From Comcast SportsNet Chicago:
- The Cubs are hoping that Jon Lester can become their version of Andy Pettitte. I'm assuming that's without the human growth hormone, though.
- With the signing of the five-year deal with WGN-TV for the remaining 45 games of the Cub schedule, Patrick Mooney says that the Cubs now have their eyes on 2020 when they should be able to launch their own regional network. The word "should" might be a little bit strong.
- [VIDEO] Kevin Costner spoke with CSN's Kelly Crull about Wrigley Field, saying that there's something very American about it.
From ESPN Chicago:
- Mark Grace was one of several players to talk with ESPN.com about his belief in clutch hitting, as well as his worst moment in his career as a Cub.
- David Ross wants everyone to know that he signed with the Cubs for one reason: He wants to win a World Series in Chicago.
From CBS Chicago:
- In case you missed it, the Sporting News predicted that the Cubs would win the World Series in 2015. Bruce Levine... well, uh... he took issue with it. No pun intended.
From the Chicago Tribune via RedEye Chicago:
- Will Theo Epstein play guitar again at Woody's Winter Warm-Up? The Plain White T's would be glad to have him back.
From the Daily Herald:
- For those that were hoping that the Cubs would be able to make a deal for Ben Zobrist, prepare for the sad trombone as he's headed to the Oakland Athletics.
From Cubs Den:
- John Arguello also addresses the Sporting News article and says that the Cubs aren't raising the roof on expectations, but instead they are raising the floor.
From Chicago Cubs Online:
- Jason Hammel spoke with Mike Ferrin and Jim Duquette Friday morning on the Power Alley on MLB Network Radio.
From Chicago Cubs 101:
- Tim Duxbury gives his list of major-league comparables for the next wave of prospects: Albert Almora, Kyle Schwarber, and Addison Russell.
- He also looks at the changes that the Cubs have made with the renovations to Wrigley Field and the introduction of Clark as the mascot, but he thinks that this year the Cubs need something a little bigger.
From Cubs Insider:
- Have the Cubs created a discounted market for Welington Castillo?
- Evan Altman takes a look back at some of the best single-season hitting performances in Cubs history.
Today's food for thought:
- Are you a fan of jigsaw puzzles? Maybe you'd like to try your hand at the world's largest jigsaw puzzle which comes in at 33,600 pieces. But maybe you'd like to see what it looks like finished first.
- For the animal lovers out there: He're's a compilation of animals whose lives have been improved with the help of prosthetics.
- I've never had this kind of good fortune with my metal detector: a detecting club in Buckinghamshire, England recently discovered a trove of 11th-century silver coins worth in excess of $1,500,000.