it was like having a normal job. You'd wake up at 8:30, you'd grab your cup of coffee, you'd say bye to your wife and kids, and you'd be home at 5 o'clock pulling in with your neighbors, say hi to them and maybe grill out on the back deck or something. "I played on seven other organizations, and this is the only place where I lived within walking distance of the field and really felt like you can ingrain yourself into the community."

Shortstop Shawon Dunston, now a Giants coach, has three World Series rings with San Francisco. He was selected by the Cubs with the first overall pick in 1982, broke into the big leagues in '85 and played the first 11 years of his career for the team, making the postseason in '89. The Cubs won only one game and were eliminated. Dunston was touched when he saw 100-year-old fans on television and realized they weren't alive when the Cubs last won it all in 1908. "I started with the Cubs, and they wanted to win so badly," Dunston said. "And they deserve to win." Others never made it to the postseason with the Cubs. Mike Krukow started his career by pitching for the Cubs from 1976-81. Now a radio and television analyst for the Giants, he feels for both the players and the fans. "This is a small comparative, but I was in the big leagues for 13 years, and I didn't make an All-Star team until the 10th year," Krukow said. "The previous nine years, I watched as my teammates were selected and honored. I always wondered what it would be like, and I was kind of on the other side of the fence. If you're not in it, you want to be in it. You want to be there badly. You want every part of that experience. "And I think to a degree, it is a parallel with cities that watch the World Series every year and their team's not in it. Now, imagine what that's like and magnify it by 100. Or 108, you know? They've been looking through the fence at the World Series for a long time. Now they get to partake in it. So this is going to be their interpretation, their version of it. They are going to have fun with it, they are going to embrace it and they are going to enjoy every second as if they're not going to have another one for 108 more years." -- Cubs.com Unflappable Hendricks confident for Game 3 By Jamal Collier CHICAGO -- In his two seasons as the Cubs' manager, Joe Maddon can't recall seeing Kyle Hendricks rush through anything. "I'm sure he takes time brushing his teeth," Maddon said with a laugh. "I would imagine his cup of coffee takes two hours to drink. ... I would bet that he has the slowest back swing in history. He is just that guy, he's that guy." That ability to control his emotions helps Hendricks slow the game down, and it's part of the reason why the Cubs have so much confidence in him as he prepares to take the mound for Game 3 of the World Series tonight against Josh Tomlin and the Indians with the Series tied at one game apiece. It'll be the first time Wrigley Field has hosted a World Series game since 1945, and Hendricks has been at his best at the Friendly Confines this season. He was 9-2 with a 1.32 ERA at home during the regular season, compared to 7-6 with a 2.95 ERA on the road. Hendricks said he feels comfortable at Wrigley, from the new remodeled clubhouse to the surface of the field and how it feels like the fans are right on top of him. "It just feels like I'm right at home, honestly," Hendricks said. "I think that's part of why I've had the success here. Just being able to make pitches. I know when I come in, I know what my timing is, I know my routine, I know where I've got to go. Coming out, you know what you're going to get out of the crowd: There is going to be a lot of energy every game, even regular season." Hendricks has followed a breakout regular season, during which he posted the lowest ERA in the Majors, with a strong start to the postseason. In three October starts, he has allowed three runs in 16 1/3 innings with 11 strikeouts while holding opposing batters to a .471 OPS.

His latest gem came in the National League Championship Series clincher Saturday night vs. the Dodgers at Wrigley, where he tossed 7 1/3 scoreless innings and allowed two hits -- to the first batter of the game and to the final batter he faced. He did it all in 88 pitches and without hitting 90 mph on the radar gun. "He's not going to break the radar gun, but my goodness, he can command the baseball as good as anybody," Indians manager Terry Francona said. "He reminds me a lot of [Marco] Estrada in Toronto. Changeup, command, locates fastball -- he's really, really good. You don't have to knock the radar gun's lights out to be a good pitcher. There's different ways to do it. You might be comfortable up at the plate, but you're also comfortable going back to the dugout." Combine that movement with his poise on the mound and the Cubs feel confident that Hendricks can swing this Series in their favor. And although his teammates and manager have lauded his ability to control his emotions, it did not always come easy to Hendricks. "You have to learn it somewhat, I think," he said. "You get the anxiety and nervousness before you get out there. Once you're on the field and on the mound, it kind of goes away, and you're in your element. "So I guess going through the experiences of just starting game after game after game, learning how to deal with those feelings, after a time you just learn how to kind of push it to the side and know when you get out on the field, everything's going to be how it is." There's no need to rush. -- Cubs.com Theo recognizes familiar buzz around Wrigley By Carrie Muskat CHICAGO -- Don't think Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein is jaded at all this October because he already has two World Series rings with the Red Sox. This is different. "On the one hand, it's brand new because it's with the Cubs and it's got that special feel, because it hasn't happened in any of our lifetimes -- well, most of our lifetimes here," Epstein said. "But on the other hand, there are some rhythms of the postseason that seem real familiar coming back." Epstein and the Red Sox won the World Series in 2004, ending an 86-year drought, and then again in '07. He recognizes the buzz around the ballpark, the crispness in the air, the giddiness of fans. "The World Series always seems like a blur," Epstein said. "It seems like you remember those earlier postseason games more, and then the World Series is just like a whirlwind. So we're all going to make a concerted effort to stop and enjoy this as it happens. Maybe it's because those were both sweeps or something, I don't know, but they seemed to happen really fast." Both of those Red Sox championships were indeed sweeps as they beat the Cardinals in '04 and the Rockies in '07. The Cubs and Indians are tied at one win apiece after two games in Cleveland, and Game 3 will be played tonight at Wrigley Field. It will be the first World Series game at the 100-plus-year-old ballpark since 1945, which was the Cubs' last trip to the Fall Classic. Epstein said he took a moment on Tuesday during Game 1 to appreciate what the Cubs had accomplished. "I think Saturday night, when we won [the National League Championship Series], it was pretty emotional, and we did a real good job celebrating," Epstein said. "On Sunday morning when we woke up, we started focusing on Cleveland. I'll be looking at our guys and I'll be looking across the field and looking at matchups, and wondering how this Series is going to go in big moments."

