Capsules of National League Central teams, listed in order of finish last year:___Chicago Cubs2017: 92-70, first place, lost to Dodgers in NLCS.Manager: Joe Maddon (fourth season).He's Here: RHP Yu Darvish, RHP Brandon Morrow, RHP Tyler Chatwood, RHP Steve Cishek, LHP Drew Smyly, C Chris Gimenez.He's Outta Here: RHP Wade Davis, C Alex Avila, C Rene Rivera.Projected Lineup: CF Ian Happ (.253, 24 HRs, 68 RBIs, .842 OPS) or Albert Almora Jr. (.298, 8, 46), 3B Kris Bryant (.295, 29, 73, 38 2Bs, 111 runs), 1B Anthony Rizzo (.273, 32, 109, 91 BBs), C Willson Contreras (.276, 21, 74), LF Kyle Schwarber (.211, 30, 59), SS Addison Russell (.239, 12, 43), RF Jason Heyward (.259, 11, 59), 2B Javier Baez (.273, 23, 75, .796 OPS).Rotation: LH Jon Lester (13-8, 4.33 ERA, 180 Ks), RH Kyle Hendricks (7-5, 3.03), RH Yu Darvish (10-12, 3.86, 209 Ks with Rangers and Dodgers), LH Jose Quintana (11-11, 4.15, 207 Ks with White Sox and Cubs), RH Tyler Chatwood (8-15, 4.69 with Rockies).Key Relievers: RH Brandon... [More]

CLEARWATER, Fla. (AP) — New Philadelphia Phillies manager Gabe Kapler's progressive approach includes a strategy straight from a slow-pitch softball league.Kapler plans to flip-flop outfielders in the middle of an inning to put his best defensive player in the position where the spray charts indicate a batter is most likely to hit the ball.This isn't the typical infield shift and old-school thinkers will scoff at the idea, but Kapler feels so strongly about it that he has these words written on a white board in his office:"We know that different players have different skills. One hitter may crush fastballs. Another may hammer change-ups. That doesn't mean either is a better hitter. They just have different strengths. Outfielders are similar. Whenever we have a chance to maximize a man's strengths to get an additional out, we'll do so."Strange shifts are nothing new to baseball. The influx of analytics has led managers to try different things.Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon tried a four-man... [More]

Capsules of National League Central teams, listed in order of finish last year:___Chicago Cubs2017: 92-70, first place, lost to Dodgers in NLCS.Manager: Joe Maddon (fourth season).He's Here: RHP Yu Darvish, RHP Brandon Morrow, RHP Tyler Chatwood, RHP Steve Cishek, LHP Drew Smyly, C Chris Gimenez.He's Outta Here: RHP Wade Davis, C Alex Avila, C Rene Rivera.Projected Lineup: CF Ian Happ (.253, 24 HRs, 68 RBIs, .842 OPS) or Albert Almora Jr. (.298, 8, 46), 3B Kris Bryant (.295, 29, 73, 38 2Bs, 111 runs), 1B Anthony Rizzo (.273, 32, 109, 91 BBs), C Willson Contreras (.276, 21, 74), LF Kyle Schwarber (.211, 30, 59), SS Addison Russell (.239, 12, 43), RF Jason Heyward (.259, 11, 59), 2B Javier Baez (.273, 23, 75, .796 OPS).Rotation: LH Jon Lester (13-8, 4.33 ERA, 180 Ks), RH Kyle Hendricks (7-5, 3.03), RH Yu Darvish (10-12, 3.86, 209 Ks with Rangers and Dodgers), LH Jose Quintana (11-11, 4.15, 207 Ks with White Sox and Cubs), RH Tyler Chatwood (8-15, 4.69 with Rockies).Key Relievers: RH Brandon... [More]

JUPITER, Fla. (AP) — When considering where to slot Dexter Fowler in the batting order, St. Louis manager Mike Matheny isn't concerned about last year.There's additional data to consider."He's got a pretty good track record of being successful at the top of the order," Matheny said. "You don't take any small sample and put that in concrete. He's done a nice job over the course of his career of getting on base and making things happen at the top."A career .268 hitter, Fowler batted just .205 in 51 games last season as the Cardinals' leadoff man. That came after hitting .277 from the leadoff spot for the World Series-winning Chicago Cubs the previous year.That performance, the allure of a disruptive force on the basepaths and a good glove in center field prompted the Cardinals to sign Fowler to a five-year, $82.5 million contract prior to the 2017 season.With Fowler and the offense struggling as a whole last season, Matheny juggled the lineup. Not primarily known as a run producer, Fowler... [More]

