Cubs Daily Clips - MLB.com | The Official Site of Major League …mlb.mlb.com/documents/4/2/6/243091426/July_19_7zhtl6de.pdf · 2017-07-23 · He allowed five hits with one strikeout

July 19, 2017

Cubs.com, Rising up: Cubs power way to 5th straight win http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/242920094/cubs-defeat-braves-for-5th-straight-victory/

Cubs.com, Lackey validates spot in revitalized rotation http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/243075132/cubs-john-lackey-strong-in-return-vs-braves/

Cubs.com, Hendricks near return after strong rehab start http://m.cubs.mlb.com/news/article/242850716/cubs-kyle-hendricks-close-to-return-from-dl/

Cubs.com, Cubs seek sweep, 6th straight win in matinee http://atmlb.com/2uHSBx7

ESPNChicago.com, More help for Cubs' rotation: Kyle Hendricks returns, John Lackey activated http://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/20098910/kyle-hendricks-returns-chicago-cubs-john-lackey-activated-dl

CSNChicago.com, The Message The Cubs Sent In Not Trading Kyle Schwarber http://www.csnchicago.com/chicago-cubs/message-cubs-sent-not-trading-kyle-schwarber

Chicago Tribune, Catcher Willson Contreras leads way again as Cubs top Braves for fifth straight win http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-cubs-braves-spt-0719-20170718-story.html#nt=oft03a-1la1

Chicago Tribune, Jose Quintana won't face White Sox as Cubs adjust rotation http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/ct-jose-quintana-cubs-rotation-notes-spt-0719-20170718-story.html#nt=simple-embed

Chicago Tribune, Cubs help teenage heart transplant recipient who enjoys 'cool' experience http://www.chicagotribune.com/sports/columnists/ct-cubs-heart-transplant-recipient-haugh-spt-0719-20170718-column.html

Chicago Sun-Times, Lackey to the bullpen? ‘That ain’t gonna happen,’ Cubs veteran says http://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/lackey-to-the-bullpen-that-aint-gonna-happen-says-cubs-veteran/

Chicago Sun-Times, John Lackey victorious in return from DL as Cubs win fifth straight http://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/john-lackey-victorious-in-return-from-dl-as-cubs-win-fifth-straight/

Chicago Sun-Times, Kyle Hendricks plans to be Cubs’ next impact acquisition in DL return http://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/kyle-hendricks-plans-to-be-cubs-next-impact-acquisition-in-dl-return/

Chicago Sun-Times, TELANDER: Cubs keep calm and carry on http://chicago.suntimes.com/sports/telander-cubs-keep-calm-and-carry-on/

Daily Herald, Cubs' Lackey gets win after long delay http://www.dailyherald.com/sports/20170718/cubs-lackey-gets-win-after-long-delay

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Cubs.com Rising up: Cubs power way to 5th straight win By Mark Bowman and Jaylon Thompson ATLANTA -- Though this season's first half did not evolve as well as the Cubs had hoped, their perfect start to the second half has provided indication they could once again have some fun in October. The defending World Series champs matched a season-best five-game winning streak with Tuesday night's 5-1 win over the Braves at SunTrust Park. After rain delayed the start of the game for 2 1/2 hours, Javier Baez recorded three hits and teamed with Willson Contreras to homer off Sean Newcomb during a four-run third inning that proved decisive for the Cubs, who now sit just 2 1/2 games behind the first-place Brewers in the National League Central race. The Braves entered this series just a half-game behind Chicago in the Wild Card race, but with consecutive losses they have fallen into fifth place, eight games behind the second-place Rockies. "We have guys that have done it before and take pride in what they do," Cubs starter John Lackey said. "We want to do better than what we did in the first half for sure." Nick Markakis' second-inning leadoff home run accounted for the only damage incurred over five innings by Lackey, who was activated off the disabled list earlier Tuesday and entered having surrendered an NL-high 24 homers. He allowed five hits with one strikeout and two walks, earning his first win since June 18. The Braves were not able to overcome the fourth-inning struggles endured by Newcomb, who allowed five earned runs over 5 1/3 innings. The rookie southpaw produced a 1.48 ERA as he completed the first four starts of his career in June. But he has been charged with at least four earned runs in each of his first three July starts. Both starting pitchers had completed their pregame preparations as the tarp was pulled on and off the field twice with the expectation the game was about to begin. "Waiting around is not the best," Newcomb said. "I was on the [bullpen] mound for about 10 pitches when they pulled the tarp. I think there were two other times I started playing catch and they pulled the tarp again. So, it's hard to get in a groove there, but that's stuff you have to deal with." MOMENTS THAT MATTERED Walks kill: Inconsistent command has plagued Newcomb throughout his professional career and did so again in the third inning, when he issued consecutive one-out walks to Ben Zobrist and Kris Bryant. He did not hit the strike zone with any of the 13 pitches thrown within this sequence of consecutive plate appearances. But he did find too much of the plate with the 1-0 fastball Contreras drilled over the center-field wall for a two-out, three-run homer that gave the Cubs the lead. "[Contreras] is really turning into a leader," Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. "He was very upset with himself when he hit into that double play his first time up. But he comes back and hits a three-run homer after that. He is definitely turning into a force." Dominant escape: The Braves made things interesting when they came within one swing of erasing a three-run, ninth-inning deficit against Wade Davis in Monday's series opener. But their bid to spend a second straight night creating late-inning intrigue faded after putting two on with one out in the eighth. Carl Edwards Jr. sandwiched a Freddie Freeman strikeout between Brandon Phillips' leadoff single and a Matt Kemp walk. The right-handed reliever ended the frame with consecutive strikeouts of Matt Adams and Markakis. "We just couldn't bunch anything together tonight," Braves manager Brian Snitker said. "We had some guys on and couldn't get the big hit." QUOTABLE

"I was put in those situations a lot this year and last year. My goal is to let my team work for me. Not really trying to strike them out or do too much." – Edwards "It was a while, as I guess we had about four delays. I only threw two and a half [warmup sessions], but the game still counts and you have to go out there and try to get it done."-- Lackey, on waiting through the pregame delay SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS Braves center fielder Ender Inciarte has gone hitless during this series. This marks just the third time this season he has been held hitless in consecutive games and first time since April 22-23. WHAT'S NEXT Cubs: Mike Montgomery finishes this three-game set against Atlanta on Wednesday at 11:10 a.m. CT. Montgomery is 1-3 with a 5.77 ERA in seven starts this season, but he has given up seven walks in his last 9 2/3 innings. Braves: R.A. Dickey will take the mound when for Wednesday's 12:10 p.m. ET series finale. Dickey has produced a 1.09 ERA over his past five starts, and he has allowed just three earned runs over his past 27 innings at SunTrust Park. -- Cubs.com Lackey validates spot in revitalized rotation By Jaylon Thompson ATLANTA -- As the Cubs are evaluating how to move forward with a revamped starting rotation, John Lackey knew he had to prove his value as a key contributor to the staff. Lackey pitched with confidence in his return from plantar fasciitis in his right foot. He also left a good impression as he went five innings, allowing just one run in the Cubs' 5-1 victory against the Braves on Tuesday night at SunTrust Park. It was his first start since July 5, and his first win since June 18. "Really, I had one bad start in my last five as I got beat up pretty good in Washington," Lackey said. "I felt like I made some adjustments in the last few weeks, and hopefully that can translate to the rest of the season." Lackey's outing on Tuesday was a lot different than his last two starts, during which he gave up a combined 11 runs in 11 1/3 innings. He commanded the strike zone as he mixed his cutter with his four-seam fastball. According to Statcast™, his cutter averaged 82.7 mph, and he got five called strikes with the pitch. "He was able to locate his fastball and slider pretty well, and we were aggressive with it and things worked out," Cubs catcher Willson Contreras said. Cubs manager Joe Maddon was pleased with Lackey's grit against the Braves, especially after he had to wait out a 2 1/2-hour rain delay before the game started. He felt that his determination helped will the Cubs to a victory. "I saw the [pitching] gun readings, and they were really good," Maddon said. "I thought he threw some very good sliders as it was very hot and kept getting hotter through the night." With the win, Lackey improved to 6-9 on the season as the Cubs moved 2 1/2 games back of the first-place Brewers in the National League Central race after winning their fifth straight game after the All-Star break. The rotation, which now includes the newly acquired Jose Quintana, is showing signs of clicking at the same time, and it is still to receive a boost when Kyle Hendricks is expected to return from inflammation in his right hand. After tossing five hitless innings in his second rehab start Monday, Hendricks is slated to throw at least one more bullpen session and could return to the rotation next week.

Lackey, meanwhile, figures to continue competing for his job in the starting five, but Maddon has said that he likes having him on the mound every fifth day because he has the fortitude to battle through adversity. "I like having him out there for those reasons," Maddon said. "The stuff is still really good, but the heart is even bigger, and that is a benefit to us." -- Cubs.com Hendricks near return after strong rehab start By Jaylon Thompson ATLANTA -- After throwing five hitless and scoreless innings in his second rehab start at Double-A Tennessee on Monday, right-hander Kyle Hendricks knew he was ready for a return to the Cubs' starting rotation. "I felt so much more comfortable than in my first start," said Hendricks. "I felt right out there facing hitters, and felt mechanically right. My rhythm felt good, and I executed many more pitches. Now I feel confident and ready to go." Hendricks, who has been on the disabled list since June 5 with inflammation in his right hand, led the Major Leagues with a 2.13 ERA last season. He struck out three and didn't walk a batter while throwing 63 pitches (43 strikes), and he threw 12 more pitches in the bullpen to reach the 75-pitch limit assigned to him. "I felt under control, and the two-seam [fastball] had good depth and the four-seam [fastball] was on plane," Hendricks said. "Also, my curveball felt good and my changeup had good depth as I got swings on it. I think it was right where I needed it to be." Cubs manager Joe Maddon was encouraged and said Hendricks will pitch at least one more bullpen session before being activated off the disabled list for a start next week. While the official starting rotation hasn't been announced, Maddon hinted that he will have Jake Arrieta pitch Friday's series opener against the Cardinals. Jon Lester is expected to pitch Saturday, and Jose Quintana will likely pitch the series finale on Sunday. The reason was to accommodate Thursday's off-day and pitch Lester on regular rest. Maddon will likely try to get Hendricks ready for the home-and-home series vs. the White Sox next week. "He will get another workout in, and he will figure in for next week at some point," Maddon said. "For him, it is really being careful and cautious with him." Hendricks said he will be ready whenever his name is called, and he is glad to be back in the clubhouse and around the energy surrounding the club. Hendricks also mentioned that he is looking forward to learning from newly acquired Quintana. "It is going to be awesome to watch him and learn from him, as he is the pitcher that I try to be," Hendricks said. "You know what you are going to get every time out with him -- that is consistent and solid starts -- and it is going to be fun to watch." The Cubs had won four straight entering Tuesday's game against the Braves at SunTrust Park. They were 3 1/2 games behind the first-place Brewers in the National League Central and will face them July 28-July 30. Maddon hopes that with Hendricks back, the starting rotation will take off in the upcoming weeks. "It is almost as if you get two acquisitions with Quintana, and Kyle coming back," Maddon said. "You get two starting-pitching acquisitions, and that is what I am mentally looking at going forward."

