Cub Tracks is fit to be tied

The Cubs tied one on, and it fit so they decided to keep it. They hugged it and loved it and called it George, and by that slender gossamer thread we march forth into an unknown tomorrow, which by the magic of the Cub Tracks continuum is today, dear reader. I myself will take the fifth if we’re tying one on, especially if you make it Bulleit, and on that basis I’ll conclude that the lede is shot and it’s time to hit the links. See you at the nineteenth hole.

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.

Kris Bryant is still a Cub.

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• Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation): Theo Epstein hints at the only two paths for this Cubs season: Win big or sell off big. “But hey, that was always the path we saw for these Cubs after last season.”
• Jordan Bastian (MLB.com*): Who’s having most impressive spring for Cubs? “MLB.com surveyed the Cubs’ clubhouse and asked players what or who has impressed them the most through the first half of the preseason.”
• Sahadev Sharma (The Athletic {$}): Big Data Darvish: Yu goes into the Cubs’ Ivy to find answers. “Yu Darvish isn’t a normal pitcher.”
• Gordon Wittenmyer (Chicago Sun-Times* {$}): Pedro Strop: Cubs ‘tried hard to bring me back,’ but offer fell short because of ‘salary cap’. “They wanted to try to stay below [the luxury tax threshold],” said the veteran reliever.
• Evan Altman (Cubs Insider*): Anthony Rizzo talks different vibe at camp, being spoiled by success, wanting to finish career with Cubs. “We turned the narrative from ‘Wait till next year’ to ‘Now we’re ticked off if we’re not in the World Series,’ and not making the playoffs like last year is unacceptable,” Rizzo said when asked if the Cubs were spoiled. From Paul Sullivan article.
• Gordon Wittenmyer (Chicago Sun-Times* {$}): World Series MVP Ben Zobrist surprises former teammates as guest ‘coach’ in Cubs camp. “... nobody seems quite sure whether Zobrist actually retired.” Paul Sullivan also wrote of this.
• Paul Sullivan (Chicago Tribune* {$}): Bryant really isn’t interested in rehashing his service-time ruling: ‘I’m moving on. I’m over it.’ “I don’t feel anything. All I feel is that I want to win. We’ve been down this road five years now. I’m over it.”
• Keith Law (The Athletic {$}): Keith Law’s prospect rankings: Chicago Cubs. “The Cubs’ system remains thin, although they did have a pair of prospects make big moves forward this year.” Evan Altman has comments.
• Bob Goldsborough (Chicago Tribune* {$}): Dallas Keuchel, newly signed White Sox pitcher, buys house in Cubs territory for $2.14 million. “... a five-bedroom, contemporary-style house in the Southport Corridor area of the Lakeview neighborhood on the North Side.”
• Cubs birthdays: Dick Errickson, Jim Gleeson, Doug Bird, Kyle Schwarber. Also notable: Sam Thompson (HoF).

Food for thought:

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