Maddon: Cubs need to 'adjust back' to avoid sophomore slump

It's been a little while since we heard from Cubs manager Joe Maddon, but he was back in business Tuesday at the winter meetings.

Maddon always makes it interesting, and during the winter meetings, he has a media core from around the major leagues to entertain.

One of Maddon's biggest challenges for 2016, in addition to following a 97-win season, will be to make sure the Cubs' young players keep going and avoid the dreaded "sophomore jinx."

Rookies Kris Bryant, Addison Russell, Kyle Schwarber and Jorge Soler often saw action in the same lineup.

"I think the sophomore jinx is all about the other team adjusting to you and then you don't adjust back," Maddon told the assembled media in Nashville, Tennessee.

"So the point would be that we need to be prepared to adjust back. I think that's my definition of the sophomore jinx, and sometimes you will get the group that takes things for granted and believes or concedes that it's just going to happen again.

"I just talked to the group upstairs in our room, and I've already talked to them about the fact that's the one thing I have been thinking about is how to avoid that. And the conversation I need to have early on in (spring training) camp, without being negative, without being critical of our guys, because we're just showing up.

"You don't want to be - they're coming off a wonderful season. It's a very complimentary kind of a thing. You want to talk to them and praise them. But the target's going to be bigger, and I want us to embrace the target."

One of Maddon's favorite sayings is "never let the pressure exceed the pleasure." He knows all eyes will be on the Cubs in 2016 after they enjoyed a surprise 2015, making it all the way to the National League championship series before falling to the New York Mets.

"The pressure is going to be possibly greater, and I want us to embrace the pressure," Maddon said. "The bigger target, the greater pressure, I think, equals a grander chance for success.

"So I'm all about that, and I definitely will bring that to our guys' attention. The combination of the accountability of our young players combined with our veterans, I really believe we could avoid those kind of pitfalls."

Happy to have Lackey:

The Cubs on Tuesday officially announced their two-year, $32 million deal with pitcher John Lackey, with whom they agreed to terms last week, pending a physical.

Maddon knows him from their days together with the Angels more than a decade ago.

"It's really exciting to get John," Maddon said. "Got to know him about 2002. Part of the World Series, obviously, he was a big part of the Angels winning the World Series, and he actually helped pay for my daughter's wedding. I was really grateful for many years for that.

"John is one of the best competitors I've ever been around. You see it from the outside looking in. He demands a lot on a daily basis when he plays, of himself and his team, and I love it."

Lackey has the reputation of being somewhat of an "edgy" personality.

"I really believe that the particular kind of edge that John provides is really going to be helpful for us moving forward," Maddon said. "I like the idea of coming off the kind of year that we had to really add this kind of a personality to the group, I think, would really benefit us even more.

"Our veterans within the group are already spectacular, and now you add John Lackey. Couldn't be more excited."

It's just business:

Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant has filed a grievance against the team, claiming it manipulated his service time to delay his free agency by one year.

The Cubs brought Bryant up from the minor leagues April 17. By doing so, they gained essentially a "free" full year of service time out of Bryant.

If the Cubs had allowed Bryant to start the season on the big-league roster, he would have become a free agent after the 2020 season. By delaying the call-up, the Cubs assured themselves of having Bryant's services through 2021 before he can be a free agent.

The move is allowed under the collective-bargaining agreement, but Bryant's people - along with those of the Phillies' Maikel Franco, who also filed a grievance - contend it goes against the spirit of the agreement.

"We've known about this since May," Cubs general manager Jed Hoyer told reporters Monday. "We've had a great relationship with Kris, we have a great relationship with (Scott Boras, Bryant's agent).

They obviously decided to file a grievance in May, and nothing has changed since then. The fact that the news came out today doesn't change anything about where we are.

"Obviously, we feel like we were in the right, but I'm not going to comment on the case or open this back up. For us, it's been, what, seven months?" Hoyer said.

"I'm thrilled for Kris; he had a great year. Couldn't have been more excited that he was Rookie of the Year. This is something that will be handled with due process."