-- Cubs.com Cubs seek sweep, 6th straight win in matinee By Jaylon Thompson After a 2 1/2-hour rain delay at SunTrust Park prompted the Cubs and Braves to finish Tuesday night's contest after 1 a.m. ET, the two teams turn right around for the 12:10 p.m. series finale Wednesday, with Chicago seeking a sweep and its sixth consecutive victory. Braves starter R.A. Dickey has continued to provide the Braves with quality innings. The veteran knuckleballer has been dominant in his last five starts, allowing four earned runs in 33 innings, and looks to keep it going against counterpart Mike Montgomery as Atlanta aims to climb back into the National League Wild Card race. The Cubs, meanwhile, pulled within 2 1/2 games of first place in the NL Central after Tuesday's win. Dickey is 5-1 with a 3.13 ERA in 10 home starts this season. A key to his success has been finding a consistent release point for his knuckleball. He has used it to accumulate a 5.95 strikeouts-per-nine-innings ratio this season. Montgomery allowed three or fewer earned runs in four of his first five starts after being inserted into the Cubs' rotation before hitting a rough patch, during which he's walked seven in his last 9 2/3 innings. "I spent a little more time this week just trying to get off the mound and having the timing in sync," Montgomery said. "I am feeling comfortable in my delivery." In his last start, Montgomery went 4 1/3 innings and allowed four earned runs on five hits in a no-decision against the Orioles. Three things to know about this game • The Cubs are expected to start catcher Victor Caratini in the series finale, giving Willson Contreras a day off after his early three-run homer proved decisive Tuesday. Caratini was recalled by the Cubs on June 28 and is batting .250 in seven games. • Over his past five starts (1.09 ERA, no homers), Dickey has allowed a barreled ball on 3.3 percent of balls in play against him, with an average distance of 265 feet on fly balls and line drives, according to Statcast. Over his first 15 starts, he had a barrel rate of 6.5 percent and an average distance of 288 feet on fly balls and liners. • Cubs infielder Ben Zobrist has struggled against Dickey in his career. He is hitting .154 with nine strikeouts in 39 at-bats. -- ESPNChicago.com More help for Cubs' rotation: Kyle Hendricks returns, John Lackey activated By Jesse Rogers ATLANTA -- The Chicago Cubs almost feel like they've traded for a second pitcher within a week, as they welcomed 2016 ERA leader Kyle Hendricks back to the clubhouse Tuesday after a minor league rehab stint due to tendinitis in his pitching hand. Hendricks, 27, high-fived teammates in the locker room upon his return after throwing five perfect innings Monday night at Double-A Tennessee. He declared himself ready for his return after missing six weeks. "Felt mechanically, right," Hendricks said. "My rhythm felt right. Executed many more pitches. I feel pretty confident."

A second rehab start did the trick for Hendricks, who wanted to return sooner but relented after the Cubs traded for lefty Jose Quintana during the All-Star break. Quintana had a spectacular Cubs debut, shutting out the Baltimore Orioles over seven innings Sunday while striking out 12. "I'm pumped to have him," Hendricks said. "He's so steady through the years. ... The rotation has been solid so far. Hopefully I can jump in and not have any hiccups." Hendricks won't pitch until next week when the Cubs play the Chicago White Sox in a four-game, home-and-home series, but Quintana will miss facing his old team. He'll make his home debut on Sunday Night Baseball against the division rival St. Louis Cardinals and then pitch the following weekend against the first-place Milwaukee Brewers. "If we get our pitching in order, we'll be OK," manager Joe Maddon said over the weekend. So far, so good, as the Cubs have won all four games since the All-Star break with three of their top starters -- including Quintana -- having strong starts. They totaled 20 2/3 innings while giving up just two earned runs. That kind of production hasn't happened often this year. Hendricks' return is simply another boost. "[Hendricks] was pleased with himself," Maddon said. "He's happy with the way he's throwing the ball. ... Now he knows where the ball is going. When he's like that, he's very effective." The Cubs also activated right-hander John Lackey to start on Tuesday against the Atlanta Braves and are hoping he can be effective as well after he missed two weeks with plantar fasciitis in his right foot. His first half wasn't very good but now he has help. The addition of Quintana and the return of Hendricks make the Cubs that much more formidable as they attempt to chase down the Brewers in the National League Central. "I've missed it around here, man," Hendricks said. "It's so fun to be back. To come out of the break [the way we're] playing, I think it's what we expected. "You can feel the energy around here with all the guys." The Cubs optioned right-hander Eddie Butler to Triple-A Iowa to make room for Lackey. Hendricks won't be activated until he pitches. -- CSNChicago.com The Message The Cubs Sent In Not Trading Kyle Schwarber By Patrick Mooney After a World Series that almost turned him into a cartoon character — and a roller-coaster beginning to this Cubs season — Kyle Schwarber went to Disney World with his girlfriend to escape during the All-Star break. Schwarber still “briefly” heard about a rumor that linked him to the Detroit Tigers in a possible deal for All-Star pitcher Michael Fulmer — last season’s American League Rookie of the Year — before Cubs president Theo Epstein made top prospect Eloy Jimenez the centerpiece to the blockbuster Jose Quintana trade with the White Sox. “After last year,” Schwarber said, “it’s just eyewash until it really happens.” That’s when Epstein made Schwarber untouchable in trade talks, reassuring the player privately and sending a clear message through the media. Even as Schwarber recovered from season-ending surgery (cough) and the New York Yankees dangled Aroldis Chapman and Andrew Miller as the final pieces to end the 108-year drought. “That stuff doesn’t really take a big effect on me,” Schwarber said. “From experiencing it last year — whenever that came up — it was just like in one ear and out the other.

“I know that the game of baseball is crazy. It does a lot of things to you. Trust me, I know.” Schwarber laughed at that line in the middle of a season where he’s hitting .177 with 14 home runs and thinking about a .000 mental reset after getting demoted to Triple-A Iowa in late June, the Cubs hoping his explosive left-handed power and gung-ho personality can reenergize the lineup and the clubhouse. “I just take it day to day,” Schwarber said. “I can’t worry about things I can’t control. The only thing I can control is when I’m in the box, and when I’m playing defense. And worry about my teammates — that’s the biggest thing that I can do. I want to be out there every day, cheering this team on and contributing with this team and getting back to the ultimate goal.” Jimenez is only 20 years old and still waiting for his first at-bat at the Double-A level, so it’s not like he would have taken Schwarber’s spot in a crowded corner-outfield rotation anytime soon. But Jason Heyward is a Gold Glove defender with a $184 million contract that runs through 2023. World Series MVP Ben Zobrist has two more seasons left on his $56 million deal. The Cubs have viewed Albert Almora Jr. as their center fielder of the future (but don’t want to play him every day now). Ian Happ might have gone from trade chip to core player with his 13 home runs and the defensive versatility shown during a strong rookie season. “Look, I think we’ve done no shortage of things to demonstrate our faith in Schwaber over the years,” Epstein said, explaining the Quintana deal. “I’d read that this particular transaction is a show of faith in the group as a whole. “(Schwarber’s) a significant part of the group. But we like our position-player group. Right now, we’re doing the best we can to juggle and get enough at-bats for guys. If we thought less of this position-player group as a whole — with Schwarber a big part of it — it would have been harder to trade Eloy. “It’s not as if there’s no scenario in which we could have found a spot for (Eloy) to play. That’s not the case. But we think this group’s going to be here and be together for years to come. It allowed us to entertain the notion of trading (Eloy) if the right deal for a pitcher came along.” There will be more rumors before the July 31 trade deadline, but nothing should seem quite as daunting or unnerving as recovering from what first looked like a potential career-threatening knee injury, or storming back from a 3-1 deficit in the World Series. The decision could be “buy, buy, buy” if the Cubs keep playing like this, winning their first four games out of the All-Star break, climbing above .500 and heading into Tuesday night only 3.5 games behind the first-place Milwaukee Brewers. “Nothing’s ever going to be easy,” Schwarber said. “It’s not just going to be handed to us. We got to play better baseball. As I know from last year, nothing’s given to you. You got to work your butt off to get what you get. This group that we have here is very, very, very capable of getting back to where we want to be. “I wouldn’t want to go out with any other baseball team and compete. These guys are one of a kind and we know what we got here. It’s not a panic time. But we know what we need to do.” -- Chicago Tribune Catcher Willson Contreras leads way again as Cubs top Braves for fifth straight win By Mark Gonzales Manager Joe Maddon initially planned to pair veteran right-hander John Lackey with rookie catcher Victor Caratini against the Braves on Tuesday night.

But after three days of planning, Maddon changed his mind and opted to start Willson Contreras, based on his familiarity with Lackey. After a 2-hour-30-minute rain delay, Lackey showed no rust in his return from the 10-day disabled list, with some help from Contreras. Lackey, 38, pitched five innings of one-run ball, and Contreras smacked a three-run home run to cap a four-run third as the Cubs topped the Braves 5-1 at SunTrust Park. The rain delay was worth the wait for the Cubs, who won their fifth consecutive game with the knowledge that the National League Central-leading Brewers lost. Lackey, who hadn't pitched since July 5 because of plantar fasciitis, quelled some doubts about his standing in the Cubs' fortified rotation after the acquisition of left-hander Jose Quintana and next week's return of Kyle Hendricks. The right-hander has been out since June 4 because of a strained tendon in his right middle finger. Lackey scattered five hits and didn't allow a batter past first base in his final three innings. His only blemish was Nick Markakis' home run to lead off the second. Lackey's foot seemed healthy, as he quickly ran to cover first base in the second without any noticeable discomfort. Contreras, meanwhile, continues to give the Cubs a jolt with his bat and glove. His home run to center field off left-hander Sean Newcomb was his second in five games. Before the game, Maddon raved about Contreras' ninth-inning block of a pitch with the tying run at third in the Cubs' 4-3 win Monday. "(If it's a) tie game, who knows what happens?" Maddon said. "That was an ace's block. I didn't talk enough about it." Contreras' defensive work was enough for Maddon to change his mind and pair him with Lackey even though Caratini had success against Newcomb in the minor leagues. Caratini will make his third major-league start in Wednesday's series finale. Contreras will get two days off, including Thursday's off day, before the Cubs open a three-game series against the Cardinals. "I just thought Contreras had more opportunity to work with (Lackey)," Maddon said. "Not that Caratini has had a lot of chance to work with (left-hander Mike Montgomery). "Willson has been playing a lot, and it will be warmer. This is the right way to go." Contreras has batted cleanup since the second half began, and he figures to stay there so he can provide protection for Anthony Rizzo. Contreras is batting .360 in the cleanup spot this season. Maddon has been careful to not tax his players. He has the luxury of employing a pseudo-platoon with Kyle Schwarber starting in left field against right-handers and Albert Almora Jr. in center against left-handers. Jon Jay has hit well against both right- and left-handers, but Maddon likes to use him in late-inning situations. Jay is 11-for-29 (.379) as a pinch-hitter and17-for-41 (.415) in the eighth and ninth innings. -- Chicago Tribune Jose Quintana won't face White Sox as Cubs adjust rotation By Mark Gonzales

