John Lackey brings intensity and a winning attitude to Cubs’ rotation

Most of John Lackey’s baseball career is in his rear-view mirror, a long stretch of road that includes 2,608 innings over 14 big league seasons, two World Series rings, one major elbow surgery and $108 million in earnings.

All of which has left the 6-foot-6, 235-pound right-hander from Abilene, Texas, as satiated as a Great Dane that hasn’t eaten in two days.

Fame, fortune, advancing age (37) and high mileage on his athletic odometer have done nothing to douse the fire that burns within Lackey, who could be just the kind of pitcher and personality the Chicago Cubs need to end their 107-year World Series drought.

“He’s ultra-intense, one of the most competitive people I’ve ever been around,” David Ross, the Cubs’ veteran backup catcher, said of Lackey. “I think his toughness on the mound is going to show these guys a side we were maybe lacking a little bit last year.”

Expectations for the Cubs couldn’t be any higher after they added right fielder Jason Heyward, second baseman Ben Zobrist and Lackey to a team that reached the National League Championship Series last season. Many have picked them to win the World Series.

Lackey, who signed a two-year, $32-million deal in December after anchoring the St. Louis Cardinals rotation in 2015, isn’t the team’s ace or No. 2 starter; those labels belong to Jake Arrieta and Jon Lester, who pitched the first two games against the Angels.

But Lackey, who has notched two World Series-clinching victories — in Game 7 for the Angels in 2002 and Game 6 for Boston in 2013 — brings a work ethic, drive and edge that should rub off on his new teammates.

“Yeah, there’s definitely a little controlled rage, I guess,” Lackey said, describing his on-mound demeanor. “I’ve pretty much been like that since Day 1. I still enjoy competing, getting after it. I haven’t lost that, so it’s definitely not time to go home yet.”

Lackey, who will make his Cubs debut in Arizona on Thursday night, describes himself as “pretty laid back” on his four days between starts, but he turns into a pitbull on the mound.

“He only gets 30-35 starts, so that day he’s pitching is super important to him,” said Ross, a Red Sox teammate of Lackey’s in 2013. “It takes that intensity up a notch when you see a guy who’s that competitive. On the mound, he’s locked in, he’s out there to win. He expects greatness, out of himself and his teammates.”

Lackey seems to pitch with a permanent scowl. His glare could melt the number right off the jersey of a teammate who commits an error behind him. A batter who shows him up in any way is likely to get a fastball to the ribs.

“If John is not on your team, you really don’t like him from the other side — we’ve all known guys like that,” said Cubs Manager Joe Maddon, the Angels bench coach for Lackey’s first four years in the big leagues. “But put him on your side, and you can’t love him any more than you could possibly love a guy.

“I like the edge for us. When you have an edgy guy or two in your group, it will keep you on your toes. Johnny will absolutely have an impact.”

Ross compares Lackey to Dodgers infielder Chase Utley, whose aggressive play is seen as hard-nosed by teammates and sometimes dirty by opponents.

“We tell Lack all the time, ‘Your body language is awful, you always look mad on the mound,’ but it’s for the betterment of the group,” Ross said. “He wants to win that bad. Until you’ve competed with a guy like that, you may not understand why they have to be like that. I’ve played with a lot of people who are winners and whose act you may not like. But in the end, they’re winners.”

Lackey, who has relied on the same four-pitch mix (fastball, curve, slider, changeup) throughout his career, has the resume to prove Ross’ point. He has a 165-127 record and 3.92 earned-run average, and has been even better in the postseason with an 8-5 record and 3.11 ERA in 23 games.

He pitched on six Angels playoff teams from 2002 to 2009, one Red Sox World Series team (2013) and two Cardinals playoff teams (2014, 2015).

“It’s not an accident,” Lackey said. “I don’t think you have that many accidents. I’d like to think I’ve had a little hand in getting some of those teams to that point. But it takes 25 guys, and not just on-the-field stuff. You have to help lead guys in the clubhouse, too.”

In four years since he sat out the 2012 season because of reconstructive elbow surgery, Lackey is 37-33 with a 3.35 ERA. He was 13-10 with a 2.77 ERA in 33 starts last season, replacing the injured Adam Wainwright as ace in late April and helping the Cardinals (100-62) win the NL Central.

The allure of a powerful Cubs team and reunions with Maddon and Lester, his best friend in the game, was too strong to pass up for Lackey, who will push Jason Hammel and Kyle Hendricks to the fourth and fifth spots in a championship-caliber rotation.

“When you take a guy who was basically the No. 1 pitcher on a team that won 100 games and stick him in your No. 3 spot, you have a pretty good rotation,” Ross said. “You have a good chance.”