Maddon plays coy on revealing Cubs' NLDS rotation

Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon has an idea about what his rotation will look like in the postseason.

The club's front office also has a clue who will toe the rubber, and in what order. How about the Cubs' pitchers themselves?

"They're not stupid," Maddon told a pool of reporters Friday.

With the season drawing to a close, everyone is waiting to see what the final word will be on the Cubs' rotation for the NLDS.

Maddon, however, plans to confirm with management before his players find out through external sources. This way, he can deliver the news himself.

"We haven’t had that final conversation with Theo (Epstein) and Jed (Hoyer) and everybody else (in the front office) and all of our coaches," Maddon said. “What I like to do under these circumstances is talk to the players first before they have to read about it in the newspaper.”

The Cubs certainly aren't short of options. In any way they see fit, they can rearrange Jon Lester, Jake Arrieta, John Lackey, Kyle Hendricks, and Jason Hammel.

Regardless of what happens, Arrieta and Lackey will have had two weeks off between starts. That being said, Maddon is going to do what he has to do to win, regardless of the circumstance.

"That’s always been the major complaint I’ve heard,” Maddon said. “It’s just up to us to handle it properly. Now, of course, it may be difficult or rusty or whatever you want to call it. I don’t know. And then again, the rest might just do somebody really good. It just depends on the individual. These are the kind of things that are kind of outside of your control.

“You do your best in order to meet the challenge. That’s it," he added. "And you don’t make excuses. You don’t cry about it. You just do it, because, in advance, you know this is how it is set up."