The Cubs need to win to save Joe Maddon's job and prevent the breakup of the core. Or at least, that's the perception.
By Paul Sullivan
A media outlet touring spring training camps recently tried to get to the bottom of the Cubs' controversy.
Why was Cubs camp not "as loose" as it was in the past?
Joe Maddon listened intently from behind his reflective sunglasses, knowing the reporter hadn't been in camp all spring, much less in the past.
"That's your perception," Maddon replied, halting the interrogation before it began.
It was a rare fit of pique from Maddon, who typically engages the most ill-informed or repetitive questioning with a smile and lengthy response.
Communicating the Cubs' message to the media is one of his managerial strengths, though Maddon also is not afraid to shoot down narratives he finds half- or fully baked.
But like it or not, perception is everything when it comes to the 2019 Cubs, creating a smorgasbord of hot takes all over the media, be it social or mainstream:
— The players are more motivated after last year's acidulous ending.
— Maddon needs to at least get back to the World Series to keep his job.
— The demotion of Ian Happ made a statement about the team's renewed sense of urgency.
— The window is closing after 2021.
But as we watch it all play out, remember nothing that happened before opening day matters once the first pitch is delivered Thursday afternoon in Arlington, Texas.
Everything starts at zero again, from batting averages and ERAs to W's and L's. The Cubs' ugly 2018 ending at Wrigley Field — blowing the division title to the Brewers and losing a 13-inning wild-card game to the Rockies — will be as relevant to this season as Don Young's dropped fly ball at Shea Stadium in 1969 or the fateful foul ball from Game 6 of the NLCS in 2003.
Those seasons and 2018 are linked in the litany of epic Cubs flops, even as the disappointment of last year was relatively painless compared with the other two, thanks to the fact a World Series victory parade occurred in our lifetime.
Motivation is a tricky thing. The Cubs were motivated to redeem themselves in 1970 but lost 12 straight in June to fall into the same old rut. The 2004 Cubs were motivated to redeem not only themselves but Steve Bartman as well. Dusty Baker promised Bartman a seat next to his in the championship parade that ultimately didn't happen.
It's easy to say you're motivated by past events. But when asked about the "M" word, first baseman Anthony Rizzo simply shook his head.
"It definitely sucked," Rizzo said, referring to the 2018 ending. "But more motivated? No. I have the same motivation every year, what I expect from myself and my team. I can't really get more motivated because I always expect us to win. Just because we lost early doesn't affect my motivation. … We left it all on the field last year. It's not like we didn't try."
When denying the incessant Manny Machado rumors in May, Cubs President Theo Epstein said "the first part of the season is finding out who you are." That holds true every year, so we should know early whether these Cubs are who we think they are.
The perceived lack of urgency early last season was something Epstein referred to as "psychobabble" in May. But in his post-playoff autopsy, Epstein noted that sometimes division titles are lost "early in the season when you have an opportunity to push for that sweep, but you've already got two out of three and you're just not quite there with that killer instinct. You know what that makes us? Human."
Demoting Happ to Triple-A Iowa might be just another personnel decision, but it also shows the Cubs are not as willing to be patient with struggling young players as they were in the past.
In April 2013 — Year 2 of the rebuild — manager Dale Sveum threatened to send Rizzo and Starlin Castro to Iowa. No one believed him, and it never happened.
Now that they're expected to win, the Cubs just do it. That's progress and speaks for management's insistence on a go-for-the-throat mentality in 2019.
Maddon will be the one mostly responsible for creating that sense of urgency, and Epstein asked him to be more communicative with his players, including letting them know a few days in advance when they're in the lineup.
It was an issue some players mentioned to Epstein during meetings after last season.
"I'm sure Joe learned some things from his discussions with the players too," Epstein said afterward. "We're going to continue to try to get better at it. "
Maddon figures to be in the spotlight all season because of the expected contract extension that never came. It still could arrive but if so it won't be until after the season — when we know if the mandate worked.
As the only Cubs manager since 1908 to have led his team to a world championship, Maddon — or anyone in his position — should've been able to parlay that accomplishment into a long-term deal. But history tells us no manager is Teflon, even one who changed a clubhouse culture and gave the city the gift that keeps on giving.
Leo Durocher, who helped resurrect the franchise from a two-decade hibernation in the 1960s, was the Maddon of his era. Before the '69 season, Cubs owner Phil Wrigley tore up Durocher's contract and extended him through 1970 at a reported $75,000.
"Baseball law requires that we have a signed contract," then-general manager John Holland said. "However, this is a formality as far as we're concerned. Mr. Wrigley has had a handshake agreement with Leo since the beginning. Leo knows he is manager as long as he wishes to remain."
The perception was that Durocher was untouchable, but he was fired during the '72 season, handshake agreement or not.
Latest Cubs
Kris Bryant's necktie tutorial is just the beginning of the weirdness that is so appealing on the Cubs' YouTube channel
Sloppy play dooms the Cubs' winning streak as the Reds rally for a 6-3 victory
Will Ben Zobrist return this season? The Cubs seek clarity with the July 31 trade deadline approaching
Cole Hamels is 'progressing well' and could throw off a mound this week
Nothing in life is guaranteed but change.
And for this cherished group that ushered in this golden age of Cubs baseball, the thought of breaking up the band should be motivation enough.
psullivan@chicagotribune.com
Twitter @PWSullivan
Paul Sullivan: MLB can't change the weather, but starting the season earlier than ever makes no sense at all »
Cole Hamels is delighted with his home run — and hole-in-one — while Pedro Strop passes his final test »
Cubs at spring training: A game-by-game recap »
Cubs fans
Welcome! Join Tribune sportswriters and Cubs fans here for the latest news and analysis from the beat.
Theo Epstein