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News from all over the diamond. Sorry, my brain is tired, so that's all the wit I've got.
From Comcast SportsNet
- (Also has video of Jeff Samardzija talking about the rotation) Dale Sveum is penciling in his rotation. And for now, he's got Scott Feldman in the fourth spot after the "big three". That would leave just Travis Wood and Carlos Villanueva competing for the fifth spot, as it looks like Scott Baker won't be quite ready to break camp with the big club.
- They fought like brothers. But that's how Dioner Navarro convinced Matt Garza to see things in a new light.
- Ian Stewart took the Cubs' non-guaranteed offer because he felt he owed the team something.
- (Video of Sveum) All eyes are on Jorge Soler. Dale Sveum sees a right-handed Cliff Floyd when he watches the young outfielder.
- (Also has Shark video listed above) There's been some rumblings about the Cubs acquiring David Price. The plan for now is to grow their own.
- The team is putting a 101-loss season in the rearview mirror.
- (Video) Anthony Rizzo wants to be talked about.
- (Video) Patrick Mooney updates the state of Cub pitching.
- (Video) Brent Lillibridge isn't afraid to compete.
- The Cubs made it all of a couple hours before having their first injury scare. But Matt Garza says "it's not as bad as I thought." I remain skeptical.
- No surprise, but Tom Ricketts is taking aim at the club's "unsustainable" tv rights deals.
- Garza will have a MRI on his strained lat.
From Cubs Den
- Zygote Watch! With all the buzz about the Cubs prospects who played in Boise last year, the new low-A affiliate Kane County Cougars should be a lot of fun to watch. Part 1 looks at the infield position, Part 2 looks at outfielders, and Part 3 looks at the pitchers.
- Cub Notes: Carlos Villanueva is planning to pitch a lot, Matt Garza's arm strength is back, Soler and Javy Baez in the same (spring training) line-up, Theo and Jed battle for bunting bragging rights, and Rafael Dolis is not out of options.
- Anarchist's brunch offers a pu pu platter including Matt Spiegel leaving The Score.
- Jorge Soler has wowed in batting practice. But Cubs Den channels its inner Allen Iverson to remind us "we talkin' bout practice. Not a game. Not a game. Practice." Point being: don't lose the things the young Cub needs to work on while being star struck by the BP moon shots.
- You know about the Tony Campana trade by now. I linked the Cub Den article in that thread, but thought I'd add it here since it has video of the two pitchers acquired by the Cubs.
From Cubs.com
- (Video) Len Kasper talked to MLB.TV about the Cubs trying to get healthy.
- Cool article. Former Cub John Koronka now scouts for the team. He's getting some of the credit for the Cubs' selection of Albert Almora, so now he's looking for the next one.
- (Video) Theo Epstein bested Jed Hoyer in the front office bunting tournament.
- Last week an article called Welington Castillo a question mark for the Cubs. But the young catcher is confident and eager to get started.
- Luis Valbuena is hoping a strong winter ball performance translates to the big leagues.
- Ian Stewart says he's healthy and ready to go, with a little help from Hall of Famer Rod Carew.
- (Video) From the 30 Clubs In 30 Days segment, Darwin Barney showed Eric Byrnes, who has apparently forgotten how to slide, how to turn two from second base. On the show, Billy Ripken attributed Barney's success in part to going straight to the bag.
- Stretching out with Danica Patrick at Wrigley.
- The team poked fun at manager Dale Sveum's off-season hunting accident. Someone please tell me there is video of this. In the notes section of this article, it also mentions that the manager was personally working with uber-prospect Javier Baez.
- Tom Ricketts is anxiously awaiting the next step in the Wrigley renovation process.
- Alfonso Soriano wants to play for a winner. And he's hoping that is with the Cubs, sort of.
From ESPNChicago.com
- Carlos Marmol wants to be a Cub in '13 and beyond. That isn't likely. At all.
- Speaking of the pen, Kyuji Fujikawa seems to be adjusting quickly to the Cubs and the U.S. And he's been impressive early.
- (Video) Same subject, new video. Brett Jackson walked Jesse Rogers through the changes in his batting stance. Brett might want to get used to doing that.
- Jorge Soler impressed the manager with his first BP session.
- (Video) Anthony Rizzo is planning on a big year. Without being too cynical, I would hope all players come to camp with that mentality.
- The bunting championship is on.
- In what I hope will finally be the last gasp on this topic, the Cubs did show interest in Michael Bourn.
- Who is on third? And buried at the bottom is a note that Dale Sveum will have a new uniform number this year. He'll be wearing '4' after giving up '33' to Carlos Villanueva.
- The Cubs' owner supports Theo Epstein. Not real sure why this is news.
- (Video) A bit more, including video, of Ricketts' hopes for the Wrigley renovations.
- Improvement is likely, but the future is not now for the Cubs.
- And a marginally personal note. I've been rather hard on Jesse Rogers up to this point. His writing style has frequently been grating on me. But props to him for the volume he's putting out while also trying to find some different angles.
- Some nuggets from Day 2.
From the Chicago Tribune
- Dale Sveum is on board with the proposal for more night games at Wrigley.
- (Video) Scott Feldman is happy to be in the rotation.
- Former Cub and current MLB TV analyst Dan Plesac says a .500 record for the Cubs is wishful thinking.
- Jorge Soler has impressed early, but he's not on the fast track.
- Kyuji Fujikawa is used to curses.
- 15 years after his death, Harry Caray is still larger than life. We tip a Bud to you, Harry.
- Tom Ricketts says there will be no more additional night games or signage for 2013.
- This link is more about the prank on Sveum, but there's a photo gallery at the top I thought some of you might like.
- (Video) Tony Campana talks about moving on.
From the Chicago Sun-Times
- Steve Clevenger and Edwin Jackson say they've buried the hatchet after scuffling in the Cubs fracas with the Nationals last year.
- Travis Wood and Carlos Villanueva both want to be in the Cub rotation, so they're making a pitch for change.
- Luis Valbuena has the mentality that he will have to fight to make the team. I think he's safe, but if the team acquires a right-handed third baseman and Ian Stewart performs, he may be on the bubble.
- Speaking of Stewart, he says he's ready to go. Though he probably said those same things above.
- Another photo gallery.
From the Daily Herald
- Bruce Miles thinks the 'new age' stats provide a new perspective on baseball.
- Welington Castillo looks like the man behind the dish.
Today's food for thought
- Science news today. Scientists feel they are very close to discovering dark matter.
- I'm not sure if Josh will have seen this, but I found it too weird to pass up. Seattle Mariners' prospect Nick Franklin has the opposite problem of many Americans: he's too thin. So he's on a 6,500-calorie-a-day diet. That's right, 6,500.