June 26, 2017

CSNChicago.com, Cubs In Sink-Or-Swim Mode With Nationals Looming: ‘Keep The Floaties On’ http://www.csnchicago.com/chicago-cubs/cubs-sink-or-swim-mode-nationals-looming-keep-floaties

CSNChicago.com, Addison Russell Feels ‘Sharp, Pinching Pain’ In Shoulder As Cubs Face More Questions With All-Star Shortstop http://www.csnchicago.com/chicago-cubs/addison-russell-feels-sharp-pinching-pain-shoulder-cubs-face-more-questions-all-star

CSNChicago.com, A Step Forward For Kyle Hendricks And Cubs Rotation http://www.csnchicago.com/chicago-cubs/step-forward-kyle-hendricks-and-cubs-rotation

Chicago Tribune, Mistakes doom Cubs in 4-2 loss to Marlins http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-cubs-marlins-spt-0626-20170625-story.html

Chicago Tribune, Addison Russell says his achy shoulder will need monitoring, maintenance http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-notes-cubs-marlins-spt-0626-20170625-story.html

Chicago Tribune, Cubs' Mike Montgomery impresses again during start at Marlins http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-cubs-mike-montgomery-starter-20170625-story.html

Chicago Tribune, Cubs' Kyle Hendricks has better feel for his finger than his return http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-cubs-kyle-hendricks-finger-20170625-story.html

Chicago Tribune, What's on Kyle Schwarber's plate at Triple-A Iowa? Relaxation and fastballs http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-kyle-schwarber-iowa-cubs-demotion-20170626-story.html

Chicago Tribune, Cubs to promote Jeimer Candelario http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-cubs-promote-jeimer-candelario-20170626-story.html

Chicago Tribune, Bryce Harper-to-Cubs rumors one of many reasons series at Nationals is worth watching http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/columnists/ct-sullivan-cubs-nationals-spt-0626-20170625-column.html

Chicago Sun-Times, After split in Miami, how prepared are Cubs for Nationals exposure? http://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/after-split-in-miami-how-prepared-are-cubs-for-nationals-exposure/

Chicago Sun-Times, Can anyone see where Kyle Schwarber is going? http://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/can-anyone-see-where-kyle-schwarber-is-going/

Chicago Sun-Times, ‘Sharp, pinching pain’ in shoulder sidelines SS Addison Russell again http://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/cubs-shortstop-addison-russell-forced-from-game-with-sore-shoulder/

Chicago Sun-Times, Cubs’ Kyle Hendricks throws pain-free, eyes mid-July return from DL http://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/cubs-kyle-hendricks-throws-pain-free-eyes-mid-july-return-from-dl/

Cubs.com, Cubs chip away, can't capitalize on chances http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/238679048/marlins-bullpen-shuts-down-cubs-splits-series/

Cubs.com, Russell exits in 4th with shoulder discomfort http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/238699698/cubs-addison-russell-exits-game-with-injury/

Cubs.com, Hendricks pain-free in first throwing session http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/238679988/kyle-hendricks-throws-for-1st-time-in-recovery/

Cubs.com, Butler gets the call to open up series vs. Nats http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/238681510/butler-gets-the-call-to-open-up-series-vs-nats

ESPNChicago.com, Can the Cubs give Bryce Harper the Bryce Harper treatment again? http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/19736090/can-cubs-give-bryce-harper-bryce-harper-treatment-again

ESPNChicago.com, Even the Cubs' biggest stars are struggling to drive in runs http://www.espn.com/blog/chicago/cubs/post/_/id/44695/even-the-cubs-biggest-stars-are-struggling-to-drive-in-runs

-- CSNChicago.com Cubs In Sink-Or-Swim Mode With Nationals Looming: ‘Keep The Floaties On’ By Patrick Mooney MIAMI – Jon Jay walked into a quiet clubhouse late Sunday morning, turned right and headed directly toward the sound system in one corner of the room, plugging his phone into the sound system and playing Bob Marley’s “Three Little Birds.” The Cubs outfielder whistled as he changed into his work clothes at Marlins Park, singing along to the lyrics with Anthony Rizzo a few lockers over: “Don’t worry, about a thing, ‘cause every little thing gonna be all right.” That’s what the Cubs keep telling themselves, because most of them have World Series rings and the National League Central is such a bad division. “The biggest thing is to keep the floaties on until we get this thing right,” manager Joe Maddon said before a 4-2 loss left the Cubs treading water again at 38-37. “We’re solvent. We’re right there. We’re right next to first place.” In leaving this relaxed tropical environment after a 4-2 loss, the Cubs will jump into the deep end on Monday night for the start of a four-game showdown at Nationals Park, where Dusty Baker will stack his rotation with Gio Gonzalez, Max Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg and hope Bryce Harper, Daniel Murphy and Ryan Zimmerman can outslug a bad bullpen. Maddon already sounded doubtful about All-Star shortstop Addison Russell, who mishandled the spin on a routine Ichiro Suzuki groundball in the first inning and later exited the game with a “sharp, pinching pain” at the front of his right shoulder. Miami sunk the Cubs with three unearned runs after Russell’s error, part of a season-long trend where the defending champs can’t seem to put it all together in every phase of the game. Martin Prado drilled Mike Montgomery’s first-pitch, 93-mph fastball off the left-center field wall for a two-out, two-run double and the Cubs will have to play sharper against the first-place Nationals (45-30). “It could be a great test,” reigning NL MVP Kris Bryant said. “It will be nice to see where we’re at against them.” The Cubs had enough trouble against Edinson Volquez and the Miami bullpen, translating eight hits and seven walks into only two runs while leaving 11 runners on base. That wasted a quality start from Montgomery (1-4, 2.03

ERA), who lasted six innings and retired the last 10 batters he faced. More than anything, Maddon sounded disappointed in Willson Contreras missing a hit-and-run sign in the seventh inning and Ian Happ getting thrown out at second base. “Keep The Floaties On” sounds like an idea for Maddon’s next T-shirt. The 2017 Cubs haven’t been more than four games over .500 or two games under .500 at any point this season. The 2016 Cubs didn’t lose their 37th game until July 19 and spent 180 days in first place. “That’s what was so special about it,” Rizzo said. “We boat-raced from Game 1 to Game 7 with a couple bumps in the road, but this is baseball. It’s not going to be all smooth-sailing every day. You got to work through things.” The Cubs might be working without the safety net of a wild card when the Los Angeles Dodgers, Arizona Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies are all on pace for close to 100 victories in the brutal NL West. For all their inconsistencies, the Cubs are still only 1.5 games behind the first-place Milwaukee Brewers in a division where the other three teams could become trade-deadline sellers. “I know that, but I also know that we have not had that run yet, which I believe we have (in us),” Maddon said. “I’m waiting on us to get well. I want our young guys to (use) the whole field, hitting-wise, and see where that can take us. Right now, our starters are pitching like we thought that they could. “I’ve always wanted to win the division, obviously. We’ll just play that out. It’s too early for me to really be concerned about that yet. We’re pitching better. We’re catching the ball better. And now all of a sudden, they’re starting to use the whole field. So let’s see where this takes us right now.” Sink or swim, the Cubs are going into the nation’s capital, less than six months after their White House visit. The big idea will be survival more than dynasty in what could still be a playoff preview. “We’re looking forward to play them,” Montgomery said. “We know where they’re at. We know we could see them down the line.” -- CSNChicago.com Addison Russell Feels ‘Sharp, Pinching Pain’ In Shoulder As Cubs Face More Questions With All-Star Shortstop By Patrick Mooney MIAMI – Injuries keep weighing the Cubs down as the defending World Series champs keep trying to finally take off this season. The right shoulder that has been bothering Addison Russell off and on since at least spring training grounded the All-Star shortstop during Sunday’s 4-2 loss at Marlins Park, exiting with what he described as a “sharp, pinching pain.” “I definitely know when I can go and when I need to shut it down,” Russell said. “There’s a difference between whenever you’re trying to work through something or you’re working against something. “I don’t think that there’s anything wrong with my shoulder. But I definitely want to make sure, so I have that (peace of) mind.” Russell couldn’t handle the spin on an Ichiro Suzuki chopper in the first inning, and that costly error helped Miami generate three unearned runs. Known more for his steady play and athleticism, Russell doesn’t really have that classic shortstop arm. By the fourth inning, the Cubs rearranged their defense, with Javier Baez moving from second base to shortstop. This 38-37 team already has a World Series MVP (Ben Zobrist), Gold Glove outfielder (Jason Heyward) and Cy Young Award finalist (Kyle Hendricks) on the disabled list.

“Nobody seems to think it’s awful,” manager Joe Maddon said. “Right now, I’m not hearing bad, so I just need to be educated more on it, because I’m hearing with maintenance, with exercise, all that kind of stuff, he should be able to play. “But of course, I do not want to play anybody that’s injured. I don’t want to be responsible for hurting a young man like this, so I need to get more intel regarding what we need to do next.” This lingering shoulder issue sidelined Russell in the middle of May – without a detour to the disabled list – and he eventually fell into a timeshare with Baez as he tried to get out of an offensive spiral while dealing with off-the-field issues. Through her divorce attorney last week, Russell’s wife disclosed that she will not meet with Major League Baseball officials looking into an abuse allegation made by a third party on social media, a development that would significantly hinder the investigation. Russell – who denied the accusation – wants to keep the focus on the field. He has actually seen an offensive turnaround since details from his private life became public, hitting .357 with four homers and 10 RBI in his previous 12 games. “It’s just a long season,” Russell said. “I know my body’s strong enough. I know that I can get through the full season. This year, it’s brought on new things that you have to get over, new things you have to learn, and injuries are definitely one of those things where I feel like I can help prevent, as far as treatment. “As far as the shoulder thing, I think I need to be more self-aware and take responsibility.” Russell is only 23 years old and time will tell if this really is a day-to-day issue that can be managed or a long-term concern with a franchise shortstop. “But it’s never been debilitating,” Maddon said. “It’s just something that requires a little bit of rest and then he’s fine again. It’s just a young arm. Almost like a young pitcher, as he develops more arm strength and gets into probably a more consistent routine in between playing (with) exercises to prevent that kind of a nagging thing. “As of right now, it’s nothing debilitating. It’s just nagging.” -- CSNChicago.com A Step Forward For Kyle Hendricks And Cubs Rotation By Patrick Mooney MIAMI – Kyle Hendricks got as excited as his buttoned-up personality would allow after finishing Saturday’s pain-free throwing session and feeling no lingering effects on Sunday in his right hand. “Effervescent, bubbly,” Cubs manager Joe Maddon said at Marlins Park. “It sounds like he is encouraged by the whole thing. Again, I told him I just want you to feel the baseball when you throw it. So we’ll just play it along and continue to stay on this program. “Of course, it’s probably aggressive right now to think prior to the All-Star break. But you never know. I don’t want to rule anything out. Just let him go throw.” Hendricks – who has been sidelined since early June with inflammation in a tendon on the back of his right middle finger – played catch from 60 feet and will need several more days of throwing before moving to the mound.

Hendricks – a Cy Young Award finalist and major-league ERA leader last season – has been staying on top of his shoulder exercises and overall conditioning. But he would still probably need to work up to at least one start in the minors, leaving the details on any rehab plan fuzzy. “It’s kind of on me,” Hendricks said. “That’s why we’re taking it slow here in the beginning, so hopefully nothing creeps back up, because it was kind of a weird injury in the first place. We didn’t know exactly what it was. It took us a little while to figure it out. “Obviously, it could get sore again or something could happen. I just got to go day-to-day here these first few days, take it easy and make sure that doesn’t creep back up. Hopefully, we can just go from there.” Even while missing a World Series Game 7 starter, the rotation has been trending in the right direction, posting a 2.51 ERA in the previous 11 games to reverse a 5.28 ERA in the 11 games before that. But to pull away from .500 and make a second-half push, the Cubs will absolutely need Hendricks. “They’ve just really fallen into a groove,” Hendricks said. “They’re really taking the workload better. Just from the top, what (Jon) Lester’s been able to do, he’s carrying the rotation with the way he’s pitched. But right behind him, (Jake) Arrieta’s thrown the ball much better lately. Even ‘Lack’ (John Lackey) his last few starts, so they’ve been carrying the load. “I feel that on me a little bit. I want to come back, obviously, and be part of it and help them out with that.” -- Chicago Tribune Mistakes doom Cubs in 4-2 loss to Marlins By Mark Gonzales The Cubs envision a potential first-round playoff matchup against the Nationals, with this week's four-game series in Washington serving as a possible preview. But in order for that scenario to be realized, the Cubs need to clean up some of the mistakes that have prevented them from even overtaking the Brewers atop the National League Central. A fielding error by shortstop Addison Russell led to three first-inning runs, and a missed hit-and-run sign by Willson Contreras stunted a potential game-tying rally Sunday in a 4-2 loss to the Marlins. "Frustrating game," said Kris Bryant, who struck out with runners at first and second to end the fourth. The Cubs stranded 11 runners, and Bryant was hardly the lone guilty player. Trailing 3-2 in the seventh, Contreras missed a sign that resulted in Ian Happ being thrown out at second. Contreras then walked and moved to second on a Miguel Montero single, but Tommy La Stella grounded into an inning-ending double play. That loomed even larger when reliever Pedro Strop surrendered a homer to Giancarlo Stanton for an insurance run in the bottom of the inning. "The mental mistakes are the only things that upset me," said Maddon, who didn't overlook the fact the Cubs failed to take advantage of five walks issued by starter Edinson Volquez in five innings. After a remarkable run since taking over the leadoff spot, Anthony Rizzo has cooled off and was 2-for-11 in the four-game series. Rizzo twice came up with the bases loaded, but he flied out to center to end the second and settled for a sacrifice fly that scored the Cubs' first run in the fourth.

For the second time in three starts, left-hander Mike Montgomery was the victim of a lack of defensive and offensive support. Nevertheless, the rotation has a 2.03 ERA in the last 12 games. "I'd be very happy with continuing to pitch this way up there (against the Nationals)," Maddon said. "Offensively, we have to find a consistency key because that's what we're looking for." The Cubs batters will be implored to work deep counts against the Nationals' starters to expose a bullpen that has a 4.88 ERA. "We know they have a great team and we're looking forward to playing them, especially at their place," Montgomery said. "We know where they're at, and we know we could see them down the line. "For us, it's going to be just playing our game. Our pitching has been pretty good lately, so we'll just try to keep it there and try to grind it out and win some games." Bryant acknowledged the series against the Nationals (45-30) will be "a great test." "They're obviously a really good team," Bryant said. "They have some guys having some good years. ... It will be very nice to see where we're at against them. "They always play us tough." -- Chicago Tribune Addison Russell says his achy shoulder will need monitoring, maintenance By Mark Gonzales Shortstop Addison Russell's frustrating season took a new twist Sunday with the news he is again coping with discomfort in his right shoulder. The injury forced Russell to leave in the bottom of the fourth inning during the Cubs' 4-2 loss to the Marlins. "With this type of discomfort, I don't think you work through it," Russell said after the game. "You have to pinpoint what's really aggravating you with the shoulder." Russell described the injury as a sharp pinching pain in the front of the shoulder. He said it felt better after undergoing treatment, but manager Joe Maddon said Russell likely won't start Monday night against the Nationals, based on the fact he had to leave the game Sunday. This is at least the second time this season Russell has experienced shoulder discomfort — he missed five consecutive starts nearly six weeks ago. The latest ailment is particularly frustrating for Russell, who has raised his average from .207 to .232 with four home runs and three doubles in the last two weeks. "As of right now, it's nagging, not debilitating," Maddon said. Play or pass? Cubs closer Wade Davis has the credentials to be selected to the All-Star Game next month but said he didn't realize until Sunday that the Midsummer Classic will be played in Miami. "I'm worried about today," said Davis, who has a 1.37 ERA and has converted all 15 save chances. Davis' wife gave birth to the couple's second child three weeks ago, so extra family time during the break also would be a consideration.

"I like to spend time with my family," Davis said. "I'm not going to think about it when I leave today." The All-Star rosters will be announced Sunday. Extra innings: Right-hander Kyle Hendricks played catch for the second consecutive day without discomfort in his right middle finger. Hendricks has yet to throw off a mound and admitted a return before the All-Star break is a long shot. ... Jason Heyward (left hand abrasion) took some swings in the batting cage, and he could return from the 10-day disabled list as soon as Thursday. ... The Marlins' Ichiro Suzuki, 43, became the oldest player to start a game in center field since at least 1900, surpassing the previous record held by Hall of Famer Rickey Henderson for the Red Sox in 2002. -- Chicago Tribune Cubs' Mike Montgomery impresses again during start at Marlins By Mark Gonzales The only consolation from the Cubs’ 4-2 loss Sunday to the Marlins is that left-hander Mike Montgomery is settling into the rotation to the point where he could be very reliable as a starter for the future. Montgomery hasn’t been charged with an earned run in his past 13 innings, as shoddy defense has cost him a chance from looking more impressive than his 1-1 record in four starts. Nevertheless, Montgomery has a 1.71 ERA in his starts, and he pitched six innings Sunday for the second consecutive start. Cubs manager Joe Maddon was especially impressed that Montgomery possessed better command of his fastball to accompany his signature curve and cut fastball. “That’s what we’ve been talking about for the past two years,” Maddon said after Montgomery retired the final 10 batters before being pulled after 91 pitches. Kris Bryant played center field for Montgomery’s final three innings and came away impressed. “He’s really stepped up for us,” Bryant said of Montgomery, who is taking the spot in the rotation vacated by Kyle Hendricks, who is out with a finger injury. “It’s nice to see him step into the rotation and pretend like he’s done it the whole time, which is good to see.” Montgomery said needed “definitely more stuff to work on,” but his last two starts have been impressive, considering he didn’t join the rotation until 2 1/2 weeks ago. “I’m being more efficient, and that’s what your job is to do,” Montgomery said. “We feel pretty good about that moving forward.” -- Chicago Tribune Cubs' Kyle Hendricks has better feel for his finger than his return By Mark Gonzales Kyle Hendricks admits a return to the Cubs’ rotation before the All-Star break is a long shot thanks to the time he has missed due to a tendon strain in his right middle pitching finger. Nevertheless, Hendricks was delighted just to be playing catch Sunday for the second consecutive day. “It’s going to be a few days of throwing, and then I’ll have a much better idea about (a schedule),” Hendricks said.

Hendricks hasn’t pitched in a game since June 4, and Saturday marked the first day he was able to play catch since June 13, when persistent pain cut short his throwing session. Hendricks won’t throw off a mound until he completes his catch sessions and remains pain free. “It’s going to be tough to come back before (the All-Star break), just because of the amount of throwing that has to be done,” said Hendricks, who acknowledged that he “most likely” will need a minor league rehab assignment. Manager Joe Maddon thought it was “aggressive” to think Hendricks could return before the All-Star break, but “you never know.” “I don’t want to rule anything out. Just let him go throw.” Hendricks was surprised at how strong his shoulder felt, simply because of the layoff since his last throwing session. “It took a few throws to find the arm slot, and then it felt normal,” Hendricks said. -- Chicago Tribune What's on Kyle Schwarber's plate at Triple-A Iowa? Relaxation and fastballs By Mark Gonzales Kyle Schwarber missed a chance to play against the Marlins last weekend, but he’ll begin his mission toward a return to the Cubs starting Monday night against the Marlins’ Triple-A New Orleans team in Des Moines, Iowa. “I think being there and knowing he can relax and play and think on what he’s trying to work on, as opposed to trying to get a hit,” said Cubs hitting coach John Mallee on Sunday as Schwarber prepares for his debut for Triple-A Iowa. “It’s more just trying to get a good pitch to hit and putting on a good swing, and the hits will be a byproduct of his approach.” Mallee repeatedly stressed the need for Schwarber to relax after his batting average dipped to .171 with 75 strikeouts in 222 at-bats, leaving the Cubs’ patient front office with little choice but to option him Thursday to Iowa. Schwarber began the season as the Cubs leadoff batter but continually struggled, lost his hold on leadoff and full-time duties last month and was losing valuable playing time to regain his left-handed stroke. “He’s been working on making a few adjustments when he was here,” Mallee said. “The whole thing is gaining his confidence back, getting him back on the fastball. I don’t see why there would be a hiccup in him getting back to being on time with the fastball and working from there. That’s basically it. “He’s going to get regular playing time, getting the at-bats without the pressure. He puts a lot of pressure on himself because he’s such a good teammate, and he’s such a winner. Sometimes if you don’t get the hits, you feel like you’re letting the team down. And that affects a lot of people.” Mallee will stay in contact with minor league hitting coordinator Andy Haines and Iowa hitting coach Desi Wilson. “They’re ready to get started,” Mallee said. “Kyle is excited, and we’re all excited for him because it’s going to turn around.” There is no timetable or prescribed number of at-bats for Schwarber’s return.

-- Chicago Tribune Cubs to promote Jeimer Candelario By Mark Gonzales The Chicago Cubs are likely to promote switch-hitting infielder Jeimer Candelario from Triple-A Iowa before Monday night's game at Washington. A source confirmed the likelihood of the move. Reliever Dylan Floro, who was promoted Thursday, will return to Iowa. Floro did not pitch in the Miami series. Candelario is batting .274 with nine home runs and 41 RBI for Iowa. Candelario was 3-for-21 with the Cubs during a brief promotion earlier this season. -- Chicago Tribune Bryce Harper-to-Cubs rumors one of many reasons series at Nationals is worth watching By Paul Sullivan The rumor of Bryce Harper playing right field for the Cubs down the road lasted as long as a Chicago spring, and the Nationals star still doesn't know how it began. "I have no idea," Harper said Sunday morning at Nationals Park, relaxing in a comfy chair in the home clubhouse on the eve of the Cubs' arrival. "People have their (opinions) ... what they think is going to happen." The Harper-to-the-Cubs rumor is but one reason to pay close attention to this week's four-game series between the defending-champion Cubs and the Nationals beginning Monday night with Eddie Butler facing Gio Gonzalez. It's also a possible preview of an October matchup, another round of head games between managers Joe Maddon and Duster Baker and a Cy Young duel Tuesday between Max Scherzer and Jake Arrieta. It's the Cubs' first visit to D.C. since their White House celebration in January and might be their biggest series to date — we're still waiting on a prolonged hot streak nearing the halfway mark of the season. As for the Nationals? Ho-hum. At 45-30, they're still on cruise control in the National League East, leading the division by nine games. Harper, Ryan Zimmerman and Daniel Murphy are among the early favorites for the NL MVP award and Scherzer fronts a top-heavy rotation. Their Achilles' heel is an awful bullpen, which ranks last in the National League and already has featured three closers. The latest, rookie Koda Glover, is on the disabled list with a back injury, forcing Baker to use a closer by committee. "As long as we keep winning ballgames it's not really a concern," Scherzer said. "As long as we win, everything takes care of itself." The situation is familiar to Baker, who also had great starting pitching and a beefy lineup and but an awful bullpen 14 years ago with the Cubs. Baker rode Mark Prior and Kerry Wood to the 2003 National League Championship Series before the Cubs' world caved in in Games 6 and 7 against the Marlins. "We knew we needed some bullpen help," Baker recalled Sunday. "We couldn't get any. Then I though about it. 'Were they preparing for the sale by the Tribune (Co.)?' That's why they didn't put any money in it. That's OK."

Now Baker needs bullpen help again. "Yes, I do," he said. Will he get it? "That I don't know," he said. "I've been through this before. In the meantime, I just do what I can do, try to manipulate the game and orchestrate and strategize." Despite their sudden bout of ordinariness, the Cubs are still considered a real threat in the eyes of the Nationals. Harper called them a "great team" that "can score 10 runs in the blink of an eye" and responded to their lack of consistency with the traditional "that's baseball" excuse. "It's going to be a tough series," Harper said. "This could be a preview of a playoff." If it is, baseball would be lucky. The series is also Harper's first meeting against the Cubs since the rumor he would prefer to play in Chicago when he becomes a free agent after 2018. MLB Network's Peter Gammons mentioned the possibility during an interview on WSCR-AM 670, saying: "I have people who tell me Bryce Harper would prefer to play for the Cubs." Gammons also suggested the idea was far-fetched because the Cubs also have to pay Kris Bryant down the road, which is why the rumor had such a short shelf life. Harper figures to command the biggest contract in history, perhaps as much as $400 million, at least until Mike Trout becomes a free agent after 2020. Naturally, the Cubs would have to sell quite a few of those $200 pieces of 2016 ivy to pay both Harper and Bryant, not to mention Jon Lester, Jason Heyward and eventually Anthony Rizzo. Harper's future remains a popular topic because only he — and maybe agent Scott Boras — knows what he prefers. In past years he was rumored to be a future Yankees, which made more sense at the time. Then Aaron Judge came along and out-Harpered Harper, and for much less money. But back to that crazy Cubs rumor … "I think a lot of people here say 'I hear that, I hear this,'" Harper said. "But I'm a Washington National right now and I enjoy playing here in D.C. and everybody knows that. "We've got a great team and a great organization and it's a lot of fun to be part of this process of trying to get better every year and try to be a great team." That's what the locals call a "non-denial denial." It's true: Harper is a Washington National "right now." But he also didn't specifically rule out signing with the Cubs, wisely keeping all options open. Chicago is an obvious free-agent destination based on their 2016 championship, their attempt to follow the Red Sox's model of long-term success. And why wouldn't Harper want to be a Cub, who've joined the Red Sox, Yankees and Dodgers in ESPN's "Sunday Night Baseball" rotation? Harper also would receive some media attention in a big market as opposed to mostly being left alone in this town.

The first-place Nationals barely get any TV crews to come out for pre- or postgame coverage. It's almost as if the Washington media is preoccupied with something else. Either way, look for Harper to be in the middle of something this week. He's just another piece in the Baker-Maddon chess match. During last year's four-game series at Wrigley Field, Harper was intentionally three times during one six-walk game and drew 13 walks in 19 plate appearances. Maddon successfully pitched around Harper for Ryan Zimmerman, who went 2-for-19 in the series. Nationals starter Tanner Roark called it "scared baseball," but the Cubs swept the series and Maddon won the mind game. Now Zimmerman is on fire, ranking first in the league in average (.352), second in slugging percentage (.660) and tied for third in RBIs (59) before Sunday's action. Maddon wouldn't use the same strategy again, right, Bryce? "You never know what Joe is going to do," Harper said. "He's a great manager. Some of the things he does work, so you never know. With having Zim swinging the bat well right now, and Murph, of course, our whole lineup one through eight is swinging pretty well. So we're pretty well-rounded, and whatever they do we're just going to try and do the best we can to capitalize on it." Baker downplays the idea of this being a big series and said he was happy for the Cubs "to get that monkey off their back" and win a World Series. People told him they were happy for him because he'd spent four years in the organization. "The hard part was being as happy as people expected me to be because of the way I was kind of run out of town," he said. "I think back upon it, and how I was blamed for everything but for taking the organization to the highest level." But that's a story for another day. -- Chicago Sun-Times After split in Miami, how prepared are Cubs for Nationals exposure? By Gordon Wittenmyer MIAMI — As their dance with mediocrity has stretched into late June, the Cubs have clung fiercely to the mediocrity of the rest of their division. With just more than half the season to play, the National League wild-card race is disappearing into the horizon of the NL West like a setting sun. But the defending World Series champs still have the NL Central, where they trail the first-place Brewers by 1½ games after losing 4-2 on Sunday to the Marlins. ‘‘The biggest thing is to keep the floaties on until we get this thing right,’’ manager Joe Maddon said. That figures to get especially tough this week, when the Cubs venture back into the deep end of the NL pool with four games against manager Dusty Baker’s East-leading Nationals in Washington. ‘‘It’s going to be a great test,’’ reigning MVP Kris Bryant said. It’s also a glimpse into the first-round playoff matchup the Cubs would face if they win the Central and the Nationals remain in their current position.

‘‘We know where they’re at, and we know we could see them down the line,’’ said left-hander Mike Montgomery, who allowed three unearned runs in the first inning before blanking the Marlins for the rest of his six-inning stint. ‘‘We know they’ve got a great team, and we’re looking forward to playing them.’’ The Cubs will enter the middle series of their longest road trip of the season when they get to Washington. They haven’t won back-to-back games on the road since April, and their lineup has been ravaged by minor injuries (Ben Zobrist’s wrist, Jason Heyward’s hand) and seasonlong slumps (Kyle Schwarber was optioned to the minors Thursday). The Nationals, meanwhile, have the top-performing lineup in the NL and will send three potential All-Stars — left-hander Gio Gonzalez and right-handers Max Scherzer and Stephen Strasburg — to the mound in the first three games against the Cubs. ‘‘They’re obviously a really good team, and they’ve got some guys having some really good years,’’ Bryant said. ‘‘Obviously, they’re going to make a nice postseason push. It’ll be nice to see where we’re at against them.’’ If there’s optimism for the Cubs, it comes from their pitching. The bullpen has performed well all season, and the starters have pitched closer to their 2016 level in the last two weeks. Montgomery’s six innings without allowing an earned run lowered the rotation’s collective ERA to 2.30 in the last 12 games, and the Cubs allowed only six earned runs in 34 innings (1.59 ERA) in the four games in Miami. ‘‘I’d be very happy with continuing to pitch this way [in Washington],’’ Maddon said. More erratic play cost the Cubs a chance to win the series. A fielding error by shortstop Addison Russell on leadoff man Ichiro Suzuki’s spinning hopper in the first led to the three unearned runs. Russell left because of an unrelated shoulder injury in the fourth and is day-to-day. Later, a mental error by Willson Contreras — who entered the game in Russell’s lineup spot — cost the Cubs a chance to score in the seventh, when the score was 3-2. He missed a hit-and-run sign, and Ian Happ — who had singled — easily was thrown out at second. Contreras followed with a walk and took second on a single by Miguel Montero, but Tommy La Stella grounded into an inning-ending double play. Giancarlo Stanton then homered against Pedro Strop in the bottom of the inning to make it 4-2. ‘‘The mental mistakes are the only things that upset me,’’ Maddon said. ‘‘Physical mistakes don’t bother me, but mental mistakes do.’’ The Cubs might not be ready to take off the floaties yet, but they have the comfort of their own division for now. ‘‘We’re still right there,’’ Maddon said. ‘‘As we get back to playing like we can, I’m happy to be there.’’ -- Chicago Sun-Times Can anyone see where Kyle Schwarber is going? By Rick Morrissey There are only questions about Kyle Schwarber, which is strange. For a while there, the challenge was to find different ways to use ‘‘Schwarber’’ and ‘‘terrific’’ in a declarative sentence. Lots of people were sure the trajectory of his career was that of an escalator going up. But now? Who is he, and where is he going?

Is he the player who made a huge splash as a rookie and starred in two postseasons for the Cubs, hitting for power and average in the playoffs? Or is he the player who hit .208 in the last month of his rookie season and .171 in the first 2½ months of this season? We don’t really know, and — no matter what they say — the Cubs don’t, either. It’s why Schwarber will find himself in Des Moines on Monday night, as Class AAA Iowa takes on a team called the New Orleans Baby Cakes. The Cubs’ belief in the 24-year-old borders on zealousness, but believing and knowing are two very different things. The scary part for all involved, the part that keeps tugging at the sleeve, is the lack of a significant track record. Cubs president Theo Epstein says Schwarber has hit at every stop during his career, but the kid has played in 147 minor-league games and 135 regular-season major-league games. Not exactly the 32-volume Encyclopedia Britannica. If Epstein is talking about Schwarber’s college career, well, you’d hope the fourth pick overall in the 2014 draft would have dominated at Indiana University. I’m not trying to downplay what Schwarber has accomplished, but I don’t want to gloss over his struggles, either. We just don’t have enough evidence about what he might be. He might be the next Babe Ruth, as the Cubs have made him out to be, or he might be the next Adam Dunn, as some White Sox fans gleefully have portrayed him. Epstein says that Schwarber is a hitter first but that his slump this season has reduced him to a power hitter only, which is why he was demoted Thursday. When he’s right, he hits the ball hard, has a good on-base plus slugging percentage and strikes out often. When he’s bad, he strikes out even more and hits an occasional home run. Whatever Epstein has seen in him during the course of the last four or five years, Chicago mostly has seen Schwarber the power hitter. That’s what built the legend. The .412 batting average he had in the 2016 World Series was great, but it was based on 17 at-bats. He has been a great hitter when the lights have been the brightest. So what is that? A natural-born clutch hitter doing what he does best in the right moment? Or a coincidence — a very good one — at work? More questions: Is he in the wrong league? Should he be a designated hitter, given his adventures in left field? Everything is worth asking at this point. He’s young, and perhaps he doesn’t deserve all the scrutiny. But this is what happens when you’ve done your best work when the stakes are the highest. When what went up comes down, you can’t help but analyze the splat. The Cubs want him to rediscover the swing that made him so good the last two postseasons. They want him to do it in the relative obscurity of Class AAA, but good luck with that. We won’t need the Pony Express to tell us how he did at the plate at some dusty minor-league outpost. Social media will train a hot spotlight on him wherever he is. I’m a bit conflicted about the Schwarber phenomenon. Some of us deserve blame for turning him into a legend, but what he did in the playoffs for the Cubs was indeed the stuff of legend. He has hit mythically long homers. One landed on top of the right-field video board at Wrigley Field during the 2015 National League Division Series against the Cardinals, the kind of Paul Bunyan feat writers live to describe. The Cubs are casting the demotion as a good thing for Schwarber, and it is. He wasn’t getting better. He couldn’t catch up to high fastballs, and he couldn’t hit breaking balls that cut in on him. He couldn’t hit lefties and, by the end, wasn’t much better against righties. Sometimes you need a hospital stay to get healthy. That’s what this is. His swing and batting average are being rolled in on a gurney, and Iowa’s coaches and instructors will get to work. When he walks out, perhaps he’ll be cured. I hope the kid gets his game straight, but I keep coming back to this: What is his game? Do we really know?

