February 18, 2016

Chicago Tribune, Javier Baez feels no pressure at Cubs training camp http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-javier-baez-feels-calm-20160217-story.html

Chicago Tribune, Kyle Schwarber home run cracks car windshield at spring training http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-kyle-schwarber-cracked-windshield-spring-training-20160217-story.html

Chicago Tribune, Protecting arms of Cubs starters a top priority in spring training http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-cubs-protecting-pitchers-spring-training-spt-0218-20160217-story.html

Chicago Tribune, Chris Bosio: Cubs' good feelings carry over to 2016, thanks to Joe Maddon http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-joe-maddon-cubs-good-feelings-spt-0218-20160217-story.html

Chicago Tribune, Cubs announce single-game ticket plans http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-cubs-announce-ticket-plan-20160217-story.html

Chicago Sun-Times, Picture this: Jason Heyward, Anthony Rizzo, Kris Bryant together at last for Cubs http://chicago.suntimes.com/baseball/7/71/1332930/picture-jason-heyward-anthony-rizzo-kris-bryant-together-last-cubs

Cubs.com, Cubs' lineup will feature new leadoff man http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/164739838/cubs-projected-lineup-rotation-bullpen

Cubs.com, Schwarber homer cracks fan's windshield http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/164773192/kyle-schwarber-breaks-car-window-with-homer

Cubs.com, Bosio already hard at work with early arrivals http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/164762496/chris-bosio-cubs-pitchers-catchers-at-camp

Cubs.com, Tale of the fantasy tape: Cardinals vs. Cubs http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/164778482/fantasy-breakdown-of-the-cubs-and-cardinals

ESPNChicago.com, On Cubs team with big goals, Jason Hammel needs bounce-back season http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/cubs/post/_/id/36328/on-cubs-team-with-big-goals-jason-hammel-needs-bounce-back-season

ESPNChicago.com, What will Joe Maddon's lineups look like this season? http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/cubs/post/_/id/36330/what-will-joe-maddons-lineups-look-like-this-season

ESPNChicago.com, Cubs' Kyle Schwarber already doing damage this spring http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/cubs/post/_/id/36377/kyle-schwarber-breaks-fans-windshield-during-bp

CSNChicago.com, Kyle Schwarber's HR ball shatters car windshield http://www.csnchicago.com/cubs/kyle-schwarbers-hr-ball-shatters-car-windshield

CSNChicago.com, Cubs: Five storylines for spring training http://www.csnchicago.com/cubs/cubs-five-storylines-spring-training

-- Tribune Javier Baez feels no pressure at Cubs training camp Mark Gonzales Javier Baez is at peace one year after losing his starting second base job and now trying to learn to learn the nuances of center field. “I don’t (feel) any pressure to being here,” Baez said Tuesday after working on numerous drills. “I'm just trying to stay healthy and stay the whole year up here.’’ Baez, 23, could earn a spot on the opening day roster if he shows he can play center field well enough to earn the trust of manager Joe Maddon. Baez arguably is the Cubs’ best defensive infielder, but third baseman Kris Bryant, shortstop Addison Russell and second baseman Ben Zobrist start at positions where Baez has previous experience. Left-handed hitter Tommy La Stella also is in the mix for a backup infield role. Jason Heyward will start in center, but Maddon likes versatility. That means there could be instances where Heyward moves to right field -- where he earned a 2015 National League Gold Glove Award. That leaves center field open, where speedy Matt Szczur has more experience than Baez but is out of minor league options. “There are a few little things we still got to work on, but I feel very good,” Baez said after completing one drill where he must charge a single and throw quickly to the infield. “I don’t feel natural, but I’m almost there. We’ll just be ready for that when the season starts.” Baez said the transition to the outfield is easier than if he was moving from the outfield to the infield. Nevertheless, Baez will continue to work in the infield and outfield well in advance of the Cubs’ first full-squad workout on Feb. 24. Baez can learn from Zobrist, who became a two-time American League All-Star because of his ability to play the outfield as well as second and shortstop with Tampa Bay under Maddon. “It feels great to know somebody can do that,” Baez said. “For me, I’m not trying to do that my whole career. But we’re still learning and moving forward.” -- Tribune Kyle Schwarber home run cracks car windshield at spring training Lauren Comitor Spring training hasn't officially started and Kyle Schwarber's home runs are apparently already wreaking havoc.

A Cubs fan posted a picture on Instagram Wednesday of his car's broken windshield, saying a Schwarber batting practice home run did the damage: "Everyone took pictures and laughed at the idiot who parked there. I did the same." The Cubs commented on the post: "Sorry about that! :-)" Both Schwarber and Javier Baez were launching balls into the parking lot during their practice sessions, so perhaps it was one of these? -- Tribune Protecting arms of Cubs starters a top priority in spring training Mark Gonzales Spring training fans eager to see John Lackey make his Cubs debut or Jake Arrieta pitch for the first time since his 2015 National League Cy Young Award season might have to wait awhile. There are no sirens blaring. It's just that, in the wake of last season's playoff run, the Cubs want to take a conservative approach to enhance their chances of advancing further in October. "We're all aware of the inning totals that some of the guys have," pitching coach Chris Bosio said Wednesday. "They've never been in that area, but we'll plan accordingly for it." It means Trevor Cahill and left-handers Travis Wood and Clayton Richard could start more games early in spring training with Jon Lester, Lackey and Arrieta pitching in the more controlled environment of B games. "We have a pitching roster full of versatility," said Bosio, alluding to the success Cahill, Wood and Richard had in relief roles last year. "So we're going to use our depth. We have the depth, so we're going to try to take advantage of it in a small way.'' Before last season, manager Joe Maddon set 1,000 innings from his rotation as a goal. But struggles at the back end, coupled with a greater sense of urgency in the final two months as the Cubs battled for a playoff berth, resulted in more use of the bullpen. As a result, Cubs starters pitched 9462/3 innings. That might seem like a disappointment, but only two teams — the White Sox (1,011) and the Mets (1,0022/3) — had rotations that pitched at least 1,000 innings. Nevertheless, Lester reached the 200-inning mark for the seventh time in his career and finished with 219, including the postseason. Lackey, 37, logged 218 innings for the Cardinals during the regular season as he reached the 200-inning mark for the sixth time. And Arrieta set a personal best with 229 innings and added 192/3 innings during the playoffs. Bosio said the tight race for the playoffs last year meant that "Joe managed literally every at-bat to win." The Cubs' priority was getting important outs, not babying pitchers. "I don't think we would have been where we were if Joe would have managed differently," Bosio said. To return to the playoffs, the Cubs will need Arrieta, Lester and Lackey to carry their share of the workload. "Jake wants to have that dependency," said Kyle Hendricks, who threw a career-high 180 innings during the regular season. "That's the way he is. Lester and Lackey are the same way. It's healthy competition. That's how we want to have it.

"We want to have guys who throw complete games if they can." -- Tribune Chris Bosio: Cubs' good feelings carry over to 2016, thanks to Joe Maddon Mark Gonzales Manager Joe Maddon's "Less is More" slogan that worked well with Cubs youngsters during the September playoff drive still resonates with pitching coach Chris Bosio. "Everyone has a great feeling about last year and coming into this spring," Bosio said Wednesday, referring to Maddon's methods that include skipping batting practice. "We all know what Joe is all about. We know what he brings to the table. He's going to manage this thing. There's not going to be a lot of surprises. And he's looking out for their well-being. I don't see a lot of change. "There have been some teams I've been on with Milwaukee and Seattle that have gone to the playoffs, where a lot of guys in the offseason feel like you need to make changes. You don't need to make changes. All you need to do is get in better shape, stay healthy and good things will happen." Soaking it in: Pitcher Ryan Williams was delighted to be added to spring training as a non-roster invitee. Williams, 24, said he benefited last season by seeking advice from catcher Miguel Montero, who went to Double-A Tennessee on a rehabilitation assignment, and from Class A pitching coach and former major-league pitcher Brian Lawrence (now at Eugene). Williams, who the Cubs drafted in the 10th round in 2014, emerged as a senior at East Carolina from the shadow of Jeff Hoffman, whom the Blue Jays selected ninth overall in '14. "I never was going to throw 97-98 (mph) like Hoffman, so I knew my job was to induce weak contact and stay focused," said Williams, who was a combined 14-3 with a 2.16 ERA at Class A Sound Bend and Tennessee. Williams said he had no scholarship offers while pitching for West Valley College in Saratoga, Calif., before an East Carolina coach with Bay Area ties scouted him in the spring of 2012. Extra innings: Montero said his left thumb feels fully healed after he missed four weeks last season because of a sprain. ... Cubs single-game tickets will go on sale at 10 a.m. Friday Feb. 26. A MasterCard presale will begin at noon Tuesday. -- Tribune Cubs announce single-game ticket plans Mark Gonzales The Chicago Cubs announced Wednesday that single game tickets go on sale Feb. 26 at 10 a.m. and will be available on www.cubs.com or by calling 800-THE-CUBS (800-843-2827). The team also revealed that fans can purchase single game tickets through the MasterCard Presale on Tuesday at noon. Single game tickets will be available at the team's website for a 20 percent premium, or a 15 percent premium for fans using a MasterCard. Because of construction at and around Wrigley Field, the Cubs cannot offer in-person single game ticket sales until closer to the season.

A four-ticket purchase limit for Marquee and Platinum games per household, credit card or email address will be instituted. At Cubs Convention last month, a team official revealed that season ticket sales were at a 98 percent renewal rate. -- Sun-Times Picture this: Jason Heyward, Anthony Rizzo, Kris Bryant together at last for Cubs WRITTEN BY RICK MORRISSEY The mere thought of Jason Heyward, Anthony Rizzo and Kris Bryant together has been enough to warm the hearts of Cubs fans throughout the winter. An actual photo of them waiting to field baseballs at the team’s spring training facility is a completely different matter, a combination of mystical experience and Cubs porn for a certain kind of fan. This particular photo shows Heyward, arms crossed, standing with Rizzo and Bryant in Mesa, Ariz. Three blue-clad baseball players, each with a mitt on his hand, talking in the outfield. So what’s the big deal? It’s the first time the three have been seen together in a baseball setting. It’s no longer the idea of them. It’s the reality of them. When Heyward retweeted the photo, taken by a Sun-Times photographer on Tuesday, it went viral. That tends to happen when A) the Cubs are picked to win the World Series B) spring training is only days away and C) did I mention spring training is only days away? To say there is excitement surrounding the Cubs would be like saying there are rings surrounding Saturn. But Planet Cub is bigger than that and has been sustaining life (and death) for more than a century. The Cubs signed Heyward away from the Cardinals in the offseason, giving them a stellar outfielder and a hitter who is the apple of the eye of many an analytics aficionado. It strengthened a team that made it to the National League Championship Series last season. Having Heyward, Rizzo and Bryant, the NL Rookie of the Year last season, in the same lineup will be no fun at all for opposing pitchers. You’ve known that for several months now. Seeing them in the same Arizona sun finally brings home the truth of it. Picture this: Pitchers and catchers report Friday, with the first official workout starting Saturday. Be still your heart. -- Cubs.com Cubs' lineup will feature new leadoff man Pitcher will continue to hit eighth in Maddon's batting order Carrie Muskat MESA, Ariz. -- The Cubs will be looking for a new leadoff man with Dexter Fowler not returning this year. Could it be new outfielder Jason Heyward? What about Kyle Schwarber? Manager Joe Maddon may have some surprises in store.

As the Cubs count down to the start of Spring Training, which begins Friday with pitchers and catchers reporting to camp, it's time to project the 2016 lineup. One thing that is certain: The starting pitcher will bat eighth, a move Maddon employed the majority of last season. Most players downplay being the leadoff man because they only bat first at the start of the game. But Fowler did provide a spark -- especially with Maddon's encouraging "You go, we go" message -- and Heyward could find himself in that role. Last season with the Cardinals, Heyward batted third, fourth or fifth. In his career, he has been the leadoff man in 126 games, and has a slash line of .280/.354/.427 when he bats first. However, Schwarber also was inserted into the No. 1 spot in the lineup in two games, and did post a .355 on-base percentage in 69 games last season. If Schwarber led off, Heyward could bat fourth or fifth. "There's no different approach to the game," Schwarber said last August when he led off against the Giants. "You're the first hitter, and then once the game starts, you're not the first hitter anymore. Just approach it like any other at-bat and go from there." Maddon used Ben Zobrist in the No. 2 spot when they were together with the Rays -- the switch-hitter batted .272 in 324 games in that spot -- and he seems the best fit there. As for the rotation, John Lackey is expected to be inserted after National League Cy Young Award winner Jake Arrieta and Jon Lester. The only real decisions this spring will be how Maddon arranges his bullpen. If Rex Brothers can bounce back, he could be the left-handed setup man. 2015 record 97-65, third in the NL Central Projected batting order 1. CF Jason Heyward: .293 BA, .359 OBP, .439 SLG, 13 HR, 60 RBIs in 2015 2. 2B Ben Zobrist: .276 BA, .359 OBP, .450 SLG, 13 HR, 56 RBIs in 2015 3. 1B Anthony Rizzo: .278 BA, .387 OBP, .512 SLG, 31 HR, 101 RBIs in 2015 4. 3B Kris Bryant: .275 BA, .369 OBP, .488 SLG, 26 HR, 99 RBIs in 2015 5. LF Kyle Schwarber: .246 BA, .355 OBP, .487 SLG, 16 HR, 43 RBIs in 2015 6. RF Jorge Soler: .262 BA, .324 OBP, .399 SLG, 10 HR, 47 RBIs in 2015 7. C Miguel Montero: .248 BA, .345 OBP, .409 SLG, 15 HR, 53 RBIs in 2015 8. P Pitcher's spot 9. SS Addison Russell: .242 BA, .307 OBP, .389 SLG, 13 HR, 54 RBIs in 2015 Projected rotation 1. Jake Arrieta: 22-6, 1.77 ERA in 2015 2. Jon Lester: 11-12, 3.34 ERA in 2015 3. John Lackey: 13-10, 2.77 ERA in 2015 4. Jason Hammel: 10-7, 3.74 ERA in 2015 5. Kyle Hendricks: 8-7, 3.95 ERA in 2015 Projected bullpen Closer: Hector Rondon: 30/34 saves, 1.67 ERA in 2015 RH setup man: Pedro Strop: 2.91 ERA in 2015

