MORE FROM Jared Wyllys

How James Shields changed his delivery to change his luck

A new arm angle looks to be part of the metamorphosis into the second phase of James Shields’ career.

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Why Joe Maddon's Cubs have been a strong second-half team

Joe Maddon's rotating lineups can sometimes cause fans and even analysts to chirp in protest, but there’s a method to this madness.

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Joey Votto's plate approach is a model for the rest of baseball

It takes special talent to sustain attention-grabbing success across a span of time like Joey Votto has since his debut in 2007.

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Twins' Joe Mauer remains consistent even while baseball evolves

Even as the rest of the league has changed around him, Joe Mauer has been almost boringly good since his debut in 2004.

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Time to scoreboard watch? Not yet, MLB players say

More so than fans, MLB players understand when it's time to panic, relax and turn it on during a season. Just ask Clayton Kershaw, Jon Lester and others.

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'We talk about goofy stuff': A look at MLB's growing list of player podcasts

Like the men who play the game, each MLB player podcast has its own flair.

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How 'hybrid' pitchers prepare for dual roles in rotation and bullpen

The challenge for so-called hybrid pitchers, those who serve as relievers and occasional starters, is both mental and physical.

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Kerry Wood's 20-K game was just beginning of stellar month for Cubs righty

Kerry Wood’s 20-strikeout game against the Astros on May 6, 1998, was remarkable on its own, but what’s often overlooked is that Wood’s dominance continued for the rest of the month, which was arguably the best of his 14-year career.

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Going mental: How MLB players have embraced psychology to manage high stress

Though MLB players have always dealt with pressure, how they do continues to evolve.

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The philosophy behind Gerrit Cole's hot start for Astros: 'It's OK to miss'

Gerrit Cole was already good. Since being traded to the Astros in January, he's found a way to be even better.

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Freddie Freeman leads Braves with quiet authority, on the field and off

At only 28, Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman is already the battle-worn veteran presence on the Atlanta roster, and he’s become the quiet leader of an upstart Braves squad that finally appears ready to win again.

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Tweets, trolls and time: An inside look at what it's like to run an MLB social media account

For 162 games a year, the people behind each MLB team’s social media voice are there — in the pressbox, on the field, in the clubhouse, roaming among the fans, or maybe searching for a good signal — to talk baseball.

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Why the Angels are poised for a playoff run in 2018

The road to October won’t necessarily be easier for the Angels this season, but thanks to several key additions they are better equipped to traverse it.

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Why the Phillies could make a surprising playoff run in 2018

The Phillies finished 31 games behind the Nationals in 2017 and 21 games from a wild-card spot, but thanks to an infusion of young talent on offense and a dramatically weakened division in the NL East, there’s a path for Philadelphia to claim a wild-card spot this October.

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Predicting surprise: Young players who could shine for Dodgers, Indians in 2018

In Los Angeles, Alex Verdugo might just squeeze his way into a crowded outfield, and in Cleveland, Francisco Mejia is going to catch some attention, even if he has to learn a new position to do it.

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With Yu Darvish signing, National League tilts in Cubs' favor

Yu Darvish’s otherwise sterling career should quiet worries over his 2017 World Series performance.

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Predicting surprise: Young players who could shine for Nationals, Astros in 2018

The Nationals and Astros both made the postseason in 2017, but they finished in very different ways. These two teams already have the core roster elements necessary to make return trips, but they will also have to ride the success of the likes of Wilmer Difo and Chris Devenski, who both stepped into larger roles in 2017 and hope to keep those this year.

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MLB 2018: White Sox rely on family culture as rebuild reaches next phase

General manager Rich Hahn, slugger Jose Abreu and others say a culture of camaraderie is important as the White Sox prepare to navigate the challenges of bringing up more of their cadre of blue-chip players.

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Predicting surprise: Young players who could shine for Cubs, Red Sox in 2018

In Chicago, the Cubs have a relief pitcher in Dillon Maples who might light up the National League if he can improve his command. In Boston, the Red Sox have a third baseman in Rafael Devers who could help anchor the offense if they’re willing to overlook his suspect defense.

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MLB trade rumors: Marlins' big trade with Brewers finally gives Miami a win

The deal Miami struck with Milwaukee brings a group of legit prospects and gives their beleaguered fanbase something, however small, to cheer.

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Predicting surprise: Young players who could shine for Diamondbacks, Yankees in 2018

The Diamondbacks have a tough climb to surpass the Dodgers in their division, but they might have a surprise in Christian Walker if he can master a new position. In New York, meanwhile, Gleyber Torres has been a heralded prospect for several years, but this season he makes the leap to the majors.

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Predicting surprise: Young players who could shine for Rockies, Twins in 2018

In Colorado, they have a speedy outfielder who is ready to take a full-time role. And in Minnesota, they have a young pitcher who already has important experience under his belt.

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Predicting surprise: Young players who could shine for Brewers, Angels in 2018

The Brewers held the first-place spot in their division for almost all of the first half of the 2017 season, and to make a more serious run at the NL Central they’ll need prospects such as Lewis Brinson to make an impact. And the Angels made one of the biggest splashes of the offseason in signing Shohei Ohtani, who seems bound for success however they use him.

