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Easy As Cub Tracks

Welcome to the inaugural, historical, revolutionary, and very first Sunday edition of Cub Tracks. I hope you enjoy your bacon and eggs, oatmeal, beer and Cheerios, or whatever else gets you started on a Sunday. Let these links be your electronic newspaper.

Leading by example.
Leading by example.
USA TODAY Sports

Of course, this is also the first Sunday of 2013 with competitive(-ish) Cubs baseball, so there's that to monitor.

Speaking of, a quick note about Cub Tracks content. I'm not going to post game recaps in here, as those will get posted elsewhere. Cub Tracks is focused on the (slightly) bigger picture. But as always, let me know if you have comments or suggestions about how to improve this feature, which will now be published on Sundays, Tuesdays, & Thursdays.

And a quick prediction. If Brett Jackson continues to bat 1.000, he will make the team.

From Comcast SportsNet

From Cubs Den

From Cubs.com (all have video link options, auto plays are marked)

  • Speaking of Luis V, he is impressing early. My commentary: I sure don't want Valbuena to be the "plan" at third base. However, he was a fairly well regarded prospect at one time and just turned 28 late last fall. So I don't think it is quite time to conclude "he is what he is". Let's see what the guy can do.
  • Scott Baker is making progress, but he's getting anxious to throw a hook and a sinker.
  • Blake Parker, who many fans probably didn't know was still around, says his elbow is feeling good.
  • Brooks Raley got the proverbial cup of coffee last fall. Now he's hoping to make the best of his next opportunity. But it sure looks like Brooks will be back in Des Moines to start the year, barring a rash of injuries and/or pitcher departures.
  • As a guy with a football mentality, Matt Szczur is obviously not alone in the Cub locker room.
  • Travis Wood is settling in and is ready to fight for a spot in the rotation.
  • I missed these next two on Thursday. They sure aren't big news, but I'm not here to play favorites. So Robert Whitenack is making progress on the comeback trail. Meanwhile, non-roster invitee Jensen Lewis uses an unconventional delivery.
  • (Autoplay video) The Cubs say fans make some, ahem, unusual requests.
  • (Autoplay video) The Cubs talk about the core of this year's squad.
  • (Autoplay video) The players also have a wish list for a new training facility.

From ESPNChicago.com

  • Matt Garza isn't worried about spring starts.
  • Brett Jackson's new swing? So far, so good. Until his first three strikeout game, at which point fire and brimstone will surely rain down from the internet.
  • The Cubs say they are fine with the new HGH testing policy. Of course, even if you did disagree, you'd have to be rather dense to say so.
  • Cub fans have high expectations for Jorge Soler. But the young man from Cuba is setting the bar high on his own.
  • (Video) The Cubs can be silly. In this case, it's about the Arizona snow storm. Sorry Arizona - no sympathy here.
From the Chicago Tribune

From the Chicago Sun-Times

From the Daily Herald

Today's food for thought