Protection » goals apiece from Nikolaj Ehlers,

CHICAGO -- This is the genius of Joe Maddon:Next week, all four of his infielders will start for the National League at the All-Star Game, a trick no team has turned since the 1963 St. Louis Cardinals. Yet when those Cubs return to Wrigley Field next Friday to face the Pirates, two of them -- Kris Bryant and Ben Zobrist -- could wind up starting in the outfield. They might not be the only ones playing a different position.If you want to know what separates Chicago from the handful of other title contenders at midseason, versatility is a good place to start. And that starts with Maddon.Ive always been about that, he said recently.Maddon has never been shy about testing his players skill sets, either, because hes always challenging himself. He could write a book about turning the tables on decades of received baseball wisdom and whats hes learned along the way. But on this day he limits himself to a list of benefits a manager gets having guys who can play multiple positions: reacting to in-game changes is easier; you can carry an extra pitcher if you need to; more flexibility in scheduling rest days; and it keeps everyone on their toes.But he saves the best argument for the end of his pitch. Its the same one Maddon employs to stick a toe outside his own comfort zone, and how hes talked a few dozen grown men into donning pajamas for charter flights home from West Coast road trips.And the last point, he summed up, is they love it.Most of the time, anyway.A week earlier, in a 15-inning marathon at Cincinnati, Maddon used three pitchers in the field in the same game for the first time in a century or more. Reliever Pedro Strop, the third pitcher to enter, was in the Cubs bullpen that inning when the phone rang, but he knew better than to assume anything.You never know with Joe, he said. The guys not afraid do anything. ... So I was almost kind of ready for that, because I was the only extra player we got.But the other one? Man, he continued. I was like, `Whoa.That was a year ago, just ahead of the midsummer break with the Dodgers in town. The Cubs were already struggling with a manpower shortage in that same infield.Bryant, the third baseman, was wilting in the heat of his first big-league season and Maddon was trying to give him a day off. That plan fell through when shortstop Starlin Castro -- since traded to the Yankees -- headed off to the hospital for the birth of his second baby. It also forced Maddon to move Addison Russell from second to short and pencil in his only other healthy infielder, reserve Johnny Herrera, at second.Thats when Strop noticed the manager eyeing him.Joe comes over and says to me, `So, what position can you play better? he recalled.Strop has been a pitcher since he broke into the majors in 2009, but hed played more than 200 games at shortstop in the Rockies minor league system before a weak bat convinced him to try throwing off a mound. The prospect of a cameo back at shortstop both tantalized and terrified him -- exactly the response Maddon was looking for.But then Starlin drove back from the hospital, Strop recalled, chuckling at the memory.No matter. Point made.Maddon came by the philosophy while working on his managerial chops as an assistant in the Angels organization and then as the boss in Tampa Bay. In both organizations, he saw talented ballplayers capable of contributing stuck in place because the guy in front of them had the position locked down. Maddons first convert to make a splash was Zobrist in Tampa Bay, who eventually mastered four positions, joined him in Chicago this season and will play second base in the All-Star Game.Bryant, who will start at third, has played three different positions in the same regular-season game. Russell, who didnt become a full-time shortstop until after the midseason break in 2015, will start there in the All-Star Game. And Maddon has already convinced rookie Willson Contreras, who was drafted as a catcher, to try left field and first base during his first month in the majors.A few lockers down, Albert Almora Jr., another highly touted rookie, wondered whether hed get the talk. Hes played center field since being called up June 7 from the Triple-A Iowa club, and hasnt received any further instructions from Maddon.I watch him when Im not playing and it seems like hes three, four moves ahead of the game, Almora said. So hes not afraid to try things, even with the rookies. Just about the first thing he said is he doesnt care if you mess up. ...Like if youre in a situation where you think you should bunt, and he says hit and it doesnt work out, hell come up to you right away and say, `Thats on me, he added. He doesnt just say have fun, he shows you how. That means a lot to a young player.Another few lockers over, 39-year-old David Ross, a backup catcher playing his final season, offers the last word on his smooth-talking, sometimes-zany manager.Too many guys want to equate smarts with being uptight, Ross said. Joe doesnt. He just says, `Do simple better.---This story has been corrected to show the 1963 St. Louis Cardinals had four starting infielders at All-Star Game. Adidas Zx Flux Goedkoop . Klitschkos management company says the bout will be the Ukrainian fighters 25th world championship fight. The 1.83-meter (6-foot) Leapai defeated the previously unbeaten Denis Boytsov in November to become the WBOs mandatory challenger. Adidas NMD Belgie . The Celtics closed out their first preseason under Stevens on Wednesday night with a 101-97 victory over the Brooklyn Nets, who rested a lot of their lineup including former Celtics Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce. http://www.nmdbelgie.com/kopen-adidas-nmd-heren-sale/nmd-xR1-heren.html . He was followed closely by David Clarkson, donning red, seconds later. Clarksons actions one night earlier, leaping off the bench in defence of Kessel during a pre-season game against the Buffalo Sabres, will cost him the first 10 games of the regular season. Adidas NMD Aanbieding . -- Arizona raced out to a big lead and did not back off, hitting the accelerator instead. Adidas Continental 80 Kopen . Halifax beat the Saint John Sea Dogs 7-5 on the strength of two goals apiece from Nikolaj Ehlers, Matt Murphy and Brent Andrews. Jonathan Drouin also scored and had three assists while Zachary Fucale made 17 saves for the Mooseheads (16-8-0), who led 6-1 after two periods. PROVO, Utah -- Taysom Hill threw for 320 yards and two touchdowns and BYU secured a bowl berth with a 37-7 victory over Southern Utah on Saturday.The Cougars (6-4) will play in the Poinsettia Bowl on Dec. 21 in San Diego against a Mountain West Conference team.Hill rushed 16 yards for the games first score and passed 31 yards to Nick Kurtz and 21 to Colby Pearson for touchdowns. KJ Hall ran over from 2 yards out in the final minute of the first half as the Cougars took off to a 31-7 lead.Rhett Almond kiccked field goals of 28, 30 and 20 yards.ddddddddddddThis was Hills fourth 300-yard passing game but first since throwing for 308 against Connecticut in the 2014 season opener. The Cougars had a season-high 596 total yards.The Thunderbirds (5-5) got their only touchdown on Patrick Tylers 17-yard pass to Logan Parker.This is the 12th straight season that BYU will head to a bowl. ' ' '