Kyle Schwarber has provided some of the biggest moments in the World Series with his amazing comeback after tearing two ligaments in his left knee in the third game of the regular season. Epstein and Schwarber developed a strong relationship before the Cubs selected the outfielder/catcher in the first round of the 2014 MLB Draft. "He's not at all scared of the moment or what could go wrong," Epstein said. "He's eager. He's doing this for his team. He's doing this for his teammates and the organization, and that's really how he operates. It's not just a line. If you're around him every day, you see. That's why his teammates love him. He always does whatever he can just to help this team win. It's not about him or his stature or numbers or anything. It's just all about winning that game for his teammates." Epstein knows how rare this is, but Schwarber is different than most players. Wrigley Field fans still talk about the home run he hit on top of the right-field video board during the NL Division Series last year against the Cardinals. "He's going to face great pitching so he's going to make outs, just like all our guys are going to make outs," Epstein said. "But we think there will be a moment where he does something special for us." So far, Schwarber has done just that, and it's only been two games. -- Cubs.com Caray's legacy carries on as Cubs seek title By Scott Merkin CHICAGO -- It's a rainy morning in Chicago, and Harry Caray's Italian Steakhouse on Kinzie Avenue in the downtown area is relatively quiet. That quiet won't last long. With the Cubs having reached the World Series for the first time since 1945 and seeking their first title since 1908, this restaurant filled with Cubs and baseball memorabilia stands as one of the places to be as game time arrives. Dutchie Caray, widow of the legendary Cubs and White Sox broadcaster, talks with one of the bartenders, waiting to do an interview. It's her second interview before noon, as the unofficial First Lady of Chicago Baseball's schedule fills up with the Cubs' vast success. "That's what they tell me," Caray said with a laugh. "First Lady of Baseball in Chicago. "I'm like, 'Where did I get that title?' But I like baseball and I love the Cubs. My kids are baseball fans. They are kind of sports fans really. But I don't know. It just happened I guess." At 87 years old, Caray features the energy of someone 20 years younger. She was in Harry Caray's at 5 a.m. on Tuesday for a pre-World Series party. She ended up relaxing and watching the Cubs' Game 1 loss at her home later that night. Maybe being married to the seemingly immortal Harry Caray for a couple of months shy of 25 years plays a part in Dutchie's energy level. Her husband was a Ford C. Frick Award winner from Baseball's Hall of Fame and a beloved broadcaster for more than five decades. He worked for the St. Louis Browns, St. Louis Cardinals, Oakland A's and Chicago White Sox, before joining the Cubs prior to the 1982 season. As a part of the Cubs' broadcasting booth until he died on Feb. 18, 1998, in California, Caray became a cultural icon. He was a Cubs fan and a Bud man. His phone number was listed in the book for fans to call. He was married to Dutchie, but Harry Caray belonged to Chicago. "People just still love Harry," Dutchie said. "The other day, Monday when we were here, a couple of people came up to me and they went on and on and on about Harry."

"If he wasn't at a ballgame, he was at a bar or a restaurant," said Grant DePorter, the CEO of Harry Caray's Restaurant Group. "He wanted to be with people. Harry never charged for an autograph. He wanted to be the most fan-friendly person, and fans knew that." The first Harry Caray's restaurant opened in 1987, and Harry often could be found at his establishment. There's now Harry Caray's Tavern at Navy Pier, and a 7th Inning Stretch at Water Tower Place, including a Chicago Sports Museum. There's a restaurant at Midway Airport's Main Terminal, one in Rosemont and two in suburban Lombard with one being Holy Mackerel! Seafood. They also have a catering company. Customers fill the venues because of the great food and exceptional service. But Chicago and its surrounding areas have seen athlete-themed restaurants come and go without the staying power of Harry Caray's. "I'm not going to name other names, but a lot of athletes around the country have come here to try to figure it out, I've gotten phone calls from major, major people, trying to figure it out," DePorter said. "Harry passed away in 1998, and we've only grown since. Dutchie Caray is very active with me. I talk to her every day. "She's the world's greatest person. Then, Harry, his entire life was made for the restaurant business." A 1991 video of Caray has circulated since the Cubs reached the postseason where he talked about the team making the World Series someday "as sure as God made green apples" and "maybe sooner than we think." But DePorter shared a supernatural sort of tale involving Caray and the new Cubs' regime topped by the Ricketts' family ownership, Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer. A white bronze bust of Caray sits in the lobby of the Kinzie restaurant, marking a popular photo opportunity for diners and tourists alike. It has been there since 1999, but when the Ricketts family bought the Cubs, the statue started making noise for the next 24 hours and has made no noise since per DePorter. "Our customers came in with recorders," DePorter said. "We think that Harry was celebrating that the Ricketts family bought the team because he knew that the Ricketts family would be the ones to be able to take the Cubs to the World Series and win it." Three more wins will be needed for that title to be fulfilled, setting off a celebration across the city, across the country, and of course, throughout Harry Caray's establishments. All of those who knew Caray can make an educated guess as to the euphoric reaction if he were here to witness this amazing run. "He probably would have bought a round of Budweiser for the entire country," DePorter said. "I'm sure Harry right now is celebrating with his best friend, Pete Vonachen, and Ernie Banks and Ron Santo." "Oh, my God. He'd be so excited. I don't know if we could contain him," said Dutchie, who has formed a friendship with Cubs manager Joe Maddon and his wife, Jaye. "He really would be on Cloud 9." "What made him so fun is he got into the moment like the fans did," said Chip Caray, Harry's grandson, a one-time Cubs play-by-play announcer and an accomplished broadcaster. "I would imagine, and it's only imagination because it never happened, that he'd be laughing, roaring, crying, hugging. Every range of emotion that the fans had. I know he'd be happy." -- Cubs.com Even as PH, Schwarber still a factor By Phil Rogers CHICAGO -- As quickly as Kyle Schwarber had worked his way back into the Cubs' lineup, he is out of it again. There goes the World Series parade, right?

