Cub Tracks’ Joe radio rodeo

Still not much happening, even on the rumor front, unless you credit the Charles the Cat with prophetic gifts and believe that Mark Melancon and Jason Heyward are about to exchange jerseys. I don’t. Not if Ian Happ goes too.

Here’s today’s Cubs News and Notes, such as they are. It’s the season! No, the other other season. As always * means autoplay on, or annoying ads, or both (directions to remove for Firefox and Chrome).

• Michael Cerami (Bleacher Nation): Joe Maddon hasn’t done everything right, but overall the dude’s still got it. “He’s sort of…changed everything.”
• NBC Sports Chicago: Cubs Talk Podcast: A Cup of Joe, Part 1 [AUDIO].
• Jordan Bastian (MLB.com*): Inbox: How will new managing style affect Cubs? “...a return to a more hands-on approach will be beneficial not only for Maddon but for the team.”
• Jeff Burdick (Cubs Insider): 5 things Cubs’ inactive winter has taught us so far. “...what if “all answers are internal” is just another way of saying no answers will be shared externally?”
• Will Leitch (MLB.com*): David Bote among the names we learned in 2018. “10 players who, at this time last year, few but the most die-hard of baseball fans knew the names of … and now are a part of our baseball history forever.”
• Chelsea James (Chicago Tribune* {$}): In baseball, mental coaches were once seen as for the ‘weak-minded.’ Now they’re essential. “It’s stupid that there is (a stigma). I think it’s the reverse. I think there’s actually strength in asking for help,” said Matt Adams.

Food for thought:

• Sara Chodosh (Popular Science): The physics behind a baseball bat’s sweet spot. “It’s actually a sweet zone.”