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Why this Chicago Cubs team is not affected by hype, history

CLEVELAND — Monday was World Series media day at Progressive Field.

The Super Bowl-style event put each player from the Chicago Cubs at his own station, and the assembled media from around the world were free to have at them.

Maybe that would convince this young bunch of Cubs the World Series is truly a big deal.

It didn't seem to work. About the only concession to the Series being something on a grand scale was that some of the players took their name placards with them when the media event was over.

“You're taking your sign?” veteran pitcher John Lackey said to second-year third baseman Kris Bryant.

“I've never been to the World Series,” Bryant replied.

That's OK, a few of the older veterans took their signs, too.

But other than that, the Cubs to a man have been unaffected by the hype or the history that comes with the World Series, let alone being the first Cubs team since 1945 to get here.

“We don't care,” Bryant said matter-of-factly. “Go out there and play. We don't care about any of the history. It's a new team, so that's how we have to approach it. You can't let any of that outside stuff weigh you down at all because none of that helps you go out and perform on the field.

“Yeah, we're too young.”

Game 1 is Tuesday night with Cubs left-hander Jon Lester taking on Cleveland Indians right-hander Corey Kluber.

The 32-year-old Lester has won two World Series with the Boston Red Sox. His perspective is allowing him to enjoy all of this.

“Oh, man, it's awesome, especially to be a part of this organization with all the history and all the fun stuff that we keep being a part of and talking about,” Lester said.

“Joe (manager Maddon) talks about staying in the moment; that's kind of his big thing. Always stay in the moment, stay relevant to what we're doing now. And I think this group has done a really good job of that.”

Maddon echoed that again Monday.

“I promise you our guys are going to be in the present tense,” he said. “I think we all have a tremendous amount of respect for history and what's happened before us or not happened before us.

“But you go in that (locker) room right now, they're very young, really not impacted by a lot of the lure, I don't think, other than the fact that we are impacted by our city and our fans and the people that attend our games and the conversations we have.”

Holding court at his own station was shortstop Addison Russell, all of 22 years old. This is his second postseason — he missed last year's National League championship series with a hamstring injury suffered in the division series.

His blood pressure didn't seem elevated, either.

“Just try not to think about it that much,” he said, sitting calmly with his arms folded. “The more you think about it, the more you starting thinking about pressure and all the eyes that are watching.

“The more you try to go outside your comfort zone a little bit … I've been dealing with this stuff. These guys have been dealing with this stuff all season long, so it's not foreign to us.

“Like Joe says, we embrace it and we go out there and have some fun performing.”

Team president Theo Epstein visited with reporters late Monday afternoon as the Cubs worked out on the field before the Indians held an evening workout.

Epstein has his own theory as to why the young team he built has remained calm and focused.

“I think as a group they're team-first guys who have always been focused on winning,” he said. “They've really struck me that way. The guys we've drafted or signed or even Addison, coming over in a trade, is all business.

“They're pretty mature beyond their years. They've been embraced by our veterans because they're all about winning.

“When you're competing, even on a stage like this and you keep the focus on what's good for the team and winning, it makes it easier, and that's what those guys do.”

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Steve Lundy/slundy@dailyherald.comChicago Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant (17) with an RBI in the first inning during Game 6 of baseball's National League championship series, Oct, 22 2016, at Wrigley Field in Chicago.
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