Uh, no. Not even close. With doctors declining to give Schwarber medical clearance to play the outfield in these middle three games of the Series, the Cubs are right back to where they were before Tuesday -- a 103-win team with the deepest starting rotation in the Majors and the best fielding unit, one that won't be compromised by Schwarber's uncertainty. As badly as Schwarber wanted to give left field a try after collecting two singles and a double as a designated hitter in Cleveland, even he seemed to sense that the Cubs should be just fine without him. "It's good, man,'' Schwarber said late Thursday afternoon, after a workout at Wrigley Field. "I mean, I remember going through some interviews [during the season], I'm like, 'Man, these guys are doing just fine. I'll just stay out of the way.' I've got a lot of trust in this whole team, just watching it throughout the whole year. These guys played unbelievably. It was fun to watch.'' While Schwarber will cast a long shadow from the bench, awaiting his turn to contribute as a pinch-hitter, the Cubs should be more fun to watch on Friday night than any time in the last 71 years. The Cubs will be playing the first World Series game at Wrigley since 1945, tied with the Indians at one win apiece after games at Progressive Field. The designated hitter rule allowed Schwarber to jump into the starting lineup after missing the last 159 games of the regular season with torn ligaments in his left knee, but it's not permitted in the National League park. Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein seemed physically pained that he could not talk doctors into clearing Schwarber. He was dazzled by how Schwarber put together quality at-bats against Corey Kluber, Andrew Miller and four other Cleveland pitchers, going 3-for-7 with two walks, two RBIs and one run scored. "We're all disappointed,'' Epstein said. "We'd love to see Kyle out there getting four-plus at-bats a game. But I think it was important to talk to a medical professional, who's objective and detached from the situation. I think we're all wrapped up in seeing how well Kyle swung the bat and how it impacted us and the stage that we're on and our desire to win, that there is the possibility of us getting carried away and throwing caution to the wind.'' Schwarber said he had no idea he would even be able to DH until a week ago. The Cubs should count their blessings he got up to speed as a hitter as quickly as he did, and that he didn't do anything to re-injure his knee swinging the bat or running the bases. As popular as it would have been to start Schwarber in left field, it's a sucker bet after his two hugely impressive games as the DH. Also, there's no need for it. While Schwarber's bat improves the lineup, he's a huge question mark in the outfield, and the nature of manager Joe Maddon's team is to catch every ball put in play. That's how he got hurt in the first place, smashing into Dexter Fowler at Chase Field in Arizona in April. The Cubs essentially won 110 games without Schwarber, and while it's great to have him back, they should put their best defensive team on the field behind NL ERA leader Kyle Hendricks. Defense matters in October. The Cubs haven't surrendered an unearned run in the postseason; the Indians have given up only two, one apiece in the two games they've lost. The wind's expected to be blowing out on Friday night, possibly with force, and that argues for Ben Zobrist in left and Jason Heyward in right. Maybe Zobrist in left and rookie Albert Almora Jr. in right, if you don't think the former can work a count or two to get himself on base. Almora's a right-handed hitter, and Indians starter Josh Tomlin is a reverse-split guy -- meaning he has more success against same-handed batters -- like Game 2's Trevor Bauer.

Almora is an interesting option. He's considered a Gold Glove-caliber fielder, and while he has played mostly center field, he made a terrific running catch on the right-field line to take extra bases away from the Giants' Buster Posey in the NL Division Series, even turning a double play with that catch. His strong throw to Anthony Rizzo arrived ahead of Brandon Belt. Jorge Soler will tempt Maddon, given his proclivity to launch fly balls. He could run into a homer against Tomlin, although his 0-for-October (0-for-10, really) performance makes that a risky move. No matter what, there's no need for the Cubs to double down on Schwarber. "I think we're all disappointed, but we're all really excited about his opportunity to impact the game as a pinch-hitter in a big way,'' Epstein said. "[We're] fully confident in the other 24 guys on the roster to go out there and help win us some ballgames.'' If you're looking for Schwarber this weekend, check the new underground batting cage. He'll be in there whacking baseballs and waiting for Maddon to pick a spot for him. "There is no being sad about [this],'' Schwarber said. "There's no nothing. I know my role now, and I'm going to embrace it.'' It's the right role for him for now, as he works to get all the way back from surgery. He's got a huge future ahead of him, possibly as soon as the late innings of Game 3. -- Cubs.com Russell rewarded as Gold Glove nominee By Carrie Muskat CHICAGO -- It's been quite a year for Cubs shortstop Addison Russell. He was named a starter on the National League All-Star team for the first time, he is now playing in the World Series, and, on Thursday, he was named as a nominee for a Gold Glove Award. Russell, 22, was one of four Cubs players who were nominated, joining first baseman Anthony Rizzo, right fielder Jason Heyward and pitcher Jake Arrieta. Heyward is the only one of the quartet who has ever won the top defensive award, doing so in 2012, '14 and '15. "It's something I've wanted ever since I was a little kid," said Russell, who posted a .975 fielding percentage, committing 14 errors in 141 starts. "You definitely have to put in a lot of work," Russell said. "You're not going to get a good sense of the talent I have or my presence until you watch a few games. If you watch over the course of the year, I think that's where I kind of excel." Major League managers and coaches, voting only within their league and unable to vote for players on their own teams, account for 75 percent of the selection process. The other 25 percent goes to the sabermetrics community. The winners will be revealed Nov. 8 on ESPN. The Cubs' last Gold Glove winner was second baseman Darwin Barney in 2012. Arrieta, the D-backs' Zack Greinke and the Cardinals' Adam Wainwright are the National League nominees at pitcher; Rizzo was named along with the D-backs' Paul Goldschmidt and the Padres' Wil Myers; and Heyward's competition will be the Rockies' Carlos Gonzalez and the Braves' Nick Markakis. Russell is a nominee along with the Giants' Brandon Crawford and the Phillies' Freddy Galvis. "It's all coming in my first full year," Russell said.

Timing: Game 1 of the World Series took 3 hours, 37 minutes and Game 2 was even longer at 4:04. Cubs manager Joe Maddon, however, isn't checking his watch between innings. "You get so involved in the moment, I had no idea," Maddon said of the lengthy games. "As the game gets deeper, too, you really get like right here just thinking about your pitching, primarily, maybe pinch-hitting. Like coming back to the National League side, there is more to think about in the game in progress. On the American League side, there is a lot less to think about. So really a game, the deeper the game gets, the less you're aware of time, as far as I'm concerned. "I know what time the bus was last night," Maddon said. "I got on the bus at 12:30 [a.m. ET], I know that. I got back to my place at 3:00 in the morning. I do know that. But regarding length of the inning, length of the game, how much time a guy's taking between pitches, I have no clue." Superstition: When Arrieta was holding the Indians hitless through 5 1/3 innings on Wednesday at Progressive Field, rookie reliever Carl Edwards Jr. was in the bullpen, sticking to a routine. "Every inning we were hitting, I would walk up to the fence, and watch, and if we got a hit or an out, I'd always walk back to the heater for a little bit," Edwards said Thursday. "If we got a hit or an out, I'd walk back to the heater and then walk back. If he was pitching, I'd walk in a circle, and then I'd sit there and watch. I just kept doing it." What's funny is that Edwards didn't even realize Arrieta had a no-hitter until the fifth inning. Good luck charm: Ever since the fifth inning of Game 4 of the National League Championship Series, Rizzo has been using one of Matt Szczur's bats. He hit a home run leading off the fifth inning with the bat, and continued to use the same one through the NLCS. He also has held onto the same bat for the World Series. "He feels good with it, and he'll run with it until it stops," Szczur said. "If it breaks, he's going to ask for another one. He won't have to ask. I'll put one there for him." Szczur knows the bat isn't really making the difference. Just don't tell Rizzo. "It helps build confidence," Szczur said. "If that bat is helping Riz do what he's doing now, it's building his confidence, and then he could use a broomstick up there and he'll be fine." -- ESPNChicago.com Breathe easy: Kyle Hendricks was built for his World Series moment By Jesse Rogers CHICAGO -- His heart rate is bound to be slower than most in attendance come Friday night when Game 3 of the World Series begins at Wrigley Field. Kyle Hendricks showed us that ability when he took the mound and closed out the National League Championship Series with a masterful performance for the Chicago Cubs on Saturday. Can the 26-year-old from Southern California keep his emotions in check once again now that the Fall Classic has hit the North Side? Don’t bet against it; he’s as cool a customer as you’ll find in baseball. “My personality and his personality are not alike when it comes to pitching,” Jon Lester, Hendricks' teammate and owner of two World Series rings, said in an envious tone Thursday. “You don’t know if he’s up five [runs] or down five when he’s out there. “I’m in awe of what he’s able to do as far as controlling his emotions. He may be going a mile a minute inside his head but you would never know.”