The Cubs have lined up part of their rotation through July 30 with Jose Quintana tentatively not scheduled to face his former White Sox teammates. Jake Arrieta, Jon Lester and Quintana, acquired in a trade Thursday from the Sox, will face the Cardinals this weekend at Wrigley Field. The Cubs want to keep Lester, who threw seven innings of three-hit ball on Monday against the Braves, on a normal five-day schedule. That would line him up to pitch the finale of a four-game home-and-home series against the Sox on July 27. The Cubs have yet to decide their rotation for the Sox series, but it appears Kyle Hendricks could be activated to pitch the series opener on Monday at Wrigley Field. "We want to get (Lester) back in a routine," said manager Joe Maddon, adding that he likes the idea of Quintana opening a three-game series against the National League Central-leading Brewers on July 28 in Milwaukee. Maddon isn't concerned about starting left-handers Lester or Quintana against the Sox and Brewers, two predominantly right-handed hitting teams. "Our lefties really do pitch well against righties," Maddon said. "You saw it in Baltimore." The Sox are batting .283 against lefties and the Brewers are at .260. Happy Hendricks: Hendricks admitted there were benefits to making a second minor-league rehab start Monday. "It went one million times better than that last one," Hendricks said one day after pitching five perfect innings for Double-A Tennessee against Mobile. "Things sped up in the first (start). My stuff felt like it wasn't moving right. Now I'm right where I need to be." Hendricks said there was no residual pain in his right middle pitching finger, adding that his mechanics felt "right." He also noticed a different vibe on the Cubs with the acquisition of Quintana. "It's awesome right now," Hendricks said. "You can feel the energy with the guys." Platoon style: Maddon said it would have to be a "great matchup" for Kyle Schwarber to start against left-handed starters. "Part of it is we have the platoon right there," said Maddon, adding that right-handed hitting Albert Almora Jr. has hit lefties effectively this season. "I have to get all these guys involved," Maddon said. "That's good thing." Going down: Pitcher Eddie Butler was optioned to Triple-A Iowa to make room for pitcher John Lackey. -- Chicago Tribune Cubs help teenage heart transplant recipient who enjoys 'cool' experience By David Haugh An elderly woman recently approached Trish Vallee at a Marengo pharmacy to ask if she could hug her teenage son, Logan. The older lady had tears in her eyes. They have been spilled all over this McHenry County community of 7,593 over Logan, the 17-year-old mini-celebrity who received a heart transplant four months ago.

"She wasn't even from Marengo but recognized Logan from following his journey online on CaringBridge and Facebook, and that's the kind of support we've gotten,'' Trish said, emotion halting her speech. Trish shook her head and waved at her husband, Rick, to finish the thought. "It has just been overwhelming and the outpouring from the community is hard to express,'' Rick said. Another speechless moment came Tuesday night in nearby Lake in the Hills in Stewart McVicar’s backyard. Cubs Chairman Tom Ricketts showed up for hours as his team was set to play the Braves in Atlanta. Ricketts brought the World Series trophy, an even bigger draw than his aw-shucks approachability. About 200 people paid $175 a ticket to shake hands and take pictures, the latest fund-raiser to help the Vallees defray medical expenses. McVicar, 43, runs an air and water testing company and also founded Club 400, a nonprofit that has raised almost $200,000 for local Cubs fans in need. Tuesday's fee included a tour of McVicar's man cave, an experience that felt like stepping into a movie scene from a Cubs documentary; a piece of the Wrigley Field foul pole here, framed jerseys there, and enough authentic memorabilia everywhere to interest any baseball museum. Behind the bar, as multiple televisions in a theater-style room showed the Cubs broadcast, Logan tried on Ricketts' World Series ring. Ricketts heard how Logan stayed up to see the final out of Game 7 and that his favorite player was Anthony Rizzo. The Vallee family in #TeamLogan T-shirts — Logan, older brother Jake, younger sister Zoey, Trish and Rick, a lifelong Cubs fan — laughed at Ricketts' jokes and posed for photos headed soon for their mantel. "That was cool,'' Logan said. The last time Rick smiled so widely might have been March 13. Around lunchtime that day at Fisher Auto Parts, where he is store manager, Rick received a text message from Logan: Dad, I'm getting my new heart. "I responded, 'Are you joking?' '' Rick recalled. "He said, 'No, I'm not joking.' I couldn't believe it. And all I could think was, you're texting me this?'' The news surprised the Vallees. They prepared to wait for up to six months for a new heart at Lurie Children's Hospital, where Logan checked in in late February after a dizzy spell at school. His B-negative blood type and medical history including 20 blood transfusions limited the pool. But after the second week, Trish had just finished sprucing up Logan's ICU room for a long stay when cardiologist Philip Thrush walked through the door. "Dr. Thrush said 'I have an offer for you guys,' and I thought he meant lunch,'' Trish said. "He said, 'The good news is you're getting your heart. The bad news is you have to take everything off these walls.' I started crying.'' Logan's March 14 heart transplant lasted 11 hours, a lightning-quick procedure considering how long the Vallees had waited for this moment. On the day after Logan was born in July 2000, his face turned blue while feeding. Emergency surgery revealed hypoplastic left-heart syndrome, a rare birth defect affecting blood flow that afflicts 2,000 infants every year, according to the American Heart Association. Essentially, Logan was born with half a heart, leaving his parents to weigh three medical options: Let the baby die naturally, place him on a transplant list or begin a series of complicated surgeries to reroute the venous blood away from the heart. "We did what we had to do,'' Rick said. Added Trish: "We knew immediately." With his parents as determined as they were devastated, Logan underwent three major surgeries before his second birthday, a pattern that continued throughout childhood. Trish cringed recounting how her son had endured eight open-heart surgeries, 11 strokes and two epileptic seizures in his short life.

