Cubs say ‘everybody’s hungry’ as they break camp

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The Cubs believe their future’s so bright … (Photo by John Antonoff/For the Sun-Times)

MESA, Ariz. — For the first time since they left Shreveport, Louisiana, in 1909, the Cubs broke camp as the defending World Series champions.

That year, they opened against the same St. Louis Cardinals they’ll see in the opener Sunday night.

The Cubs are talking about starting fast and getting even better this year.

“We’re just scratching the surface,” said 23-year-old shortstop Addison Russell, whose back issue was the only lingering ailment to resolve among the 25 on the roster.

“Everybody’s hungry,” said 2015 Cy Young Award winner Jake Arrieta, who figures to cash in on a megadeal in free agency.

“It’s kind of like a sophomore season after the championship run. We’re all looking forward to seeing how we pick up where we left off, and judging by what we’ve done this spring and the shape guys are in and the health, I don’t see any reason why we can’t jump out to an early lead like we did last year and sustain it throughout the entire season.”

Leadoff man Kyle Schwarber  said his surgically repaired knee is a “non-factor” heading into the season. He said he’s ready for his new role atop the lineup, and he offered a preview with a home run leading off the game Wednesday against the Athletics.

“It’s a really good ballclub,” said Schwarber, who was forced to watch 100 of the team’s 103 wins last year. “All the additions we made are wonderful complements to what this team was already. It’s going to be really cool to see how it all plays out this season.”

Jon Lester said he noticed a difference this spring from his first two with the team.

“The biggest thing this year is just how our camp has changed from kind of a young camp to more of a veteran camp,” he said. “It’s a very, very loose camp as far as [manager] Joe [Maddon] just saying, ‘Get your work done, however that may be. If you just want to hit in the cage today, hit in the cage.’ ”

Staying fresh and hungry could be the key to April. And that could be the key to October, veteran Ben Zobrist said.

“I expect us to be a playoff team. I think everybody does,” said Zobrist, who returned Tuesday from a week sidelined by neck stiffness.

“But you have to get off to a good start. What we don’t want to happen is we get off to a bad start and then have to push in the middle of the season. It was nice last year that we got off to such a good start and we were so far ahead of the division that when we did have a rough patch as a team [in late June-early July] it didn’t really hurt us that bad.”

By mid-September they were able to taper for a strong playoff run.

“That stuff is big,” said Zobrist. “Every game matters.”

He also sees room for growth in an already accomplished 25-and-under hitting core, with prospects such as Ian Happ and Eloy Jimenez coming fast in the system.

“This team is poised to have a good long run of success if everybody stays healthy and we stay together,” he said. “The biggest thing that I go into the season with this year is we have to be healthy, and we have to make sure that we don’t relax too much.”

Said Arrieta: “We’re all ready to go. Ready to play under the bright lights and start another run.”

Follow me on Twitter @GDubCub.

Email: gwittenmyer@suntimes.com

Addison Russell (back) expects to play Thursday, be ready Sunday

Matt Szczur, Tommy La Stella both break with Cubs as roster set

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