State of the Cubs: Maddon wants Cubs to 'Own It Now'
Where once a World Series championship was a dream too far, the password now is “reckoning.”
Cubs fans, thaw those broken hearts because it's trying time again.
Four months after a 95-68 season ended with a retro-ivy 13-inning loss to Colorado in an NL wild-card game, the chase begins anew for Joe Maddon and his crew of blue.
Pitchers and catchers were required to report to the club's Sloan Park spring training complex in Mesa on Tuesday. They'll begin workouts Wednesday. All position players are due in Sunday with the Cubs first full practice on Monday.
Two seasons removed from the wonders of a 2016 title, the team is facing a year of itchy expectations. Joe Maddon — accused by some of failing to impart a sense of urgency from gate-to-wire in 2018 — made it clear Tuesday that he's crafted his own new motto: “Own It Now.”
“A big part of our success this year is going to be the fact that we own each moment,” the Cubs manager said. “And if you take the word ‘now' and flip it around, it becomes ‘won.'”
One could prove to be the loneliest number for Maddon, 65, who is in the fifth and final year of his contract with no renewal talk on tap.
He essentially has all critical touch caps back from last season. That was the group that lolled to a 16-15 start, finally baboomed to the top of the NL-Central on July 14 and stayed there until the closing weekend.
The final days proved brutal. The Cubs split their last two regular-season games with St. Louis when a sweep would have bagged the division crown. They then lost a tiebreaker to streaking Milwaukee at Wrigley Field — when a win would have meant a push into the NLDS instead of the sudden 2-1 TKO by the visiting Rockies.
Biggest surprise among Tuesday's check-ins at Sloan Park was Addison Russell. It was the veteran shortstop's first on-field appearance alongside teammates since his 40-game suspension for violating MLB's domestic abuse policy was announced Oct. 4.
He took batting practice on a side playing field.
Russell's suspension was retroactive to Sept. 21. That means he will not be eligible for reinstatement until Game 30 of the new season, scheduled for May 3, vs. the visiting Cardinals. Javier Baez will likely be the stopgap shortstop.
Theo Epstein, the Cubs president of baseball ops, spoke about Russell when he chatted with reporters Tuesday, saying, “Addison is well aware that he's been given a conditional second chance. He's really taken things to heart. But we still have a long way to go.”
In terms of personnel for Opening Day — March 28 at Texas — the Cubs spring thing doesn't have far to go. Much attention will be focused on Yu Darvish, the six-year, $126 million signee who was sidelined and underwent elbow surgery after only eight starts in his first season with the organization.
If Darvish is indeed back, he'll be a vital factor in a Cubs starting rotation that should include Jon Lester, Kyle Hendricks, $20 million man Cole Hamels and Jose Quintana.
That quintet will push Mike Montgomery and Tyler Chatwood into the bullpen. That's also where a gaggle of recovering (Brandon Morrow, elbow surgery), new (Brad Brach and Tony Barnette) and peripherals will hope to be around to “Own It Now” when the money throwing begins.
Despite the fact almost 100 free agents remain unsigned — marqueed by Bryce Harper, Manny Machado and closer Craig Kimbrel — Epstein and associates are not expected to break budget any time soon.
This despite the fact that the respected Baseball Prospectus projects the Cubs finishing 81-81 and tied for third and last in the NL-Central with Pittsburgh and Cincinnati.
If that comes to be, the password at Addison and Clark will be: “breakup.”
jimodonnelldh@yahoo.com