-- Chicago Sun-Times ‘Sharp, pinching pain’ in shoulder sidelines SS Addison Russell again By Gordon Wittenmyer MIAMI — A recurring shoulder problem that dates back at least a year flared up again Sunday and forced Cubs shortstop Addison Russell out the game against the Marlins in the fourth inning. Russell, who was out of the lineup for three games in mid-May because of the issue, has received periodic treatment and therapy throughout the season to manage the pain, which he describes as a ‘‘sharp, pinching pain at the front of the shoulder.’’ Manager Joe Maddon said he doesn’t expect Russell to start in the opener of a four-game series Monday against the National League East-leading Nationals in Washington. And Russell sounded as though he might miss more than one game. ‘‘Over these next couple of days, I think it’s just going to be day-to-day,’’ said Russell, who wasn’t sure he would have an MRI exam this time around. ‘‘I’m going to pay attention to getting some treatment; that’s No. 1, for sure. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with my shoulder, but I definitely want to make sure, so I have that ease of mind.’’ Russell, who also has been dealing with off-the-field issues involving divorce proceedings and a third-party accusation of domestic violence via social media, was bothered by the shoulder at times last season and again in spring training. ‘‘But it’s never been debilitating,’’ said Maddon, who indicated he doesn’t anticipate the problem growing into something that forces a position change to second base. ‘‘It’s just something that requires a little bit of rest, and then he’s fine again. ‘‘I just think it’s something he will overcome with time as he gets more mature as a baseball player.’’ Russell, the NL’s starting shortstop in the All-Star Game last season, slumped for more than two months before going on a 15-for-44 streak — including four home runs and 10 RBI — in his last 13 games. He said the shoulder doesn’t bother him when he swings. -- Chicago Sun-Times Cubs’ Kyle Hendricks throws pain-free, eyes mid-July return from DL By Gordon Wittenmyer MIAMI — Right-hander Kyle Hendricks’ longer-than-expected road back from the disabled list took a turn toward the finish line when he was able to play catch without pain Saturday and Sunday at Marlins Park. ‘‘It was good just to go out finally and be asymptomatic and to feel the ball and not have any pain in there,’’ said Hendricks, the 2016 major-league ERA champ, who has been on the DL with tendinitis in his right middle finger since June 5. Hendricks, who suffered a setback June 13 — the first time he tried to throw after going on the DL — threw Saturday for the first time since then. He said he plans to play catch again the next few days and, barring another setback, set a schedule for bullpen sessions and a brief minor-league rehab stint. His best-case timeline for a return appears to be just after the All-Star break.

‘‘Of course, it’s probably aggressive right now to think prior to the All-Star break, but you never know,’’ manager Joe Maddon said. ‘‘I don’t want to rule anything out. Just let him go throw.’’ Even with Hendricks sidelined, the rotation has put together its best stretch of the season in the last two weeks. The starters have a 2.30 ERA in the Cubs’ last 12 games. Hendricks lauded the efforts of holdovers Jon Lester, Jake Arrieta and John Lackey as the keys to that turnaround. ‘‘I feel that on me a little bit,’’ he said. ‘‘I want to come back, obviously, and be part of that and help them out with that.’’ NOTES: Right fielder Jason Heyward’s cut left palm responded well to swings in the batting cage the last two days, and a return from the DL on Thursday in Washington hasn’t been ruled out. • Utility man Ben Zobrist tested his ailing left wrist with a few swings, but it hadn’t improved enough for him to return to full baseball activity. • The Cubs have allowed 64 first-inning runs in 75 games after the Marlins scored three in the first (all unearned because of an error by Addison Russell to open the inning). Only the Mets (68) have allowed more in the majors. • Left-hander Brett Anderson, who has been on the DL since May 7 because of a strained back, began a rehab assignment at Class AA Tennessee. -- Cubs.com Cubs chip away, can't capitalize on chances By Patrick Pinak and Glenn Sattell MIAMI -- Martin Prado lined a two-run double in a three-run first inning and Giancarlo Stanton provided insurance with his 20th homer in the seventh as the Marlins edged the Cubs, 4-2, to split a four-game series Sunday at Marlins Park. Marlins outfielder Marcell Ozuna continued his All-Star worthy first half by roping a single to knock in Ichiro Suzuki to ignite the first-inning rally. Two batters later, Prado collected his first two RBIs since coming off the disabled list on Friday. "You start getting down to that spot and you know you're at Martin, who really is a top-of-the-order guy," Marlins manager Don Mattingly said of Prado hitting sixth in the lineup. "And right now, we're able to put him there and let him get comfortable. It's just nice to have him back." Miami starter Edinson Volquez was wild, but he was able to scatter five hits and five walks while allowing just two runs in five innings. The right-hander improved to 8-0 in 12 career starts against the Cubs, making him one of just three active pitchers to have eight or more wins and zero losses against an opponent. The others are Jason Hammel (9-0 vs. the Nationals) and Clayton Kershaw (8-0 vs. the Mets). "Yeah, kind of got himself into it and then got himself out of it," Mattingly said. "You know, a lot of counts and walks today, and I know that bothers him, but again, he battled out of it. And then Jarlin [Garcia] comes in and is good. [David Phelps] and AJ [Ramos] were able to split up those three innings for us and did a job." Mike Montgomery (1-4) went six innings in his first career start against the Marlins, and after three unearned runs in the first inning, he shut down Miami on one hit over the final five frames and retired the last 10 batters he faced. He yielded four hits while striking out four and walking two.

"That's how it goes sometimes," Montgomery said. "And then after the first inning, it was just trying to battle and keep things close and give us a chance to win. I did some good things, but I definitely have some stuff to work on moving forward." However, despite outhitting the Marlins, 8-5, the Cubs' offense could muster only sacrifice flies in the fourth and fifth innings from Anthony Rizzo and Tommy La Stella. MOMENTS THAT MATTERED Marlins hang 'em out to dry: On numerous occasions, Miami stranded runners and escaped jams. Twice, Volquez encountered Rizzo with the bases full. In the second inning, Rizzo flew out to center to end the threat, and in the fourth, Volquez limited the damage to a Rizzo sacrifice fly before fanning Kris Bryant on an 86-mph changeup. Chicago left 11 runners on base. "I don't like that, but I had no choice," Volquez said. "You start walking people and get yourself in some trouble. You have to find a way to get out of it." Stanton provides cushion: With one swing of the bat, Stanton gained some important separation in what was a one-run ballgame in the seventh. The outfielder took a 97-mph fastball from Pedro Strop and lined it over the left-field wall for his 20th homer of the season, tying Ozuna for the team lead. Per Statcast™, the homer had an exit velocity of 106 mph and traveled an estimated 371 feet at a 20-degree launch angle. "At that point, you're playing against a really good team. You cannot just get too comfortable when you're playing against teams that just had success like the Cubs," Prado said. "And, you know, [Stanton] hitting that homer in that situation is huge. It's a relief for the pitchers and ... you get that boost of confidence to go out there and play defense for whoever's pitching." SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS At 43 years and 246 days old, Ichiro became the oldest starting center fielder since 1900, per Elias Sports. The previous record was set by Hall of Famer Rickey Henderson, who made his last start in center on July 24, 2002, at 43 years and 211 days old, while with the Red Sox. WHAT'S NEXT Cubs: Eddie Butler takes the mound for Chicago on Monday when it opens a four-game series with Washington at Nationals Park, beginning at 6:05 p.m. CT. The right-hander has no-decisions in his past two starts, and he'll go for his first win since June 5. Marlins: Miami has an off-day Monday before taking on the Mets for three games starting Tuesday at 7:10 p.m. ET at Marlins Park. Right-hander Dan Straily (5-4, 3.43 ERA) gets the nod for the Marlins. -- Cubs.com Russell exits in 4th with shoulder discomfort By Glenn Sattell MIAMI -- Injuries are never something to be taken lightly, and staying healthy is certainly priority No. 1 over a long season. So when Cubs shortstop Addison Russell felt discomfort in his right shoulder during Sunday's 4-2 loss to the Marlins, it was time to shut it down. He exited after Chicago batted in the fourth inning not because of any particular throw, but just a general discomfort on all of them.

"Just my throws in general, it's just a sharp pain in the front of the shoulder," Russell said. "I think it's going to subside if I go in and do all the treatments that I need to do, really pinpointing where the sensation is coming from." It's a nagging injury that dates back to last season, and it has forced him to miss time in 2017 as well. Russell missed a May 10 game at Colorado because of the shoulder as the issue was building. The team had a scheduled off-day on May 11 and Russell was limited to pinch-hitting duties on May 12-13. "[I] definitely know when I can go and when I need to shut it down," Russell said. "There's a difference between when you're trying to work through something or you're working against something. So I think it's just going to be day to day and I'm going to pay attention to getting some treatment." Manager Joe Maddon said he doesn't anticipate the injury being anything long term. "It's never been debilitating," Maddon said. "It's been something that requires a little bit of rest and then he's fine again. I think it's just a young arm. Almost like a young pitcher, as he develops more arm strength and gets into probably a more consistent routine in between playing, meaning a little weights and different things that you do -- exercises that you do to prevent that kind of nagging kind of a thing. "I don't anticipate him starting tomorrow based on him having to come out of the game today. I think it's something he will overcome with time as he gets more mature as a baseball player." Russell agreed that he doesn't believe it's a serious injury, although it remains frustrating nonetheless. "Missing time stinks," Russell said. "You definitely want to be out there every single day. But with this type of particular discomfort, I don't think you work through it. You have to pinpoint what's aggravating the shoulder." -- Cubs.com Hendricks pain-free in first throwing session By Glenn Sattell MIAMI -- Right-hander Kyle Hendricks threw for the first time on Saturday, and the Cubs are moving forward in his return to the club. Despite the positive session, it looks like it won't happen before the All-Star break. Hendricks went on the 10-day disabled list with right hand tendinitis retroactive to June 5. "Yesterday was Day 1," Hendricks said. "It was good to finally go out and feel the ball and not have any pain in there. Granted, it was only 60 feet, but then to be able to show up today and not have any residual soreness, it was a really good sign for Day 1." Still, Hendricks must go through the process to get back to full strength. "It's going to be a few days of throwing and then I'll have a much better idea," Hendricks said. "So the next four or five days will tell me a lot. Then we can have more of a solid plan." The hope is for Hendricks to continue to throw pain-free for the next four or five days and then go from there. He will avoid mound work, throwing on a flat surface the next few days to see how the hand responds. "The arm felt good. I've been doing a lot of shoulder work. It took a few throws to find the arm slot and actually felt pretty normal," Hendricks said of Saturday's session. "I was actually surprised by it." But a return prior to the All-Star break doesn't appear feasible, though manager Joe Maddon isn't completely shutting down the idea.

"It's probably aggressive to think he'd be back by the All-Star break, but I don't want to rule anything out," Maddon said. Hendricks said he knows that there are several steps to be taken before his return. "I haven't thrown in two weeks at least, not even thrown a baseball," Hendricks said. "So it's going to be tough to say. Give me three more days [and] I'll be able to tell, but it's going to be tough to come back before that, just for the amount of throwing that's going to have to be done." Having been out this long, Hendricks said he anticipates some rehab work before rejoining the club. -- Cubs.com Butler gets the call to open up series vs. Nats By Glenn Sattell Gio Gonzalez takes a personal four-game winning streak into Nationals Park on Monday as the Nats open a four-game with the Cubs. Enjoying his best season since he was a 21-game winner in 2012, Gonzalez is 7-1 with a 2.96 ERA in 15 starts. Gonzalez has not lost since May 8 and is coming off a stellar month of May in which he posted a 3-0 record and a 2.77 ERA in four starts. Eddie Butler gets the start for the Cubs. It'll be his ninth start of the season. His May 12 debut was easily his best, throwing six scoreless innings of two-hit ball at St. Louis, striking out five and walking three. He became the first Cubs starting pitcher to throw at least six scoreless innings in his club debut since Ryan O'Malley did it on Aug. 16, 2006 against Houston. Butler ranked fourth in the Pacific Coast League with a 1.17 ERA for Triple-A Iowa at the time he was called up. Three things to know about this game • Butler has scuffled away from Wrigley Field. In three road starts this season, Butler is 1-1 with a 5.63 ERA, allowing 10 earned runs over 16 innings pitched. • Gonzalez is 3-2 lifetime vs. the Cubs but lost his last decision to them in 2015. It snapped a three-game win streak against Chicago. This will be his first appearance against them this season. He threw two no-decisions in two starts vs. the Cubs in 2016. • In nine career appearances facing the Cubs, Gonzalez has limited them to a team batting average of .213. -- ESPNChicago.com Can the Cubs give Bryce Harper the Bryce Harper treatment again? By Eddie Matz and Jesse Rogers Remember last year, when Bryce Harper and the first-place Washington Nationals rolled into Wrigley Field to take on Joe Maddon's first-place Chicago Cubs in a four-game May tilt that had all the makings of an National League Championship Series preview (though it actually wasn't)? Chicago swept Washington, in large part because Maddon pitched around the 2015 MVP to the tune of 13 walks in the series, including a record-tying six free passes (three intentional) in the finale. A year later, with the Cubs descending on D.C. for a four-game set starting Monday, Harper -- who never seemed quite the same after all those walks and turned in a disappointing 2016 campaign -- is back to his old mashing

