Cub Tracks Prepares To Head Home

I really wish I had a chance to take a mulligan on Tuesday's Cub Tracks title, because I don't know how I possibly passed up the slam-dunk title of "Cub Tracks Is An Apogee Of Wrongs". I mean, that's a once-in-a-lifetime title there. And I went with the ersatz second choice instead. Man, I'm just not on my game.

From Comcast SportsNet Chicago:

• Jon Lester is ready for the boost of adrenaline that will come from pitching Opening Night at Wrigley Field.
• Chris Bosio knew that Lester was ready for Opening Night based on his demeanor and performance in Tuesday's minor-league scrimmage.
• Lester also empathizes with Kris Bryant starting the season at Triple-A Iowa, saying plainly that "it sucks". But he also understands the business side of the game and why it was done.
• [VIDEO] Crain's Chicago Business reporter Danny Ecker gives his opinion on whether or not ticket sales will be hurt as a result of the renovations.
• Jason Hammel is ready to get back to Wrigley even if the renovations will make things a bit challenging in the interim.
• In the seemingly never-ending world of prospect love, Baseball America ranked the Cubs' farm system as the best in baseball in their 2015 Organization Talent Rankings.

From Cubs.com:

• The Cubs hit a lot of homers in Spring Training but the boost they're really looking for is in on-base percentage. They're hoping that new additions Dexter Fowler and Tommy La Stella can help to provide that boost.
• Phil Rogers writes that there is talent pouring through the Cubs' pipeline that won't stop once Kris Bryant and Javier Baez make their way back to Chicago.
• Mike Olt feels much better about himself this season, even with Bryant waiting in the wings.
• Miguel Montero has also been having a fun spring and hopes to start the season out strong. Don't we all, Miggy.
• Edwin Jackson and Travis Wood will both get one more shot to take the final spot in the rotation as they pitch Friday and Saturday against the Diamondbacks at Chase Field.
• Joe Maddon is introducing an Italian hoagie sandwich to Wrigley Field that comes from his family restaurant in Hazelton, Pennsylvania. Looks like Danny Rockett will have some better chow this year than some of those Decade Dogs.

From the "new look" ESPN Chicago:

• It's another week of the Twitter Mailbag!
• With the Cactus League finished, Jesse Rogers looks back at the Cubs' statistical leaders as well as bests and worsts from Spring Training.
• Welington Castillo didn't expect to still be a Cub when Spring Training ended.
• David Schoenfield gives his predictions for the National League Rookie of the Year.
• Rogers makes the case for both Kris Bryant and Jorge Soler for the award.
• If you're going to Las Vegas to put a bet down on the Cubs, you may want to pick a place other than the MGM Grand if you're looking for decent odds.

From CBS Chicago:

• Tim Baffoe reads a letter by Kris Bryant from Iowa.
• Facebook recently released its annual baseball fandom map of the United States and Canada. I must say that I'm very disappointed in Cook County.

From the Chicago Tribune:

• Starlin Castro is looking to turn his healthy Spring Training into a hot start for the regular season.
• With only a handful of roster spots left, Jonathan Herrera is looking to win one of two spots in a three- way race with Ryan Sweeney and Matt Szczur.
• Jon Lester's just looking forward to getting his first hit.
• How will the changes to Wrigley Field affect the game itself?

From the Chicago Sun-Times:

• Justin Grimm has a name for the Cubs' bullpen: the "silent assassins".
• The Cubs made the cover of Bloomberg Businessweek. It's just a bit gaudy.

From Cubs Den:

• John Arguello arrived safely in Phoenix on his move to Arizona and got caught up on the things that he missed during his journey.

From Bleacher Nation:

• In the first two parts of a five-part series, Luke Blaize looks at prospects 33 through 40 and 25 through 32 on his list of the Cubs' top 40 prospects.
• More FanGraphs rankings: The Cubs' 2015 starting rotation is ranked seventh in the Major Leagues based on fWAR.

From Cubs Insider:

• When in doubt about an important business decision, follow the Crane Kenney approach and ask yourself: "Is this a noodle?"

Miscellaneous:

• For all of the Strat-O-Matic fans out there (myself included), here's what the 2015 Spring Training Kris Bryant card looks like. That 1-9 roll is just a huge letdown.

Today's food for thought: