Cub Tracks’ book of Saturday

Cartoons for your Saturday morning.

Lineup and roster construction are much on people’s minds these days. My lineup, based on what I think are the likely starters:

Bryant 3B
Rizzo 1B
Contreras C
Schwarber LF
Baez SS
Happ CF
Heyward RF
Bote/Hoerner 2B
Pitcher

What does your starting lineup look like?

Here’s today’s episode of Cub Tracks 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. We do not apologize for inflicting PROG on you.

• Patrick Mooney (The Athletic {$}): How Cubs GM Jed Hoyer views the trade deadline this year. “Every season, it’s a story that we don’t know how it’s going to be written,” Hoyer said.
• Evan Altman (Cubs Insider*): Cubs well-positioned to adapt to MLB’s new rule changes. “The bullpen, on the whole, has been built to withstand natural attrition ...”
• Gordon Wittenmyer (Chicago Sun-Times* {$}): Sign stealing? Cubs ‘absolutely clean’ — with a capital K. “... the Cubs are one of few recent champs who have the contact-rate receipts to back up their claims of winning the 2016 title without illegally stealing signs.
• Mark Gonzales (Chicago Tribune* {$}): David Ross insists he have the final say on the lineup: 4 takeaways from Cubs spring training. “Ross said he can detect when the analytics staff disagrees with his views by its silence, but he is adamant about making the final decision on his lineup.”
• Evan Altman (Cubs Insider*): Ross undecided on where he’ll bat pitchers in lineup. Ross told reporters Thursday that he probably won’t have a set configuration.
• Jordan Bastian (MLB.com*): Who’s competing for a spot on the Cubs’ roster? As games begin, there is no clear-cut favorite for the starting second base job.
• Mark Gonzales (Chicago Tribune* {$}): Yu Darvish got back to his best last season with the Cubs. Now he wants to reach career highs — all while maintaining his wicked humor on social media. “Throwing hard feels much different than last year,” said Darvish, who said he has lingering concerns about his elbow.”
• Mark Gonzales (Chicago Tribune* {$}): Pitchers Alec Mills and Duane Underwood Jr. are out of options with the Cubs but at peace with their future. “I’m trying to force them to make a tough decision,” said Mills.
• Mark Gonzales (Chicago Tribune* {$}): Cubs want to improve their pitch framing, but not all pitchers and catchers understand — or care — how the skill is measured. “It’s such a subjective stat,” said Josh Phegley.
• Tim Stebbins (NBC Sports Chicago*): Anthony Rizzo trolls Astros, makes prediction for post-cheating scandal. “... we’re here for Rizzo trolling ...”
• Brian M Bergner, Jr (NBC Sports Chicago*): Jason Kipnis chasing Cubs’ 2nd base job, mentoring Nico Hoerner. We’ve got a whole crowd of guys at second base,” Hoerner said with a smile. “And it’s also people at different stages of their career, and they have a lot to offer.”
• Emma Oxnevad (WGN-9*): Cubs star Javy Baez now has his own bobblehead. “El Mago is just the latest addition to the popular Riding Bobblehead Series, which also features teammate Kris Byant and Bears outside linebacker Khalil Mack.”
• Rick Morrissey (Chicago Sun-Times* {$}): Kris Bryant is both the Cubs’ leadoff hitter and a trade possibility. Welcome to weird. “It’s almost as if the team doesn’t quite know how to handle the ambiguity of the moment.” Patrick Mooney {$} opines.
• Jordan Bastian (MLB.com*): Bryant on leading off: ‘I’m capable of doing it’. ‘Hey, I’ll be able to do this.’
• Lauren Saria and Georgann Yara (AZ Central* {$}): 6 restaurants near Chicago Cubs Cactus League spring training games at Sloan Park in Mesa. “... there are plenty of local and national chains to satisfy your hunger pains.”
• Rob Terranova (MiLB.com*): Rachel Folden already a hit with Cubs. “... her early efforts have not gone unnoticed by the organization.”
• Blair Paddock (WTTW*): Cutting the Cable: Comcast left out of Cubs’ Marquee Sports Network. “The days of watching the Cubs on TV for free are long gone.”
• Cubs birthdays: Steve Barber, Eric Yelding, Brian Duensing. Also notable: Sparky Anderson (HoF).

Food for thought:

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