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I like Rick Renteria's attitude. And he's going to need it.
From Comcast SportsNet
- 2013 was a historically bad season for Chicago baseball.
From Cubs Den
- It is looking more like the Cubs will hang onto Jeff Samardzija. And that might be their best strategy.
- The Moody News looks at some of the remaining free agents.
- Or jump ahead to the 2015 free agent class, if you prefer.
- Cubs Den believes the team can win the bidding for Masahiro Tanaka.
From Cubs.com
- Rick Renteria is an unrelenting - and unapologetic - optimist.
- The team's deal with reliever Jose Veras is official.
- MLB is a little wary Masahiro Tanaka may attempt to repay his Japanese club for letting him come to the U.S.
- There are lots of room and amenities for the Cubs in their new spring training facility.
Miscellaneous
- (H/T to Cubs Den) Baseball Prospectus examines Masahiro Tanaka's mechanics ($).
Today's food for thought
- Language maps have been circulating around Facebook. Here's what you can actually learn from those maps.
- While we freeze in Chicago, it is summertime in Antarctica. That means the return of Noctilucent clouds.
- Here are 101 astronomical events to look forward to in 2014.