GAME: Chicago Cubs (94-72) at Washington Nationals (99-67)
DATE/TIME: Thursday, October 12 – 8:00 PM EST
WHERE: Nationals Park, Washington, District of Columbia

TV: 8:08 p.m. ET, TBS
PITCHING MATCHUP: Cubs RH Kyle Hendricks (1-0, 0.00 ERA) vs. TBA
LINE: -190
PREDICTION: Nationals 3, Cubs 2

Oddsmakers currently have the Cubs listed as -190 point favorites versus the Nationals, while the game’s total is sitting at 5.5.

CHICAGO — The Nationals have yet to reach the National League Championship Series, as they were eliminated in the NL Division Series in each of their previous three postseason appearances since moving to Washington.

However, when the Nationals face the Chicago Cubs in the deciding game of the best-of-five NLDS on Thursday night in Washington, their past playoff shortcomings won’t factor into their confidence.

At stake is a chance to advance to the NLCS to face the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Washington, after staving off elimination behind a dominant performance by right-hander Stephen Strasburg on Wednesday in a 5-0 win over the Cubs at Wrigley Field, will continue to focus on the business at hand.

Anything else — including attempting to make franchise history — doesn’t matter.

WALK-OFFS

1. Washington OF Michael A. Taylor’s eighth-inning blast in Game 4 was the first postseason grand slam in franchise history.

2. Cubs 3B Kris Bryant is 3-for-15 with nine strikeouts in the series.

3. The Nationals have scored nine of their 12 runs in the series in the eighth inning.

“I’ve kind of said this all year — I don’t believe in that because it’s a different team every year,” Nationals shortstop Trea Turner said of the club’s past. “You play different teams, different players, trades, free agents — whatever it may be.

“It doesn’t really matter (what happened in prior years). … Whoever plays better, whoever executes more, you’re going to move on.”

Nationals manager Dusty Baker said Wednesday he hasn’t yet decided who will start for his team Thursday in the winner-take-all game. After Strasburg bumped right-hander Tanner Roark from his scheduled start on Wednesday, Baker said Roark could be a candidate to start Thursday against the Cubs.

But so could Gio Gonzalez, who took a no-decision in Game 2 of the NLDS. The left-hander allowed three runs and three hits over five innings, striking out six and walking two.

“We’re going to make up our mind, see the condition of everybody,” Baker said.

The Cubs faced elimination during the 2016 World Series after falling behind three games to one against the Cleveland Indians. Now, after failing to close out the Nationals at home on Wednesday night, manager Joe Maddon said he would attempt to keep his players even-keeled as they look to advance to the NLCS for the third straight year.

Chicago right-hander Kyle Hendricks, who got the win in Game 1 when he allowed just two hits and struck out six over seven innings, will start Game 5. Hendricks is 2-2 in five career starts against the Nationals and is 1-1 with a 1.93 ERA against Washington this season, including the victory last week in Washington.

Given the fact his team has staved off elimination before, Maddon and his players are confident heading into Thursday. Yet after scoring just two runs in the last two games, the Cubs know they must be better on offense if they are to give Hendricks the support he needs.

“Our guys are ready to play,” Maddon said after the Wednesday game. “It’s been a really interesting series. Both teams have reflected one another pretty closely, and they got us tonight, and we have to fly back east and try to get them tomorrow night.”

The Nationals face the same challenge.

“As a team, we feel good,” said Michael A. Taylor, whose grand slam extended Washington’s lead in Game 4. “We talked about it a little before the game about taking it one game at a time, and obviously, today was a necessary step to take it back to D.C. … We’re going back, and we’d just like to have another quality game.”

The post Chicago Cubs vs. Washington Nationals 10/12/2017 Divisional Playoff appeared first on IdealCapper.

Crowds have been typically heavy at the annual three-day Winter Warmup, with fans snaking through long lines to pay triple-digit sums for an autograph from Adam Wainwright, Yadier Molina or 2006 World Series star David Eckstein.

The Cardinals have been to the postseason five consecutive seasons. And though they couldn’t catch the big free agent fish, they’ve added Mike Leake, Korean reliever Seung Hwan Oh and infielder Jedd Gyorko, plus Wainwright is back at full strength from a torn left Achilles.

”What a loyal fan base. You just couldn’t ask for better,” DeWitt, the team’s chairman, said Sunday. ”It’s always a fun time for me because it really sets the stage for spring training and I know talking to some of the players they’re all excited.”

DeWitt said it’s far too early to gauge potential punishment that could be levied by Major League Baseball stemming from former scouting director Chris Correa’s recent guilty plea to hacking the Houston Astros’ player database from 2011 to 2014. Nothing is anticipated until after Correa is sentenced April 11 – also the date of the home opener.

DeWitt said the team has been told by MLB that until it gets all information from the U.S. Attorney’s office it won’t be ”in a position to make any decision.”

”I think I have confidence in the commissioner doing the right thing, whatever that right thing is,” DeWitt said. ”Some of the facts you know because there was a confession or a plea. What else they have and want to talk to the commissioner’s office about, I don’t know.”

DeWitt repeated past contentions that the case was a ”one-off” that doesn’t match with the Cardinals’ philosophy.

”Look, it’s a very competitive business, and we all want to beat the other team,” DeWitt said. ”Everybody lives within the rules and tries to figure out what’s going to give them the advantage, but that sort of activity is just not at all in the culture of Major League Baseball.”

Besides the pending penalty, which could involve draft picks and/or financial considerations, the 100-win Cardinals keep getting asked about being underdogs. The Cubs knocked them off in the NL Division Series and are perceived as having a younger core, largely thanks to Heyward’s observation to that effect.

”Nobody likes being called old, right?” the 33-year-old Wainwright said. ”Somebody has to get old, and if we’re still playing and older it means we still have some ability.”

Molina also is 33 and coming off thumb surgery that could delay his start to the season. Outfielder Matt Holliday is 36 coming off an injury-interrupted season and entering the final year of his contract.

”The more and more people talk about that, the more we laugh,” Wainwright said. ”I told my wife the other day, this is the most excited I’ve been about spring training since I can remember. I’m chomping at the bit to get back out there.”

On the other hand, starting pitchers Michael Wacha and Carlos Martinez are both 24 and closer Trevor Rosenthal is 25. Outfielder Randal Grichuk is 24, and Stephen Piscotty and Kolten Wong are 25.

”Look at the talent that came up last year for us and what they did,” Wong said. ”All those guys, when they came up they did what they needed to do.”

Wainwright argues that the emerging talent now is superior to reinforcements that arrived after a three-year run that included two 100-win seasons and the ’06 World Series title when Jim Edmonds, Scott Rolen and Eckstein aged. From 2007-10, the Cardinals missed the postseason three out of four years.

Wainwright is feeling refreshed, too, due to enforced inactivity after tearing his left Achilles last April. He pitched sparingly at the end of the season and in the playoffs.

”I’m not looking at the end yet,” the 6-foot-7 right-hander said. ”Honestly, my arm greatly benefited last year from having that time to rest.”

The post Crowds typically heavy at team's annual fan festival appeared first on IdealCapper.

Crowds have been typically heavy at the annual three-day Winter Warmup, with fans snaking through long lines to pay triple-digit sums for an autograph from Adam Wainwright, Yadier Molina or 2006 World Series star David Eckstein.

The Cardinals have been to the postseason five consecutive seasons. And though they couldn’t catch the big free agent fish, they’ve added Mike Leake, Korean reliever Seung Hwan Oh and infielder Jedd Gyorko, plus Wainwright is back at full strength from a torn left Achilles.

”What a loyal fan base. You just couldn’t ask for better,” DeWitt, the team’s chairman, said Sunday. ”It’s always a fun time for me because it really sets the stage for spring training and I know talking to some of the players they’re all excited.”

