Cub Tracks Considers The Source

The Source be with you. Welcome to the Darkseid.

*denotes autoplaying video, audio, egregrious ads, and/or other browser-botherers.

He has muscles in his hair.

• Patrick Mooney (CSN Chicago*): Away from White Sox/Adam LaRoche circus, Cubs have become a destination for free agents. Stop me if you've heard this before. "A lot of our focus in trying to build an organization is just trying to do everything first-class," Jed Hoyer said.
• Bruce Levine (CBS Chicago*): Bizarre Adam LaRoche drama reverberates in Cubs' clubhouse. Anthony Rizzo didn’t think any of this drama would be taking place if LaRoche hadn’t had a poor 2015. David Ross has had his son in camp for a week. "I feel bad for both sides," he said.
• Carrie Muskat (MLB.com): Retiring David Ross, Cubs weigh in on kids in clubhouse. "What's difficult for Ross to understand is why the White Sox made the decision now."
• Jared Wyllys (Cubs Den): The madness of March. "...by this point, it feels very much like the games that count need to just start already."

Spahn and Sain, and pray for rain.

• Jesse Rogers (ESPN): Jake Arrieta ready for Opening Day. "I am locked in," he said. Rockies scrubs were overmatched. "If they want to play in the big leagues, they’ll need to hit him," Miguel Montero laughed. "Simple as that."
• Bruce Miles (Daily Herald): John Lackey could be shrewd pickup for Cubs. Lackey will slide nicely into the No. 3 spot in the starting rotation this year.
• Matthew Trueblood (Wrigleyville-Baseball Prospectus): Travis Wood: Trustworthy bullpen linchpin or flash in the bullpen pan? Analysis of the bullpen with and without Wood.
• Josh Norris (Baseball America): Dylan Cease impresses Cubs in spring debut. with [VIDEO]. His fastball touched 100 and sat consistently between 95-97.
• Jesse Rogers (ESPN): Panic time for Hector Rondon? Not yet, but let's keep watching. "As long as he’s healthy, that’s all I’m concerned about," manager Joe Maddon said Thursday. "I really mean that."
• Patrick Mooney (CSN Chicago*): Cubs see Carl Edwards Jr.'s future in the bullpen. They hope that he can someday give manager Joe Maddon a different look for the late innings.

It's a round ball, and a round bat, and you gotta hit it square.

• Gordon Wittenmyer: (Chicago Sun-Times): It's a learning process during spring semester at Cubs University. Bleed Cubbie U, you. "We’re all for kids on the infield," Joe Maddon said. "We were pretty good with that last year. They do have their own lockers, too."
• Mark Gonzales (Chicago Tribune): Cubs veterans constructive with younger players, not destructive. "When a peer talks, it can be a little different than a coach or manager. It's probably more impactful and less intrusive, if that makes sense," opined Joe Maddon.
• Evan Altman (Cubs Insider): Can the Cubs win a World Series with Albert Almora in center? Analysis of the possibilities.
• Eno Sarris (Fangraphs): Addison Russell on his biggest adjustments. Two adjustments could end up driving Russell beyond his projections this year. Both adjustments addressed his biggest flaws.

Baseball begins in the spring, the season of new life.

• Patrick Mooney (CSN Chicago*): Cubs have big plans for Willson Contreras and Jeimer Candelario. The Cubs optioned the pair to the minors, hoping that they could become part of the next wave at Wrigley Field.
• Neil (Chicago Cubs Online): Albert Almora, Darryl Wilson ranked among top 40 center field prospects. Baseball America is not as high on the talent in the Cubs’ organization as other publications, but...
• Carrie Muskat (MLB.com): Spring thrill for RBI Junior All-Stars. They worked out with the Cubs players Saturday, then watched the Cactus League game in Goodyear against the Indians.
• Cubs.com: 100-year-old fan throws first pitch at spring training game. [VIDEO]

A fellow won't last long on what he has done. He has to keep delivering.

• Carlos Portocarrero (Wrigleyville-Baseball Prospectus): What's left for Arismendy Alcantara? In my MLB:The Show 2015 edition, he replaced Dexter Fowler in 2016. Reality hasn't been as kind. He may not be done, though.
• John Sickels (Minor League Ball): Josh Vitters signs with independent Bridgeport Bluefish.
• (ESPN*): Joe Maddon has bricks broken on his chest.[VIDEO] There are more. If you keep watching, they keep playing. I say this so you can avoid Skip Bayless and Stephen A. Smith. I usually do. Your mileage may vary. Some of the others are okay.

The only way I'm going to win a Gold Glove is with a can of spray paint.

• Jesse Rogers (ESPN): Kyle Schwarber's long-term role coming into focus. It might simply be what it is now: An outfielder who’s a part-time catcher. "I don’t see why he couldn’t," manager Joe Maddon said Friday.
• Evan Altman (Cubs Insider): Is Kyle Schwarber going to be paired with Jason Hammel? The first-time results were pretty good.
• David N. Wilson (Baseball Essential): Kyle Schwarber and Jason Hammel: Better together? Hammel is confident that this partnership could work. "They seem to work well together,"Joe Maddon was heard to say.
• Josh Eastern (Baseball Essential): Kyle Schwarber coming into season with the right mindset. "Whatever they want me to do, I’m going to do," Schwarber said. "Whenever my name is on the lineup card, I’m going to be the best team player I can be and try to help the team win, and that’s my mindset."

Baseball Quotes. BCB points for anyone who can correctly identify the sources of the above quotations. An additional No-Prize for identifying more than one source.

Food for thought:

• Neuroskeptic (Discover): From "observations" to "data": The changing language of science. Life borrows from science instead of science borrowing from life.
• Stephen Strom (IGN): Science figures out how long it takes for vampires to drink. A group of University of Leicester students did the math. It's slightly less than a Mike Hargrove at-bat, but still longer than Roy Batty's final speech.
• Nick Stockton (Wired Science): Buckle up, space fans: A new batch of Pluto science is here. Don't give me that hang-dog look, Goofy. It's "the most interesting planet in the solar system." Jonathon Goldsmith would agree, were he to be asked.

Why do Doctor Doom and Darth Vader sound the same? Heading for home. See you on the letters page.