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Cub Tracks Values Cubs Franchise

Priceless.

By Duane Pesice
Sticky Fingerpainting.
Sticky Fingerpainting.
Mary Turner/Getty Images

Literally every team except Boston is Price-less. But the Cubs are worth more than money to me. Even if they are Maddoning right now.

(*denotes autoplay video/audio, other browser-botherers)

Long-term assets.

  • Jeff Passan (Yahoo Sports*): Why Grandpa Rossy is the most beloved player in the Cubs' clubhouse. "David Ross personifies the ideal backup catcher, someone who is steady enough to play if the starter goes down, strong enough in the clubhouse to engender good vibes and smart enough to understand the value in both."

Money in the Bank.

  • Patrick Mooney (CSN Chicago*): Forbes values Cubs franchise at $2.2 billion. The Cubs are fifth behind the New York Yankees ($3.4 billion), Los Angeles Dodgers ($2.5 billion), Boston Red Sox ($2.3 billion) and San Francisco Giants ($2.25 billion). More on this from Al later this morning.
  • Paul Skrbina (Chicago Tribune): Expect more lineup tinkering from Joe Maddon. No. I refuse to believe it. Do tell.
  • Rian Watt (Baseball Prospectus): Winter is leaving. Introducing the Sonic Projection System(tm), a journey into some truly regrettable musical choices. Should have written it Monday.
  • Ariel Chung (DNAinfo): Wrigley Field McDonald's torn down to make way for hotel. Shoutouts to BCB and our own Danny Rockett.

Special Notes.

  • Jesse Rogers (ESPN): Cubs have turned morning warmups into must-see events this spring. "That’s just the way we start the day," manager Joe Maddon said Tuesday. He should have said it in sign language -- the Cubs brought in a mime to lead warmups [VIDEO] that day. Tim Buss is actually the architect of the festivities.
  • Gordon Wittenmyer (Chicago Sun-Times): 'Beautiful' Munenori Kawasaki impressive but needs help to make roster. Maddon said, "I think more than likely it would almost take an injury situation to dislodge [someone]. I don’t want to be disingenuous about it."
  • Evan Altman (Cubs Insider): So...about the grenade in Jon Lester's elbow. "Yahoo Sports baseball scribe Jeff Passan drops a bomb regarding Jon Lester’s health. Theo Epstein isn’t some drunken riverboat gambler chasing cards and hoping to get lucky." Passan has a book coming out, called "The Arm."
  • Bruce Miles (Daily Herald): Solid spring boosts Kyle Hendricks' bid for Cubs fifth starter. "It's looking more and more like Hendricks has the fifth spot in the rotation sewn up..."

Stick Options:

  • Carrie Muskat (MLB.com): Cubs will likely bat pitcher ninth in 2016. "Maddon said the baseball-operations staff will provide him a week's worth of lineups, and he'll go from there."
  • Jesse Rogers (ESPN): Joe Maddon calls hitters-only meeting as camp picks up intensity in final days. "Maddon wants to see how players perform in situations in spring games before the real thing begins. They have less than two weeks to figure out how to get better."
  • Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation): Javier Baez taking to super-utility role, but he'll still probably get many regular starts. "Just be happy that the Cubs have a guy like Baez ready to go in the event of a serious injury, wherever it may occur." Because that's the strong likelihood.
  • Carrie Muskat (MLB.com): Tommy La Stella taking cautious approach with calf. Beef is expensive. Reveals progress with his rehab.

Payback, with interest.

  • Carrie Muskat (MLB.com): Joe Maddon: Hot start important for Cubs' hopes. "One of the most difficult things is to get behind early in the standings significantly," Maddon said. "You can burn up a lot of energy getting back into it. I'm all about the last 10 days of camp, and I'm all about getting off to a good start."
  • Patrick Mooney (CSN Chicago*): Cubs don't worry about putting even bigger target on their backs. "The Cubs aren’t an in-between team. It’s World Series or bust."
  • Michael Cerami (Bleacher Nation): Positional power rankings: Catcher, first base, second base -- hello, Cubs. The Cubs are good. Their weakest position is probably catcher. And that's above league average.
  • Luke Norris (Sports Mockery): Joe Maddon discusses the Cubs problem that really isn't a problem. Depth perception. It’s an issue that any ballclub would love to have.

Silent Partner.

Good Joe.

  • Tim Kurkjian (ESPN): Legendary announcer Joe Garagiola Sr. dies at age 90. The veteran ex-Cub passed away Wednesday. Jerry Crasnick chimes in, remembering what Garagiola meant to a lot of fans as an announcer.

Shoot for the moon:

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