Cubs' Maddon: Schwarber drills not about trying to hit homers
Left fielder Kyle Schwarber came out for some afternoon hitting work Saturday with coach John Mallee. There also was another interested observer behind the batting cage while that was going on: manager Joe Maddon.
"We just talked about shorter movements," Maddon said. "That's what we had talked about early on. That's what they continue to try to do. The different drills that they're doing, a lot of the same stuff I've done in the past. I like to do that stuff on the field sometimes, sometimes in the cage. Sometimes you want to do it on the field so that the player can actually see the result of the concept. In the cage, it's much more difficult."
Schwarber did put some balls into the bleachers, but the drills are not about that.
"It's not trying to hit home runs," Maddon said. "For instance, trying to keep balls fair. If you're pitching him inside, part of the drill would be to pull the ball but keep it fair. You can't really see that in a cage situation.
"And just trajectory, too. You could see trajectory in a cage, but when you're on a field, there's part of that drill where you want to stay out of the flyball, stay more on a line, maybe create some backspin so that the ball stays afloat longer. Those are the kinds of things sometimes you need to see on the field."
Hendricks ready to pitch:
Pitcher Kyle Hendricks will make a rehab start Monday for Class AA Tennessee. Hendricks has been on the disabled list since early June with tendinitis in his right hand.
"Once we get that done and accomplished and he's well, we'll be able then to try to figure out the post all-star break rotation stuff," Joe Maddon said.
Midsummer night's dreaming:
Joe Maddon will leave after Sunday's 12:10 p.m. game and fly to Miami to manage the National League in Tuesday night's All-Star Game.
He said he has not thought about his NL lineup much.
"What I've given thought to is you've got to create a DH, you've got to set up a DH," he said. "I was looking positionally, there's three first basemen and there's enough outfielders. I thought maybe a DH might come from those two slots. I also thought among the second basemen, having three that need to play, you're probably best set to possibly have your second baseman lead off just because it comes up sooner.
"Other thoughts have been among the pitchers to spot a reliever between starters so that starters have a longer or better period to get ready to come into the game."