Cubs’ spring ‘circus’ gives way to work on unfinished business

LAS VEGAS – The big top came down on Cubs spring training Friday as the Cubs put away the costumes and karaoke machine and sent the mimes and baby bears home.

They did just a little more baseball work against the Mets in an exhibition that served as more of a reminder of last fall’s unfinished business – and the seriousness that awaits in Anaheim Monday – than anything else.

Specifically, Mets left-hander Steven Matz, who beat the Cubs’ in the National League Championship Series clincher in October, offered five innings of hitless reminders against a Cub lineup heavy on early substitutions of minor leaguers during an 8-1 loss to the Mets.

The Cubs say they’re ready. For the season, for the expectations, for the Angels in the opener – and for the Cardinals, the Pirates, the Giants, the Mets and everyone else in the National League.

“Guys look good,” said lefty Jon Lester, who starts Tuesday’s finale of the Cubs’ opening two-game series. “The biggest thing for us is just getting to where it means something.”

Where the daily sideshows that got as much media attention Jake Arrieta’s thumb blister and Lester’s bone chip put together fade into fond memories of bear pee on Anthony Rizzo.

“Joe always had a few things that he did, but here was every day,” said free agent addition Ben Zobrist, who said this year’s daily pre-practice shows run by strength coach Tim Buss surpassed anything he saw under Maddon in eight spring trainings with Tampa Bay. “It was way more.

“Literally, every day there was something that I’ve never seen happen before a stretch on a big-league spring training. It was definitely a circus at times. But it was fun.

“That’s exactly the kind of thing that brings guys together and makes us have fun together and get to know each other more.”

And get social media buzzing with six weeks of strange sights and sounds from Mesa.

“It was pretty impressive,” said Mets infielder Neil Walker, the longtime Pirates second baseman, who said he hadn’t seen a spring with so much pre-work sideshow stuff, from up close or afar. “We had [Yoenis] Cespedes coming in, in a different car for about a week straight. One of them was a horse – him and [Noah] Syndergaard came in on a horse. That was pretty much the extent of it.”

Now they see how well it worked. Everybody from Las Vegas to Laos seems to think the Cubs will at least be in the World Series for the first time in 71 years, if not win it for the first time in 108.

“It’s well deserved,” Mets first baseman Lucas Duda said of the Cubs’ hype, apparently encouraging the target the Cubs are embracing. “They’re a great team and the team to beat in the NL.”

Never mind the defending-NL-champion Mets, or the Nationals, or Dodgers or Cardinals.

“The priority during this camp was to be well and be ready,” Cubs manager Joe Maddon said. “I really think we’re ready, and I just want to continue to be well.”

The most serious injury to anybody on the projected big-league squad was suffered by traveling massage therapist Vyascheslav “Slavy” Kodryan, who broke his leg in a back-field Frisbee accident in February and remains on crutches entering the season.

Beyond that, super utility man Javy Baez (thumb) is the only big-league player expected to open on the disabled list, and he’s expected back for the April 11 home opener.

Maddon said his other dinged-up player, Dexter Fowler (sore side) will be in the lineup for Sunday’s final exhibition, at Angels Stadium, after missing the last five games.

“The biggest thing for us is health,” Lester said. “We’re going into the season in a good spot.”

Note: The biggest lineup decisions Maddon said he faces before the opener are whether to bat Zobrist third and Kris Bryant fifth, or vice-versa, and whether Kyle Schwarber or Jorge Soler plays left field (the other DHs). But the way lefty-hitting Tommy La Stella has looked since returning from a calf injury, he could force his way into the decision process (vs. Angels right-hander Garrett Richards).