LH setup man: Travis Wood: 3.84 ERA in 2015 -- Cubs.com Schwarber homer cracks fan's windshield Carrie Muskat MESA, Ariz. -- If you're coming to watch the Cubs take batting practice, beware of Kyle Schwarber. The young slugger busted a car window on Wednesday during a workout on Field 1 at the team's facility. Peter Gesler posted a photo of his broken windshield on Instagram, saying, "Our car is now famous. Kyle Schwarber's home run in batting practice found our windshield. Everyone took pictures and laughed at the idiot who parked there. I did the same." The Cubs did comment on Gesler's post, saying, "Sorry about that! :-)" Gesler said he was watching the Cubs batters from behind home plate and saw the trajectory of Schwarber's ball as it headed over the right-field screen, but he didn't expect it to hit his car. It's not the first time a Cubs player has bashed a windshield. Javier Baez broke two car windows in 2014, but that was on a different field at the complex. -- Cubs.com Bosio already hard at work with early arrivals Cubs pitching coach getting to know newcomers, excited about entire staff Carrie Muskat MESA, Ariz. -- If Cubs pitching coach Chris Bosio isn't talking to his pitchers before or after their bullpen sessions in Spring Training, he's often on the golf course with them. It's a perfect ice breaker. "You find out a lot about guys on a golf course," Bosio said Wednesday. "It's my way of us getting away from here and still talking shop. I've got a lot of guys who love to golf, I've got a lot of guys who don't like to golf, but they'll just get out, and that's how we build camaraderie." Cubs pitchers and catchers officially report Friday, but Bosio has been working with early arrivals at the team's complex for the past two weeks. They're hoping to continue to make progress after last year's 97-win season. "It's a great environment and we'll build off last year with some great additions and a taste for what postseason baseball was," Bosio said. "I think the guys all liked that taste in their mouth. We're motivated and focused, and what better than to watch [assistant hitting coach Eric] Hinske walk over there with the tunes for batting practice." Even though position players don't have to report until Tuesday, Hinske had four hitting groups on Field 1 on Wednesday, including Anthony Rizzo, Kris Bryant, Addison Russell, Chris Coghlan, Kyle Schwarber, Javier Baez, Albert Almora and John Andreoli. Bosio won't have to do much tinkering to the rotation, which will feature National League Cy Young Award winner Jake Arrieta plus Jon Lester, newcomer John Lackey, Jason Hammel and Kyle Hendricks. The only real issue to resolve is the makeup of the bullpen. Where do newly acquired Adam Warren and Rex Brothers fit? What about Neil Ramirez?

