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The field of candidates to be the next manager of the Chicago Cubs is beginning to take shape https://www.ccfanstore.com/Steven_Souza_Jr_Jersey-97.President of baseball operations Theo Epstein said Monday that former catcher David Ross is on the broad list being assembled by the front office. He also said he wants to talk to at least one member of the coaching staff about the job, and at least one other candidate is working for a team in the playoffs.Were full speed ahead, Epstein said.Were not going to drag this out any longer than it needs to be, but we also want to be thorough. Epstein is looking for a successor to Joe Maddon, whose contract expired after Chicago missed the playoffs this year for the first time since 2014. The Cubs made four postseason appearances with Maddon in the dugout, winning the World Series in 2016 for the first time in 108 years.While lavishing praise on Maddon and portraying the Cubs issues in more of an organizational prism, Epstein said he wanted a manager who will help facilitate team-building and create a culture of accountability.I think for this group at this time we need to find a way to create a culture and environment that compels every player to push himself to be the absolute best version of himself https://www.ccfanstore.com/Ryan_Dempster_Jersey-93, Epstein said,to be the very absolute best player that he can be. It a culture where that expected.The 42-year-old Ross played on the 2016 team and serves as a special assistant in the Cubs baseball operations department. He also works for ESPN, and he talked about his interest on the network on Sunday.I think it one of the best jobs in baseball, he said.Ive got a lot of close ties with those guys. I think the interest would be there. I think my heart is drawn to that dugout a little bit.Ross is close friends with Cubs left-hander Jon Lester and knows a lot of the players quite well from his time with the team. But Epstein downplayed the importance of those relationships.I think David Ross has a lot of great things going for him, he said.I would say his connection to the players on this team and especially his connection to the 2016 team are not necessarily assets that distinguish him Shawon Dunston Jersey. Those are not necessarily things that are going to be important to us.Asked if Joe Girardi, another former major league catcher who played for the Cubs, was a potential candidate, Epstein saidIm just going to address the David Ross thing because he part of the organization and sort of already addressed it publicly. As far as other candidates, well let you guys know again in due time.Heading into what sure looks like a busy offseason, here are a couple more areas to watch with the Cubs RETURN ENGAGEMENT Nicholas Castellanos made a big impression on the Cubs after he was acquired in a July 31 trade with the Tigers, batting .321 with 16 homers and 36 RBIs in 51 games. He is eligible for free agency, and Epstein made no secret of his interest in bringing him back.Man, I love everything about Nick Castellanos, Epstein said.I mean what a job he did. I dont think you can ask more of an in-season trade acquisition than what he did.MONEY MATTERS Chicago had the second-highest payroll on opening day this year at $209 million. What it will look like next year remains to be seen.With regards to payroll, I wouldnt make any assumptions, Epstein said.I think weve come to realize that strategically it best just not to talk about it.KB AND BAEZKris Bryant and Javier Báez are under contractual control for two more years, and the Cubs are going to have to determine what they want to try to do with each slugger very soon.Epstein isnt ruling anything out.Theyre both guys weve had some level of discussion with in the past about trying to find an arrangement that could keep them Cubs longer, he said,and well probably get around to doing that again this winter at some point https://www.ccfanstore.com/Javier_Baez_Jersey-53.Would love them to be Cubs, but again, all these players, these are guys we have to be open-minded about, too.ADDING SOME HELP Epstein plans to make several structural and leadership changes to the organization.Youre likely to see a director of hitting and a director of pitching join the organization to ensure that we are building these departments, teaching the game, evaluating players for where the game is now and where the game will be going Justin Hancock Jersey, he said.

Trey Mancini kept the Baltimore Orioles from beating themselves Wednesday night https://www.bofanstore.com/Trey_Mancini_Jersey-106.Mancini hit a go-ahead two-run double in the ninth inning, and the last-place Orioles beat the Tampa Bay Rays 5-4 despite committing five errors, their most in a game in more than 19 years.It was the first time the Orioles committed five errors in a victory since June 9, 1983. I dont know the last time Ive been part of a game that weve had five errors and won, Mancini said.But baseball can be a very beautiful thing sometimes where maybe you make some mistakes https://www.bofanstore.com/Michael_Rucker_Jersey-74, but maybe at the end of the day you still do enough to win the game.Sergio Romo (2-3) allowed consecutive hits to Mark Trumbo, Danny Valencia and Mancini in the ninth, the only three batters he faced. It was Romo seventh blown save.It just kind of happened, maybe location, Romo said.I havent seen the replay and I dont think Im going to. I think Ill just chalk that one up to the baseball gods.Tampa Bay has played five straight one-run games and lost four of them.It was only the second time in 73 tries the Orioles won a game when trailing after eight innings.It been a challenge for us, manager Buck Showalter said.You just dont win major league games very often like that.Mike Wright Jr. (3-0) got two outs in relief, and Mychal Givens pitched the ninth for his third save.Carlos Gomez put Tampa Bay ahead 4-3 in the eighth with an RBI double off Wright. He also scored the tying run in the seventh on a sacrifice fly fielded by the shortstop.Tim Beckham and Adam Jones homered on consecutive pitches in the first inning off opener Ryne Stanek. Trumbo led off the fourth with his 16th homer, extending his hitting streak to 10 games.Baltimore starter Andrew Cashner gave up three runs and four hits in seven innings. Only one of the runs was earned.After giving up three singles and two runs in the first inning, Cashner retired 18 of his next 19 before hitting Gomez with a pitch in the seventh. Kevin Kiermaier then bounced into an apparent forceout, but Beckham, playing shortstop, missed the base with his foot.Willy Adames followed with a hit when Beckham lost his footing on a grounder to deep short, loading the bases. And after Beckham caught Michael Perez flyball in short left field, Gomez tagged up. Beckham throw was way off line, allowing Gomez to score.Cash was the difference tonight, Showalter said.He didnt give up a hard-hit ball in the first inning and he gave up two runs, but he just kept pitching.Stanek pitched two innings, giving up the homers to Beckham and Jones while striking out four. It was Beckham sixth home run and Jones 12th.TRAINERS ROOMOrioles Switch-hitting INF Steve Wilkerson (left oblique strain) still has some discomfort swinging from the left side and is not ready for a rehab assignment https://www.bofanstore.com/Josh_Rogers_Jersey-65.Rays OF Tommy Pham (hairline right foot fracture) played catch and hit off a tee, and could return later this month. Reliever Chaz Roe (left knee) will start a rehab assignment Thursday night was Class A Charlotte.