Ask Hendricks, and it doesn’t sound as though things are going extraordinarily fast inside his head while pitching. That’s because preparation is his key. “You can think about dinner, think about family, anything,” Hendricks said. “Then you come back, put your hat on, go out to the field, and it's on to the next one, on to the next process. If your preparation is there, you know what your game plan's going to be, you know what you're going to be doing to the hitters, you don't have to think about it that much in between innings.” Hendricks refined his routine at the major league level, but the roots of his process go back to his days at Dartmouth, and before that, growing up in Mission Viejo, California, where he was overlooked by some scouts: A teammate with more zip on his pitches -- Tyler Matzek -- was drafted in the first round while Hendricks went in the eighth. Guess which one is still pitching in the big leagues? Cubs manager Joe Maddon gives Hendricks’ deliberate demeanor some of the credit for the right-hander's rise. “I've only known him for two years now, but I've never seen him rush through anything,” Maddon said. “I'm sure he takes time brushing his teeth. I would imagine his cup of coffee takes two hours to drink. I mean, this guy is just, he just has this really -- and he's a good golfer -- I would bet that he has the slowest backswing in history. He is just that guy, he's that guy.” Hendricks was standing near Maddon when he said that, and confirmed he does have a slow backswing, but he doesn’t drink coffee. That’s no surprise, because when it comes to vices, Hendricks just isn’t the type. Writing is right up his alley, though, and that Ivy League education came in handy during his first spring training in 2014, when he agreed to do a first-person diary for ESPN.com as a little-known prospect making his way through the Cubs' system. Even then he was figuring out his process. “Before the game, it was honestly not much different than any game I had pitched in the minors,” Hendricks said in 2014 of his first spring outing with the Cubs. “There were some nerves, but it was more just excitement to throw in the new stadium in a big league game. [Pitching coach Chris] Bosio just talked to me a little bit about holding runners on and then let me go through my routine as I normally would.” Hendricks didn’t make the Cubs to start that season, but his commitment to success was clear. It has been three short years since that shy rookie took the mound for the first time as a Cub, and now he’s doing it at Wrigley Field on the biggest stage there is. The environment has changed, but Hendricks hasn’t. “Does Kyle talk?” Lester asked rhetorically. “No, no.” Maddon concurred. His conversations with the Cy Young contender are short and sweet because that’s all that is needed. “It's kind of a brief, effective, right-to-the-point conversation when you speak with him, and I think, again, that just speaks to his personality,” Maddon explained. “Very bright, as witnessed by where he attended school. Not just anybody can walk in those doors.” Dartmouth prepared him for what was to come, as did pitching for Capistrano Valley High School while his dad was working for the Angels. Everything he learned along the way has brought him to this point: the World Series. With a 2.13 ERA during the regular season and a 0.71 mark in the National League Championship Series, you can understand if his confidence is sky-high. And as you would expect, Hendricks is taking it all in stride. “It doesn't seem like three years,” Hendricks said of his rise to the top. “It seems like a lifetime ago, honestly. ... I'm just going to take advantage of it. I mean, how often do you get these opportunities? You dream of it as a kid.” --

ESPNChicago.com Wait 'til this year: At last, the Fall Classic returns to Wrigley By Jayson Stark CHICAGO -- Suppose the ivy could talk. Think about it. What would you ask it? What would it say? On a magical Friday night on the north side of Chicago, the World Series will arrive at Wrigley Field for the first time in the lifetime of everyone from Kyle Schwarber to David Ross, from Albert Almora to Joe Maddon, from Eddie Vedder to Bill Murray. The last time, before this night, was Oct. 10, 1945. That was 25,950 days ago. That was 622,800 hours ago. That was a dozen presidents ago. But only one ivy crop ago. The ivy withers every winter and regenerates every spring. The leaves fall off, but the vines remain. It has been that way since the ivy was first planted in 1937. So not only does that ivy cover the outfield wall and make Wrigley famous. That ivy has seen it all. It was there when Cubs starter Hank Borowy was knocked out in the first inning in Game 7 of that 1945 World Series. It was there when Mark Prior and Kerry Wood couldn't finish the deal in Games 6 and 7 of the 2003 NLCS. It was there, basically, for everything. So what would that ivy say if we could just ask it about this year? About these Cubs. And about Friday night at the corner of Clark and Addison, Cubs versus Indians, Game 3 of the 2016 World Series. A night of history. A night of celebration. A night to appreciate all the Fridays in all the Octobers where all a World Series meant was "happening somewhere else." "What would the ivy say? 'I don't believe it,' " former Cubs reliever Dan Plesac said. "What would the ivy say? 'Uncharted territory,' " said grounds-crew member Dan Kiermaier (who is, yes, the brother of Kevin, the Rays' own human highlight reel in center field). "What would the ivy say? 'I ... must ... hang ... on ... to ... this ... vine ... to ... see ... us ... win ... it. ... all,' " quipped ESPN's Doug Glanville, a one-time No. 1 draft pick of the Cubs. Now the Cubs can't win it all Friday evening, obviously. This World Series is tied at one win apiece. So nobody can win anything before at least Sunday. And let's not ever forget that the Indians aren't exactly the Washington Generals, so they have no interest in letting the Cubs win, period. But that doesn't make this night any less memorable. Not when it has been 71 years since the last game of this magnitude at Wrigley. Not when there were no fewer than 16 (yes, 16) different places you could find the words, "WORLD SERIES" plastered or painted or electrified all over Wrigley on Thursday -- on the dugout roof, on the dugout railing, sprayed onto the infield grass or shining brightly from every video board and message board in the joint. And not when the ivy has begun to turn red. "If your team is still standing and you're actually playing baseball at Wrigley Field and the ivy is turning red," Glanville said Thursday, "that means you've done something great [because] you have to play pretty late in the season to see red ivy. ... That only happens one time of the year. The problem for the Cubs is that it's been like Halley's Comet. When it only comes around like every 75 years, that's not good. But if you can make it an annual event, now you've got a dynasty."