"We're starting to get more competition, more depth, and the organization has done a great job of acquiring that," Bosio said. "Health is big. When we're healthy, we'll see what these guys can do. The bullpen had a good year last year. We had some guys who had some really nice years, some career years, and they're coming into camp already and they look good. Health will be the No. 1 priority moving forward from Day 1 to the end of spring." Fans shouldn't be surprised to see Travis Wood, Trevor Cahill or Clayton Richard get starts in Spring Training. It's part of the plan to give everyone innings and get stretched out, and also monitor the starting five's workload. Bosio said there are enough split squad and "B" games to keep everyone busy. What also helps Bosio is that he knows what to expect from manager Joe Maddon after one year together. "The one thing I saw last year that I learned from watching Joe manage is that Joe managed literally every at-bat to win," Bosio said. "In a lot of situations, [the starters] all could've had 200 innings. But I don't think we would've been where we were if Joe had managed differently." -- Cubs.com Tale of the fantasy tape: Cardinals vs. Cubs Fred Zinkie Cardinals fans have taken great pride in the team's three consecutive National League Central titles, but St. Louis may no longer be the division's dominant club. Having added a cast of productive veterans to a core of skilled youngsters, the Cubs are shaping up to be one of the most exciting teams in baseball this season. Before these rivals settle their competition on the field in 2016, we can get a head start on assessing them by comparing the fantasy value of their key players for the upcoming campaign. A word of warning: Cards fans may want to stop reading here. Catcher: Yadier Molina is clearly superior defensively to Miguel Montero, but these two players are dead even in terms of fantasy value. Molina can hit for average, but his power has disappeared in recent seasons. Montero is unlikely to post a high batting mark, but he'll provide plenty of power. First base: A five-category stud who belongs in the first round of most fantasy drafts, Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo holds a decided advantage over the Cardinals' Brandon Moss. Rizzo is among the few players with the potential to rip 30 roundtrippers, swipe 15 bases and drive in 100 runs in 2016. Second base: In a battle of potential against predictability, Kolten Wong and Ben Zobrist finish in a tie. Wong should use his solid power/speed combination to dent mixed-league rosters, but his recent struggles against southpaws are a cause for concern. Zobrist no longer offers a speed component, but he should match Wong's power and score plenty of runs by virtue of his terrific on-base skills. Shortstop: Expected to take a step forward in his second season, skilled youngster Addison Russell gets a slight edge over Jhonny Peralta. Cards fans will likely vehemently disagree with this decision, but the 22-year-old Russell may be on the verge of making a major leap. Peralta is a safe source of power for fantasy owners, but his lack of speed limits his ability to swipe bases and score runs. Third base: In another battle where an ascending player leapfrogs a veteran, Kris Bryant is expected to be selected long before Matt Carpenter in 2016 drafts. Already a four-category difference-maker, Bryant -- who will be among the top-20 picks in most leagues -- could be even better if he can lower his strikeout rate. (Carpenter, however, is also a fine mixed-league third baseman after significantly raising his power numbers last season.)

Left field: Matt Holliday is no longer a lock to hit .300, and he also raised concerns about his power potential and ability to stay healthy during an injury-plagued 2015 season. The veteran loses out to power sensation Kyle Schwarber, who followed up a brief-but-impressive Minor League career by swatting 16 homers across his initial 232 big league at-bats. Center field: Though Jason Heyward has yet to sustain the power numbers that many scouts expected, his diverse skill set gives him a fantasy advantage over the ascending Randal Grichuk. Grichuk showed his impressive power potential by swatting 17 homers across 323 at-bats last season. But unless he can lower last year's 31.4 percent strikeout rate, he will likely be hard-pressed to notch a batting average north of .270. Right field: In a battle of talented youngsters, we will declare a draw between Jorge Soler and Stephen Piscotty. Soler has the plus power to make a leap this season, if he can lower his strikeout rate, while Piscotty will need to prove that he can hit for a high average without the benefit of a high BABIP. No. 1 starter: A healthy Adam Wainwright is a fine fantasy workhorse, but his current value lags well behind Jake Arrieta. Coming off a historically excellent second half (0.75 ERA, 0.73 WHIP), Arrieta should be among the first three starters off the board in all 2016 drafts. No. 2 starter: Jon Lester's ability to combine a strong ERA and WHIP with 200-plus strikeouts gives the Cubs a great one-two punch with Arrieta. He holds a decided edge over Michael Wacha, who posted a 4.01 ERA in the second half of 2015. No. 3 starter: The Cardinals finally score a win, with Carlos Martinez ranking ahead of steady veteran John Lackey. True, the Martinez's late-season shoulder woes are a cause for concern. But his 200-strikeout potential makes him a valuable fantasy starter when healthy. No. 4 starter: Jason Hammel would have held an advantage over Mike Leake if he could have maintained his 2.86 first-half ERA across all of last season, but he pitched to a 5.10 mark after the All-Star break. That leaves him tied with Leake, who should produce quality ratios, but a low strikeout total. No. 5 starter: The favorite to be the Cubs' fifth starter, Kyle Hendricks made major gains with his strikeout rate in 2015 and owns a solid lifetime 1.14 WHIP. That gives him the edge over Jaime Garcia, who is coming off an effective '15 season but has a lifetime 1.26 WHIP and a lengthy injury history. Closer: With 93 saves across the past two seasons, Trevor Rosenthal has more experience closing out wins than Hector Rondon. But in that same span, Rosenthal has registered a 1.34 WHIP while Rondon has pitched to a 1.03 mark. Rondon's ability to keep the bases clean causes this fantasy battle to finish in a draw. Setup Men: These two strong setup crews have little separation between them heading into 2016, as Kevin Siegrist, Seung Hwan Oh, Pedro Strop and Justin Grimm should all populate NL-only rosters. Final verdict: While Cards fans (and Pirates fans) may not want to admit it, the Cubs could be the favorites to win the NL Central this season. On the strength of three early-round fantasy picks (Rizzo, Bryant and Arrieta) and an 8-1 advantage in our position-by-position breakdown, Chicago runs away with this Fantasy Tale of the Tape. -- ESPNChicago.com On Cubs team with big goals, Jason Hammel needs bounce-back season Jesse Rogers There aren’t many players on the Chicago Cubs who need to rebound from bad years. When a team wins 97 games with a young roster the individual successes come with it. It’s why Jake Arrieta won the Cy Young award and Kris Bryant won Rookie of the Year and Anthony Rizzo finished fourth in MVP voting.

