March 12, 2015

Chicago Tribune, Joe Maddon no fan of players pimping home runs http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/chi-maddon--pimping-home-runs-20150311-story.html

Chicago Tribune, Wednesday's recap: Cubs 4, Dodgers 3 http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-gameday-cubs-spring-training-spt-0312-20150311-story.html

Chicago Tribune, Will Ferrell set to suit up for Cubs and White Sox on Thursday http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/whitesox/chi-will-ferrell-white-sox-20150310-story.html

Chicago Tribune, After offseason of hype, Cubs still searching for first win http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/chi-after-offseason-of-hype-cubs-still-searching-for-first-win-20150311-story.html

Chicago Sun-Times, Maddon to Cubs who hit homers: "Act like you've done it before" http://chicago.suntimes.com/baseball/7/71/433768/cubs-joe-maddon-fan-pimping-home-runs

Chicago Sun-Times, Shake and Bake! Maddon expects serious response to comedy of errors in next 10 days http://chicago.suntimes.com/baseball/7/71/433545/shake-bake-maddon-expects-serious-response-comedy-errors-next-10-days

Chicago Sun-Times, Actor Will Ferrell to play for Cubs Thursday as part of a one-day, 10-team stunt to air on HBO http://chicago.suntimes.com/baseball/7/71/432683/actor-will-ferrell-play-cubs-thursday-part-one-day-10-team-stunt-air-hbo

Chicago Sun-Times, NL Central title? Cactus League title? Don't ask Cubs' Rizzo for a prediction http://chicago.suntimes.com/baseball/7/71/432293/nl-central-title-cactus-league-title-dont-ask-cubs-rizzo-prediction

Cubs.com, Will Ferrell to play for Cubs in 10-position, five-team event http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/112298938/will-ferrell-to-play-every-position-for-10-teams-including-cubs-in-one-day

Cubs.com, Lester looks sharp as Cubs break winless spring streak http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/112263686/chicago-cubs-jon-lester-solid-in-start-vs-los-angeles-dodgers

Cubs.com, Lester getting in sync with new batterymate Montero http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/112315782/chicago-cubs-ace-jon-lester-still-learning-to-work-with-catcher-miguel-montero

Cubs.com, Home run trio soaking up praise in camp http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/112238120/chicago-cubs-prospects-are-center-of-attention-in-camp-after-back-to-back-to-back-homers

Cubs.com, Maddon gets creative to emphasize fundamentals http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/112259354/chicago-cubs-manager-joe-maddon-concerned-with-mental-mistakes

Cubs.com, 'Hawk' says this could be year for White Sox-Cubs Series http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/112259660/ken-hawk-harrelson-says-this-could-be-year-for-white-sox-cubs-world-series

ESPNChicago.com, Jon Lester, Miguel Montero strike early http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/cubs/post/_/id/29168/jon-lester-miguel-montero-strike-early

ESPNChicago.com, Lester super as Cubs (finally) earn first win http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/cubs/post/_/id/29162/lester-super-as-cubs-finally-earn-first-win-in-spring

ESPNChicago.com, Maddon upset with Cubs' lack of fundamentals http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/cubs/post/_/id/29158/maddon-upset-with-cubs-lack-of-fundamentals

ESPNChicago.com, Back-to-back-to-back has Cubs dreaming http://espn.go.com/blog/chicago/cubs/post/_/id/29152/back-to-back-to-back-has-cubs-dreaming

CSNChicago.com, Cubs’ sloppy spring play doesn’t faze Jon Lester http://www.csnchicago.com/cubs/cubs%E2%80%99-sloppy-spring-play-doesn%E2%80%99t-faze-jon-lester

CSNChicago.com, Cubs: Miguel Montero, Dexter Fowler remember playoff races as rookies http://www.csnchicago.com/cubs/cubs-miguel-montero-dexter-fowler-remember-playoff-races-rookies

CSNChicago.com, Cubs HRs 'sexy,' but Joe Maddon focusing on fundamentals http://www.csnchicago.com/cubs/cubs-hrs-sexy-joe-maddon-focusing-fundamentals

CSNChicago.com, Add Cubs to list of teams Will Ferrell will play for Thursday http://www.csnchicago.com/cubs/add-cubs-list-teams-will-ferrell-will-play-thursday

-- Chicago Tribune Joe Maddon no fan of players pimping home runs By Paul Sullivan Javier Baez was laughing after Tuesday’s game about Welington Castillo asking where Manny Ramirez was after “pimping”-- or showboating-- his home run. Ramirez, now coaching the young Cubs players, was known for doing likewise on his home runs. Manager Joe Maddon didn’t see Castillo stand at the plate and watch, and said if that was true then “we need to talk.” The whole “respect 90” theme that Maddon is emphasizing in spring is about running hard on the 90-feet to first base. Obviously watching a home run is the exact opposite of "respecting 90.”

As the third-string catcher, Castillo has to understand he’s fighting to stay in the majors and need to follow the rules. The Cubs added two veteran catchers, Miguel Montero and David Ross, in the offseason. Asked his feelings about players “pimping” homers, Maddon said: “Act like you’ve done it before and you can do it again. Surely the touchdown celebration, pounding your chest after dunking a basketball, all this stuff that’s become part of this generation of athletes, whether you agree with it being right or wrong, does it matter? “I would just prefer our guys act like they’ve done it before and that they’re going to do it again.” -- Chicago Tribune Wednesday's recap: Cubs 4, Dodgers 3 By Paul Sullivan The summary Jon Lester pitched three scoreless innings against the Dodgers and the Cubs played error-free ball for a 4-3 victory, their first in eight spring games. At the plate Mike Baxter's two-run single gave the Cubs the early lead and they scored the go-ahead run on Adron Chambers' sacrifice fly in the eighth. On the mound Phil Coke made his Cubs debut, pitching one scoreless inning. Drake Britton got the victory. In the field Albert Almora made a running catch at the wall in center field. Key number 9. Kyle Schwarber and Baxter have combined for nine of the Cubs' 32 RBIs. The quote "It's easy to second-guess your fundamentals when things go awry. These guys, from what I've seen, have been solid. … Things will take care of themselves." — Lester Up next At Angels, 3:10 p.m. Thursday in Tempe. RH Jason Hammel vs. LH C.J. Wilson. -- Chicago Tribune Will Ferrell set to suit up for Cubs and White Sox on Thursday By Colleen Kane ENDALE, Ariz. — White Sox and Cubs players expect comedian Will Ferrell to provide plenty of laughs when he suits up for their teams and eight other Cactus League clubs Thursday.