When these Cubs arrived back at Wrigley the other night, several hours (and one airplane ride) after their Game 2 win in Cleveland, they got an instant reminder of what had happened in this ballpark the last time they played a home game, a mere four days earlier. "The locker room was a mess," catcher David Ross reported, with a laugh. "We walked in last night at about 2:30 [a.m.], and they still had the fans going on the carpet if that tells you anything. It was a wreck in here." It was the last vestige of the cleanup following a raucous celebration Saturday night, the night the Cubs eliminated the Dodgers in the NLCS and earned the right to bring the World Series back to Wrigley. But it wasn't only the baseball team that celebrated that night. There were 42,386 people inside Wrigley Field -- and who knows how many thousands outside the gates. And their own celebration was just as loud, just as long and just as emotional. It was a not-so-sneak preview of the sort of electricity you can expect to see at Wrigley again on Friday. Better power up the spare generators. "I have never been to a sporting event in my life like Saturday night," said Plesac, who actually grew up hating the Cubs as a White Sox fan in Indiana -- until he pitched for the Cubs in 1993 and '94, and began to understand what makes the franchise so unique. "I mean, I walked around this ballpark -- and goosebumps." He watched 42,000 Cubs fans hug and bond and sing "Go Cubs Go" with tears streaming down their faces. And the only word he could think of to describe them was "euphoric" -- because they'd waited a lifetime for this night. So they wouldn't let it go, couldn't let it go. Thousands remained inside the gates of Wrigley for nearly two hours after the game, trying to hang on to the moment. The streets of Wrigleyville were so jammed well after 2 a.m., it looked like rush hour in a lot of towns. "People were not ready to go home," said Leah Spagnoli, the general manager of Yak-Zies, a famed Clark Street hangout for the past 27 baseball seasons. "The energy that night was unlike anything I've ever seen. It was dreamlike." When players finally left the park well after midnight, they were blown away by what they saw -- the sight of decades of bottled up emotions spilling into a party that looked as if it might never end. "Just getting out of here was kind of crazy," Ross said. "The parking lot over there where our families are was just wall-to-wall with people and family, and everybody hugging and congratulating them. ... I don't think we got out of here until 1, maybe 2 o'clock in the morning. So it was crazy. I heard even the Dodgers' bus couldn't leave right away." And the bash was still going the next day, too. Utility man Chris Coghlan told a tale of venturing out of the house to go to Whole Foods the day after the game and running across "a different buzz" all around town, complete with dogs trotting around wearing Cubs jerseys. But it feels as if that buzz began six months ago and has barely let up since. You will feel it right through your TV screen Friday night, because this World Series is the culmination of a special journey, not just of a baseball team but of a fan base. "This has been unlike anything I've ever experienced before," said Spagnoli, who has worked at Yak-Zies for eight years. "The energy is different. The people are different. The crowds are different." Her grandfather, Kenny Miller, founded the original Yak-Zies at a different North Side address back in 1966. Her father, Joe, then ran this location for more than two decades after it opened in 1990. So they've been dealing with Cubs fans for half a century. But never, ever have they had a year like this year, as people gravitated toward a special team and a special ballpark. "We're third generation," Leah Spagnoli said. "And this is what we've been waiting for."

But of course, this is what all the generations of Cubs fans have been waiting for -- that season that didn't break their hearts. That season when the ballpark was the big stage for the baseball team, not the other way around. So on this night, as the World Series heads back to Wrigley Field, you'll be able to feel the presence of Ernie Banks and Ron Santo, of Ryne Sandberg and Andre Dawson, of Fergie Jenkins and Rick Reuschel, of all the stars who never had a moment like this one. But for Wrigley and the Cubs of 2016, nostalgia is finally just the background noise in a much bigger saga. "We are very much aware of everything that's gone on in the past," Maddon said Thursday. "But we have to live in the present. Otherwise, you'll never be able to get to this juncture in the season." Well, they've clearly pulled off that juggling act because here they are. It's Game 3 of the World Series, in the shadow of the reddening ivy. So if last weekend's euphoria was any sort of preview of what is to come Friday night, you know what that means. "Yeah," said Leah Spagnoli. "Order a lot more beer." -- ESPNChicago.com Down, not out: How Schwarber can help Cubs topple Tribe By Bradford Doolittle CHICAGO -- Cubs folk hero Kyle Schwarber -- the Schwarbino! -- has not been cleared to play in the field. With that bit of news, passed down during Thursday’s off-day workouts at Wrigley Field, the last of the Schwarber-related World Series drama seems to have been resolved. Well, maybe not the last. We might not see Schwarber in the field, but we will see him at Wrigley Field as the series -- tied 1-1 -- shifts to the National League park for three games, beginning with Friday's Game 3. We’ll most likely see the 23-year-old three times against the Cleveland Indians, each as a pinch hitter. Schwarber could be placed into the game in a different role, but even Cubs manager Joe Maddon isn’t crazy enough to make that experiment in late October. No, the Cubs will have their rust-proof, lefty-hitting powder keg for three pinch-hit appearances. Now the onus falls on Maddon about how to leverage the precious trio of plate appearances into their maximum value. He has three wishes; no more, no less. He can’t wish for Schwarber’s doctor to change his mind, and Maddon can’t wish for more wishes. So what does he do? FACTORS TO CONSIDER Let’s lay out a few factors here. First, Schwarber doesn’t have a long history as a pinch hitter, and what exists hasn’t been very good. He is 0-for-9 in the role. Only one of those at-bats was against a lefty: Cole Hamels. In the eighth inning of Hamels' no-hitter at Wrigley Field on July 25, 2015, the Texas Rangers ace induced a groundout from Schwarber. Of course, to read too much into that is to ignore everything we’ve seen of Schwarber since he returned from his injury. We can also assume Schwarber will be reserved for high-leverage spots, at least until Maddon thinks one isn’t likely to come up. For example, say the Cubs lead 8-3 and have two guys on in the bottom of the eighth with the pitcher’s spot due up. If Maddon hasn’t already played the Schwarber card, he’ll probably just send him up. It’s not high leverage, but you might as well use him while you can. Most high-leverage spots arise in the later innings. A great framework for thinking was developed in the sabermetric masterpiece “The Book,” which produced this table to illustrate the leverage index for every given situation. The few high-leverage spots that can come up for a manager in the earlier innings tend to be bases-loaded situations when a team is either tied or a run(s) behind. Those situations produce an interesting dilemma for

Maddon. Unless his starting pitcher is having a terrible night, he’s not likely to pull him in the first three or four innings. But what if Jason Heyward is up in a potentially game-turning spot? Maddon knows he has Albert Almora Jr. on the bench to keep the defense strong, and Chris Coghlan as an additional option, so why not roll the dice here with Schwarber? You might not get another chance. Really, though, we’re just pointing out that high-leverage spots do come up early in games. It would be shocking if Maddon didn’t hold back Schwarber until the sixth inning or later, when it’s more plausible to pull a starting pitcher. That being the case, we can guess what matchups Schwarber will be facing. Indians manager Terry Francona has relied heavily on his bullpen, and if high-leverage spots arise, he’s going to have some order of Dan Otero, Bryan Shaw, Andrew Miller and Cody Allen going in those situations. SCHWARBER VS. OTERO/SHAW We’re lumping these two together, though Shaw has been more of a go-to pitcher for Francona. Otero actually had the better bottom-line metrics this season, but Shaw has faced nearly three times as many hitters in the playoffs. Both right-handers could be relevant for Schwarber. High-leverage situations in which Schwarber could be used against them would most likely happen in the fifth, sixth or seventh innings if the Indians are clinging to a lead. Otero has a full arsenal for a reliever, mixing in a slider and two different off-speed offerings to go with the fastball with which he does the bulk of his work. Shaw throws basically nothing but cutters to lefties. Righties tend to be very sparing with the fastballs against Schwarber, so Otero’s variety of pitches could help. But there’s a problem for both players in this matchup: Schwarber doesn’t hit curveballs, and while Otero throws them, he’s not good at it. Here’s Schwarber’s OPS against righties by pitch type so far in his career: fastball .984, changeup .934, slider 1.194, curveball .377. Throw him a curve, Danny! But here’s Otero’s OPS versus lefty hitters over the past three seasons by his pitch types: changeup .372, slider .643, fastball .789, curveball 1.143. In other words, for Otero to attack Schwarber, he’d be tempted to go after him with his worst pitch. So even though Otero is one of Francona’s big four relievers, this isn’t a great matchup for him. As for Shaw, Schwarber has an .819 career OPS against cutters, but the sample is small. That makes this matchup a bit of a wild card, but you'd expect Francona to choose Shaw over Otero to face Schwarber. Of course, Otero and Shaw aren’t Francona’s only righty options out of the pen. Other options include Danny Salazar, Jeff Manship, Mike Clevinger and Zach McAllister. Allen, on the other hand, is a handful for Schwarber, because he throws curves about 35 percent of the time to lefties. Allen is basically a fastball/curveball closer, and that’s not a great situation for Schwarber. Lefties have put up a .247 OPS against Allen’s curve the past three seasons. So if Schwarber faces him, it’s a case of tracking the pitch and laying off the curve in hopes Allen is not commanding it, then going after his fastball. All you have to do is look at Allen’s ERA to know that approach doesn’t work often for batters, and Schwarber struck out against Allen the one time he faced him. Plus, chances are, if Schwarber faces Allen, it’s a bottom-of-the-ninth, game-on-the-line situation. Exciting stuff. SCHWARBER VS. MILLER We’ve seen this one already. Game 1 served as the only time Miller has faced the same hitter twice in a game all season. Schwarber’s walk against Miller was the only walk the dominant lefty has issued to a lefty hitter all season. That’s why you have to take all of this stuff with a grain of salt: Schwarber is the kind of guy who thumbs his nose at logic. But, still, we know Schwarber versus Miller is not an ideal matchup for the Cubs, and we know Francona is going to use Miller in the high-leverage spots. And not just one, but a swathe of them over two or three innings. Schwarber has a .481 OPS in his career against lefties. Miller gets everyone out. And let’s not forget Francona has a second lefty in the bullpen: man-of-the-hour Ryan Merritt. It’s a tough decision for Maddon. Do you hold Schwarber back in hopes that Francona eventually inserts Allen? When do you insert Schwarber when facing Miller? Or do you seek out a high-leverage spot earlier in the game, before Miller enters, that can turn an Indians advantage into a Cubs advantage, or extend a Cubs lead, or break an early tie that keeps Miller in the bullpen?

Folks, this is the good stuff. Of course, either team could simply supersede all this strategy talk by jumping out to a big lead, as has happened in each of the first two games of the World Series. Trying to figure out when and how Maddon should use Schwarber, and Francona’s tactics for combating that, will make for great baseball drama. -- ESPNChicago.com World Series or not, outfield too risky for Kyle Schwarber By Stephania Bell When Chicago Cubs outfielder Kyle Schwarber suffered major damage to two of the four primary ligaments of his left knee this spring, his season was officially declared over. And yet, there was Schwarber in Games 1 and 2 of the World Series, back in uniform as a designated hitter, even notching two RBIs in Game 2. The Cubs organization had been pleasantly surprised when Dr. Daniel Cooper, the orthopedic surgeon who reconstructed Schwarber's ACL and repaired his LCL, gave clearance for Schwarber to participate in the Fall Classic as a DH. After all, multiligament knee reconstructions are complex; depending on the extent and location of the damage, the typical window for returning to play post-surgery starts at nine months. But, when Schwarber had his six-month checkup with Cooper, the surgeon was impressed by the stability of the knee and Schwarber's strength. Cooper gave the go-ahead for the outfielder to begin hitting and running the bases. Schwarber proved he could do both, and suddenly found himself in the lineup. After he exceeded expectations by not only returning for the start of the World Series but also by delivering at the plate, perhaps Cubs fans assumed it was only natural Schwarber would be cleared days later to play in the outfield. He was not. Team president Theo Epstein announced Thursday that Schwarber did not receive medical clearance to resume playing in the field. Just days after the social media world responded with admiration for Schwarber's work ethic and determination, there were some who expressed disappointment in the decision to keep Schwarber relegated to a potential pinch-hitting role as the series resumes at Wrigley Field. What could possibly keep someone out of the lineup when the World Series is at stake? Well, there's a reason medical decisions are left to the medical personnel familiar with the athlete and his injury. No one knows better than Cooper the detail of what was involved in reconstructing Schwarber's knee. And, since Cooper is considered one of the leading experts in multiligament knee reconstruction, his recommendations are probably worth following. For those looking for the rationale behind the decision to hold Schwarber out of playing the outfield, here are some things to consider: 1. ACL grafts continue to strengthen over the first year. At six months, the ACL has not yet achieved its maximum strength. 2. The ACL helps control deceleration and rotation at the knee; movements that combine the two are the most demanding on the ligament and therefore the riskiest (for example: planting and cutting laterally or jumping and landing while twisting). 3. The addition of uncontrolled variables increases the level of difficulty for the athlete, thus increasing injury risk. Uneven terrain (from the outfield grass to the warning track), change-of-pace running (speeding up or slowing down while tracking a ball) and obstacles (the outfield wall or other outfielders, which is how Schwarber was originally injured) are all examples of uncontrolled variables in a game setting.

