Cub Tracks Prefers Bulldogs

Yeah, it's still going. Sorry.

From Comcast SportsNet Chicago:

• Kris Bryant is happy to have Scott Boras on his side, saying that it's better to have a bulldog working for you than a poodle. Sorry, poodle owners. (Also covered by Cubs.com, ESPN Chicago, the Chicago Tribune and the Daily Herald.)
• Joe Maddon also compared Scott Boras to an animal, saying that scorpions bite because that's what they're supposed to do. (Also covered by Cubs.com, ESPN Chicago, CBS Chicago and the Chicago Tribune.)
• Maddon was also very impressed with Jon Lester after the Cubs' 7-0 loss to the Padres on Monday, primarily for Lester's conversation after the game with Welington Castillo in which Lester took the blame for the loss. (Also covered by ESPN Chicago.)
• Patrick Mooney says that the smart money is still on Castillo being traded before Opening Day, but his throwing arm and his ability to spell Miguel Montero and David Ross late in games could be reasons to keep him on board. (Also covered by Cubs.com.)
• Tonight's game against the Diamondbacks and tomorrow's game against the White Sox will both be aired commercial-free on Comcast SportsNet. They will have special features in between innings including interviews and player clinics.

From Cubs.com:

• David Ross is feeling rejuvenated this season in Cubs camp, sharpening his skills a lot better than in previous years.
• Joe Maddon continues to stress good defense, feeling that the roster has some potential Gold Glove winners on it.
• Maddon and Matt Szczur have a bet going in the first round of the NCAA basketball tournament which features a game between their respective schools, Lafayette and Villanova.  The bet: the loser has to wear a hoodie sweatshirt of the winning team.
• There's also still mystery to who will fill the second spot in the batting order with a "lot of different options" for the spot according to Maddon.

From ESPN Chicago:

• Jesse Rogers says that the Cubs do have a choice when it comes to what to do with Kris Bryant. Granted, it's an easy choice, but it's still a choice.
• Rogers also had his take on the three-catcher story, but when it comes to the Cubs actually carrying all three catchers he's not buying it.
• Tony Clark doesn't think it's in anyone's best interest to not have the best players on the field all the time. Whether or not that will actually lead to change at the next CBA... well, that's a different question.
• In former manager news, Dale Sveum feels for Rick Renteria saying that Renteria's situation quadrupled his.

From CBS Chicago:

• Jake Arrieta had a rocky outing on Wednesday against the Dodgers but he still feels like things are starting to come together for him.
• Tim Baffoe puts a different spin on the Kris Bryant situation, framing the issue in the context of Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory.
• What's Welington Castillo's take on the three-catcher situation? It would hurt him to leave the Cubs, but he knows it's not his call.

From the Chicago Tribune:

• Dallas Beeler has been shelved this Spring Training with shoulder soreness but he's starting to feel better and just taking his rehab slowly.

From the Daily Herald:

• Barry Rozner's take on the Scott Boras - Theo Epstein saga: There's no villain in this story.

From Bleacher Nation:

• The Cubs Twitter account is stepping up its game, laying the smackdown on self-proclaimed Twitter expert Darren Rovell.
• FanGraphs got together with swing instructor Dan Farnsworth to get an in-depth analysis of the swings on the back-to-back-to-back homers hit last week by Jorge Soler, Javier Baez, and Kris Bryant.
• Baseball America released their list of the top 20 rookies for 2015 on Tuesday. Three Cubs made the list, with Bryant and Soler taking the first and second spots.

Miscellaneous:

• The issue of service time manipulation has been discussed for what seems like forever.  FanGraphs had a discussion of it back in April 2009 when Matt Wieters and David Price were going through the same thing.
• And here we are, six years later at the same point with Cliff Corcoran from Sports Illustrated conveying the same message: If you don't like what's going on, change the rule.

Today's food for thought: