Cubs Preparing Prospects For Overtime

CHICAGO—The Cubs this winter have emphasized in their minor league instruction a loud message in efforts to prepare players to last the extra month of a major league season when they get the opportunity: Prepare for two extra months.

“We talked about that this year,” farm director Jaron Madison said, “planning for our guys to play for eight months and get deep into the year. Minor league guys start the first week of April and are pretty much done the first week of September. It’s about getting those guys mentally and physically prepared to get through September and hopefully October.”

Three of those guys—Kris Bryant, Addison Russell and Kyle Schwarber—all debuted after the season started and as a group were managed down the stretch to help prevent them from hitting the wall rookies often face in September.

“Now it’s preparing all of the minor leaguers for the mindset of playing for that full eight months,” Madison said.

For example, that’s why 2015 breakout prospect Jeimer Candelario was sent to the Arizona Fall League for 21 more games after his 128-game regular season—and why team officials were excited about his performance.

“It’ll be interesting to see him around the big leaguers and how he develops around those guys,” Madison said of the third baseman who was added to the 40-man roster ahead of his first big league spring training. “It’s going to be an exciting year for him this year.”

The theme carried into team’s annual mind-and-body strength and conditioning camp this winter. Instructors stressed building up for the grind of an extra-long season as much as shoring up individual performance deficiencies.

“We’re planning on playing in the playoffs every year,” Madison said, “so those guys have to be prepared to do that.”

CUBBY HOLES

• After dueling waiver wire moves, the Cubs added another lefthander in Edgar Olmos. Olmos, a 2008 third-round draft pick, was claimed Dec. 4 from the Mariners by the Cubs, and then claimed six days later from the Cubs by the Orioles. The Cubs claimed him back on Dec. 23.

• Righthander P.J. Francescon, 27, was suspended 50 games for testing positive for a second time for a drug of abuse. The two-time Southern League all-star earned his Triple-A debut in 2015 after a strong Double-A showing.