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Some stories never die. And they don't get better with age, either.
From Comcast SportsNet Chicago:
- Scott Boras took his touring act to the Dan Patrick Show, where he made the comment that "Major League Baseball is injured" if Kris Bryant doesn't make the Cubs' Opening Day roster.
- Theo Epstein of course replied back, saying that it would have been nice of Boras to pick up the phone to call Epstein before going to the national media. Another telling statement from Epstein in his interview with David Kaplan is that he has never put a prospect on an Opening Day roster if it would be his Major League debut. Consider the writing on the wall to be in blaze orange on a black background in letters the size of large appliances.
- Patrick Mooney says that love him or hate him, Scott Boras is part of The Cubs Way.
- Meanwhile in non-saber-rattling news, Joe Maddon still really likes what he sees beneath the surface when it comes to Javier Baez.
- Jon Lester is still on track for the Opening Night start, but his final starts of Spring Training will come in minor-league games and on pitch counts.
- In case you missed Al's story about it, the Cubs currently have the second-highest operating income in baseball -- behind only the Cardinals -- according to Forbes magazine.
- Ernie Banks' 1969 jersey was the top-selling jersey in the state of New Mexico in 2014 for the Mitchell & Ness vintage apparel company. Ryne Sandberg's 1984 jersey was also the top-seller in the state of Alabama.
From Cubs.com:
- Despite reports to the contrary, Javier Baez is not yet on the Opening Day roster.
- Kris Bryant's first foray in the outfield since college is expected to come today against the Los Angeles Angels.
- All of the Cub pitchers want to throw more than 200 innings; Starlin Castro wants to play all 162 games. Something tells me he might end up disappointed.
- Anthony Rizzo feels like he's seeing the ball very well this spring, despite only having four hits in 31 at-bats.
From ESPN Chicago:
- Joe Maddon's official take on Edwin Jackson getting lost on the way to Tuesday's game: "I wasn't happy with it."
- Breaking news: Kris Bryant and Edwin Jackson are headed in opposite directions. And one again today it will be light, followed by dark. Expect the same for the next 10 days as well.
- Tom Ricketts made it clear on Monday that the decision on where Bryant would start the season would not be made by him.
- Rick Sutcliffe is still very bullish on Kyle Hendricks and thinks that the sky is the limit for him.
From CBS Chicago:
- Ricketts also had no comment on the Cubs' court session this week with the rooftops over the video board in right field.
From the Chicago Tribune:
- Dexter Fowler got a tip from Joe Maddon on a way to help his defense, and so far it's working well for him.
- David Haugh presents his list of nine things to watch for this season on both sides of town.
From the Chicago Sun-Times:
- What will the Cubs do to cover the bleachers for Opening Night on April 5? Possibly a tribute to Ernie Banks, according to Tom Ricketts.
From Cubs Den:
- With only ten days remaining until Opening Night, John Arguello gives his updated predictions on who will make the 25-man roster.
From Bleacher Nation:
- The PECOTA projections have been updated and the Cubs' win projection has been bumped up to 85 wins, fourth-highest in the National League.
- Luke Blaize presents his preview of the High-A Myrtle Beach Pelicans.
- Maybe three catchers isn't going to happen: The Baltimore Orioles have reportedly expressed interest in the services of Welington Castillo.
Miscellaneous:
- Channeling the famous scene from Back to the Future Part II, Grantland's Rany Jazayerli says that the future is now, as is the beginning of Cubs' playoff run.
- As part of their preview of all 30 teams, Jay Jaffe from Sports Illustrated gives his take on the Cubs, ranking them 16th-best team in the league for 2015.
- What's a Cardinal fan's perspective on the renovations? Steve Ungrey from Redbird Rants writes that with the new video board going up in left field, Wrigley Field will be just another ballpark.
Today's food for thought:
- There's a hill in New Brunswick, Canada -- dubbed "Magnetic Hill" -- that gives you the sensation of having your car roll uphill when you put your car in neutral at the foot of it.
- A construction crew in London stumbled across an undetonated bomb that caused the evacuation of 1,200 people until it was deactivated. Not that big of a deal, except that the bomb was a German 500-pound "SA" bomb left over from World War II.