WGN Leadoff Man: June 4 - Gleyber Torres
MILWAUKEE The Cubs wont walk onto U.S. Cellular Field on Monday night wearing black Try Not To Cut T-shirts with a scissors image replacing the managers iconic glasses. But Joe Maddon still couldnt resist trolling the White Sox after Chris Sales temper tantrum.
With an AWOL pitcher, a manager on the hot seat and a front office under siege, the Cubs will see what they used to look like in a rivalry that sometimes brought out the worst in them.
This is Carlos Zambrano-level bizarre on the South Side, the White Sox suspending Sale for five days after their franchise player cut up 1976 throwback jerseys, creating a feeding frenzy in the middle of trade-deadline-rumor season. That speculation apparently bothered Sale, who got sent home before Saturdays scheduled start against the Detroit Tigers, leaving the bullpen to cover for his unprofessionalism.
Its not easy, Maddon said before Sundays 6-5 win over the Milwaukee Brewers at Miller Park. Obviously, its only going to occur if your teams struggling a bit.
If youre doing well, that doesnt happen. So you have the struggle of the group, and then a really good player being mentioned as a trade piece. From the managers perspective, its not as difficult as the player himself and then the inter-politics of the clubhouse. Thats where it becomes more difficult.
You dont even know what those conversations sound like and how that cuts at the fabric of what youre attempting to do. No pun intended.
Maddons presence as the teams smirking ringmaster helps a rivalry that missed larger-than-life personalities like Lou Piniella and Ozzie Guillen. The Cubs wont see Sale until Thursday night at Wrigley Field in this seasons fourth and final crosstown game between two franchises heading in opposite directions.
I know it was entertaining from a distance, Maddon said. Im sure being in the organization not so much. And I get that. Ive never heard that one before.
The dentist used to send us every six months things for a checkup. And I threw that away so my mom would not take me to the dentist. Thats the closest I could relate to what happened.
[SHOP:Buy a "Try Not to Suck" shirt with proceeds benefiting Joe Maddon"s Respect 90 Foundation & other Cubs Charities]
Maddon remembered the end of an era with the Tampa Bay Rays, when David Price got traded to the Detroit Tigers in a three-team deal at the 2014 deadline. Within the next three months, Rays executive Andrew Friedman jumped for a presidents job with the Los Angeles Dodgers, triggering an escape clause in Maddons contract and giving Cubs fans a new costume for that Halloween.
It was hard for David, Maddon said. It really was difficult, especially if its your first organization. I think if you bounced (around) a little bit, its not so difficult. But if its your first time being included in trade conversations, its hard for the guy.
Regardless of knowing that you could end up in a good spot, or youre going to be wanted, (because) theres really actually a lot of positives attached to it. Its still the negative you might really like where youre at, its your first organization, you have a lot of friendships.
Awkward. Its an awkward feeling. You adjust. Everybody does. But theres still all this unknown stuff that is unsettling.
Like what the media circus and the fan atmospherics will be like during those first two games at U.S. Cellular Field. So much for the White Sox bonding after Adam LaRoches retirement in the middle of spring training and using that money to reinvest at the trade deadline. Or Sale smoothing everything over after torching executive vice president Kenny Williams for the way he handled Drake LaRoches clubhouse access.
Im sure it will be entertaining, Maddon said. The South Siders have a wonderful sense of humor that we can definitely all appreciate.
Source: http://www.csnchicago.com/chicago-cubs/cubs-pushing-aroldis-chapman-deal-yankees-would-include-gleyber-torres
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