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Matt Carpenter is showing the St. Louis Cardinals what they were missing while he was sidelined by a back strain.A day after making his spring training debut, Carpenter hit a two-run, wind-aided home run off Justin Verlander in the Cardinals' 3-1 win over Houston on Wednesday.Carpenter also singled through the right side of the infield in the first inning."Great at-bats," Cardinals manager Mike Matheny said. "Happy to see where he is right now."Carpenter walked twice Tuesday against Miami and reached base in all four plate appearances.With Dexter Fowler returning to the leadoff spot, Carpenter once again hitting third and newly acquired Marcell Ozuna batting cleanup, the Cardinals are hoping for a revived offense.With Fowler and Aledmys Diaz struggling in front of him last season, Carpenter hit a career-low .241. He hopes he is protected more in this year's batting order."They don't want to add somebody on a base for someone who hit 30 home runs last year and... [More]

MESA, Ariz. (AP) — Kyle Schwarber has a $604,500 salary in the major leagues as part of the one-year contract the Chicago Cubs announced last weekend.The outfielder's salary would drop to $271,150 while in the minor leagues as part of the split contract. It represents a slight raise from last year, when his contract was for $565,500 in the majors and $261,000 in the minors. Schwarber is on track to be eligible for salary arbitration next winter.He missed most of the 2016 season after tearing his left anterior cruciate ligament during an outfield collision with teammate Dexter Fowler. Schwarber returned for the World Series and helped the Cubs win their first title since 1908.Schwarber slumped to a .211 average with 30 homers and 59 RBIs last year and was demoted to the minors for 11 games in late June and early July. He earned $542,205.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

MESA, Ariz. (AP) — Kyle Schwarber has a $604,500 salary in the major leagues as part of the one-year contract the Chicago Cubs announced last weekend.The outfielder's salary would drop to $271,150 while in the minor leagues as part of the split contract. It represents a slight raise from last year, when his contract was for $565,500 in the majors and $261,000 in the minors. Schwarber is on track to be eligible for salary arbitration next winter.He missed most of the 2016 season after tearing his left anterior cruciate ligament during an outfield collision with teammate Dexter Fowler. Schwarber returned for the World Series and helped the Cubs win their first title since 1908.Schwarber slumped to a .211 average with 30 homers and 59 RBIs last year and was demoted to the minors for 11 games in late June and early July. He earned $542,205.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

MESA, Ariz. (AP) — Kyle Schwarber has a $604,500 salary in the major leagues as part of the one-year contract the Chicago Cubs announced last weekend.The outfielder's salary would drop to $271,150 while in the minor leagues as part of the split contract. It represents a slight raise from last year, when his contract was for $565,500 in the majors and $261,000 in the minors. Schwarber is on track to be eligible for salary arbitration next winter.He missed most of the 2016 season after tearing his left anterior cruciate ligament during an outfield collision with teammate Dexter Fowler. Schwarber returned for the World Series and helped the Cubs win their first title since 1908.Schwarber slumped to a .211 average with 30 homers and 59 RBIs last year and was demoted to the minors for 11 games in late June and early July. He earned $542,205.___More AP baseball: https://apnews.com/tag/MLBbaseball

MESA, Ariz. (AP) — A year ago, Ian Happ was just looking for a spot on the Chicago Cubs' crowded roster. The touted prospect took balls in the outfield and soaked in the atmosphere of his first big league spring training camp.This time around, it's a much different situation. The 23-year-old Happ is working on an encore for his impressive rookie season."It was a very similar offseason for me as far as preparation, but it was a different mindset," he said. "It was more of understanding of where I needed to get my body. It wasn't guesswork. I knew where I needed to get my body coming into spring training. I had goals and I was able to achieve them."The 23-year-old Happ also looked good in spring training last year, but he began the season with Triple-A Iowa. After a solid start in the minors, Happ was promoted to Chicago in May and hit .253 with 24 homers and 68 RBIs in 115 games, helping the Cubs make it all the way to the NL Championship Series for the third straight year.Doesn't look like... [More]