Baseball acumen is not anticipated. Ferrell will attempt to play every position in five spring training games across the Phoenix area as part of a stunt for an HBO special that will be aired later this year. He will join the Cubs for their game against the Angels at Tempe Diablo Stadium and will head to Camelback Ranch for the Sox game against the Giants later. “It’s going to be tough,” Cubs pitcher Jon Lester said of playing all the positions. “I don’t know if that’s going to go over well with him. It’ll probably take him a couple of months to recover.” Sox manager Robin Ventura said he expects Ferrell to be their designated hitter. “It will be fun,” Ventura said. “It breaks up spring training. These days for us are long days. … I think he’ll get on base for us. I might have to pinch run for him, though.” Ferrell is honoring the Athletics’ Bert Campaneris, who 50 years ago played every position in a major league game. Ferrell also is dedicating the event to cancer awareness, and his game-used gear from the day will be auctioned off at MLB.com to benefit research. Sox center fielder Adam Eaton and pitcher John Danks, who both named “Step Brothers” as a Ferrell movie they enjoyed, aren’t expecting much more than humor from Ferrell. “I don’t expect a homer,” Danks said. “I’m sure he’s just trying to make contact. I imagine it won’t be a quick at-bat. He probably has some sort of antics.” It won’t be the first time a celebrity has suited up for spring training. Country singer Garth Brooks has played in the spring with the Padres, Mets and Royals. MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said in a release that spring training is an appropriate setting for the event. “Will is a big fan of our game, and many of us in baseball — among our clubs, players and our millions of fans — are big fans of his,” Manfred said. “Major League Baseball is happy to take part in what will surely be a fun and memorable day for a great cause.” Cubs catcher Miguel Montero had one piece of advice for Ferrell. “Wear a cup,” he said. Sale ruled out: Sox left-hander Chris Sale will not return from a fractured right foot in time to start on opening day April 6 against the Royals in Kansas City, Ventura announced Wednesday. Sale suffered an avulsion fracture and sprained ankle in an accident at his home on Feb. 27, and the Sox said shortly after his chances were slim to start his third straight opener. Sale was projected to resume baseball activities around March 21 and had held out hope he would be ready. Ventura said the Sox would like to aim for Sale’s first start to be April 12 against the Twins, but they will need to evaluate him closer to that date. “The last thing you want to do is put him out there when he’s really not ready,” Ventura said. “It’s unfair for us to shoot for him, to push it in a way that would jeopardize him further into the season. This is a way to have a more realistic target date.” Ventura said he has an opening day replacement in mind but was not yet ready to name him. That duty could fall to right-hander Jeff Samardzija or left-handers Jose Quintana or John Danks. Steady as he goes: Sox second-base prospect Micah Johnson is trying to keep a level head after starting the season 7-for-15 at the plate.

“You have to wash the 4-for-4 like you wash the 0-for-4 or you’re going to get arrogant and you’re going to lose that edge,” Johnson said. “Just like if you don’t wash the 0-for-4 you’re going to get down on yourself and not have the confidence.” Tribune reporter Paul Sullivan contributed. ckane@tribpub.com Twitter @ChiTribKane Here’s Ferrell’s complete schedule, subject to change. (All times are Central.) 2:05 p.m.: Mariners at Athletics (HoHoKam Stadium) 3:10 p.m.: Cubs at Angels (Tempe Diablo Stadium) 4:10 p.m.: Reds at Diamondbacks (Salt River Fields at Talking Stick) 6:05 p.m.: Giants at White Sox (Camelback Ranch) 8:15 p.m.: Dodgers at Padres (Peoria Stadium) -- Chicago Tribune After offseason of hype, Cubs still searching for first win By Paul Sullivan MESA, Ariz. -- When the Cubs came away with a tie in their Cactus League opener against the A’s last week, manager Joe Maddon looked at the bright side. “At least we got one point,” he said, referring to the NHL’s method of awarding points for ties. One week later, the Cubs remain winless at 0-6-1 heading into this afternoon’s game against the Dodgers at Sloan Park. Does it matter? “It is spring training,” Anthony Rizzo said. “Does it matter we lost? No. We should be winning though. It doesn’t matter how you win or lose. You want to win every day. Granted there are a lot of moving factors, but it’s the same all around spring training. It’s still super early.” But it does matter how you lose, especially when you make seven errors in two games, as the Cubs have done the last two days. They could’ve had another one when left fielder Junior Lake and center fielder Arismendy Alcantara watched a fly ball fall in between them as they looked at each other to catch it. “Absolutely, it’s something we need to clean up,” Rizzo said. “And April 5 (opening day), we need to play perfect baseball. If we lose playing perfect baseball, OK. If we lose being sloppy as we have in the past, that’s not OK. That’s why I say we need to do the little things every day, as far as how we catch a fly ball, field a fly ball, how we make the throws, the footwork ... All those little things pay off in the long run.” Maddon said the Cubs have given up too many big innings. “And that always feeds into offense,” he said. “Regardless if it’s spring training or regular season, a big number up there can make your offense look lethargic also. All those are factors. I’m not by any means worried. I’d like to see

a win for the sake of the guys and get it rolling. And if you’re winning games, you probably have more chances to try different things. I haven’t had a chance to try anything, really.” Maddon said the players are still getting to know him, and vice-versa, so it takes some time. “You go into camp and tell your guys ‘relax,’” he said. “A lot of the veteran guys here already walk into the office, (have a) normal conversation ... The guys that have been around, it’s good. The young guys are the ones that it’s so freaky, they don’t know how to do that yet. But you’ve got to break the young guys in. ‘Everything is the same. Just relax.’” Rizzo said there’s been “a lot of hype” about the Cubs, though he added it’s too early to be concerned. Is Rizzo still sticking by his prediction? “What was that?” he said. That the Cubs will win the Central Division? “I’m not going to answer that question,” he politely said. Cactus League title? “We’re in a hole,” he said. -- Chicago Sun-Times Maddon to Cubs who hit homers: "Act like you've done it before" By Gordon Wittenmyer MESA, Ariz. – Overshadowed by all the talk of improved fundamentals, and the Cubs’ subsequent first win of the spring, new manager Joe Maddon made it clear he’s no fan of players standing to watch, or “pimping,” their home runs – something that could be worth watching if all these powerful young prospects make it in the big leagues. Javy Baez laughed about catcher Welington Castillo watching a homer Tuesday then returning to the dugout and looking for spring coach Manny Ramirez: “He was like, `Where’s Manny? I pimped that one.’ “ Maddon said he didn’t see whether Castillo lingered to watch his homer – which came in a 10-6 loss. But after asking about the details, Maddon said, “Then we need to talk.” Maddon’s not making a character judgment, he said. “It’s act like you’ve done it before and you can do it again,” he said. “The touchdown celebration, all that stuff, pounding your chest after dunking a basketball, all this stuff that’s become part of today’s generation of athletes – whether you agree with it being right or wrong doesn’t matter. “I would just prefer that our guys would act like they’ve done it before and that they’re going to do it again.” Castillo, the clear No. 3 in the Cubs’ catching order, was considered a strong candidate to be traded before the season opener even before camp opened. -- Chicago Sun-Times Shake and Bake! Maddon expects serious response to comedy of errors in next 10 days By Gordon Wittenmyer