ways. How exactly will Maddon handle him this time around? Baseball writers Jesse Rogers (Cubs) and Eddie Matz (Nats) discuss. Rogers: Well, Eddie, I'm setting the over/under on Bryce Harper walks for the four-game series at 8.5. Which way are you going? Matz: Gimme the under all day long, Jesse, if for no other reason than Ryan Zimmerman is back to being, you know, good at hitting. Last year, when Joe Maddon and the Cubs walked Harper 637 times (give or take) during that series at Wrigley, Zimmerman played right into the strategy by going 0-for-637 (give or take) behind him. A year later, Zim is the most dangerous bat in a stacked Nats lineup, not to mention a legit MVP candidate. Not even Maddon is crazy enough to go there. Rogers: You're the crazy one then because I'm taking the over. Zimmerman might be a career .262 hitter against the Cubs, but most of that damage was done while they were rebuilding. In 2016, he hit .125 against them. In 2015, he hit .043. Or as you know it, your Little League batting average. The Cubs have space rented inside Zimmerman's head, and the Cubs have just one lefty in the pen. Walking Harper is still the way to go. Matz: You wanna walk Harper? By all means, go right ahead. Since the beginning of the 2014 season, dude is hitting just .188 against the Cubs. Then there's this: Since April 27, a span of almost two months, Harper is batting a pedestrian .254. I'm not saying he isn't dangerous. What I am saying is that right now, Zimmerman, Daniel Murphy and Anthony Rendon -- otherwise known as the three guys who hit behind Harper -- are all more dangerous. But like I said, be my guest. Rogers: You forgot to tell me what he's hitting on Tuesday nights after he eats cereal for breakfast. Break it down however you want, but I'm not having my righties get beaten by the lefties, especially Harper. Murphy is another one I'd walk. I'd walk all of them but Zimmerman. Let's see if he can set another record for left-on-base in a four-game series. Matz: First off, you started the whole numbers thing (and yes, I'm in the third grade). What's more, although this is a WWJD exercise, the J stands for Joe -- not Jesse. I say Maddon is simply too unconventional to do what everyone assumes he'll do. Last year, he got in Harper's head by not pitching to him. My money says he goes reverse-reverse psychology this time around and comes right after Harper. Maybe not every single time, but at least enough to wash away the memory of last year's walk-a-thon. Rogers: Reverse-reverse psychology? I think it's you who needs a visit with Dr. Freud, but that's a whole other story. The bottom line is that until Zimmerman proves he can beat the Cubs, Maddon will challenge him with his best righties instead of letting the lefty Harper beat them. Take that to the bank. Matz: The only thing I'll be taking to the bank is the windfall I'm going to get for successfully betting the under here. Pleasure doing business. -- ESPNChicago.com Even the Cubs' biggest stars are struggling to drive in runs By Jesse Rogers MIAMI -- It's one thing when inexperienced hitters aren't coming through in the clutch, but what happens when a team's MVP candidates don't do it -- including the reigning winner himself? It makes for a long first three months of the season. Just ask the Chicago Cubs. "More than anything, it's trying to do too much, as opposed to just score one," manager Joe Maddon said after a 4-2 loss to the Miami Marlins on Sunday. "I think a lot of times a hitter gets in that situation and the bases are loaded or two guys are on, you want to score three or four. Score one. Score the guy that's on third base. If you could reduce it to scoring one, mentally, you can have a much better chance of being consistent with it."

In a way, Anthony Rizzo did that his second time up with the bases loaded when he flew out to left field -- but that came after a pop-up with the bags juiced earlier in the game. Six men on for Rizzo and only one scored. In all, he and Kris Bryant stranded seven base runners, continuing a season-long trend for them and the team. Rizzo ranks 52nd in the National League with a .254 batting average with runners in scoring position, and the reigning MVP is even worse. Bryant is 70th out of 77 qualified hitters in the NL with a .204 batting average in that category. Asked if Sunday's game was frustrating, his answer was short and to the point. "Yeah, frustrating game," Bryant said. "You nailed it." Earlier, Bryant discussed his RBI total (31), which is down this year. He's not hitting as well, and there have also been fewer guys on base ahead of him, making his opportunities that much more important. "I've left some out there," Bryant admitted. "Last year, there was a ton of opportunities for RBIs, too -- so this year is different. Hitting second in the order is different. That's how I'm looking at it. "It's not a short total by any means, but there are some missed opportunities." Take Sunday's fourth inning: After Rizzo hit a sacrifice fly to draw the Cubs to within two, Bryant struck out on a change-up with two on base. Opportunity missed. Or look at Rizzo in the second inning, when he flied out with the bases loaded. Maddon tried to explain what has been happening with two of his best hitters. "They're being relied on heavily to do this stuff, so that could weigh on them even more, but historically my concept with that is just think about scoring one," Maddon said. Bryant didn't mince words. He knows he can be better but understands he can't always come through. "Not every year is going to be perfect," he said. "It's not going to be an MVP year every year, so that's how I look at it. ... Stick with the same approach. There's no need to make any situation bigger than it is. No matter if it's the first or ninth inning of a game." That mindset has mostly worked for one of the best hitters in the game, and there's nothing wrong with his .266 career average with runners in scoring position, but the Cubs need more right now. Both he and Rizzo could have slumped with men on base last season and no one would have noticed -- the Cubs were a runaway train at that point. But now they can't afford not to come through. Bryant summed up his season but could easily be talking about the 2017 Cubs, who next face a huge test against the Washington Nationals coming off a series split in Miami. "Different year, different dynamic," Bryant said. --