/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/63312706/1134980351.jpg.0.jpg)
I’m ready. Are you ready?
IT’S OPENING DAY!
All the feels for #OpeningDay! Whether home or away, we want #EverybodyIn.https://t.co/3vIMAaTkFe pic.twitter.com/4jCdaOUnIL
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) March 27, 2019
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).
Thank you Chicago @Cubs.
— Rob Zastryzny (@RobZastryzny_8) March 28, 2019
I’m excited to continue my career with the Los Angeles @Dodgers organization. #nextchapter pic.twitter.com/1yzZlXkRBM
STARRING:
CATCHERS
Victor Caratini
Willson Contreras
INFIELDERS
Javier Baez
Kris Bryant
Anthony Rizzo
OUTFIELDERS
Albert Almora Jr.
Jason Heyward
Kyle Schwarber
Mark Zagunis
UTILITY PLAYERS
David Bote
Daniel Descalso
Ben Zobrist
STARTING PITCHERS
Yu Darvish
Cole Hamels
Kyle Hendricks
Jon Lester
Jose Quintana
RELIEF PITCHERS
Brad Brach
Tyler Chatwood
Steve Cishek
Carl Edwards Jr.
Brandon Kintzler
Mike Montgomery
Randy Rosario
Pedro Strop
With Joe Maddon leading the Cubs’ on-field and support staff and a cast of thousands!
Kyle Hendricks’ four-year, $55.5M extension with the #Cubs is believed to be the largest guarantee ever for a pro athlete from an Ivy League school. Hendricks earned his degree in economics from Dartmouth in 2014, nearly three years after the #Rangers made him an 8th-round pick.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) March 26, 2019
With less than 24 hours until first pitch on #OpeningDay, @dougglanville asks:
— Cubs Talk (@NBCSCubs) March 27, 2019
“Can the #Cubs turn the clock back to 2016?
READ: https://t.co/rrzeqqXlqD pic.twitter.com/6I99UVrf5m
- Sahadev Sharma (The Athletic {$}): Making sense of the Cubs’ 25-man roster decisions. “While there wasn’t a ton of intrigue with these decisions, it’s important to understand how and why they were made.”
- ESPN Picks : Keith Law - 2019 won/loss record {$}; Neil Payne - Favorites and breakouts.
- Jesse Rogers (ESPN*): What could go right — and wrong — for 2019 Cubs. “Here’s a guide on when to get excited and when to worry as the season goes along.”
- Jon Greenberg (The Athletic {$}): A spring conversation with Jed Hoyer. Part One. Part Two.
- Paul Sullivan (Chicago Tribune* {$}): The Cubs need to win to save Joe Maddon’s job and prevent the breakup of the core. Or at least, that’s the perception. “Nothing in life is guaranteed but change.”
- Gordon Wittenmyer (Chicago Sun-Times* {$}): Mind over matter: Cubs starter Jon Lester’s secret to getting better with age. “... I’m still going to take a guy that will compete and wants to win and isn’t going to give up, over the guy that has a higher spin rate and is scared to pitch with a guy at second and third.” Bob Nightengale adds on.
- Jordan Bastian (MLB.com*): Luke Hagerty’s comeback stunted by surgery. “Cubs lefty won’t pitch in 2019 due to elbow procedure.”
- Jordan Bastian (MLB.com*): Randy Rosario, Mark Zagunis on Cubs’ Opening Day roster. “I told Rizzo he was on the team,” quipped Maddon, referring to Cubs star first baseman Anthony Rizzo. “He was really sweating it out.”
- Patrick Mooney and Dan Hayes (The Athletic {$}): Javy Báez and José Berríos: Brothers-in-law forging their own paths to stardom. “Off the field, Báez can be so quiet and guarded that you probably didn’t even know that his brother-in-law is an All-Star pitcher.”
- Jeff Burdick (Cubs Insider): Did Javy Báez ghost his shot at becoming best shortstop in baseball? “When asked this winter who was the greatest current shortstop in baseball, Baez unflinchingly told the Chicago Sun-Times, “It’s me.”” Cam Ellis piles on.
- Brendan Miller (Cubs Insider): David Bote made noticeable swing change to hit to high heat. “Look at his hands...”
- Cubs birthdays: Lon Warneke, Shawn Boskie, Julio Zuleta, Ryan Kalish
Food for thought:
The truth about the nut-brain connection https://t.co/8jgsKSILxJ pic.twitter.com/AcScu6ynYT
— Popular Science (@PopSci) March 27, 2019
Quantum physics is already pretty complicated. But this is even trickier than usual. https://t.co/FXY6Sw43gt
— Science News (@ScienceNews) March 28, 2019
Before self-driving cars can get safer, they need to push their limits https://t.co/MEysX7TPAg pic.twitter.com/NuDmCeanQR
— Popular Science (@PopSci) March 27, 2019