4. Recent research shows that reinjury rates following ACL reconstruction decrease significantly when a return to full sports occurs at a minimum of nine months after surgery. 5. A second injury would not only potentially cause Schwarber to miss another full season, but there is no guarantee his recovery would match what he has already accomplished. In other words, it could be career-threatening. Schwarber incurred some risk simply by returning to hit, run the bases and slide, but that risk was far less than what he would face playing the outfield. An athlete can practice hitting, running and sliding and can repeat the effort in virtually the same manner both when practicing and playing. There is no way to simulate every scenario an athlete would encounter in the outfield. Additional months of training -- and recovery -- are warranted before returning to the most complex activities. Decisions about returning to play following an injury are always informed by medical evidence, along with considerations of risk versus reward. Clearing Schwarber to do as much as he has already done did not come without these discussions. It is perfectly reasonable for him to have been cleared for hitting and not cleared for fielding. Schwarber is a competitive athlete. Of course he would love to be playing at full capacity in the ultimate competition. But he appears to have accepted his role and is, as he said, "going to embrace it." If Schwarber and the Cubs can live with the decision, maybe everyone else should, too. -- ESPNChicago.com Kyle Schwarber not cleared to play field in Wrigley Field By Jesse Rogers CHICAGO -- Despite calls for him to start in left field to keep his bat in the lineup full-time, Chicago Cubs slugger Kyle Schwarber will stick with pinch-hitting duty only during World Series games at Wrigley Field. After speaking with doctors on Thursday, the team decided it was best he not play defense. "Kyle has not been medically cleared to play the field, so he will not be in the lineup the next three games," team president Theo Epstein said. "But we do look forward to him impacting the game as a pinch hitter for us, and certainly should the series return to Cleveland, he'll be eligible to continue as a designated hitter." Schwarber and his surgically repaired left knee had been cleared to hit and run the bases 10 days ago, but not to do any lateral running needed to play the outfield. He was the designated hitter for Games 1 and 2 in Cleveland, but despite stating his case to play the field in Games 3-5, Schwarber will start on the bench. "It's not disappointing at all," Schwarber said. "It was a long shot at the most. You know, obviously I want to be out there for my teammates and everything, it's just the competitor inside me, but facts are facts. I just can't physically do it." Schwarber went 3-for-7 with two walks and two RBIs in Games 1 and 2, giving the team a needed lift at the plate after the benching of right fielder Jason Heyward. Over the past four playoff games, Cubs manager Joe Maddon has started four different right fielders, proving there was more than an opening for Schwarber in the outfield. But it wasn't meant to be. "There's no being sad about it," Schwarber said. "There's no nothing. I know my role now, and I'm going to embrace it."

Schwarber became the first position player in MLB history to have his first hit of the season in the World Series after missing nearly the entire year. "I'm living the dream," Schwarber said. "We're playing in the World Series. What else could you ask for? I'm just going to keep riding the wave until it ends." The fourth pick in the 2014 draft is already a fan favorite after hitting five postseason home runs in 2015, becoming the all-time franchise leader in that category. Schwarber singled twice in Game 2 on Wednesday, each time driving in a run, then he walked as the Cubs evened the Series at one game apiece. "We're all disappointed," Epstein said. "We'd love to see Kyle out there getting four-plus at-bats a game. But I think it was important to talk to a medical professional, who's objective and detached from the situation." -- ESPNChicago.com Jason Kipnis returns home for World Series; who will be cheering for him? By Jesse Rogers CHICAGO -- Cleveland Indians second baseman Jason Kipnis was clear about one thing during the first few days of the World Series: He’s not conflicted. Not in the least. The Chicago native -- and big-time Cubs fan -- would like nothing more than to extend the Cubs' championship drought a little bit longer. “I started in the [Ryne] Sandberg, [Mark] Grace era,” Kipnis said before departing for Chicago and Friday night's Game 3. “I was around high school watching [Sammy] Sosa. In 1998 it was, ‘Get to the television and watch him.’ ... I was a fan.” And now? “There’s not one part of me that doesn’t wish this curse keeps going,” he said with a laugh. Kipnis is loyal to the Indians, of course, but where he grew up and went to high school was all Cubs country. Kipnis and I went to the same high school, though I was there several years before Kipnis came along and became the talk of the town as a standout player in several sports. “He had the high school record for home runs and stolen bases, soccer goals on the freshman team and varsity touchdown receptions,” said Steve Zohn, one of his youth coaches. Kipnis and I are from Northbrook, Illinois, which is 21.1 miles northwest of Wrigley Field. Almost everyone in the suburbs north of Chicago is a Cubs fan, but now some of his best friends and his family are torn. It's the first time someone close to them is in the World Series, and it’s against their team. “It’s pretty special,” Kipnis said. “When you think of the benefit of it [for him]. I get to play on the biggest stage in front of everyone I know. It’s a cool opportunity not many people get to experience.” Kipnis isn’t sure who people at his high school, Glenbrook North, are rooting for -- he hopes it’s the Indians -- but he’s looking forward to returning after the season is over. He doubts he can make it back home this weekend, as the demands of being in the World Series are big enough. His parents will take care of ticket requests, but most are “on their own.” “Whether they’re wearing Kipnis jerseys or Cubs jerseys, it’s going to be fun for me to see them in the stands,” Kipnis said.