A team-by-team look at the National League Central entering spring training, including key players each club acquired and lost, and dates of the first workout for pitchers and catchers, and the full squad:___Chicago CubsManager: Joe Maddon (fourth season).2017: 92-70, first place, lost to Dodgers in NLCS.Training Town: Mesa, Arizona.Park: Sloan Park.First Workout: Feb. 14/19.He's Here: RHP Brandon Morrow, RHP Tyler Chatwood, RHP Steve Cishek, LHP Drew Smyly.He's Outta Here: RHP Wade Davis, C Alex Avila, C Rene Rivera.Going campin': Chicago is coming off three consecutive NLCS appearances, and it looked a little tired when its title defense came to an end with a lopsided playoff loss to Los Angeles last year. The bullpen was hit hard by the Dodgers in the NLCS, and the Cubs batted just .168 in 10 postseason games. The roster returns mostly intact, but the bullpen and coaching staff each has a new look. Morrow replaces Davis at closer after agreeing to a $21 million, two-year contract. Jim... [More]

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Mike Matheny is well aware that he has yet to earn a World Series championship ring during his six seasons as the manager of the Cardinals. It's not like St. Louis, an 11-time World Series champion, would let him forget.When the Cardinals begin spring training next week in Jupiter, Florida, they'll do so as an underdog behind NL rivals Chicago and Milwaukee. Both the Cubs and Brewers finished ahead of St. Louis last year. The Cardinals have missed the playoffs in consecutive years for the first time since 2007 and '08."The World Series is what we're paid to chase and what our fans expect, and that's exactly what we want to chase and what we expect of ourselves," said Matheny, who replaced Tony La Russa.The Cardinals were 83-79 last season after injuries to top pitching prospect Alex Reyes and free agent signing Dexter Fowler.Reyes is expected to return this season, Fowler is healthy and St. Louis acquired left fielder Marcell Ozuna from Miami in one of the offseason's bigger... [More]

ST. LOUIS (AP) — Randal Grichuk wasn't too thrilled about the idea of playing in a reserve role this season for the St. Louis Cardinals.He won't have to worry about that any more.The Cardinals traded the 26-year-old outfielder to the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday for reliever Dominic Leone and minor league pitcher Conner Greene.Grichuk hit .238 last season with 22 home runs and 59 RBIs in 122 games. He became expendable after St. Louis got big-hitting left fielder Marcell Ozuna in a trade with Miami last month, and because of the emergence of Tommy Pham in center.With Ozuna and Pham locked into starting spots, and former center fielder Dexter Fowler expected to move to right, Grichuk was the odd man out of the projected lineup."Knowing my role going in as the fourth outfielder and getting that pinch hit off the bench, it's going to be difficult," Grichuk said Monday. "I'll have to give it all I got when I get the opportunity. You can't let it get to you. This game is tough if you don't get... [More]

CF Dexter Fowler was 2-for-4 with a walk and two RBIs on Friday night. He has a five-game hitting streak (13-for-25, .520).

CF Dexter Fowler tied a career-high with his 17th home run Tuesday night to tie the score. He came up big in the 10th inning with an RBI double, driving home the go-ahead run in an 8-7 victory in Cincinnati. St. Louis has been seeking big hits all season, and Fowler delivered two of them to help keep their postseason hopes afloat. "Obviously you want to be that guy all the time," Fowler said. "Just try to take good at-bats and see where it takes you. It was a good team win tonight."

CF Dexter Fowler hit a three-run home run, his 16th of the season, off Cubs LHP Jose Quintana on Sunday. It was his first home run since Aug. 10 against Kansas City. He has two home runs this season against his former team, the Cubs. Fowler is batting .261 this season. He was in the lineup Sunday after getting hit by a pitch on his hand Saturday.

CF Dexter Fowler (2-for-3, hit by pitch) appeared in his first game since Sept. 9 and collected his first hits since Sept. 2, snapping an 0-for-10 skid. Fowler had been sidelined after he hit his left knee while trying to make a catch at Busch Stadium.

CF Dexter Fowler (left knee) missed his third straight start Wednesday night and there is no timetable for his return to the lineup. Fowler is still dealing with swelling in the knee from a collision with the outfield wall during the seventh inning of Saturday night's game. Fowler, who has made two trips to the 10-day DL this year, is hitting .255 with 15 homers and 52 RBIs in 97 games.

OF Dexter Fowler will miss at least several days because of inflammation in his left knee. An MRI on Fowler's knee came back clean Sunday. He was hurt Saturday night trying to catch what turned out to be an inside-the-park homer by the Pirates' Adam Frazier.

OF Dexter Fowler, who has been battling hip and heel injuries lately, was back in the lineup on Saturday night but had to leave the game after suffering a knee injury trying to catch what turned out to be an inside-the-park home run in the seventh inning. An initial X-ray came back clean but Fowler is scheduled to undergo an MRI on Sunday.

OF Dexter Fowler could have played Tuesday, but the Cardinals opted to give his sore hip a third day off.