"He is amazingly strong,'' Trish said. "I always say God knew what he was doing when he gave him that heart.'' Hours after the transplant, Logan tapped his hospital bed and asked the nurse for a pen. He wrote down a question. "Is it over?'' Logan wondered. The Vallees were just as curious when they finally were allowed to visit Logan. In search of an answer, Jake lifted the sheet to look at his brother's toes, which ordinarily were blue due to poor circulation. "Look, mom, his toes are pink!'' Jake said. An even better sign came a week later when a nurse handed Trish a stethoscope to place on Logan's chest. Before the transplant, Trish could hear the mechanical device running Logan's heart click across the living room. Now, she needed a stethoscope. "For 16 years, I've listened to Logan's heartbeat every single day,'' Trish wrote that day on CaringBridge.com. "It has sounded weak, mechanical and broke my heart over and over again. Today … I heard my son's healthy heartbeat for the first time in 16 years and just sat and sobbed.'' The memory of that occasion still makes Trish weepy and the joy of possibility overwhelms her. The future excites everyone, finally. Logan wants to see the ocean. The family of five wants to take their first vacation. School starts in late August at Marengo High, where Logan plans to return with all his friends. And one day next March, after the one-year waiting period ends, Trish looks forward to writing a letter she already has written in her head hundreds of times. "I'm hoping and praying one day we can thank the donor family that made this all possible,'' Trish said. "But, really, there are no words.'' -- Chicago Sun-Times Lackey to the bullpen? ‘That ain’t gonna happen,’ Cubs veteran says By Gordon Wittenmyer ATLANTA – If Cubs right-hander John Lackey didn’t make it clear enough with his 5-1 victory over the Braves on Tuesday night, he spelled it out after the game. There is no job in the bullpen in his future, regardless of how he pitches in the second half. “That ship sailed. That ain’t gonna happen,” said Lackey, who retired 12 of the final 15 he faced Tuesday before being lifted for a pinch-hitter with the bases loaded in the sixth. “There’s two places for me to be: starting or at home,” he added. “Except for the playoffs. In big games we can compromise.” The subject arose over the weekend in the wake of the Jose Quintana trade, when manager Joe Maddon was asked about whether he’d consider moving Lackey to the bullpen if he continued to struggle. At 5-9 with a 5.20 ERA, Lackey endured his worst first half of a season since he pitched with an arm injury in 2011. “We’re not there yet,” said Maddon, who seemed to wonder who might even be the one to tell Lackey if he ever got to that point. “Just to try to take him out of a game, and then try to tell him something like that, my God,” Maddon said. “Exponentially worse.”

The manager said he envisioned a “better version” of Lackey in the second half after healing up and getting an extended rest between these last two starts. “When I originally warmed up [Tuesday] my arm felt great,” said Lackey, 38, who endured a 2-hour, 30-minute rain delay before the game started. “I was kind of anxious to see how that would translate.” His start kept up a four-game streak for the rotation in which the starters went 4-0 with a 1.05 ERA. A sign of things to come after a 4.66 ERA for the group in the first half? “It’s hard to predict the future,” Lackey said. “But I think we have track records. We have guys that have done it before. And we have guys that take pride in what they do and want to do better than we did in the first half, for sure.” -- Chicago Sun-Times John Lackey victorious in return from DL as Cubs win fifth straight By Gordon Wittenmyer ATLANTA — Cubs left-hander Jon Lester showed up to the ballpark Tuesday with some serious bling he brought from his home near Atlanta. He wore all three of his World Series rings — two from the Red Sox and one from the Cubs — and put them in the faces of as many teammates as he happened to pass on the way to the clubhouse. When it was suggested he could use two more to fill all the digits on the hand, he said, ‘‘I need a lot more.’’ If anyone should have felt good about himself, it was Lester. He pitched seven strong innings Monday to help the Cubs beat the Braves. And by the time his pal John Lackey was done pitching in his first day back from the disabled list in a 5-1 victory Tuesday against the Braves, Lester might have had one more reason to like his chances to add to his shiny collection. After sitting out a 2-hour, 30-minute rain delay at SunTrust Park, Lackey kept the Cubs’ starting-pitching train rumbling toward the first-place Brewers in the National League Central. Lackey, who went on the DL just before the All-Star break because of plantar fasciitis in his right foot, would have gone deeper into the game if his spot in the order didn’t come up with the bases loaded and nobody out in the sixth. But his 86-pitch, five-inning performance in his return was good enough to suggest the break — and the addition of left-hander Jose Quintana — has helped firm up the backbone of the Cubs’ 2016 title run. The Cubs’ rotation led the major leagues with a 2.96 ERA last season but stumbled to a 4.66 ERA before the break this season. In the last four games, though, Jake Arrieta, Quintana, Lester and Lackey have gone 4-0 with a combined 1.05 ERA in 25‰ innings. And all of a sudden, the Cubs have won all five of their games out of the break and cut the Brewers’ division lead to 2½ games. And right-hander Kyle Hendricks, who led the majors in ERA last season, is close to returning from a finger injury after pitching five perfect innings in his last minor-league rehab start Monday.