MESA, Ariz. – Until they finally played a cleaner game and won a game Wednesday, the young Cubs weren’t doing much to impress their new manager the first week of spring training games. Overthrows. Underthrows. Routine fly balls landing between outfielders. Base running gaffes. They committed seven errors Monday and Tuesday alone, with almost as many mental ones in that pair of games. “My impression has been that the work has been great, but we’re not good at fundamentals in the game,” manager Joe Maddon said after running his squad through extra drills before regular work Wednesday morning. So much for being able to recognize Will Ferrell without a scorecard Thursday when the “Anchorman” star joins the Cubs in their game against the Los Angeles Angels as part of a one-day, five-game HBO show/stunt in which Ferrell plans to play briefly for all 10 teams. If Wednesday’s 4-3 win over the Dodgers isn’t the start of a new look for the Cubs this spring, Ferrell’s appearance figures to amount to little more than piling on with the comic relief. “Physical mistakes are part of the game,” Maddon said. “Mental mistakes have no part in this game. So if we’re going to change the culture here they have to understand how, when you show up at the ballpark every day, it’s not about survival, it’s about winning. “I’m not denigrating anything in the past. I’m just saying this is my impression right now.” Maddon’s observations of the first week of games essentially underscore the hardest part of a team-building process that involves relying on a kiddie core of prospects to develop at generally the same time. The natural instinct to think about how to perform well enough to “survive” with a big-league job often overrides the more important need to stay focused on little things such as basic communication, awareness on the bases, hitting situations, anticipation in the field, Maddon said. “It’s impossible to really win with a bunch of guys who get caught in that mode where they’re just trying to stay there and not make mistakes,” he said. The three home runs in a row Tuesday by top slugging prospects Jorge Soler, Javy Baez and Kris Bryant? “That’s beautiful. That’s sexy. That’s cool,” Maddon said. “But I prefer the non-sexy components that nobody really bears down on during the course of the game that really helps you to win. “The part that I cannot cope with standing in the dugout is when you’re not a good fundamental team. That bothers me. And that can be changed. I don’t care about your experience level, you can do these little things well and right. That’s where we’re at right now.” It seemed to take for one day at least. Third baseman Mike Olt made a sharp play on a slow roller for a close out in the third and nearly had another out with a diving stop in the fourth in Wednesday’s game. Shortstop Starlin Castro stayed with a tough hop to get an out in the third and range deep up the middle, then spun and threw a split second late for a spectacular out in the fourth. And prospect Albert Almora had the catch of the day in the outfield, robbing Enrique Hernandez of extra bases in the seventh with an over-the-shoulder, sliding catch at the warning track. “I’ll defend our guys’ work. Tremendous. Tremendous,” Maddon said. “But [until Wednesday] in games there’s been a disconnect in their work and how we play the game fundamentally. We’ve got to get rid of that disconnect. “You can’t create magic – you don’t deserve magic – until you play the game properly. It should not come your way. And it won’t come your way. But if you play the game properly, then all of a sudden, these little things start rolling in your direction and you start expecting them to happen on a daily basis because you’ve earned it.”

Expect more fundamental drills daily, to the point of redundancy, over the next week or more, said Maddon, who plans to pull back for another big-picture look at the issue. “I’m hoping to see improvement in 10 days,” he said, “and then after that have a window there going into the season, where you can really fine tune things.” -- Chicago Sun-Times Actor Will Ferrell to play for Cubs Thursday as part of a one-day, 10-team stunt to air on HBO By Gordon Wittenmyer MESA, Ariz. – First it was Chuck Connors. Now comes Will Ferrell. Don’t laugh. The Cubs are one of 10 teams the “Talladega Nights” star will suit up and play for in a one-day, five-game tour through spring training lineups Thursday in Arizona as part of an HBO special/stunt. Well, go ahead and laugh, since that’s the point. According to a news release, Ferrell plans to play all nine positions at some point Thursday, commemorating Bert Campaneris’ historic one-day feat in 1965. Start times for the games have been staggered to allow for the stunt, and Ferrell plans to get from park to park via helicopter. It wasn’t immediately clear what position Ferrell plans to play for the Cubs in their game against the Los Angeles Angels. Maybe first base – the position Connors manned for 57 games in 1951 before going on to become “The Rifleman” in a more successful career in Hollywood? Connors had enough ability that he once hit a game-tying homer in the ninth inning to knock Giants pitcher Sal Maglie out of a game during a season in which the All-Star Maglie went 23-6 with a 2.93 ERA. -- Chicago Sun-Times NL Central title? Cactus League title? Don't ask Cubs' Rizzo for a prediction By Gordon Wittenmyer MESA, Ariz. – Seven winless games into spring training, Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo isn’t standing so firmly behind that January prediction of a National League Central title. “I’m not going to answer that question,” he said Wednesday morning, smirking at the muck-stirring writer who brought it up. Don’t even bother asking about their Cactus League hopes. “We’re in a hole,” he said, smiling bigger. Jokes and laughs aside, the Cubs 0-6-1 start to this hype-charged spring isn’t completely meaningless to some of the guys who have openly talked about competing for a playoff spot for the first time in four managerial regimes – especially given the sloppy baseball they’ve produced the first week of exhibition play.

It’s something that new manager Joe Maddon has addressed twice during the winless week, albeit keeping the outrage level far below the Piniella Line. “It is spring training, yes. Does it matter we lost? No,” Rizzo said. “We should be winning, though. Granted, there’s a lot of moving factors, but it’s the same for teams all around spring training.” What’s not the same for everybody else: the 12 errors. Nobody in the National League has more this spring. Seven of them have come in the last two games. That doesn’t count several mental mistakes in the field and on the bases that don’t show up in the stats. “It’s something we need to clean up,” Rizzo said, “and come April 5, we need to play perfect baseball. If we lose playing perfect baseball, OK. But if we lose being sloppy like we have in the past, that’s OK. “That’s why say we need to do the little things every day, just as far as how we catch a fly ball, how we field a ground ball, how we make our throws, our footwork – all those little things pay off in the long run.” As for the big things, the Cubs look like they’re on track, from $155 million newcomer Jon Lester’s new flawless spring debut (he starts again Wednesday against the Dodgers) to the headline-grabbing consecutive home runs Tuesday by the organization’s top three slugging prospects: Jorge Soler, Javy Baez and Kris Bryant. Nothing amazes me with anyone in this camp, to be honest, with the talent we have,” Rizzo said. “It’s great. And [the prospects] are handling themselves really well. Everyone in this camp’s handling himself really well. It’s just excitement. Everyone’s excited about it – so are we.” Rizzo was excited enough to apparently photo-bomb Dexter Fowler’s selfie with Tuesday’s three home run stars, poking his head into the frame just as Fowler clicked. “Photo-bombing what?” he said, sheepishly. “I’m just trying to be part of the team.” -- Cubs.com Will Ferrell to play for Cubs in 10-position, five-team event By Carrie Muskat MESA, Ariz. -- He's sung the seventh-inning stretch at Wrigley Field and donned over-sized glasses to deliver his best Harry Caray impersonation. Today, Will Ferrell will actually play for the Cubs. As part of a new HBO special from Funny Or Die, Ferrell will be at five different Spring Training ballparks in Arizona. He's doing so to honor the historic feat of Bert Campaneris five decades ago, by playing every position on the field for 10 different teams in the same day. "It's going to be tough," Cubs pitcher Jon Lester said Wednesday. "It'll probably take him a couple months to recover from that. It'll be cool to see." When told of Ferrell's plan, Miguel Montero said it was "awesome." Then, it was pointed out that Ferrell will catch. "Poor guy," Montero said, laughing. Any advice? "Wear a cup," Montero said.

Ferrell's goal is to benefit organizations in the fight against cancer, including Cancer for College, as well as honor Campaneris. On Sept. 8, 1965, "Campy" Campaneris, in only his second Major League season, went 0-for-3 playing all nine positions for the Kansas City Athletics in a game against the California Angels. Campaneris is expected to be there with Ferrell as he begins his journey today. Ferrell will be playing for both sides in each of the following games: Mariners at Athletics, Cubs at Angels, Reds at D-backs, Giants at White Sox and Dodgers at Padres. Ferrell's historic day, which will be covered on social media using #FerrellTakesTheField, will be chronicled in the exclusive HBO special, which will air later this year and also feature MLB players, managers, coaches, executives and fans. "We hope to always be in the Will Ferrell business," says Michael Lombardo, president, HBO Programming. "This latest collaboration is one of those things only Will could pull off. I can't wait to see him take the field." Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred said: "Spring Training affords an appropriate setting where our game can serve as the backdrop for an event that will benefit organizations that fight cancer. Will is a big fan of our game, and many of us in baseball -- among our clubs, players and our millions of fans -- are big fans of his. Major League Baseball is happy to take part in what will surely be a fun and memorable day for a great cause." Formed in 1993, Cancer for College is a charity that helps individuals adversely affected by cancer to realize their dream of a college education. An important part of the fundraising efforts will be game-used memorabilia from Ferrell's journey across the five ballparks, to be auctioned at MLB.com with proceeds being donated to Cancer for College, as well as Stand Up To Cancer, a groundbreaking initiative created to accelerate innovative cancer research. MLB is the founding donor to Stand Up To Cancer. -- Cubs.com Lester looks sharp as Cubs break winless spring streak By Carrie Muskat MESA, Ariz. -- Joe Maddon picked up his first win as Cubs manager Wednesday. Adron Chambers hit a tie-breaking sacrifice fly in the eighth inning, driving in Tommy La Stella, who had walked and advanced on a single by Chris Valaika, to lift the Cubs to a 4-3 victory over the Dodgers for their first win in eight games. Jon Lester, making his second spring start, needed just six pitches to get through the first inning. The Cubs' Opening Night starter, Lester threw first-pitch strikes to 10 of the 11 batters he faced, and gave up three hits while striking out two over three innings. "My tempo was good, which was good," Lester said of his outing. "[I got] quick outs, in the strike zone, which is obviously huge." The Cubs players weren't fretting over their record, now are 1-6-1 in Cactus League play under Maddon, who was named the 54th manager in November. "It is Spring Training, yes. Does it matter if we lost? No," first baseman Anthony Rizzo said. "We should be winning. It doesn't matter how you win or lose, you want to win at the end of the day. ... It's still super early."

The Cubs loaded the bases with one out in the second against Zack Greinke and the right-hander got Arismendy Alcantara to pop up, but then served up a two-run single to Mike Baxter. In his outing, Greinke gave up two hits, walked two and hit a batter. Left-hander Julio Urias, 18, followed Greinke, and gave up consecutive singles to Rizzo, Starlin Castro and Miguel Montero to load the bases in the Chicago third. Chris Coghlan hit a sacrifice fly for a 3-0 lead, chasing Urias. The Dodgers loaded the bases with one out in the fourth against Brian Schlitter and pulled within 3-2 on Justin Turner's two-run double. Another run scored when Joc Pederson grounded out, tying the game at 3. Yasiel Puig robbed Rizzo of a possible extra-base hit with a running catch in right-center. Puig slammed into the wall, but ran off the field under his own power. Phil Coke, who signed a Minor League deal with the Cubs, made his debut in the fifth and struck out one of four batters faced. La Stella walked to lead off the Cubs' eighth and, after Valaika singled off of Chris Anderson, Chambers' hit a sacrifice fly to drive in the winning run. Up next: Jason Hammel makes his second spring start Thursday when the Cubs travel to Tempe to face the Angels. In his first outing, against the Rockies, he gave up three runs on four hits, including a home run, and one walk. Last season, Hammel was 8-5 with a 2.98 ERA in 17 starts for the Cubs. Fans can listen to the game on an exclusive webcast on Cubs.com. First pitch is scheduled for 3:10 p.m. CT. -- Cubs.com Lester getting in sync with new batterymate Montero By Carrie Muskat MESA, Ariz. -- Cubs catcher Miguel Montero didn't mind having Jon Lester disagree with a few of his pitch selections. "At this point, I want him to shake me off," said Montero, who was behind the plate Wednesday for Lester's second spring outing. "I want to learn from him. It doesn't matter how much video you watch -- I watched a lot of video and a lot of film of him, and I talked to [catcher David] Ross a lot. "[Lester] probably shook me off a few times but that's good, I learned from that," Montero said. "Other than that, I was pretty happy with the job and he seemed comfortable as well." The two were in sync in the first inning against the Dodgers as Lester needed six pitches to retire the side. The Cubs' Opening Night starter, Lester threw first-pitch strikes to 10 of the 11 batters he faced, and was lifted after three innings, serving up three singles while striking out two. "Strike one, it's easier said than done," Lester said. "It's something I've battled with a long time, something I always try to hammer home. Strike one, it changes the whole dynamic of the game, it's not just that one hitter. "Guys are already going up there either on the defense or they're going up there hacking," he said. "That's when you change it up on them and maybe throw something that has a little bit of a wrinkle to steal a strike or get a mis-hit or something like that." Ross, who was paired with Lester in Boston, caught the lefty's first outing with the Cubs, and manager Joe Maddon hasn't indicated if he'll keep them together this season. Montero is still learning his pitcher and was a little concerned during warm-ups because Lester didn't seem right in the 'pen.

"I knew once he crossed the line, he would be totally different, and sure enough, he threw the ball well," Montero said. Lester was happy with his tempo. Still, expect the two to have a few discussions about pitches. "We don't mind [having pitchers] shaking us off a few times, and [pitchers] don't mind shaking off a few times," Montero said. "It takes time, it's a learning process, get to know the guy, get to build up that confidence -- mutual, his confidence in throwing to me and my confidence in calling the game. It takes a little bit of time but it's nothing to worry about." When a pitcher throws 27 of 37 pitches for strikes, which Lester did, it's a fairly easy day. "He just hits spots and he actually, for a catcher, makes your job easier just sitting there and waiting for the pitch because you know it's going to be a good pitch," Montero said. -- Cubs.com Home run trio soaking up praise in camp By Carrie Muskat MESA, Ariz. -- One of the first things Dexter Fowler did when he arrived at the Cubs complex Wednesday was to take a selfie with Jorge Soler, Javier Baez and Kris Bryant, a day after their back-to-back-to-back home runs. Anthony Rizzo snuck into the picture as well. "It's great and they're all handling it very well," Rizzo said of the buzz generated by the trio of homers in the fourth inning Tuesday against the Indians' Trevor Bauer. "It's exciting -- everyone's excited about it and so are we." Rizzo saw something on television about the consecutive blasts, then watched video later. "They were impressive swings," Rizzo said. "Nothing amazes me with anyone in this camp and the talent, to be honest." Fowler was watching the game on MLB.TV and figured Bryant had to connect after Soler and Baez did. "I said, 'He's got to go deep right now,'" Fowler said. And Bryant did, hitting his second spring home run to the opposite field in right. "That's sexy, that's cool, but I prefer the non-sexy components that nobody bears down on in the course of the game that helps you win," said manager Joe Maddon on Wednesday after stressing some drills to improve the fundamentals. Bryant said he didn't make a big deal out of the impromptu home run derby. "I've never been a part of a back-to-back-to-back home runs," Bryant said. "It was like any other home run. It's a shame we didn't win that game. If we would've won, it would've made it that much better. It's a work in progress and we're getting there. Get all the losses out in Spring Training and get ready for the season." Soler, Baez and Bryant played in the same starting lineup for nine games at Triple-A Iowa last season. Baez would bat third, then Bryant, then Soler, and they never hit consecutive home runs in that short stretch. However, they did hit plenty, belting 11 in the nine games, including two by Baez on Aug. 3 at Omaha, before he was called up to the big leagues. The Indians didn't let Bauer forget what happened. As they started the morning meeting, members of the Goodyear Police Department were there to inform Bauer the balls hit by Soler, Baez and Bryant were found, and that they were returning them to him.

"We had a policeman come in and he said he was doing the traffic detail over on Estrella Parkway, and he said that roughly at 2:20 p.m., 2:21 and 2:22, three balls came in and disrupted traffic," Indians manager Terry Francona said. "He gave them back to Trevor. I thought that really was fun." Extra bases • Travis Wood, Tsuyoshi Wada, Felix Doubront and Edwin Jackson are contending for the Cubs' fifth starter spot, and Maddon didn't tip his hand Wednesday as to who's the favorite after one week of games. "I'm just evaluating now," Maddon said. "It's nobody's job to win, nobody's job to lose. Let's see what's going on. I'm not smart enough, I haven't seen these guys enough." Wada, who has pitched one inning so far, will make his first start Friday against the Indians in Mesa in one of the Cubs' split-squad games. • Bryant is on the Cubs travel squad to his hometown of Las Vegas for the two split-squad games at Cashman Field against the Athletics on Friday and Saturday. "I'm excited," Bryant said. "It's always fun to play in front of my family and friends. I think I've got like 20 people coming or something. It'll be fun and hopefully get some hits and a win. [My family and friends] are more excited than me." Quote of the day "It's a huge honor, especially for this organization. Right now, I'm trying not to think about that, I'm trying to focus on getting ready for that day and the season. ... It was cool to sit down and talk to Joe [Maddon] and just go through that. It was nice." -- Jon Lester on being named the Cubs Opening Night starter. -- Cubs.com Maddon gets creative to emphasize fundamentals By Carrie Muskat MESA, Ariz. -- Joe Maddon wasn't worried that the Cubs headed into play Wednesday as the only Major League team without a win in Spring Training. He was concerned more with the mental mistakes. "If we're going to change the culture here, they have to understand when you show up at the ballpark every day, it's not about survival, it's about winning," Maddon said. "I want them to understand that when it comes to work, the biggest parts are the little things. I'm not denigrating anything in the past -- this is my impression now." Maddon emphasized his point by having players do a relay throw drill, and provided some incentive for the players. Prize money was $200. But the money isn't important. The message is. "The wins will happen if we get the fundamentals," Maddon said. "The wins will never happen if we don't get the fundamentals. I want to make sure we push that in the next couple weeks." Whether Maddon's message motivated the players or the fact that Jon Lester started, the Cubs did pick up their first "W" of Spring Training with a 4-3 victory over the Dodgers. When Maddon reported to his first Spring Training in 1976, he was treated as if he didn't know anything, and said he "loved it." He wants his coaching staff to treat players the same way.