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Predicting surprise: Young players who could shine for Cardinals, Rays in 2018

The Cardinals need their pitching staff to be strong to return to the postseason after missing out the past two seasons, and in Alex Reyes they have a solid candidate to make that happen. Meanwhile, the Rays were part of a three-team deal a year ago that brought them Mallex Smith, a quality hitter and base runner who could lead off and play left field for them for years to come.

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Predicting surprise: Young players who could shine for Marlins, Royals in 2018

It’s possible that the now-depleted Marlins might slightly redeem themselves after their sell-off, thanks to the Marcell Ozuna trade that yielded them a young pitcher filled with potential. And it’s possible that the Royals have an outfielder who could be a steady presence in their lineup for years to come.

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Predicting surprise: Young players who could shine for Pirates, Mariners in 2018

The teams in the middle of the pack in baseball don’t have the luxury of recent success to celebrate or an active rebuild to pin hopes on, but both the Pirates and Mariners have young outfielders who could make their mark next season regardless.

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Predicting surprise: Young players who could shine for Braves, Rangers in 2018

The Braves' Ozzie Albies has one of the higher ceilings of the young prospects going into 2018. Meanwhile, the Rangers' Willie Calhoun could be a staple of their outfield for several years to come.

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With Brandon Morrow signing, Cubs take a gamble on their bullpen

Brandon Morrow last handled ninth-inning duties with regularity close to a decade ago, when he earned 16 saves between the 2008 and 2009 seasons in Seattle.

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Predicting surprise: Young players who could shine for Padres, Blue Jays in 2018

Sometimes, changing teams and getting a spot in the lineup every day is all a player needs to break out.

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Predicting surprise: Young players who could shine for Mets, Orioles in 2018

For the Mets, they have who might be their first baseman of the future in Dominic Smith, and in Baltimore, Austin Hays could round out a quality outfield and provide an impact bat to go with Adam Jones and Manny Machado.

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Predicting surprise: Young players who could shine for Reds, A's in 2018

The Reds are stuck at the bottom of a deep division, and the the Athletics often seem to be in a perpetual rebuild, never shy to sell off talent for prospects, but eventually they have to see results those exchanges.

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Predicting surprise: Young players who could shine for Phillies, White Sox in 2018

The Phillies and White Sox will need a few of their blue-chip prospects to shine in 2018, but the difference could come from a pair of slightly off-the-radar pieces.

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Predicting surprise: Young players who could shine for Giants, Tigers in 2018

Each week this offseason, we’ll look into the crystal ball and examine two players who could be next season’s surprise standouts.

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Dodgers see matured Yasiel Puig, quirks and all: 'As focused as I've ever seen him'

Beneath the swagger, quirks and bat flips, Yasiel Puig is not the same player he was just a year ago.

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MLB playoffs: Jake Arrieta keeps Cubs alive as his future remains in doubt

If Wednesday night was Jake Arrieta’s final start for the Chicago Cubs, it was a banger.

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MLB playoffs: Cubs find themselves outmatched, fatigued and on the brink

Deep playoff runs for three consecutive seasons have sapped the Cubs, and they’re showing that against the Dodgers.

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MLB playoffs: Stephen Strasburg plays hero to keep Nationals alive in NLDS

Stephen Strasburg gave the Nationals a clutch outing in Game 4 of the NLDS, and he gave the Cubs fits.

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MLB playoffs: Cubs rally to overcome comedy of errors, grab NLDS lead

By the end of the sixth, the Cubs had committed four errors and squandered valuable scoring opportunities. But they overcame those obstacles for a 2-1 win and a 2-1 NLDS lead.

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Mike Freeman's story of talent, grit, luck and eight teams in two years

Baseball is full of quirky journeys, and Mike Freeman may have journeyed more than anyone.

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Mind games: When a change of scenery gives an MLB career new life

When players change uniforms, whether in season or during the offseason, it's not unusual for them to perform notably better with their new teams. There are several factors that contribute to this, but players who have made such moves are consistent in their belief that the switch made a difference.

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Brewers playing loose, acting like team to beat in NL Central

In sweeping the Cubs in Chicago for the first time since 2002, the Brewers sent a message that they plan to be the team on Lake Michigan that plays October baseball.

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Cubs embrace defensive flexibility with postseason success in mind

An emphasis on defensive flexibility is creeping into MLB, and Cubs manager Joe Maddon, an early purveyor of the strategy, knows its value, as well as the importance of keeping his players ready to be flexible.

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Sean Rodriguez is back home with Pirates, this time with perspective

It shouldn’t take a frightening car accident to change our perception of Sean Rodriguez.

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Dodgers' Chase Utley takes long view on success as career winds down

The simplicity of Chase Utley's assessment of the National League’s best team subtly reflects both the plain strengths of the Dodgers and the perspective on his vocation that 15 years in the league has given him.

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Derek Holland's love of wrestling, levity keep White Sox from tapping out on season

Despite struggles on the mound and being a part of a team with one of the worst records in baseball, White Sox pitcher Derek Holland knows the importance of a loose clubhouse.

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The other side of a rebuild: Ex-Cubs reflect on 2016 and what might have been

Leaving a team on the cusp of success isn’t always easy for players to accept, especially when they see their former team reach the summit and fulfill the hopes of decades without the glamor of being directly involved.

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