‘‘Our rotation’s fine,’’ Lester said. ‘‘It’s just a matter of going out and executing pitches. That’s what it comes down to. That’s what it came down to last year. Hopefully we use that break to kind of come back and rest up and be ready to go for the second half and this push.’’ A strong finish by Lackey would go a long way toward that end. Lackey struggled to a 5-9 record and a 5.20 ERA while pitching through nagging aches and pains through the first half. Asked whether the Cubs would consider moving Lackey to the bullpen, manager Joe Maddon said last weekend the Cubs are ‘‘not there yet’’ and added he envisioned a ‘‘better version [of Lackey] than you saw in the first half.’’ Lackey pitched out of a jam in the first and gave up his NL-leading 25th home run in the second. But he also retired 12 of the last 15 batters he faced in his first start since July 5. A better version in the second half? ‘‘I’m not into predicting the future,’’ Lackey said before the game. ‘‘I’m going to try hard.’’ The Cubs gave him the lead quickly in a four-run third started by a homer by Javy Baez and highlighted by a three-run shot by Willson Contreras. ‘‘The break was nice, for sure,’’ Lackey said. ‘‘A lot of guys needed that to get away and reset. We’ll see what happens.’’ -- Chicago Sun-Times Kyle Hendricks plans to be Cubs’ next impact acquisition in DL return By Gordon Wittenmyer ATLANTA — Right-hander Kyle Hendricks hadn’t been in the Cubs’ clubhouse since before the All-Star break until he arrived Tuesday after a brief minor-league rehab assignment. ‘‘It’s awesome to come in here,’’ he said. ‘‘You can feel the energy with all the guys.’’ Hendricks, who has been on the disabled list since June 5 with a finger injury on his pitching hand, joined a team that took a four-game winning streak into its rain-delayed game Tuesday against the Braves. After watching the kind of impact recently acquired left-hander Jose Quintana made in his Cubs debut Sunday, Hendricks said he plans to be the same kind of ‘‘acquisition,’’ having the same kind of effect on the Cubs’ playoff run when he’s activated from the DL. ‘‘That’s the goal,’’ said Hendricks, who’s expected return to the rotation Monday or Tuesday against the White Sox at Wrigley Field. ‘‘It killed me, really, to go down [with the injury]. But that’s the thing you take from it, that hopefully you can get yourself ready and come back and have even more of an impact when you’re back.’’ Hendricks, the major-league ERA champ last season, retired all 15 batters he faced in his final rehab start Monday. He was so efficient that he threw another 12 pitches in the bullpen to reach his requisite 75. ‘‘It just felt right out there,’’ he said. ‘‘It felt mechanically right; my rhythm felt good. I executed many more pitches. Now I feel pretty confident. ‘‘Even before the [injury], I didn’t feel mechanically solid. But [Monday], that felt like it was it. My mechanics felt right. I was keeping my head more still and saw my pitches better. I felt a lot better and more like last year, more like just being in that zone.’’

Said manager Joe Maddon: ‘‘It’s almost like we’re going to have two acquisitions with Quintana and then with Kyle coming back. This time of year, to get two starting-pitching acquisitions is always a nice thing.’’ A rotation that struggled to a 4.66 ERA before the break had surged in the Cubs’ last three games. Jake Arrieta, Quintana and Jon Lester combined to produce a 0.87 ERA in 20‰ innings. Arrieta, Lester and Quintana, in that order, will start for the Cubs against the Cardinals at home over the weekend. ‘‘It’s awesome to see,’’ said Hendricks, who is 4-3 with a 4.09 ERA this season. ‘‘Hopefully I can jump right in and not have any hiccups and just keep rolling with everything.’’ NOTES: Right-hander Eddie Butler was optioned to Class AAA Iowa to make room on the roster for right-hander John Lackey (foot), who was activated from the DL. • Manager Joe Maddon changed his mind about giving catcher Willson Contreras a rest, putting him in the lineup for the first five games out of the break. Rookie Victor Caratini will start Wednesday, Maddon said. That will give Contreras two days off in a row, thanks to a scheduled day off for the team Thursday. • With Jose Quintana starting Sunday, he’ll miss the chance to pitch against his former Sox teammates next week. -- Chicago Sun-Times TELANDER: Cubs keep calm and carry on By Rick Telander Instinct tells us to freak out when things abruptly get disastrous. Panic is a button nature pushes for us when the wolf appears. Were we chickens, our beaks would be wide-open and our eyes would be bulging from our tiny heads as we turned the coop into a feathered froth of insanity. So when the Cubs looked like a mediocre team in the first half of the season, many of us flipped to panic mode. My God, this team won the World Series in 2016, had seven All-Stars, and now it’s as bad as a Triple-A team? Fire the manager! Trade the outfield! Buy Mike Trout, Bryce Harper and the height-challenged Jose Altuve. Get every great pitcher on every team! Collect ’em all, money be damned. It ain’t mine! And, finally, fire Theo Epstein, Jed Hoyer and the whole lazy front office. There’s panic for you. And there were the Cubs, with a 43-45 record at the All-Star break, still acting as though the sky were blue and calm. Manager Joe Maddon didn’t panic. He didn’t call tense team meetings, schedule extra practice, scream at batboys or put holes in the ‘‘Guitar Room’’ walls with a Stratocaster. And Epstein, the scientist behind the curse-breaker last year, went about his business, knowing that no team is set in stone, that change is inevitable and that you can’t go from genius to moron in six months. Maddon tinkered with the lineup, rested players at key times — because, yes, the slow grind of baseball does take its toll — and never trash-talked his team.

Veteran catcher Miguel Montero was sent packing for being too critical of pitcher Jake Arrieta, and that incident reminded players that this is a job, not a joke. That move carried weight because it actually hurt the roster. Young catcher Willson Contreras has been starting game after game without relief, and catching is a grueling job in the summer heat. The Cubs know they need another quality catcher, and rumor is they’ve been talking with the Tigers about acquiring Alex Avila, who entered play Tuesday batting .292 with 11 home runs, 29 RBI and a .938 OPS — the best among major-league catchers — in 68 games. We’ll see what happens before the trade deadline July 31, but Epstein and his crew already have done one thing that was needed: They traded for White Sox left-hander Jose Quintana, who already has won a game for the Cubs and dramatically has shored up their dicey starting rotation. Moreover, left-hander Jon Lester, who could have imploded after his absurd 10-run first inning on July 9, looked like his old self when he beat the Braves 4-3 on Monday in Atlanta. Nobody on the Cubs panicked. I would have. I’m human, and my first instinct — like that of most sports fans when things are going bad — is to say: ‘‘Back up the truck! Put the coaches on a train to Palookaville! Trade everybody!’’ But doing radical, freaked-out stuff is stupid and counterproductive to real success. Instinct and emotion must be controlled. Deep breathing. In, out. I always settle down and look at tenures such as Bill Belichick’s with the NFL’s Patriots or Gregg Popovich’s with the NBA’s Spurs. Somebody higher up said many times: ‘‘These are quality men. Let them do their work.’’ The Cubs entered play Tuesday with 70 games left, and letting them get coached back to greatness is the rational way to go. Maddon, we feared — OK, I did — was a leader who was mainly good at coaching players toward the top. Once at the peak, he didn’t know how to inspire the troops. That was a gut reaction, but I think it’s wrong. His steadiness is what all good managers must have. If you or I were at the tiller, the Cubs’ ship might have run aground by now. The Cubs might lose a dozen consecutive games as soon as this is printed. But they have started to hit and pitch better, and right-hander Kyle Hendricks soon should be back from his hand injury. The Cubs, believe it or not, are not far from where they want to be. And calm. -- Daily Herald Cubs' Lackey gets win after long delay By Bruce Miles The Cubs and John Lackey had to wait and wait some more Tuesday night in Atlanta. All eyes were going to be trained on Lackey at SunTrust Park as the Cubs and the Braves tried to play Game 2 of their three-game series.

But persistent rain showers kept pushing the start of the game back and back from its scheduled 6:35 p.m. CDT first pitch. Finally, after 2½ hours, the game began and Lackey (6-9) got the win in a 5-1 decision. Javier Baez and Willson Contreras both hit homers for the Cubs. Lackey, the Cubs' 38-year-old war horse, was activated off the 10-day disabled list, where he had resided since July 6 with plantar fasciitis in his right foot. To make room in the rotation, the Cubs optioned pitcher Eddie Butler to Class AAA Iowa. This year has been a struggle at times for Lackey, who entered the day with a 5.20 ERA. The Cubs do have options with their rotation in the coming days. Right-hander Kyle Hendricks, baseball's defending ERA champion, pitched 5 perfect innings Monday night in a minor-league rehab start for Class AA Tennessee as he comes back from inflammation in his pitching hand. The Cubs' other starters are Jon Lester, Jose Quintana, Jake Arrieta and Mike Montgomery. Unless Lackey is terrible, it's hard to imagine him losing his spot in the rotation. He does have the faith and respect of manager Joe Maddon and seems less adaptable to bullpen work than lefty Montgomery, who opened the season as a relief pitcher. Maddon has said the idea of sending Lackey to the pen has not been discussed seriously. "It is almost as if you get two acquisitions with Quintana, and Kyle coming back," Maddon told reporters. "You get two starting-pitching acquisitions, and that is what I am mentally looking at going forward." In his previous start, on July 5 against the Tampa Bay Rays at Wrigley Field, Lackey got a no-decision. He did turn in a quality start, working 6 innings and giving up 6 hits and 3 runs as the Cubs won 7-3. Lackey gave up 8 runs at Washington on June 28, but he turned in a pair of quality efforts before that. "A lot has been said about John's struggles," pitching coach Chris Bosio said on his WSCR pregame show. "You look up and down our roster. A lot of people here have struggled. He's a winner." Lackey gave up a homer to Nick Markakis leading off the bottom of the second. In the top of the third, Baez tied it for the Cubs with a homer, and Contreras hit a 3-run blast to make it 4-1. The Cubs tacked on a run in the sixth when a Ben Zobrist groundout allowed Albert Almora to score. --