Sometimes you have to read between the white lines. Things aren’t always as they seem. This has been one of the paramount lessons of the last few years, as beat writers and bloggers alike try to untangle the web of Cubs management’s often vague phrases.
And sometimes things ARE as they seem. The winter of our discontent is just about behind us, and while everything is not yet tied in knots, rope springs eternal. The handling of player personnel and management roles has spawned a lot of dangling subthreads and one suspects the higher-ups are still spinning yarns.
With great power comes great mendacity, says Mr. Peabody. Excelsior!
Live look at the Cubs pitch lab... pic.twitter.com/THLA3N5lIb
— Uncle Jeff (@ebsoftball) February 10, 2020
Here’s today’s episode of Cubs News and Notes, the only links column that really matters. 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.
Let’s get to work. pic.twitter.com/cseDkRKJtz
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) February 10, 2020
We'll broadcast 10 #Cubs games in spring training. Here's a look at the schedule for the games we'll carry:https://t.co/rV7MIBLZjd pic.twitter.com/ZQxLpJFOKv
— 670 The Score (@670TheScore) February 10, 2020
Bote fielding grounders at second base. #Cubs #SpringTraining pic.twitter.com/oKxtQDHbUM
— Mike Berman (@MikeBermanNBC) February 10, 2020
Defend. Your. Turf.
— Milwaukee Brewers (@Brewers) February 10, 2020
The Wisconsin resident only presale starts tomorrow at 9 a.m. CT.
Fans may purchase up to 4 tickets for opening day and up to 8 tickets to any of the other regular-season home games against the Cubs this season.
Details: https://t.co/qJjhicT3OY pic.twitter.com/pqo5X7kpHP
Pathetic. Sara Sanchez concurs.
- Gene Farris (Chicago Sun-Times* {$}): Marquee Sports Network will carry 28 Cubs spring training games. “... Cubs fans will start feeling TV withdrawal soon.”
- Evan Altman (Cubs Insider*): Sounds like Cubs knew about tight budget, potential for backlash years ago. “We should note that this stuff isn’t entirely revelatory in and of itself ...”
- Gordon Wittenmyer (Chicago Sun-Times* {$}): Cubs should watch their fingers as championship window threatens to close fast. “Turns out sometimes the nerds get it right.”
- Tim Stebbins (NBC Sports Chicago*): Cubs questions entering camp: What kind of manager will David Ross be? “Ready or not, it’s the dawn of a new era on the North Side.” Also, can Yu Darvish repeat? Phil Rogers wants you to know what to watch.
- Sahadev Sharma (The Athletic {$}): Cubs roster projection 2.0: Who is safe and who needs a solid spring training to break camp? “For now, the Cubs roster looks remarkably similar to a group that Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer both feel has underperformed over the last two seasons.”
- Mike Axisa (CBS Sports*): MLB hot stove: Five last-minute free agent signings we’d like to see before spring training begins. “For Chicago, adding Jason Kipnis is about giving new manager David Ross as many options as possible.”
- Jeff Todd (MLB Trade Rumors): Taijuan Walker auditioning for Cubs. “It does seem fair to assume there’s serious interest...” Brett Taylor adds on.
- Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation): I’d still advise against expectations, but Brandon Morrow is already throwing bullpens. “... because the upside is so tremendous, we have to track Morrow’s physical progress this Spring.”
- Ben Bailey (25th Man): Three players the Cubs can’t win without. “... players whose performance could have a huge impact on the season ...”
- Bruce Levine (670 The Score*): Willson Contreras feels ‘Blessed’ to still be with Cubs. “Contreras admitted hearing his name in trade rumors took a toll on him.” Contreras talks to ESPN [VIDEO]. Gordon Wittenmyer has words, too.
- Evan Altman (Cubs Insider*): Early arrival Nico Hoerner focused more on development than earning starting 2B job. “That could mean spending some time at Triple-A Iowa building his resume and confidence against pitchers a step or two below those in the bigs.”
- Paul Sullivan (Chicago Tribune* {$}): Kyle Schwarber is still here — and that’s a big boost to the Cubs lineup. “... the presence of Schwarber in the Cubs lineup should provide hope to fans looking for reasons to believe in 2020.”
- Mark Gonzales (Chicago Tribune* {$}): Steven Souza Jr. is ready to make the most of his latest opportunity with the Cubs — whatever his role is. “I’m just thankful to be out here and run around and let the chips fall where they do.”
- Bob Nightengale (USA Today*): No longer working in baseball, former Cubs GM Ed Lynch decries analytics: ‘I’m not bitter ... just confused’. “Numbers don’t measure what’s in a guy’s soul.’’
- Cubs birthdays: Jimmy Ryan, Red Shannon, Hal Rice, Chris Kitsos, Willie Smith, Tom Veryzer, Dave Swartzbaugh, Brian Matusz.
Food for thought:
Devastating solar storms could be far more common than we thought https://t.co/O2S8hU9bD5 pic.twitter.com/N3PBtTaIPA
— Live Science (@LiveScience) February 10, 2020
Astronomers caught a star-on-star smack down https://t.co/sXO2UM8diM pic.twitter.com/HR5b5trvD9
— Popular Science (@PopSci) February 10, 2020
'Reaper of death,' newfound cousin of T. rex, discovered in Canada https://t.co/D9iyp2zTly pic.twitter.com/tVfTnRCCdS
— Live Science (@LiveScience) February 10, 2020
Thanks for reading.