Cubs had big season, but no defining moment for Maddon
CINCINNATI - For Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon, citing the defining moment or series for the 2015 team is easy: It was a four-game sweep of the San Francisco Giants at Wrigley Field Aug. 6-9.
This year? Not so easy. The Cubs have been so dominant for so long that it's hard to find a turning point.
"It wasn't as obvious, I don't think," Maddon said Saturday. "I just think the post-all-star break run we got on was kind of it. Maybe the one game, if you want to pick a game, it might have been the last game before the all-star game against the Pirates, to win that and go into the break without that many losses in a row. That kind of helped, I think, our psyche a little bit."
The Cubs hit a 5-15 skid through July 9, but they won on Pittsburgh on July 10 to snap a five-game losing streak and go into the all-star break feeling a little better about things.
They righted things after the break and went on to winning more than 100 games for the season, with a 22-6 mark in August
Included in the post-break run was a 7-6, 12-inning victory on Sunday night, July 31, when pitcher Jon Lester came off the bench and won the game with a squeeze bunt.
"There were a lot of interesting games," Maddon said. "I could easily have said the Giants series the year before. That was obvious. I can't as easily say anything (about this season). It's more of like an amalgam of work from the end of the all-star break 'til we got into the playoffs. We had a nice run going on. Look at the record in August. August record, that's pretty much a defining moment, what we did in August."
Other moments discussed were the re-signing of center fielder Dexter Fowler in spring training and the four-game sweep of the Nationals at Wrigley Field May 5-8.
Keeping sharp:
After Sunday's regular-season finale, the Cubs will take Monday off and then play a "simulated game" Tuesday at Wrigley Field as they prepare for Game 1 of the National League division series, Friday at Wrigley.
"Johnny Lackey will throw," said Joe Maddon. "Maybe we'll get (pitcher Jason) Hammel out there. Some relief pitchers will be out there. That gives them two days off before they actually pitch in a game. You want to keep guys out there. Sim games will be very loosely resembling a regular game. It's primarily done for pitchers to get their work in. If a guy wants to hit, fine. If not, I don't really care."
Milestone for Fowler:
Dexter Fowler's single in the seventh inning was hit No. 1,000 for his career.
"It's awesome, but like I said, we've still got work to do," he said. "I wish it came in a win, but you've got to take what you get. It's a historic season any way you put it. To add that to the list is awesome."