Cub Tracks Gains Some Clarity

Here's the latest from around the web:

From Comcast SportsNet Chicago:

• Jed Hoyer is hoping for a more "grinding-type" offense from the Cubs this season to keep opposing pitchers from getting into a groove.
• With his role still unknown, Edwin Jackson is staying positive about the future.
• Theo Epstein doesn't see any big trades coming before Opening Night. Put another way: Three catchers on the Opening Day roster is looking more and more likely.

From Cubs.com:

• Joe Maddon recalls the advice he used to get from Don Zimmer when they were together in Tampa Bay.
• Back-to-back rough outings haven't shaken Maddon's confidence in Jason Motte.
• Maddon's also curious to see just how small his office really is at Wrigley Field.
• Jorge Soler considers it "a great compliment" to be compared to Vladimir Guerrero.
• Phil Coke is officially on the 40-man roster after having his contract selected on Monday. He will make $2.25 million this season.
• Kyle Hendricks is excited and hopeful to be part of the Opening Day roster. He's also looking forward to seeing Kris Bryant, Javier Baez, and Addison Russell again soon with him.
• Maddon's advice for Russell in Minor League camp: "Just keep doing what you're doing."
• In the final week of Spring Training, look for players to be settling into their normal roles in preparation for the regular season.

From ESPN Chicago:

• Plenty of reaction from the ESPN team on the decision to start Kris Bryant in the minors, including a story from David Schoenfield and video from Curt Schilling and Tim Kurkjian.
• [AUDIO] Theo Epstein addressed the media to explain his decision on sending Bryant and Javier Baez back to the minors.
• Joe Maddon wants to see Bryant playing third base and the outfield during his time at Triple-A Iowa.
• After Monday's moves, Jesse Rogers says that the Opening Day roster is taking shape.
• The Cubs' starting rotation for the beginning of the season won't be finalized until Jon Lester makes his start today in a minor-league game.

From CBS Chicago:

• Ugh. The MLB Players Association's take on Kris Bryant's move to the minors: "Today is a bad day for baseball." Well, at least you know what you need to do this offseason to fix that then, don't you?
• And in "not news" news: Bryant is expected to be with the big club sooner than later.
• Javier Baez will also be starting the season at Iowa, but the decision to send him there didn't come without some lively debates between Joe Maddon, Theo Epstein, and Jed Hoyer.
• Nick Shepkowski looks at some current over / under bets available on the Cubs.

From the Chicago Tribune:

• Javier Baez has a primary mission at Iowa: cut down on the strikeouts.
• With the roster moves on Monday, Mike Olt and Tommy La Stella now find themselves under the microscope.
• [VIDEO] There was a disc jockey at Cubs' practice on Monday, and Edwin Jackson got a chance to show off his dance moves.
• Cardinals manager Mike Matheny chimed in on the Wrigley renovations, saying that he knows they're going to end up good.
• In case you were wondering where the Cousin Eddie is right now, it's parked at an RV park because there's nowhere around the Spring Training complex to put it.

From the Chicago Sun-Times:

• ESPN's Buster Olney published his preseason baseball ranking of all 30 teams, placing the Cubs 19th.
• Rick Morrissey writes that the roster moves on Monday are a reminder that there is still a process and there will still be growing pains.
• Fergie Jenkins has launched a new line of apparel in support of the Cubs and his charitable foundation.
• More nuggets about the starting rotation from Gordon Wittenmyer including the possibility of Travis Wood taking the fourth spot to split up the lefties and the less-than-likelihood of Wood and Jackson splitting a spot in the rotation.

From the Daily Herald:

• Bruce Miles presents a preseason look at position players that are his top candidates for the National League Most Valuable Player award this season.
• Mike Imrem looks at the Javier Baez move and wonders why he was rewarded with a promotion last year in the first place.
• Parity in baseball and the second wild card spot should give both Chicago teams a reason to dream about the playoffs this season, according to Barry Rozner.

From Bleacher Nation:

• While the Cubs work on trimming the final big club roster down to 25 players, there are also cuts being made at the minor-league levels.
• Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo are two of the Cubs' most invaluable players according to Steamer 600 WAR projections.

From Chicago Cubs Online:

• Tom Usiak concludes his previews of the minors with a look at the Double-A Tennessee Smokies and the Triple-A Iowa Cubs.

From Cubs Insider:

• We already know that you shouldn't try to run on Jorge Soler.  Turns out that you shouldn't try to do it on Javier Baez, either.

Today's food for thought: