Maddon impressed with Schwarber's second go-round
Rookie catcher Kyle Schwarber got a pinch-hit at-bat for the Cubs in Friday's 5-3 loss to the Phillies. Schwarber likely won't start Saturday, but manager Joe Maddon likes what he sees in Schwarber's second go-round with the team this year.
"I think he's a little bit more relaxed and comfortable with the whole thing," Maddon said. "That's what normally occurs. When you're up the first time, there are those first things to get through, even though it's the same game, 60 feet-6 inches, 90 feet to the bags, the same distance in the outfield. It's just an entirely different baseball game.
"Plus, you're giving him more to do catching wise. Primarily, what I think we did to get him here initially was well thought out and it's actually led to him being comfortable this time. I'm sure he'll continue to improve from there.
"Everybody looks at his hitting. There's a lot more going on than that. He's handled everything else really, really well."
Schwarber served primarily as the DH in American League parks last month. Maddon downplayed talk of Schwarber getting a whole lot of time at another position, such as left field.
"That's a lot to throw on somebody's plate," Maddon said. "The other thing you have to understand is we intend to play an extra month this year. If you want to wear somebody out, go ahead. It's going to come back and bite you, I promise you. He's never played that deeply into a year."
In 14 games, Schwarber is 18-for-45 (.400)with 3 homers and 11 RBI.
Something special brewing?
Cubs general manager Jed Hoyer was asked if there was a special feeling around the club this season.
"I think there is that feeling on this team," he said. "We've won a lot of games 1-0, 2-1, when we haven't hit. We've come up with some plays at key moments, gotten really good pitching at key moments. I thought those two wins in Cincinnati were pretty good examples of that. We were trailing by 2 runs in the ninth and obviously down 5-0. Those are two very improbable wins. I think we've done a really good job throughout the year of doing that."
Oh Happ(y) day:
Outfielder Ian Happ, the Cubs' first-round draft choice this year, has been promoted from short-season Class A Eugene to Class A South Bend.
Happ made a stop at Wrigley Field Friday and took batting practice with the Cubs. He was drafted out of the University of Cincinnati.
"I think the biggest adjustment is just playing every day," he said. "You have to go out and do it every single day, day in and day out. It's been a lot of fun, but it's definitely been an adjustment."
Happ had his family with him, and team president Theo Epstein even helped out by snapping some photos of the group.
This and that:
Chris Coghlan set a single-season career best with his 10th home run of the season … Kris Bryant's third-inning home run was his first since he hit a pair on the Fourth of July … Jon Lester, who started Friday's game, has a 2.05 ERA over his last 8 starts.