Cub Tracks comes to the fore

The Cubs continue their program to make golf season begin as late in the year as possible and Cub Tracks endorses this activity, as long as the teams fly untied during the regular season.

The Cubs and White Sox were fit to be tied Monday, so they left the conclusion unresolved as Patrick Wisdom, number 59 on your program, provided enough clout in the ninth to short-circuit the Sox thoughts of victory and no additional tallies were logged.

Here’s Cub Tracks News and Notes. 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 on this page as sarcasm font. (In the comments section, use @ before and after your remarks @ to produce sarcasm font. In the text body. It doesn’t work in the headlines.)

• Jim Callis (MLB.com*): Breaking down the Top 30 Prospects list. “The Cubs still should contend this year, but their future beyond that is uncertain.”
• Jordan Bastian (MLB.com*): The next Cubs core? This group could be it. “Here is a look at the Top 5 prospects on Pipeline’s latest ranking of Chicago’s farm system...” Maddie Lee has similar thoughts.
• Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation*): The Innings Bump: Is it *actually* a source of injury concern this year for pitchers? “There just isn’t any evidence that X amount of an innings bump increases injury risk by Y amount.”
• Evan Altman (Cubs Insider*): Adbert Alzolay’s option status could dictate Cubs’ pitching decisions. “... a union victory means Alzolay is breaking camp with the Cubs.”
• Meghan Montemurro (Chicago Tribune* {$}): As Adbert Alzolay and the Chicago Cubs await a ruling on minor-league options, the hard-throwing pitcher is focused on what he can control on the mound. “I’m just here doing what I know what to do, which is playing baseball,” Alzolay said Saturday.
• Gordon Wittenmyer (NBC Sports Chicago*): Why Cubs backup closer role could be Workman in progress. “The thing with past performances, that can work both ways,” Ross said. Sahadev Sharma started it {$}.
• Tony Andracki (Marquee Sports Network*): Dillon Maples giving the Cubs something to think about this spring. “Maples is out of minor-league options.”
• Tony Andracki (Marquee Sports Network*): Cubs spring notebook: Bullpen picture coming into focus. “The Cubs will begin the year with a long relief option out of the bullpen...”
• Tom Usiak (Prospects1500): Where will all the Cubs’ shortstop prospects go? A whole teamful.
• Meghan Montemurro (Chicago Tribune* {$}): Can Jake Marisnick be more than just an elite defensive player for the Chicago Cubs? ‘I want to come out and make a big impact’. “He’s a guy that still has not reached his full potential in his eyes,” David Ross said.

Food for thought:

Thanks for reading.