Braves reliever Luke Jackson summed up his team mindset against the Los Angeles Dodgers.Theyre kind of like our David and Goliath, you know Jackson said Joe Torre Jersey.Whenever weve gone out there it been rough. Theyre a good team, were a good team, 1-2, just duking it out. It nice to pull out wins like this.Josh Donaldson and Adam Duvall hit consecutive homers off Hyun-Jin Ryu in the sixth inning, the faulty Atlanta bullpen redeemed itself for a change, and the Braves finally beat Los Angeles 4-3 on Saturday night.Article continues below ...Donaldson stirred the largest crowd in SunTrust Park three-year history when his 29th homer landed in the Atlanta bullpen in right-center. Duvall added on by going deep into the left-center seats to make it 4-2.Atlanta won the matchup of NL division leaders one night after the Dodgers powerful offense homered four times, sending the Braves to a 27th loss in the last 37 regular-season games between the teams. With their first win in five meetings this season, the Braves are trying to stand up to the club that eliminated them from the playoffs last year.It gives us an opportunity to win a series tomorrow, Atlanta manager Brian Snitker said.That the big thing.Ryu (12-3) lost for the first time in seven starts as his ERA, still best in the major leagues, rose 19 points to 1.64.I think there were some changeups that kind of cut a little bit on him and didnt stay true and got to the barrel William Contreras Jersey, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said.But it was still good enough for us to win, and unfortunately we came up a little bit short.Sean Newcomb (6-3) turned in a promising performance after allowing consecutive homers the night before that left him with a 13.49 ERA in his last eight outings. He bailed out Braves starter Mike Foltynewicz in the fifth, getting Edwin Ríos to fly out with runners at the corners.Newcomb faced the minimum in 1 1 3 innings. Jackson, who lost the closer job last month, allowed Max Muncy 31st homer before stranding a runner he walked in the seventh.Shane Greene, another former closer, struck out the side in the eighth. Mark Melancon earned his third save of the season, second with Atlanta, when Cody Bellinger popped up with a runner at first to end it.Atlanta bullpen has been battered over the last two weeks with Greene, Melancon and Chris Martin all acquired at the trade deadline to steady the relief corps beginning the game with a combined 10.47 ERA in seven appearances apiece.Weve got three new guys here, Greene said.As that happens, youll see that were going to come together as the team within the team and make sure that when weve got the lead and they go to us, well get the job done.The Braves led 2-0 in the third on Ozzie Albies two-run double Freddie Freeman Jersey. Ryu, who had a streak of 15 scoreless innings snapped, struck out Donaldson to strand Albies at third.Matt Beaty provided Los Angeles early offense, hitting his seventh homer to make it 2-1 in the fourth and lining a run-scoring single to make it 2-all in the fifth and chase Foltynewicz.Foltynewicz labored through 4 2 3 innings on 107 pitches. He gave up seven hits and two runs.TRAINERS ROOMDodgers Roberts said INF Jedd Gyorko will be activated Sunday and start at first base https://www.abfansstore.com/Jasseel_De_La_Cruz_Jersey-56. Gyorko has dealt with back, hamstring and hand injuries this year and was on the 60-day injured list when Los Angeles acquired him from St. Louis at the July 31 trade deadline.Braves CF Ender Inciarte will miss four to six weeks after straining his right hamstring while running the bases Friday. Duvall, optioned to Triple-A the day before, replaced Inciarte on the roster.GOING DEEP AGAIN With two more homers, the Dodgers have connected 24 times over the last six games. Los Angeles leads the NL in home runs and set a major league record Friday with 22 in a five-game span.SLICK GLOVES Braves 1B Freddie Freeman snared Muncy liner in the first to double up Joc Pederson, who had reached on second baseman Albies fielding error. Atlanta CF Ronald Acuña Jr. charged in to make a diving catch and rob Corey Seager of a bases-loaded hit in the third. Bellinger made a difficult running grab to save a run on Acuña lineout to center in the seventh.BIG GATHERING The Braves announced a sellout of 43,619.