But that doesn’t mean everyone was as good as they could be for seven months. There’s no hiding the fact Jason Hammel had an awful second half culminating in two forgettable starts in the postseason. As manager Joe Maddon did time and again in the final months of the season, he pulled Hammel from those playoff appearances before the damage got way out of hand but the numbers still weren’t pretty: 4.1 postseason innings, seven runs. That was preceded by a 5.10 ERA during the second half of the regular season. Days after the Cubs were eliminated, Hammel’s boss reflected on what happened. “The tale of two halves with him and the dividing line is almost exactly that moment he walked off the mound with a calf injury,” president Theo Epstein said. Hammel injured himself right before the All-Star break but never missed a start. It’s hard not to imagine the injury affecting him, as his first half ERA was a sparkling 2.86. At that time, he was pitching better than Jon Lester and arguably as well as Arrieta. Then the bottom fell out. “Maybe there was a different way to handle that process of getting him right from the calf injury and getting him on the mound,” Epstein said. “Maybe if we handled it a different way his second half would have been different.” “He is that guy you saw in that first half when he’s 100 percent and locked in.” Hammel was even more blunt: “I felt like I sucked for about three months. The first half was amazing. [Had] the injury and then I was a different guy.” All of this leads to the spotlight being squarely on him as spring training begins. He gets a reset after a miserable finish in 2015. Others to watch: Javier Baez: He’s made this kind of list several years in a row. Can he continue mastering his swing changes which produced a .289 batting average to go along with a keener eye at the plate? Kyle Hendricks: He’s not in the same category as Hammel but he still needs a strong spring, showing movement with his pitches and perhaps a new wrinkle or two to his repertoire. Chris Coghlan: What’s his role? Will he play more in right or left field and how much infield time will he see? Is he purely a back-up, even against righties, or is he part of a platoon with Jorge Soler? Matt Szczur: He might be the final roster spot as the Cubs are in need of a lock down, late inning defensive specialist in the outfield. There are challengers for the job but GM Jed Hoyer recently indicated his affection for Szczur in that role. Arrieta/John Lackey: They’re only in the spotlight because they might get a slower roll out during spring training. Cognizant of their past workloads -- as well as future ones -- the Cubs will take it slow. Jon Lester could be included in this as well though he likes the routine he’s followed for years. -- ESPNChicago.com What will Joe Maddon's lineups look like this season? Jesse Rogers If ever the term "mad scientist" applied to a baseball manager, then Chicago Cubs skipper Joe Maddon has dibs on it. He’s not one to play the same eight players every day in the same position in the batting order. In fact, his philosophy is in stark contrast to many others. He wants his players -- including his bullpen -- to be on their toes. One day Kris Bryant might be batting fourth and playing third base, the next he could be hitting third and playing right field.

Maybe there will be less moving around this year, but don’t count on it because the other philosophy Maddon espouses is rest. He wants his guys fresh for the long haul -- including his star players. That could mean sitting guys even in the heart of a pennant race, as he did last season. It also gives him the opportunity to mix and match his lineup accordingly. Let’s examine some possibilities: Right now we have to assume Jason Heyward will lead off and Ben Zobrist will bat second. Squeezing righty Kris Bryant between No. 3 hitter Anthony Rizzo and No. 5 slugger Kyle Schwarber makes sense if Maddon wants to keep a lefty/righty flow to the order. Against righties -- if Chris Coghlan isn’t playing -- Jorge Soler batting sixth also makes sense followed by the catcher. Then the decision is either to bat the pitcher eighth, as Maddon did last year, or move the catcher down and shortstop Addison Russell up. With such a stacked lineup, he may choose to leave Russell in the No. 9 hole, as his budding ability to reach base could make Heyward even more dangerous at the top of the order. And remember he might be a “veteran” now but Russell is still very young and learning the game, so keeping pressure off him in the 9-hole could still be a good idea. It worked last year. Or maybe the numbers indicate there were too many missed chances with the pitcher batting eighth and Maddon returns to a more traditional look. At this point, it might be splitting hairs. I like Russell No. 9, so here’s what the lineup could look like: 1) Heyward, CF 2) Zobrist, 2b 3) Rizzo, 1b 4) Bryant, 3b 5) Schwarber, LF 6) Soler, RF 7) Montero, C 8) Pitcher 9) Russell, SS When Zobrist gets a day off then things could change, as Javier Baez isn’t likely to bat second. Maybe that’s when Russell gets moved all the way up as he continues his development -- getting a taste of the top of the order without the pressure of being there all the time could be beneficial. Of course, Schwarber and Soler also have experience batting second. When Schwarber gets a day off against a tough lefty, then Soler and Russell could move up then also. On days David Ross catches, there’s also the chance Maddon just goes with his top seven hitters in order knowing he doesn’t have the same luxury he normally has within his lineup. Hopefully the damage is done by the time Ross and Jon Lester come to the plate. A change in all this could come if the Cubs' middle or even bottom of the order start stranding runners, as was the case last year. The team has already intimated Zobrist or Heyward could become more valuable in RBI positions considering their abilities to put the ball in play. Over the course of his career, Zobrist has driven in a runner from third base with less than two outs 55 percent of the time. Heyward did it 54 percent just last season and was successful 74 percent of the time in 2014. The league average is 51 percent, but the Cubs brought runners home from third base with less than two outs last season just 41 percent of the time, ranking dead last in baseball. So let’s take a look at an alternative lineup if more contact is needed in the middle of the order. 1) Zobrist or Heyward

2) Schwarber 3) Rizzo 4) Bryant 5) Heyward or Zobrist 6) Soler 7) Montero 8) Pitcher 9) Russell These are just a few possibilities for Maddon. He can also stack the lineup with lefties all in a row to force the issue, as he did against Lance Lynn of the St. Louis Cardinals. He had trouble throwing strikes against so many lefties in a row. Maddon could do the same from the other side of the plate with Baez, Soler and Russell playing more prominent roles near the top or middle of the lineup. The combinations are endless and Maddon is sure to use them all. -- ESPNChicago.com Cubs' Kyle Schwarber already doing damage this spring Jesse Rogers MESA, Ariz. – Chicago Cubs catcher/outfielder Kyle Schwarber has picked up where he left off last season: Hitting bombs. Even though spring training is still days away, many Cubs players are already in camp taking informal batting practice. And depending on where fans park their cars, they might have some damage to deal with – albeit from one of the young stars in the game. No word yet if Schwarber has offered to pay for the windshield, but there will be plenty of time to do more damage as lefties can take aim beyond the fence at this particular practice field. Not to be left out, the Cubs' right-handed bashers will get their chances to reach the parking lot on a different field once camp opens. Sluggers Javier Baez and Kris Bryant have dented a few vehicles there in the past. -- CSNChicago.com Kyle Schwarber's HR ball shatters car windshield Staff Spring Training got underway with a bang for the Cubs. Or maybe it was more of a crack. Pitchers and catchers officially report on Friday, but many battery mates are already in Mesa. Kyle Schwarber caused the first casualty of the spring by shattering a car windshield during batting practice. Peter Gesler took to Instagram to document the moment.

The picture of his shattered windshield was accompanied by the captain, "Our car is now famous. Kyle Schwarber's home run in batting practice found our windshield. Everyone took pictures and laughed at the idiot who parked there. I did the same." Gesler shouldn't feel that bad. It's Spring Training for the fans, too. He's got more than a month to get his parking selection in midseason form. [MORE: Cubs banking on Jason Heyward's Gold Glove defense] The Cubs' Instagram shared the image with a one-word response: "Oops." -- CSNChicago.com Cubs: Five storylines for spring training Patrick Mooney Theo Epstein knows he doesn’t have anywhere else to go, at least not until the Cubs win their first World Series since 1908. There’s no better job to leverage and too much unfinished business. If this team is as good as advertised, why let someone else ride in the parade down Michigan Avenue? Chairman Tom Ricketts understands he can’t afford to let his president of baseball operations walk out of the team’s Clark Street headquarters in a gorilla suit. It would be a PR nightmare for an image-conscious franchise still trying to finish the Wrigley Field renovations and potentially launch a new TV network. Now in the fifth and final year of his contract, Epstein realizes his history with the Boston Red Sox will create suspicions. But despite the ugly ending in Boston – and the financial handcuffs in place at the start of the Wrigleyville teardown – don’t expect him to go on sabbatical and follow Pearl Jam to South America. Ricketts is a long-term, big-picture thinker who lets people do their jobs and believes in building through the farm system. Epstein wants to take care of his department – general manager Jed Hoyer is also in the last year of his deal – and he should get paid after last year’s 97-win surge. If the Los Angeles Dodgers set a baseline with Andrew Friedman – roughly five years and $35 million – what’s Epstein’s price with two World Series titles already on his resume? Cubs pitchers and catchers formally report to Arizona on Friday and the boardroom intrigue will be one behind-the-scenes storyline during a camp where the focus will be on the field and a clubhouse that expects to pop champagne bottles again in October. Jake the Snake Jake Arrieta will channel his inner Texas cowboy and brush aside any concerns about the year-after effects from throwing almost 250 innings. But remember what he said on the Baseball Writers’ Association of America conference call after winning the National League Cy Young Award. “You can train and you can prepare and you can be in top physical condition,” Arrieta said. “But without having a workload like that under your belt, it’s natural for your body at some point to wear down and let yourself know that: ‘Hey, we’re getting into an area where we haven’t necessarily been before.' “The fatigue did set it in. I’ll be the first to tell you. But physically my body was in better shape than it’s ever been. There was nothing alarming to me. It was just something that is very comparable to 'dead arm.'" Arrieta (22-6, 1.77 ERA) had one of the greatest individual seasons ever for a pitcher, and he did it in a way that included his teammates, with a sense of swagger that captivated fans, turning his starts into must-see TV.

But that’s still Arrieta’s only wire-to-wire season in The Show. War of Attrition The Cubs stayed remarkably healthy last season, with Arrieta, Jon Lester, Jason Hammel and Kyle Hendricks all making at least 31 starts. But they probably won’t be so lucky this year and will need swingmen Adam Warren, Trevor Cahill, Clayton Richard and Travis Wood to survive the marathon, especially since the farm system doesn’t have anyone close to stepping into a playoff-caliber rotation. The Cubs are giving Hammel the benefit of the doubt, believing he’s over the leg issues that contributed to his second-half fade (5.10 ERA) last year. The expectation is a new-season outlook and a different strength-and-conditioning program will help him get back to what he was before the All-Star break (2.86 ERA). Hendricks has a Dartmouth College degree and gets typecast as the thinker. But he’s tougher and more athletic than he gets credit for, putting up 180 innings, a 3.95 ERA and a 1.16 WHIP during a year where even he admitted he struggled to get a feel for his pitches and find a rhythm. [RELATED: Cubs banking on Jason Heyward's Gold Glove defense] The Cubs also think Warren in particular could be sneaky good outside of the American League East after getting traded from the New York Yankees in the Starlin Castro deal. “We know going into the year, however you dream up those 1,400 innings,” Epstein said, “it’s not going to come out exactly how you anticipate. You’re going to have injuries. You’re going to have underperformance. You’re going to have some guys pleasantly surprise you. “You know you’re going to make a trade at some point. You’re going to sign a couple guys off the scrap heap. You’re going to have someone come up from Triple-A and impress. You’re going to have someone come up from Triple-A and disappoint. “You just hope that you’re strong enough and healthy enough as an organization – and open-minded enough and talented enough – that through the course of the year you put a pretty good product out there and you answer the bell more often than not. “I think we will.” Jigsaw Puzzle Joe Maddon isn’t the first guy to show up at the ballpark or the last one to leave at night. He won’t lock himself in the film room to break down swings and pitching mechanics. He won’t apologize for his outside interests or pretend he thinks about baseball 24/7. Maddon’s job is managing people and he makes it look easy. But beyond the mix-and-match pitching staff – Hammel will still probably be looking over his shoulder the third time through the lineup – Maddon will also have to juggle a versatile group of position players and massage all the egos. Will there be enough at-bats to keep Miguel Montero and Chris Coghlan and everyone else happy? Is Kyle Schwarber an outfielder or a catcher or a designated hitter? Can Jorge Soler finally stay healthy? Will Jason Heyward’s Gold Glove defense translate in center field? Is Javier Baez really built for a super-utility role and ready to become the next Ben Zobrist? Personality Test

Setting aside the $276 million spending spree during the offseason, this team has been years in the making. If everyone stays healthy, the Cubs might only be focusing on one or two roster spots during March Madness. [MORE: Why Cubs believe their rock-star young players won't believe the hype] You will hear a lot about the Cubs playing with a target on their back now and getting everyone’s best shot and all the other clichés. Some of it will be talk-show formula and spring-training filler. But these are real issues, making sure the veterans accept their roles and the young guys don’t get too comfortable or start to feel untouchable while everyone keeps telling them how great they are. Players aren’t robots or PECOTA projections. The Cubs had unbelievable dance-party chemistry in 2015. But last year is over, and this group will have to create a new identity. “The sky’s the limit for us,” Schwarber said. --