Kipnis was most passionate in talking about another Northbrook native, Steve Bartman. The infamous fan who reached over the railing and interfered with a foul ball in a key moment of Game 6 of the 2003 NLCS hasn’t been heard from much since, but Kipnis remembers everything about the night and subsequent days of news coverage in his hometown. “The only thing I’m mad at Bartman for is missing a fly ball,” Kipnis said of the fan often decried for ruining the Cubs' 2003 title hopes. “Every other fan was going for the ball. There is no blame on him and there never should have been.” Kipnis even advocated for Bartman to throw out the first pitch this weekend, but there are no such plans for an event of that magnitude. The World Series already has enough drama, beginning with two franchises that haven’t won a title in decades. For the Indians, it’s been since 1948. For the Cubs, it’s been quite a bit longer -- 108 years. “Theirs is the only drought that can make ours looks small,” Kipnis said. “It’s neat that one of them will come to an end here.” Kipnis recalls the moment the Cubs clinched a World Series berth on Saturday, when they defeated the Los Angeles Dodgers in Game 6 of the NLCS. He didn’t know what to feel. “All I was seeing on social media was Cubs posts,” Kipnis said. “You’re happy for all the friends and family back home rooting for the Cubs. I don’t know if I was happy, sad, mad -- but I was emotional. I was like, ‘Oh no, what does it mean right now?’ But it’s just excitement for both cities.” Kipnis thinks it will hit him a bit harder when he steps onto Wrigley Field for the first time this series as a member of the opposition, trying to thwart the Cubs' hopes of breaking their long drought. He broke up Jake Arrieta’s no-hitter with a double in Game 2 after helping his Indians to a Game 1 victory the night before. Kipnis is the enemy now, leading him to think there could be a change to the rec center he’s building at his high school. “They might name it something else,” Kipnis said with a laugh. -- CSNChicago.com Cubs’ Kyle Hendricks Ready For The Next Biggest Start Of His Career By JJ Stankevitz Kyle Hendricks succeeded in the spotlight Oct. 22, taking his methodical, measured mentality into a nervy Game 6 clincher against Los Angeles Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw. The result was 7 1/3 innings of two-hit shutout ball in which the 26-year-old Dartmouth alum faced the minimum to beat a guy many consider the best pitcher in baseball, and it sent the Cubs to their first World Series since 1945. The playoff stage clearly hasn’t been too big for Hendricks, who led baseball in ERA (2.13) and soft contact rate (25.1 percent) in the regular season. He’s carried that success into October, allowing only three runs over 16 1/3 innings in the 2016 postseason. The way he’s gone about pitching those games and processing the magnitude of them hasn’t been any different than how he worked from April through September. “I've never seen him rush through anything,” manager Joe Maddon said. “I’m sure he takes time brushing his teeth. I would imagine his cup of coffee takes two hours to drink.” Hendricks, who was standing about 20 feet away from Maddon when his manager grinned through those comments Thursday, laughed when he got his turn at the podium: “I don't drink coffee, which probably doesn't come as a shock.”

But that deliberate approach Maddon was alluding to with his coffee comment has helped Hendricks maintain his effectiveness as the playoff pressure has mounted over the last few weeks. “It took me a long time to fall into this mindset,” Hendricks said. “You can find yourself falling out of it and falling back into it. A lot of it has to do with confidence, I think. At the end of the day, if you are in that mindset where you're having simple thoughts, really you're on the mound, you know you can clearly recall your game plan, what you're trying to do to this hitter, and then you can simplify your thought and commit to just one pitch. When you have those kind of thoughts going through your head, you feel pretty confident, and you know you're going to do pretty well.” Hendricks’ changeup has been an outstanding put-away pitch in the postseason, with the right-hander mixing it in well with his four-seam fastball and two-seam sinker. Opposing batters are swinging and missing at 21.7 percent of Hendricks’ changeups, according to TexasLeaguers.com, in his three playoff starts (among Cubs starters in the playoffs, that’s the second-highest whiff rate on any pitch only to John Lackey cutter, which has a 23.7 percent swing-and-miss rate). Hendricks, too, has looked extremely comfortable in his starts at Wrigley Field — like that Game 6 outing against the Dodgers — posting a 1.32 ERA while limiting opposing hitters to a .589 OPS at home in the regular season (those numbers were a 2.95 ERA and .643 opponent OPS on the road). So the stage is set for Hendricks to make, and succeed in, what will either be his final or second-to-last start of the 2016 season. Friday will mark Hendricks’ first career World Series start, but he hasn’t shown any reason to think the moment will be too big for him. “I'm just going to take advantage of it,” Hendricks said. “I mean, how often do you get these opportunities? You dream of it as a kid. This is what you work all year long for.” -- CSNChicago.com How Kyle Schwarber Is Such A ‘Baseball Rat’ That Cubs Used Him In Their Draft War Room By Patrick Mooney Matt Dorey and Lukas McKnight had just scouted a California Baptist University pitching prospect as they rode toward the Los Angeles Airport Marriott and pulled into the parking lot. Dorey watched the Cubs game on his phone as the valet guys approached the car: “Holy s---!” Kyle Schwarber crashed into Dexter Fowler as the two outfielders converged in the left-center field gap, both of them tumbling to the ground as Arizona Diamondbacks leadoff guy Jean Segura sprinted for an inside-the-park home run at Chase Field. Dorey, the team’s amateur scouting director, and McKnight, the assistant director, walked into the hotel’s sports bar with this sort of thought in mind: Make it a double. On the night of April 7, the Cubs really didn’t know what damage this might do to Schwarber’s career, or if a severe injury could shred the franchise’s World Series plans. “The pit in my stomach at that moment,” Dorey remembered. “Everybody starts texting me: ‘Oh, this doesn’t look good.’” It looked like an awful high-speed collision that might derail the 2016 Cubs. It didn’t matter that Schwarber had only turned 23 a month earlier and only had one full season of professional baseball on his resume. The Cubs had witnessed his quick, compact left-handed swing at Indiana University and understood what his magnetic personality meant in building the Hoosier program, using the fourth overall pick in the 2014 draft on Schwarber with the belief that those qualities would strengthen the Wrigley Field clubhouse.

An MRI at a hospital in the Phoenix area revealed a torn ACL and LCL in Schwarber’s left knee, as well as a severely sprained ankle, what was supposed to be season-ending trauma. Except Schwarber has already notched three hits and two walks in the World Series, including a double off the Progressive Field wall against Cy Young Award winner Corey Kluber in Game 1. A stunning performance that left teammate Kris Bryant predicting “they’re going to make a movie about him” couldn’t get Schwarber medically cleared to play defense on Friday night as Wrigley Field stages its first World Series game since 1945. But in what’s now a best-of-five battle, the Cleveland Indians will have to worry about Schwarber walking up to the plate for what could be a season-defining pinch-hit at-bat. “I’m a baseball rat,” Schwarber said. “I want to be involved in it as much as I can. A lot of (credit) goes to this team and this o