Cub Tracks is buffeted by the winds

Happy belated birthday, Joe. Good luck in Anaheim. Welcome to your Sunday, folks. For brunch we have a selection of cheesy comestibles and a little bit of fluff gathered around a couple of bits of meat.

Starring Kris Bryant as the exploding plastic inevitable! 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.

• NBC Sports Chicago: Doug Glanville talks about the impact of the black athlete on baseball on Cubs Talk [AUDIO].
• Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation): Turns out, the Cubs always knew financial limitations were coming. Elaborating on Barry Rozner article.
• Mark Gonzales (Chicago Tribune* {$}): 5 questions entering spring training. “New manager, same third baseman — for now.”
• Tim Stebbins (NBC Sports Chicago*): Cubs questions entering camp: Will Nico Hoerner be the Opening Day second baseman? “We’re not at the point where we’re ready to make that decision yet, but we’re open-minded,” says Theo Epstein. Hoerner talks to Mark Gonzales.
• Evan Altman (Cubs Insider*): Bryant discusses trade rumors, playing for David Ross, Astros’ sign stealing. “The illusion of a child’s game wears off pretty quickly when you start making big money to play in front of packed ballparks ...”
• Brendan Miller (Cubs Insider*): Ian Happ led Cubs in barrels rate last year. “Happ’s barrel rate was better than 95% of MLB last season and best among switch hitters (minimum 50 plate appearances).”
• Jim Callis, Jonathan Mayo and Mike Rosenbaum (MLB.com*): Here is each team’s fastest prospect. Zach Davis has a 91% steal rate.
• Mark Gonzales (Chicago Tribune* {$}): Former Cubs outfielder Angel Echevarria reportedly dies at 48. “Echevarria felt ill for about a week and hit his head during a fall, his girlfriend, Jazmine Cox, told the Post.”
• Cubs birthdays: Heinie Zimmerman, Chink Taylor, Freddy Schmidt, Eddie Solomon, Todd Pratt, Dioner Navarro. Also notable: Vladimir Guerrero (HoF).

Food for thought:

Thanks for reading.