DeWitt said it’s far too early to gauge potential punishment that could be levied by Major League Baseball stemming from former scouting director Chris Correa’s recent guilty plea to hacking the Houston Astros’ player database from 2011 to 2014. Nothing is anticipated until after Correa is sentenced April 11 – also the date of the home opener.

DeWitt said the team has been told by MLB that until it gets all information from the U.S. Attorney’s office it won’t be ”in a position to make any decision.”

”I think I have confidence in the commissioner doing the right thing, whatever that right thing is,” DeWitt said. ”Some of the facts you know because there was a confession or a plea. What else they have and want to talk to the commissioner’s office about, I don’t know.”

DeWitt repeated past contentions that the case was a ”one-off” that doesn’t match with the Cardinals’ philosophy.

”Look, it’s a very competitive business, and we all want to beat the other team,” DeWitt said. ”Everybody lives within the rules and tries to figure out what’s going to give them the advantage, but that sort of activity is just not at all in the culture of Major League Baseball.”

Besides the pending penalty, which could involve draft picks and/or financial considerations, the 100-win Cardinals keep getting asked about being underdogs. The Cubs knocked them off in the NL Division Series and are perceived as having a younger core, largely thanks to Heyward’s observation to that effect.

”Nobody likes being called old, right?” the 33-year-old Wainwright said. ”Somebody has to get old, and if we’re still playing and older it means we still have some ability.”

Molina also is 33 and coming off thumb surgery that could delay his start to the season. Outfielder Matt Holliday is 36 coming off an injury-interrupted season and entering the final year of his contract.

”The more and more people talk about that, the more we laugh,” Wainwright said. ”I told my wife the other day, this is the most excited I’ve been about spring training since I can remember. I’m chomping at the bit to get back out there.”

On the other hand, starting pitchers Michael Wacha and Carlos Martinez are both 24 and closer Trevor Rosenthal is 25. Outfielder Randal Grichuk is 24, and Stephen Piscotty and Kolten Wong are 25.

”Look at the talent that came up last year for us and what they did,” Wong said. ”All those guys, when they came up they did what they needed to do.”

Wainwright argues that the emerging talent now is superior to reinforcements that arrived after a three-year run that included two 100-win seasons and the ’06 World Series title when Jim Edmonds, Scott Rolen and Eckstein aged. From 2007-10, the Cardinals missed the postseason three out of four years.

Wainwright is feeling refreshed, too, due to enforced inactivity after tearing his left Achilles last April. He pitched sparingly at the end of the season and in the playoffs.

”I’m not looking at the end yet,” the 6-foot-7 right-hander said. ”Honestly, my arm greatly benefited last year from having that time to rest.”

The post Optimism rules at Cubs Convention after 97-win season appeared first on IdealCapper.

They thanked ownership and management. And they welcomed the newcomers in what felt like a big group hug.

The atmosphere at the team’s annual fan convention was every bit as upbeat as expected coming off a breakout 97-win season that ended with a trip to the NL Championship Series.

”It’s been special,” newly signed pitcher John Lackey said Saturday. ”We’re excited to be here.”

These are exciting times for a team that finished with the third-best record in baseball – and the third-best record in the NL Central.

With young sluggers such as NL Rookie of the Year Kris Bryant, Cy Young Award winner Jake Arrieta and Manager of the Year Maddon leading the way, the Cubs ended a five-year run of losing seasons and sparked hope that a championship drought dating to 1908 will – at long last – end soon.

One thing they didn’t do this offseason was stand pat.

The Cubs have been as busy as any team, signing outfielder Jason Heyward ($184 million, eight years) and Lackey ($32 million, two years) away from division rival St. Louis. They also landed infielder Ben Zobrist ($56 million, four years) and traded Starlin Castro to the New York Yankees for pitcher Adam Warren.

”We chose you,” said Heyward, who turned down more lucrative offers.

The chance to help a team with a promising young core end an historic drought were big draws for the newcomers as was the unique – and changing – environment at Wrigley Field.

There still is plenty of work to do.

The Cubs exchanged arbitration proposals with Arrieta on Friday and hope to reach an agreement before a potential hearing, even though they remain far apart.

Arrieta is asking for $13 million. The Cubs countered at $7.5 million – the largest gap among players left in the arbitration process.

Then there is president of baseball operations Theo Epstein, entering the fifth and final season of his contract.

Epstein said Friday that he has no plans to leave anytime soon and that the players’ contracts need to be taken care of before his.

”There’s no holdup, there’s no drama,” chairman Tom Ricketts said Saturday, when a fan asked if a deal will be completed by the start of spring training. ”The fact is that generally we’re on the same page. We’ve been working on other stuff. Theo and I have had conversations. We kind of know what we’re gonna do with this. You don’t have to worry.”

It’s a busy time for the business side, with the Cubs TV deals expiring in 2019 and the stadium renovation ongoing.

The Cubs are considering starting a new regional network and would need a two-year lead time to launch it, president of business operations Crane Kenney said.

Meanwhile, the multiyear transformation of baseball’s second-oldest ballpark that began last winter after years of legal wrangling with the neighboring rooftop businesses continues to move along.

The Cubs, who now own 10 of the 16 rooftops, installed new bleacher sections in left and right field along with two gigantic video boards last year.

The most important change for the team this offseason is the addition of a 30,000-square foot home clubhouse area that will house lockers, training facilities, player lounge an auditorium, media center and offices.

For fans, a center-field bleacher section is also scheduled to be ready by opening day to go with the ones in left and right that opened last season, and 7,000 seats in the left-field terrace are being replaced this winter. New concrete is being poured and steel beams installed in the ballpark.

Kenney said a plaza that the Cubs envision as a sort of town square with farmers markets, concerts, movie nights and an ice skating rink will ”come to life” in 2016 and be ready by the 2017 opener. The coming years will see more changes, including a hotel across the street.

Security at Wrigley is being beefed up.

Kenney said all fans will have to pass through metal detectors next season. He also said the Cubs are working with the city to try to limit game-day traffic on Clark and Addison streets outside the stadium to emergency vehicles, city buses and pedestrians.

”The thing that used to keep me awake all night was the concrete and steel in our ballpark, which we’re fixing,” he said. ”The thing that keeps me awake now is thinking about the crazy times we live in.”

The post Optimism rules at Cubs Convention after 97-win season appeared first on IdealCapper.

They thanked ownership and management. And they welcomed the newcomers in what felt like a big group hug.

The atmosphere at the team’s annual fan convention was every bit as upbeat as expected coming off a breakout 97-win season that ended with a trip to the NL Championship Series.

”It’s been special,” newly signed pitcher John Lackey said Saturday. ”We’re excited to be here.”

These are exciting times for a team that finished with the third-best record in baseball – and the third-best record in the NL Central.

With young sluggers such as NL Rookie of the Year Kris Bryant, Cy Young Award winner Jake Arrieta and Manager of the Year Maddon leading the way, the Cubs ended a five-year run of losing seasons and sparked hope that a championship drought dating to 1908 will – at long last – end soon.

One thing they didn’t do this offseason was stand pat.

The Cubs have been as busy as any team, signing outfielder Jason Heyward ($184 million, eight years) and Lackey ($32 million, two years) away from division rival St. Louis. They also landed infielder Ben Zobrist ($56 million, four years) and traded Starlin Castro to the New York Yankees for pitcher Adam Warren.

”We chose you,” said Heyward, who turned down more lucrative offers.

The chance to help a team with a promising young core end an historic drought were big draws for the newcomers as was the unique – and changing – environment at Wrigley Field.

There still is plenty of work to do.

The Cubs exchanged arbitration proposals with Arrieta on Friday and hope to reach an agreement before a potential hearing, even though they remain far apart.

Arrieta is asking for $13 million. The Cubs countered at $7.5 million – the largest gap among players left in the arbitration process.

Then there is president of baseball operations Theo Epstein, entering the fifth and final season of his contract.

Epstein said Friday that he has no plans to leave anytime soon and that the players’ contracts need to be taken care of before his.

”There’s no holdup, there’s no drama,” chairman Tom Ricketts said Saturday, when a fan asked if a deal will be completed by the start of spring training. ”The fact is that generally we’re on the same page. We’ve been working on other stuff. Theo and I have had conversations. We kind of know what we’re gonna do with this. You don’t have to worry.”

It’s a busy time for the business side, with the Cubs TV deals expiring in 2019 and the stadium renovation ongoing.

The Cubs are considering starting a new regional network and would need a two-year lead time to launch it, president of business operations Crane Kenney said.

Meanwhile, the multiyear transformation of baseball’s second-oldest ballpark that began last winter after years of legal wrangling with the neighboring rooftop businesses continues to move along.

The Cubs, who now own 10 of the 16 rooftops, installed new bleacher sections in left and right field along with two gigantic video boards last year.

The most important change for the team this offseason is the addition of a 30,000-square foot home clubhouse area that will house lockers, training facilities, player lounge an auditorium, media center and offices.

For fans, a center-field bleacher section is also scheduled to be ready by opening day to go with the ones in left and right that opened last season, and 7,000 seats in the left-field terrace are being replaced this winter. New concrete is being poured and steel beams installed in the ballpark.

Kenney said a plaza that the Cubs envision as a sort of town square with farmers markets, concerts, movie nights and an ice skating rink will ”come to life” in 2016 and be ready by the 2017 opener. The coming years will see more changes, including a hotel across the street.

Security at Wrigley is being beefed up.

Kenney said all fans will have to pass through metal detectors next season. He also said the Cubs are working with the city to try to limit game-day traffic on Clark and Addison streets outside the stadium to emergency vehicles, city buses and pedestrians.

”The thing that used to keep me awake all night was the concrete and steel in our ballpark, which we’re fixing,” he said. ”The thing that keeps me awake now is thinking about the crazy times we live in.”

The post Cardinals confident they've had a nice offseason, too appeared first on IdealCapper.

When the Cubs lost to the New York Mets in the next round, he just kept going.

A noticeably slimmer Russell said Friday he worked out for most of the winter and is completely recovered from the left hamstring injury that cut short his first playoff experience. The shortstop, who turns 22 next Saturday, is looking forward to building off his strong rookie year.

”Myself, I went from the offseason straight into rehab and then straight into working out,” Russell said on the first day of the Cubs’ annual fan convention. ”So consistently been on the grind, working out, feel great. I dropped I’d say 12 pounds, feel great, feel mobile. Feel like I control my frame a little bit better.”

Russell was part of a youth movement that powered the Cubs to 97 wins last season and an NL wild card. He began the year in the minors, and then was promoted on April 21 and hit .242 with 13 homers and 54 RBIs in 142 games. He also earned praise for his defense while playing second base before finishing the year at his natural position of shortstop.

Russell was legging out a triple in the playoffs against St. Louis when he felt his hamstring grab, and that was his last play of the year. He was replaced by Javier Baez for Game 4 of the division series, and then taken off the roster altogether for the NLCS.

While Russell rehabbed the injury to leave open the possibility of the World Series, the Cubs were swept out of the playoffs by the Mets.

”It was pretty tough,” Russell said. ”To grind it out with these guys all year and just to see them on the field without me, you know obviously it hurts.”

Russell was selected by Oakland with the No. 11 pick in the 2012 draft, and then traded to Chicago in the July 2014 deal that sent pitchers Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel to the A’s. He was regarded as one of baseball’s top prospects at the time of the move, but the Cubs learned even more about his makeup after they signed Jason Heyward in December.

Russell and Heyward each wear No. 22, but Russell quickly handed his number over – without so much as a playful negotiation with the outfielder who had just signed a $184 million, eight-year contract. Russell will wear No. 27 this year for former NFL running back Eddie George, his favorite athlete growing up.

”I mean it reminded me of myself as a rookie, willing to do whatever I had to do to make a veteran feel comfortable, and kind of being seen and not heard,” Heyward said. ”So a lot of respect to him in that aspect and also just showing that hey I just want to win baseball games and have some fun.”

Russell, who just got married this month, said he wants to be one of the young leaders on the team. He also thinks he is better prepared for this season after the winter workouts.

Kris Bryant, Kyle Schwarber ”and a couple other guys, I think that we’re going to be kind of workhorses a little bit,” Russell said, ”and we want to prove ourselves. I think that we’re all great athletes, man, I know we’re going to have a good year. We’re all looking forward to it.”

—

Jay Cohen can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/jcohenap

The post Cubs SS Addison Russell drops 12 pounds, ready for 2016 appeared first on IdealCapper.

When the Cubs lost to the New York Mets in the next round, he just kept going.

A noticeably slimmer Russell said Friday he worked out for most of the winter and is completely recovered from the left hamstring injury that cut short his first playoff experience. The shortstop, who turns 22 next Saturday, is looking forward to building off his strong rookie year.

”Myself, I went from the offseason straight into rehab and then straight into working out,” Russell said on the first day of the Cubs’ annual fan convention. ”So consistently been on the grind, working out, feel great. I dropped I’d say 12 pounds, feel great, feel mobile. Feel like I control my frame a little bit better.”

Russell was part of a youth movement that powered the Cubs to 97 wins last season and an NL wild card. He began the year in the minors, and then was promoted on April 21 and hit .242 with 13 homers and 54 RBIs in 142 games. He also earned praise for his defense while playing second base before finishing the year at his natural position of shortstop.

Russell was legging out a triple in the playoffs against St. Louis when he felt his hamstring grab, and that was his last play of the year. He was replaced by Javier Baez for Game 4 of the division series, and then taken off the roster altogether for the NLCS.

While Russell rehabbed the injury to leave open the possibility of the World Series, the Cubs were swept out of the playoffs by the Mets.

”It was pretty tough,” Russell said. ”To grind it out with these guys all year and just to see them on the field without me, you know obviously it hurts.”

Russell was selected by Oakland with the No. 11 pick in the 2012 draft, and then traded to Chicago in the July 2014 deal that sent pitchers Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel to the A’s. He was regarded as one of baseball’s top prospects at the time of the move, but the Cubs learned even more about his makeup after they signed Jason Heyward in December.

Russell and Heyward each wear No. 22, but Russell quickly handed his number over – without so much as a playful negotiation with the outfielder who had just signed a $184 million, eight-year contract. Russell will wear No. 27 this year for former NFL running back Eddie George, his favorite athlete growing up.

”I mean it reminded me of myself as a rookie, willing to do whatever I had to do to make a veteran feel comfortable, and kind of being seen and not heard,” Heyward said. ”So a lot of respect to him in that aspect and also just showing that hey I just want to win baseball games and have some fun.”

Russell, who just got married this month, said he wants to be one of the young leaders on the team. He also thinks he is better prepared for this season after the winter workouts.

Kris Bryant, Kyle Schwarber ”and a couple other guys, I think that we’re going to be kind of workhorses a little bit,” Russell said, ”and we want to prove ourselves. I think that we’re all great athletes, man, I know we’re going to have a good year. We’re all looking forward to it.”

—

Jay Cohen can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/jcohenap

The post Angels sign veteran reliever Al Alburquerque to 1-year deal appeared first on IdealCapper.

Arrieta is asking for $13 million. The team countered at $7.5 million. It is the largest gap among the 35 players remaining in the arbitration process.

”I know the spread seems big, but the filing numbers don’t always represent the offers, and there’s kind of an art to the filing numbers,” Epstein said. ”You try to massage the midpoint to a number that makes a lot of sense.

”I think, you know, in this case, if you focus on the spread, you’re kind of missing the story, which is that I think it provides a lot of room for further discussion,” he said.

Arrieta, who turns 30 in March and is represented by Scott Boras, had a breakout season last year, helping the Cubs to an NL wild card. He finished with a 22-6 record and a 1.77 ERA, easily cruising past most of his previous career highs.

Arrieta made $3,630,000 for the 2015 season. Epstein left open the possibility of a long-term deal, but said he wasn’t going to talk about if publicly.

”If we go to a hearing, we go to a hearing. We wouldn’t go in and pick holes in Jake Arrieta’s performance as a Cub,” a chuckling Epstein said. ”That’s for sure. We think he had an historic season, we think he deserves a huge raise and we’re really proud of him.”

While the Cubs exchanged numbers with Arrieta, they announced one-year deals with outfielder Chris Coghlan ($4.8 million) and relievers Pedro Strop ($4.4 million), Hector Rondon ($4.2 million), Travis Wood ($6,170,000), Adam Warren ($1.7 million) and Justin Grimm ($1,275,000), avoiding arbitration.

Epstein himself is in the final year of a five-year contract, but said he felt the players should be taken care of before his deal is addressed with owner Tom Ricketts.

”Status quo in that we’re completely on the same page,” Epstein said on the first day of the Cubs’ annual fan convention. ”We just haven’t gotten around to hammering out an actual contract. Again, I only really think about it when you guys ask and I see myself as staying in the exact same role for a long time.”

The Cubs won 97 games last season and made it to the NL Championship Series, where they were swept by the New York Mets. After signing pitcher John Lackey, utilityman Ben Zobrist and outfielder Jason Heyward over the winter, they begin this year as one of the favorites to make it to the World Series.

It’s also the second season in Chicago for left-hander Jon Lester, who signed a $155 million, six-year contract last winter, and then got off to a slow start after he said he tried to do too much during spring training.

”Last year I felt like I needed to do a little bit more at certain times than I’m used to,” Lester said, ”just because of everything that comes with what was going on last year. I feel like this year I can go out and just do my normal routine and not have to worry about getting off to a good start in spring training.”

—

Jay Cohen can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/jcohenap

The post Cubs exchange arbitration numbers with Arrieta appeared first on IdealCapper.

Arrieta is asking for $13 million. The team countered at $7.5 million. It is the largest gap among the 35 players remaining in the arbitration process.

”I know the spread seems big, but the filing numbers don’t always represent the offers, and there’s kind of an art to the filing numbers,” Epstein said. ”You try to massage the midpoint to a number that makes a lot of sense.

”I think, you know, in this case, if you focus on the spread, you’re kind of missing the story, which is that I think it provides a lot of room for further discussion,” he said.

Arrieta, who turns 30 in March and is represented by Scott Boras, had a breakout season last year, helping the Cubs to an NL wild card. He finished with a 22-6 record and a 1.77 ERA, easily cruising past most of his previous career highs.

Arrieta made $3,630,000 for the 2015 season. Epstein left open the possibility of a long-term deal, but said he wasn’t going to talk about if publicly.

”If we go to a hearing, we go to a hearing. We wouldn’t go in and pick holes in Jake Arrieta’s performance as a Cub,” a chuckling Epstein said. ”That’s for sure. We think he had an historic season, we think he deserves a huge raise and we’re really proud of him.”

While the Cubs exchanged numbers with Arrieta, they announced one-year deals with outfielder Chris Coghlan ($4.8 million) and relievers Pedro Strop ($4.4 million), Hector Rondon ($4.2 million), Travis Wood ($6,170,000), Adam Warren ($1.7 million) and Justin Grimm ($1,275,000), avoiding arbitration.

Epstein himself is in the final year of a five-year contract, but said he felt the players should be taken care of before his deal is addressed with owner Tom Ricketts.

”Status quo in that we’re completely on the same page,” Epstein said on the first day of the Cubs’ annual fan convention. ”We just haven’t gotten around to hammering out an actual contract. Again, I only really think about it when you guys ask and I see myself as staying in the exact same role for a long time.”

The Cubs won 97 games last season and made it to the NL Championship Series, where they were swept by the New York Mets. After signing pitcher John Lackey, utilityman Ben Zobrist and outfielder Jason Heyward over the winter, they begin this year as one of the favorites to make it to the World Series.

It’s also the second season in Chicago for left-hander Jon Lester, who signed a $155 million, six-year contract last winter, and then got off to a slow start after he said he tried to do too much during spring training.

”Last year I felt like I needed to do a little bit more at certain times than I’m used to,” Lester said, ”just because of everything that comes with what was going on last year. I feel like this year I can go out and just do my normal routine and not have to worry about getting off to a good start in spring training.”

—

Jay Cohen can be reached at http://www.twitter.com/jcohenap

The post Right-hander Joe Kelly gets $2.6M, 1-yr deal from Red Sox appeared first on IdealCapper.

The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette was presented during a ceremony and reception at the home of Japan’s consul general in Atlanta, Takashi Shinozuka.

”It is an honor for Japan to have such a wonderful friend,” Shinozuka said.

The 81-year-old Aaron was singled out for his long relationship with Japan’s home run leader, Sadaharu Oh, and their efforts to bring young people together through the World Children Baseball’s Fair, which recently celebrated its 25th anniversary.

Oh was unable to travel to Atlanta, but the 75-year-old sent videotaped remarks.

Aaron sat through most of the ceremony, next to his wife, Billye. He now must use a cane to get around after undergoing hip-replacement surgery.

”The communication between the two countries is great,” Aaron said. ”Baseball has always played a pivotal role in whatever happens in everyday life.”

Aaron first met Oh shortly after breaking Babe Ruth’s record for most career homers in 1974. Aaron went on to hit 755 homers in his career, a major league mark that has since been eclipsed by Barry Bonds.

Oh, who played his entire career in Japan, has more homers than any professional player in baseball history, finishing with 868.

Aaron and Oh are co-founders and honorary directors of the World Children’s Baseball Fair, a weeklong event held each summer that brings together children from Japan, the U.S. and countries around the world for clinics and cultural exchanges.

”For 25 years, we’ve been going back and forth trying to help young kids,” Aaron said. ”Not to make them home run hitters, but just to make them pen pals. By that, I mean someone that can write letters and be able to communicate with each other. The Japanese people have helped me out quite a bit. I want to thank them for all they do.”

Aaron’s brother-in-law, U.S. Rep. David Scott, called the Hall of Famer a ”God-blessed man and a God-sent man” who overcame racial prejudice to break one of the most hallowed records in sports and helped bring Atlanta together during the turbulent civil rights era of the 1960s.

”Atlanta would not be Atlanta if not for Hank Aaron,” said Scott, a Georgia Democrat.

Coming out of the bitterness of World War II, baseball helped forge a tight bond between the U.S. and Japan, Scott added, calling that relationship particularly important in today’s world, given the tensions with North Korea.

”Baseball has kept our two nations together,” the congressman said.

Shinozuka pinned the medal to the lapel of Aaron’s jacket, then played a 3-minute video made by Oh.

”This makes me happier than if I had received the decoration myself,” said Oh, who spoke in Japanese with English subtitles.

Derek Schiller, an executive vice president for the Braves, toasted Aaron with a glass of sake.

A longtime executive in the Braves front office, Aaron has played a largely ceremonial role with the team in recent years, though he has used his stature to push for more African-Americans in the game.

He said he is pleased by the recent hiring of two minority managers, former teammate Dusty Baker by the Washington Nationals and Dave Roberts by the Los Angeles Dodgers.

After the toast by Schiller, Aaron took a small sip of sake and smiled.

”You’re forever an Atlanta Brave,” Schiller said. ”We’re very proud of that, everything you mean for us. You’re our hero. You’re our champion.”

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Follow Paul Newberry on Twitter at www.twitter.com/pnewberry1963 . His work can be found at http://bigstory.ap.org/content/paul-newberry .

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