Cub Tracks is out to launch

Hey, Cubs played two Friday. Nice. The second game didn’t go so well, but I’m sick again and enjoyed the all-day baseball from an obtuse angle. Maybe I’m spaced out, but I like the looks of this Cub squad and have high expectations. Maddon mix ‘n’ match should be enough to cover over the holes. The Iowa Cubs should have a stacked roster, too.

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).

• Mark Gonzales (Chicago Tribune* {$}): 6 Cubs players who may hold the key to a successful 2019 season. I find it hard to disagree.
• Jordan Bastian (MLB.com*): Pedro Strop, Yu Darvish on track, in good spirits. “...it was a positive day of work for the pair of critical Cubs pitchers.”
• Mark Gonzales (Chicago Tribune* {$}): With his blister healing, Yu Darvish vows to be ready for the Cubs’ opening series: ‘Even now I’m ready to throw’. “The first couple innings I will try with a bandage,” Darvish said Friday. “If I feel good, I will try without the bandage.”
• Bruce Levine (670 The Score): Cubs could push Darvish back in rotation. And other notes.
• Sean Holland (Cubs Insider): Has Junichi Tazawa earned spot in Cubs bullpen? “... Tazawa’s bullpen competitors have largely struggled in their respective appearances.”
• Gordon Wittenmyer (Chicago Sun-Times* {$}): Cubs take final bullpen decisions into final days of camp. “There’s still a couple of little tweaks that are possible,” manager Joe Maddon said.
• Jordan Bastian (MLB.com*): Cubs’ everyday lineup coming into focus. “Kris Bryant, Anthony Rizzo and Javier Báez occupy the Nos. 2-4 spots.”
• Madeleine Kenney (Chicago Sun-Times* {$}): Cubs’ Ben Zobrist on potential retirement, life after baseball. “I don’t know what’s happening after this year, so I’m just going to soak it all in,” he said.
• Jordan Bastian (MLB.com*): Nico Hoerner takes significant step in Cubs camp. “He’s very composed for a young man,” Maddon said.
• Tony Andracki, Cam Ellis (NBC Sports Chicago*): 19 for ‘19: What should expectations be for Kris Bryant Comeback SZN? “Injuries are impossible to predict, but there’s nothing indicating a healthy Bryant is anything less than an MVP candidate.”
• Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation): Kyle Schwarber did it again: Another spring training broken windshield! “...this time it was The Score’s Bruce Levine who’ll have to turn to Safelite...”
• Sahadev Sharma (The Athletic {$}): Letters from camp: Albert Almora Jr.’s new spring plate approach could be a regular-season game-changer. “... if he can bring this new offensive approach and increased production into regular-season games, it will be hard for manager Joe Maddon to argue.”
• Ron Rapaport (LA Times {$}): Mike Trout doesn’t want to become the next Ernie Banks. “... Banks admitted that missing out on the World Series was a hole in his life ...”
• Cubs birthdays: Peaches Graham, Cy Slapnicka, Johnny Moore, Pat Bourque, Mike Remlinger, Joel Peralta.

Food for thought: