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Cub Tracks flies coach

Bullpen decisions, the primary means of roster building, shopping Willy, and other bullets

It’s not easy coming up with these jokes. You thought I was gonna say something about Green?
Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images

The Cubs certainly are active behind the headlines. Andy Green, as you’ve no doubt read, is the new bench coach. Chris Young is already on board. The Cubs and Padres have been sympatico during the Epstein Era, with lots of player and off-field personnel switching sides over the years. Let’s not forget who’s on first, to start with.

I know, I know, stop with the ‘jokes’ and get on with the links. What can I say?

Let’s not trade Willy (right, Sara? I like Vic fine but I don’t want to give him 500 at-bats and nobody on the market excites me very much. Yasmani Grandal? Yeah frame, but yeah, old. Jeff Passan started it (see below). Other rumors are gathering steam as the hot stove gets lit up. The times are ripe for speculation.

Here are my five predictions:

  1. Pedro Strop will re-sign.
  2. Nicholas Castellanos will not be a Chicago Cub.
  3. Albert Almora Jr. will be wearing a different uniform in 2020.
  4. Nico Hoerner will start at second base most of the time.
  5. Ben Zobrist will not retire.

So there you go.

Here’s today’s Cubs News and Notes. As always, * means autoplay on, or annoying ads, or both (directions to remove for Firefox and Chrome). {$} means paywall. {$} means limited views. Italics are often used here as sarcasm font.

Food for thought:

Thanks for reading.