BASEBALL Cubs back in playoffs as postseason vets

There are no billy goats this time. No lovable losers, either.

A year after their World Series title, the Cubs are back in the playoffs for a third straight season. For some Chicago toddlers, with names like Addison, Clark and Wrigley, this is all they have ever known — an almost unfathomable notion for generations of Cubs fans.

But unlike last year, when the Cubs’ run to their first championship since 1908 captivated the country, they are just another playoff team. Cody Bellinger and the Dodgers rolled to a major-league-high 104 wins. Cleveland and Houston each won more than 100 games, and the Nationals have Bryce Harper back for the best-of-five NL Division Series against Chicago, starting Friday in Washington.

That’s just fine with Anthony Rizzo and company.

“It doesn’t really matter to me, to be honest,” Rizzo said. “In my opinion, we’re the favorites to win it all again. In Bryce Harper’s opinion, they’re the favorites. In Bellinger’s opinion, they’re the favorites, with the Dodgers. So everyone’s the favorites. You’ve just got to go out and play.”

Atlanta GM out: John Coppolella was forced to resign as the Braves’ general manager after an investigation by Major League Baseball revealed serious rules violations in the international player market.

Gordon Blakeley, a special assistant to the GM who was the team’s international scouting chief, also has resigned.

The Braves, 72-90 this year, have been active in the international market in recent years. More teams have increased their emphasis on international scouting, making the competition for top prospects intense.

In 2016, the Braves signed a group of 13 international prospects led by Kevin Maitan, a 16-year-old Venezuelan shortstop. Maitan, the consensus top-rated international amateur prospect, signed for a $4.25 million bonus, a record for a player from Venezuela.

Briefly: Pete Rose is out of the Fox Sports lineup. The network says David Ortiz and Keith Hernandez have been added to the Fox studio for postseason telecasts. They’ll join Alex Rodriguez and Frank Thomas as analysts, along with host Kevin Burkhardt. Rose, 76, was part of Fox postseason telecasts the past two seasons. A woman’s claim that she had a sexual relationship with the career hits leader when she was a minor became public this summer . ... Umpires Mike Winters and Gary Cederstrom are crew chiefs for the wild-card games this week. Winters will work first base when the Yankees host the Twins in the American League playoffs Tuesday. Cederstrom will be at first base Wednesday when the Rockies visit Arizona in the NL game.