"I think sometimes we assume too much," Maddon said. "I've talked about eradicating assumptionism. I'm on that bandwagon. I think because a guy gets to the big leagues, because he's in the big leagues means you don't have to cover this minutia, which I totally disagree with. My best instructors would tell me the same thing every year." The Cubs have committed 12 errors in seven games, fourth most in the Majors. "Everyone gets caught up in the physical mechanics in the game. Beautiful," Maddon said. "That's the easiest part of this game to teach. The easiest. If all I had to do was teach physical mechanics, we would win. It would be beautiful. To teach the mental mechanics of this game to guys who don't quite get it yet, that's the redundant part and that's what wears you out. "You can't create magic, you don't deserve magic until you play the game properly. If you play the game properly, all of a sudden, these little things start rolling in your direction." The players recognize the need to play smarter baseball. "It's something we need to clean up and, come April 5, we need to play perfect baseball," Anthony Rizzo said. "If we lose playing perfect baseball, OK. But if we lose being sloppy like we have in the past, that's not OK. That's why you say you need to do the little things every day as far as how we catch a fly ball, how we field a ground ball, how we make our throws, the footwork. All those little things pay off in the long run." Maddon has said he senses players might be trying to impress him. "There's a lot of hype as well," Rizzo said. "It's a couple weeks before we start worrying about that." -- Cubs.com 'Hawk' says this could be year for White Sox-Cubs Series By Scott Merkin GLENDALE, Ariz. -- Ken "Hawk" Harrelson was talking a few weeks ago with his good friend, Dewey Tomko, who is an expert poker player but more of a casual baseball fan. Tomko asked the White Sox television play-by-play announcer an important question. "He asked me, 'Is there a chance there could be a White Sox-Cubs World Series?'" Harrelson said. "I said, 'Dewey, for the first time in my career, yes, there's a definite chance it could happen.'" Harrelson made this comment during a 10-minute sitdown with MLB.com on Wednesday, as he approaches his 31st season in the White Sox television booth. The colorful broadcaster almost always has his cup half-full of optimism, although he did admit that the 2013 White Sox season was the worst season he has experienced as an announcer or a player. But with the vast changes made on both sides of town during one of the most baseball buzzworthy offseasons in Chicago in recent memory, Hawk has picked the Cubs to win the National League Central and the White Sox to win the American League Central in 2015. He couldn't think of another general manager who has turned a ballclub around with the expertise of Rick Hahn on the South Side, and feels hiring Joe Maddon as manager stands as the best move made by the Cubs since president of baseball operations Theo Epstein has been there. "Now this is going to be an exciting season for Chicago on both sides of town," Harrelson said. As for what a World Series between the Cubs and White Sox would feel like or look like, Harrelson smiled and responded, "Just let your mind run wild." Said Harrelson: "It would be awesome. And we deserve it." --

ESPNChicago.com Jon Lester, Miguel Montero strike early By Jesse Rogers MESA, Ariz. -- Strike one. It sounds like such an easy concept. As a pitcher, if you can throw strike one, your odds of a good outcome are drastically better. Just ask Chicago Cubs ace Jon Lester. "Anytime you can put the hitters in a defensive mode, that makes your job a little easier," Lester said after his second spring start for his new team on Wednesday. The statistics back that up. According to ESPN Stats & Information, batters' OPS last year was .844 after starting 1-0 as opposed to .649 at 0-1. That's a huge difference based on the outcome of the first pitch. Lester dominated the strike zone early on Wednesday against the Los Angeles Dodgers, just as he did in his first spring start. "If you're out there pumping strikes, especially that first pitch, guys are already going up there either on the defense or up there hacking," Lester said. "And that's when you change it up on them -- maybe throw something that has a wrinkle in it to steal a strike." Pretty simple, right? It hasn't always been. "It's easier said than done," Lester said. "I've battled with it a long time." As is sometimes the case in the regular season, Lester didn't feel his best in the bullpen before his start, but once he crossed the white chalk, he was all business. He struck out Jimmy Rollins quickly and got the next three batters before giving up a single to Howie Kendrick. One pitch later, Lester was out of the inning with a double play. In all, he went three innings, giving up three hits but no runs. "He's a pretty easy guy to catch," Miguel Montero stated. "He just hits spots. He makes your job easier." Montero caught Lester for the first time in a game on Wednesday. He agreed Lester wasn't very good in the bullpen, but he saw a different pitcher once the game started. "I knew once he crossed the line he was going to be totally different," Montero said. Lester shook Montero off a couple of times but nothing to take him out of his rhythm. They'll get it together. It's not hard when the pitcher is pounding the strike zone. "Tempo was good," Lester said. "Quick outs. Strike one, which is huge. Arm side wasn't too good, especially in the bullpen, but it went well." -- ESPNChicago.com Lester super as Cubs (finally) earn first win By Jesse Rogers MESA, Ariz. -- The Chicago Cubs became the last team in baseball to record a spring win after defeating the Los Angeles Dodgers 4-3 on Wednesday.

The good: Jon Lester worked quickly through his three innings, giving up just three singles along the way. One was erased by a double-play ball in the second, while two other runners were stranded in the third. Once again, Lester pounded the strike zone and got ahead of the opponent. Mike Olt raised his batting average to .400 with two more hits. He has been the best hitter for the Cubs over the first week of games. Albert Almora might be the second best. He flashed his glove with a spectacular diving catch of an Enrique Hernandez blast to the wall in the seventh. The bad: Brian Schlitter got knocked around in the fourth inning, giving up all three Dodgers runs on four hits. Coke debut: Lefty Phil Coke pitched a clean fifth inning in his first appearance as a Cub after signing a minor league deal just days ago. He struck a batter out while easily throwing in the low 90s with his fastball. What it means: Was it a coincidence the Cubs played a clean game and earned their first win of the spring just hours after manager Joe Maddon stressed their poor fundamental play? Probably. But no one can say it didn’t have at least a small effect. Of course, the Cubs couldn’t play much worse than they did in Tuesday’s loss to the Cleveland Indians, so maybe they’ve bottomed out this spring and will start their climb toward peaking as April nears. That’s the hope anyway. Lester was great. Miguel Montero had no issues catching him. And Anthony Rizzo produced his first hit of the spring. All is suddenly better than 24 hours ago. What’s next: Actor Will Ferrell will “play” in the Cubs game against the Angels on Thursday as part of a charity promotion. He’s scheduled to get time in the infield. Jason Hammel starts for the Cubs -- ESPNChicago.com Maddon upset with Cubs' lack of fundamentals By Jesse Rogers MESA, Ariz. -- It was the spring training equivalent of turning over a table. Manager Joe Maddon collected his team on the practice field Wednesday morning, reminded them that winning games comes from playing fundamentally sound baseball, and then proceeded to run a relay drill to drive home his point. Then he came over to speak to the media. He didn’t hold back about his team’s 0-6-1 Cactus League record. “We’re not good at fundamentals in the game,” Maddon bluntly stated. “We have not done the little things right that permit you to win. The wins will happen if we get the fundamentals. The wins will never happen if you don’t get the fundamentals.” This came one day after the Chicago Cubs looked like a little league team in the field against the Cleveland Indians, losing 10-6. Of course, Maddon isn’t worried about how many games his team wins or loses in March, but how the Cubs are losing them is frustrating him. All sorts of mental mistakes on the base paths, and on defense, have plagued them. Maddon thinks he knows why. “It’s guys being more concerned about survival as opposed to doing the right thing,” he stated. “If we’re going to change the culture here, they have to understand when you show up at the ballpark every day, it’s not about survival. It’s about winning.” Maddon is referencing the fact that he has a young team working on their third manager in as many years. He likens it to an offense or defense in football dealing with a new coordinator each year. It takes some getting used to. And they’re trying to impress their manager instead of playing smart baseball. That’s what he means by "survival."

“I’m a patient guy,” Maddon said. “I have to have even more patience knowing they’re hearing another message again. Not easy. We assume too much. When a guy gets to the big leagues we think because he’s in the big leagues we don’t have to cover this (minutiae). “The part that I cannot cope (with) standing in the dugout is when you’re not a good fundamental team. That bothers me. And that can change. Experience or not.” Can Maddon be any clearer? And he does believe the cliché that things carry over. Bad fundamentals in March lead to bad ones in April, and that’s when tables in the clubhouse get turned over for real. “Physical mistakes are fine,” Maddon continued. “The mental mistakes will kill you. Physical mistakes are part of this game. Mental mistakes have no part in this game.” Maddon rightly believes there are mental mistakes disguised as physical ones. Like when pitcher Edwin Jackson threw wild to second base on an easy comebacker in a game this week against the San Diego Padres. Proper mental preparation leads to less physical errors. The players understand. This isn’t anything new. “Come April 5 we need to play perfect baseball,” Anthony Rizzo said. “We lose playing perfect baseball, OK. We lose playing sloppy, like we have in the past, that’s not OK.” More than likely this will all disappear in short order. The only drawback is the Cubs are stuck in neutral right now as they clean up their game. Maddon has admitted they can’t “try some things” because they’ve been behind and scrambling to get out of messy innings. There’s plenty of time for it to come together. It just needs to start. “I really want to push on that the next couple of weeks,” Maddon said. “I’m hoping to see improvement in the 10 days and then have a window there where we can really fine tune things (before the season). “You can’t create magic. You don’t deserve magic until you play the game properly. You don’t deserve it coming your way. "The biggest things are the little things.” Nothing could be more true. -- ESPNChicago.com Back-to-back-to-back has Cubs dreaming By Jesse Rogers MESA, Ariz. -- A day after making headlines around baseball with their mammoth back-to-back-to-back home runs, Chicago Cubs prospects Jorge Soler, Javier Baez and Kris Bryant were back at work like normal on Wednesday morning. Bryant took some early batting practice and all three had moved on from their Tuesday exploits. It left their teammates -- and even the Cleveland Indians pitcher they hit the home runs off of in the fourth inning of a 10-6 loss -- to speak for them. As for their teammates, some saw the home runs in person, some had the day off. But they all were aware when it happened. Addison Russell: “It was awesome. It’s not something you see every day. I’m so glad I was there. The whole dugout was pretty pumped.” Like many, Russell predicted the third home run after Soler and Baez went deep.

“Everybody kind of knew in the dugout, ‘Hey watch this ball go,’” he said. “Maybe I can do that if I develop my man strength.” Kyle Hendricks: “That was cool when it popped up on my Twitter feed. Seeing them dominate like that was great. If you hit them that far you don’t need to pimp those. “I think back-to-back-to-back might be the (pitcher’s) best friend, not the double play.” Jake Arrieta: “It’s impressive. It’s kind of hard to believe we have so many young guys like that with the potential to impact the club the way they can. I would love to see them progress on a daily basis.” “I analyzed Soler’s game a lot last year and tried to pick out flaws and things he could get better at and give him my opinion. But you watch him in the outfield and in the box he’s doing everything the right way. He just needs experience but the polish he already has is pretty special.” Joe Maddon: “It’s beautiful. It’s sexy.” Albert Almora: “It was unbelievable. I was messing around with Kris before the game telling him, ‘I want you to hit one today.’ It just happened to be the third one. It was great to be there and see it.” “Once the first two happened, he went to bat with a purpose. Of course he always does. I don’t know what its like to have that power.” Almora saw that kind of power in the minors often. “It was a show every night.” GM Jed Hoyer: “That was fun to watch. Our goal -- and obviously those were the first three swings of the inning -- is to make those solo home runs multiple-run homers this year. But that was impressive.” Pedro Strop: “I was like three? In a row? C’mon, man.” Who would win a home-run hitting contest? “I’m going to say Baez. The smallest one. When he crushes it, it’s crushed.” Anthony Rizzo: “I saw a headline on ESPN. They were impressive swings. Nothing amazes me in this camp with the talent we have. “Everyone is excited about it. So are we.” Jason Hammel: “That’s the promise they have. With time and experience that’s what they can do. “They can be a game changer. You’re going to have to pick your poison. That’s what you see in the American League a lot. Top and bottom of the lineups that can hurt you. Not many -- if any -- in the NL have it. We could have that.” -- CSNChicago.com Cubs’ sloppy spring play doesn’t faze Jon Lester By JJ Stankevitz MESA, Ariz. — The Cubs won their first Cactus League game of 2015 on Wednesday, beating the Dodgers, 4-3, at Sloan Park.

The fact that’s newsworthy is mostly a reflection on the club’s sloppy play out of the gates in Arizona, which was punctuated by a four-error loss to Cleveland on Tuesday — the same game in which Jorge Soler, Javier Baez and Kris Bryant hit back-to-back-to-back home runs that garnered most of the attention. But manager Joe Maddon put his team through a relay drill Wednesday morning, emphasizing the need for cleaner play once the games start to matter the night of April 5 on Clark and Addison. Jon Lester has seen the good and the bad during his nine-year major league career, winning the World Series in 2007 and 2013 but pitching for last place Red Sox teams in 2012 and 2014 before being dealt to Oakland last summer. So far, Lester hasn’t seen anything from his new teammates that seriously concern him. “These guys, from what I’ve seen, have been solid,” Lester said. “I think right now, guys are still trying to get their feet wet and get in the rhythm and routine of playing baseball again. I can only go off of what I’ve seen here and what I’ve heard from the past here. I think things will take care of themselves. “… The physical errors are easier for me to accept than the mental errors, and I haven’t seen any of the mental errors.” Lester fired three scoreless innings against Los Angeles on Wednesday, scattering three hits with two strikeouts in his second Cactus League start. He’s building up to starting on Opening Night against St. Louis, the Cubs’ longtime rival and blueprint for organizational success over the last decade or so. Getting his work in to be prepared for his first real start in a Cubs uniform is what Lester’s focused on here in Arizona, not a few defensive miscues behind him. “Obviously that’s a huge honor, especially for this organization,” Lester said of his Opening Day nod. “To come in here and be able to do that is a huge honor. But right now, try not to think about that, try to get ready and focus on that day and the season.” -- CSNChicago.com Cubs: Miguel Montero, Dexter Fowler remember playoff races as rookies By JJ Stankevitz MESA, Ariz. — Miguel Montero and Dexter Fowler have been through something the Cubs hope some of their players experience this summer: A playoff race as a rookie. Montero’s first full year in the majors was 2007, in which he was the backup catcher for a 90-win Diamondbacks team that won the National League West and reached the NLCS. Two years later, Fowler made his debut with Colorado as the Rockies rode a second-half surge to 92 wins and a Wild Card berth. The overarching memory both players took away from their first-year experiences wasn’t the pressure of adjusting to life in the majors during a pennant race — instead, it was that it was actually easier to break into The Show with a winning team and cohesive clubhouse. “It’s all about your surroundings,” Fowler said. “If you have guys that have your back and are helpful and having fun, then that’s all that matters.” Montero had more pressure on him than Fowler, who had a .363 on-base percentage over 135 games with the Rockies in 2009. As a backup, Montero said he didn’t want to screw things up and be viewed as the guy who only plays when the team loses. Livan Hernandez took Montero under his wing in 2007 and told him to relax, with the erstwhile right-hander emphasizing a narrow focus instead of getting overwhelmed by the big picture of his role on a playoff team.

“When you’re young you’re trying to do too much, you’re trying to show what you can do,” Montero said. “You’re trying to get four hits in the first at-bat, and that’s not going to happen, or you try to throw everybody out, things like that. He told me to relax and go out there and have fun and take one at-bat at a time.” There’s a certain survival instinct that can kick in for young players — sort of a, 'I’ve made it to the majors, and I need to not get sent back to the minors.' That’s what manager Joe Maddon alluded to when talking about the Cubs’ renewed emphasis on fundamentals Wednesday, saying “you can’t win” when young players are in that mode. “They’re going to get lost out there maybe after a bad at-bat or after an error they’re going to get lost on the field and it’s going to impact the rest of the team,” Maddon said. “It’s hard — it’s not even hard, it’s impossible to really win with a bunch of guys who get caught in that mode where they try to stay there and not make mistakes. That’s not a good place to be.” The goal, then, is to create a culture where those young players feel they belong. That’s what Fowler said the Rockies had in 2009 — he seamlessly joined a team of younger stars like Troy Tulowitzki and veterans like Todd Helton and felt established when the intensity really picked up in September. Montero said the Diamondbacks, which had plenty of young and inexperienced players on that 2007 team, had a similar clubhouse vibe. So whenever Kris Bryant debuts, or Jorge Soler and Javier Baez eclipse 300 or 400 plate appearances, the club hopes those megaprospects can rely on the talent that got them to The Show and not get caught up in the noise that’s only sure to grow louder if the Cubs are in a playoff race. Both Fowler and Montero — whom the Cubs acquired via offseason trades — feel the right atmosphere is in place in the clubhouse, with Maddon setting the tone. “They know they got the talent,” Montero said, “so all we need is to get the mind right and the rest will take care of itself.” -- CSNChicago.com Cubs HRs 'sexy,' but Joe Maddon focusing on fundamentals By JJ Stankevitz MESA, Ariz. - Cubs University is now offering a Baseball 101 course. After all, what's more important: That Jorge Soler, Javier Baez and Kris Bryant hit back-to-back-to-back home runs or that the Cubs committed four errors in a 10-6 loss on Tuesday? "That's sexy, that's cool," manager Joe Maddon said of the three tape measure home runs. "But I prefer the non-sexy components that nobody really bears down on during the course of the game that really helps you win." Maddon's focus was apparent Wednesday morning on the back fields at Sloan Park, where the first-year Cubs manager ran a relay drill with his team that currently doesn't have a win in seven Cactus League games. "We have not won any games - that's not the issue," Maddon said. "We have not won any games because fundamentally, we've been bad. So then how do you fix that? By working on fundamentals and really making the push that this is the more important thing to do right now." Maddon wants to see improvement in those fundamental areas — hitting the cutoff man, covering the right base, being in the right position, etc. — over the next 10 days, then be able to fine-tune some of those things until camp breaks in early April. It's the sort of spring training minutiae everyone does, but for a team with so many young players, Maddon said the extra emphasis on this kind of work is critical to the Cubs' chances when the games start mattering.

"I'm not denigrating anything in the past, it's my impression right now that more than anything they're just here to play," Maddon said. "We have not done, to this point, the little things right that permit you to win. The wins will happen if we get the fundamentals. The wins will never happen if you don't get the fundamentals." This isn't the kind of stuff that'll make people giddy back in Chicago. Nobody's going to do celebratory shots at Slugger's when Soler fires a perfect cutoff throw to Anthony Rizzo on a sacrifice fly (unless, maybe, it leads to a game-ending out at the plate). But the home runs and highlight-reel plays won't matter if the Cubs aren't doing the little things right. Because as noticeable as back-to-back-to-back home runs are, a blown relay play in the ninth inning of a tie game is even more conspicuous. "You can't create magic," Maddon said. "You don't deserve magic until you play the game properly. You don't deserve it coming your way. It should not come your way and it won't come your way." "But if you play the game properly, all of a sudden these little things start rolling in your direction and you start expecting them to happen on a daily basis because you kind of earned it. I'm a big believer in that stuff. It's incumbent upon us as a staff to get us mentally moving in the right direction that would permit us to start playing the game like we should." -- CSNChicago.com Add Cubs to list of teams Will Ferrell will play for Thursday By Tony Andracki Will Ferrell will suit up with the Cubs Thursday afternoon as part of his mission to play all nine positions on the field with 10 different MLB teams in spring training. It was announced Tuesday Ferrell would suit up with the White Sox and a few other teams and the Cubs were added to the list Wednesday afternoon as the movie star's entire schedule was released: 12:05 p.m. – Seattle Mariners at Oakland Athletics (HoHoKam Stadium) 1:10 p.m. – Chicago Cubs at Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (Tempe Diablo Stadium) 2:10 p.m. – Cincinnati Reds at Diamondbacks (Salt River Fields at Talking Stick) 4:05 p.m. – San Francisco Giants at Chicago White Sox (ss) (Camelback Ranch) 6:15 p.m. – Los Angeles Dodgers at San Diego Padres (Peoria Stadium) Ferrell will drive (or take a quick helicopter ride in some situations) to each field for the games and will be making an appearance at all nine positions on the field throughout the day, donning 10 different uniforms. Ferrell's campaign is part of a Funny or Die special produced in conjunction with Major League Baseball and will be aired on HBO later this year. Ferrell is honoring Bert Campaneris - who accomplished the feat of playing all nine positions with the Kansas City A's on Sept. 8, 1965 - while also helping organizations dedicated to battling cancer, including Cancer for College. Memorabilia from Ferrell's journey will be auctioned off to raise funds for the cancer research. Cubs catcher Miguel Montero offered advice for Ferrell when he makes his appearance at catcher. "Wear a cup." --