Oct. 22--Most of manager Joe Maddon's coaching staff already was under contract before his arrival, and Maddon stopped his traditional bi-monthly meetings with his staff during the latter stages of the regular season.
But Maddon said he couldn't be more delighted with his communication with the coaching staff and their ability to teach and communicate.
"We've had several wings-and-beer nights," Maddon said Wednesday. "It's a really fun group. The biggest thing is I thought as they got to know me better, the conversation became easier. I tried to press upon them in the beginning you can tell me anything you want. I want to hear that. It's hard for a coach to do with a manager in their first meeting, especially when you don't know the guy.
"But season in progress, the conversation loosened up a lot in a good way, and I like that. All the little things we've done during the course of the year have made us tighter. It definitely has worked."
Maddon is the third manager pitching coach Chris Bosio has worked for since joining the Cubs in 2012, and Maddon seems very impressed with the work of his pitching team of Bosio, catching/strategy coach Mike Borzello and bullpen coach Lester Strode.
"Bosio has been great," Maddon said.
Numerous teams have inquired about Bosio over the past two seasons, but the Cubs are expected to keep him under contract.
Changing gears: Scoring only five runs in the first three games of the National League Championship Series -- three on solo homers -- gives impetus to exploring ways to manufacture offense.
"We talk about it all the time," Maddon said. "It's definitely something you want our players and hitters to understand, the ability to do other things. They're a group of young, inexperienced hitters. You see (Anthony) Rizzo do different things, and he has been around a little bit. Starlin (Castro) knows how to move the baseball in different moments.
"The younger guys will get better at it. I know we talked about it last spring training. It's something we'll address in the future. When you get to this time of the year, it's always nice to do different things."
Short stroke: Closer Hector Rondon pitched a scoreless inning Tuesday night but smacked a water cooler because he walked David Wright.
"He picked up a bat, which I thought was curious," Maddon said. "And he walked to the water fountain, and I walked back because I didn't want to get any of the backswing. And he just nailed it, solid contact."
