Cub Tracks plays two

Last time around, Cub Tracks smoked the ball. The Cubs have continued to smack the spheroid around and are enjoying a nice little spring tune-up, with an assorted cast including farmhands asserting their rights to be taken seriously and regulars getting after it.

Great stuff...and both ‘B-Squad’ games were televised yesterday, which was a great way to avoid watching the entire second season of Jessica Jones in one day. Plus, it rained in the desert, and that’s always a cause for celebration.

Luke Farrell looked pretty good. The Cubs in general looked good.

Go Cubs A and B! Let’s see what the panel has to say about current events, Cub-style. As always * means autoplay on™ (directions to remove for Firefox and Chrome).

Cubs news and notes:

Lance Lynn is a Twin. Jonathan Lucroy is an A.

THE VOGELBACH:

Dave Martínez was very complimentary of the work Miguel Montero has done in Nationals camp. Said that he got a bad rep last year with the Cubs, but that he really knows Miggy’s competitive spirit and that he’s been working well with his new teammates. Montero is competing for the backup catcher job in DC. — Marlie Rivera (ESPN)

Lookit the names at the top!

• Paul Sullivan (Chicago Tribune* {$}): Eloy Jimenez on homering against Cubs: ‘The best is to come’. “When I reach the majors and play against them, that’s when I’ll live the dream,” he added.
• Gordon Wittenmyer (Chicago Sun-Times*): Cubs among teams seeing new pitching math as 200-inning starters fade away. ‘‘Teams are putting more emphasis on the bullpen,’’ Jed Hoyer said.
• Gordon Wittenmyer (Chicago Sun-Times*): Jon Lester on Cubs’ 2018 focus: ‘It’s good sometimes to get your butt kicked’. “I think we’re in a good place,” he added.

• Mark Gonzales (Chicago Tribune* {$}): Kyle Hendricks on Saturday’s outing: “Everything felt really good”[VIDEO]. Hendricks also has “high hopes for his new curveball grip”.
• Carrie Muskat (MLB.com*): Special Olympics near, dear to Hendricks, wife. Hendricks “is a special ambassador to Special Olympics Illinois, and [is] believed to be the first Major League Baseball player in that role.”
• Teddy Greenstein (Chicago Tribune* {$}): Northwestern alum Luke Farrell aiming for more highlights at Wrigley Field. “I’m very fortunate to be here,” the right-hander said.
• Brendan Miller (Cubs Insider): Dillon Maples has world’s nastiest cutter. “At the big-league level last year, Maples’ cutter moved more than [the offerings of] any other righty pitcher.”
• Ken Schultz (Wrigleyville-Baseball Prospectus): How Willson Contreras can speed up the game. “...there were many times Bob Brenly could just as well have ended his analysis by hanging up on Len Kasper and listening for his answer.”
• Mark Gonzales (Chicago Tribune* {$}): Joe Maddon: Chris Gimenez in mix before Yu Darvish’s arrival. “I’ve never been afforded the luxury of taking anything for granted,” Gimenez said.
• Evan Altman (Cubs Insider): Gimenez pulled perfect pump-fake to fool Angels. “...might be able to play a little catcher...”
• David Adler (MLB.com*): Victor Caratini among top prospect performers. “The No. 10 catching prospect in baseball” plays on.
• Carrie Muskat (MLB.com*): Anthony Rizzo, Will Venable share bond dating to SD days. “He was a good guy and helped me,” Rizzo said. “I always rooted for Will.”
• Carrie Muskat (MLB.com*): Javier Baez (hamstring) has MRI, out until next week. Plus some words about Hendricks and injury updates.
• Mark Gonzales (Chicago Tribune* {$}): Baez could be sidelined through Tuesday. “If this was during the season, we’d be more aggressive right now,” Maddon said. “But we don’t want to be.” Gordon Wittenmyer (Sun-Times*) adds on.
• Carrie Muskat (MLB.com*): Tommy La Stella adds some bounce to Cubs’ camp. The nuts and bolts of the story.

• Joel Sherman (NY Post): Cubs getting one marquee player for the price of two. The Cubs continue to work to get Jason Heyward to hit more like Kyle Schwarber and Schwarber to field more like Heyward.
• Vinnie Duber (NBC Sports Chicago*): What’s the next step in Addison Russell’s development? “...a more consistent approach...” would serve Russell well.
• Jesse Rogers (ESPN*): The Cubs’ leadoff answer? Ian Happ is turning heads atop lineup. “To be the best you can be that day, you want to be on base at least twice in five at-bats,” Happ said.
• Zack Moser (Wrigleyville-Baseball Prospectus): Happ vs. his scouting report. “...there’s a bit of a gulf between the skills Happ has exhibited at the major-league level (namely, lots of power), and the skills for which he was known when he was drafted...”
• Barry Rozner (Daily Herald {$}): Will Astros suffer same hangover as Chicago Cubs? History says yes.
• Matt Snyder (CBS Sports*): It’s possible former Cy Young winner Jake Arrieta has actually become underrated. “...this is not a guy who had one fluky half-season.”
• Paul Sullivan (Chicago Tribune* {$}): After all these years, longtime Cubs broadcaster Pat Hughes still gets butterflies. “I don’t think I’ll ever lose it, and actually I like having a little of that because that means I care,” Hughes said.

Food for thought: