CHICAGO—Touting the lack of pressure to squeeze something into every second of the excursion, Cubs manager Joe Maddon confirmed Wednesday that he was saving up his mound visits for one long trip in the eighth inning. “I used to like spreading out my visits across the whole game, but then I realized it’s far more satisfying to take one long, relaxing mound trip,” said Maddon, who complained that he wasn’t able to enjoy the moment during short visits because he was constantly thinking about what he would have to do when he returned to the dugout. “Stockpiling all these outings helps me really enjoy the mound experience—you just have more time to yourself than you do during a 30-second visit. It’s nice taking a leisurely stroll and chatting with my reliever without having to worry about next innings’ matchups. In fact, I’m planning an extended two-hour visit next week.” Maddon admitted that he was sometimes forced into an unplanned mound visit to avoid losing his unused trips at the end of the month.

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