Joe Maddon grinned at the question.
The Cubs looked like a different team since the All-Star break. They wrapped up a three-game sweep of the Pirates with an 8-3 win on Sunday. It completed a dominant series in which they outscored Pittsburgh 22-10.
What was the secret?
“It’s rest,” Maddon said with a shrug. “I mean, people don’t want to listen to that because it’s way too simple. It’s a simple concept. If you’re more rested, you tend to do what you do better. If you’re not, you tend to do it not as good.
“They don’t let pilots fly too long.