Manager Joe Maddon conducted the first of what he hopes are three meetings this season to his Cubs players.
Maddon addressed his players Saturday at their theater at their training complex. Players and staffers watched clips from the postseason. Maddon continued to stress that Cubs’ Game 4 victory over the San Francisco Giants possibly was their most important game.
He also showed a video of their National League title-clinching win against the Los Angeles Dodgers to emphasize their near-flawless play.
But Maddon saved his last video – their victory over Cleveland in Game 7 of the World Series – to make his biggest point. The Cubs players, led by Jason Heyward, held a brief meeting during a rain delay after the ninth inning.
Maddon liked that the players responded on their own, validating his observation that they maintained one heartbeat.
"I’d say a high percentage of teams would have lost that game, but we were able to regroup and come back, just based on the heartbeat, and I wanted them to understand the heartbeat," Maddon said. "And that was based on the primary focus.
"In our game today, the way it’s run, on a lot of levels it’s more about math than people sometimes. And I want our guys to understand we understand the heartbeat."
Maddon said he observed in the mid-1980s that coaches started getting more mechanical with helping players instead of purely competing.
"It had nothing to do with statistical information, (physical) mechanics," Maddon said. "It had everything to do with people. And I really want our guys to understand that. We’ll do the math and physical work. But we wear a different uniform than you. You compete."
Maddon will hold his next meeting before the first game of the second half. The last meeting will held prior to the first game of the playoffs if the Cubs qualify.
Caption Joe Maddon on Cubs’ team meeting, spring training plans
Cubs manager Joe Maddon discusses a team meeting and spring training plans on Saturday, Feb. 18, 2017, in Mesa, Ariz. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
Cubs manager Joe Maddon discusses a team meeting and spring training plans on Saturday, Feb. 18, 2017, in Mesa, Ariz. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
Caption Joe Maddon on Cubs’ team meeting, spring training plans
Cubs manager Joe Maddon discusses a team meeting and spring training plans on Saturday, Feb. 18, 2017, in Mesa, Ariz. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
Cubs manager Joe Maddon discusses a team meeting and spring training plans on Saturday, Feb. 18, 2017, in Mesa, Ariz. (John J. Kim/Chicago Tribune)
Caption Cubs’ Chairman Tom Ricketts on speech to team, World Series trophy
Cubs’ Chairman Tom Ricketts talks about speech to team and the World Series trophy. (Mark Gonzales/Chicago Tribune)
Cubs’ Chairman Tom Ricketts talks about speech to team and the World Series trophy. (Mark Gonzales/Chicago Tribune)
Caption Cubs’ Kris Bryant on being pranked by Greg Maddux
Cubs’ Kris Bryant on being pranked by Greg Maddux. (Mark Gonzales/Chicago Tribune)
Cubs’ Kris Bryant on being pranked by Greg Maddux. (Mark Gonzales/Chicago Tribune)
Caption Cubs’ Joe Maddon on ‘heartbeat’ speech
Cubs manager Joe Maddon talks about "heartbeat" speech. (Mark Gonzales/Chicago Tribune)
Cubs manager Joe Maddon talks about “heartbeat” speech. (Mark Gonzales/Chicago Tribune)
Caption Cubs’ Jason Heyward on locker room speeches
Cubs’ Jason Heyward talks about giving team speeches. (Mark Gonzales/Chicago Tribune)
Cubs’ Jason Heyward talks about giving team speeches. (Mark Gonzales/Chicago Tribune)
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