Cub Tracks’ visiting hours

Here at CUB TRACKS NEWS AND NOTES™, we like to keep things brief on the principle that it makes us appear wise. We don’t always, but we like to.

Lots of storylines leading into Monday night’s game: Old friends, teams that have met in the recent postseason and aren’t doing so well, players rounding into shape. Keep that video away from my hot dogs!

And the game delivered. Lester mustered the Maddux zone but strayed into the hit’me zone periodically. Adbert got hit hard by the middle of the Nationals’ lineup but pitched with obvious relish for the competition. Good times. Al can describe the goings-on in his recap. I really would have liked to be at that game. I miss Chicago sometimes ... but then it snows.

Tommy Nance has some stuff. What a great story, if he can keep it up.

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.)

• Evan Altman (Cubs Insider*): Rejoice, Wrigley Field’s bleacher ad banners are gone. “... the venerable ballpark is going to look more like herself starting Monday night.”
• Paul Sullivan (Chicago Tribune* {$}): Chicago Cubs open a section for fully vaccinated fans — and offer free hot dogs if you get your shot by Wrigley — while the team remains under full COVID-19 protocols. “The offer is not applicable for second doses...” More on this from Gordon Wittenmyer.
• Marquee Network*: Lester on facing his old teammates [VIDEO].
• Steve Greenberg (Chicago Sun-Times* {$}): Jon Lester, Kyle Schwarber back at Wrigley? Let ’em hear you, Cubs fans — good and loud. “Would these Cubs be any better off with them?”
• Gordon Wittenmyer (NBC Sports Chicago*): Why 19 days in January wrote final chapter of Cubs storybook. “Lester’s departure was a byproduct of the payroll cuts...”
• Meghan Montemurro (Chicago Tribune* {$}): Javier Báez does a PSA for Walgreens to encourage getting the COVID-19 vaccine. ‘The smart thing to do is to take it,’ says the Chicago Cubs shortstop. “It’s optional, whoever thinks that they should get it, it’s not obligatory, but I believe in it,” Báez said.
• Brendan Miller (Cubs Insider*): Matt Duffy looks like MLB’s most disciplined hitter. “Duffy is among the league leaders in several plate-discipline outcomes, including chase and contact rates.” More Duffy from The Athletic {$}.
• Michael Cerami (Bleacher Nation*): Yankees already looking for left-handed outfield bats, Joc Pederson mentioned. “This rumor is delivered in two-parts, so stick with me as we connect A to B.”
• Maddie Lee (NBC Sports Chicago*): Schwarber: Cubs helped shape ‘the person I am today’. “We’re all going to be specially bonded for the rest of our lives with what we did in ’16,” Schwarber said.
• Tim Stebbins (NBC Sports Chicago*): Welcome back: Schwarber smacks HR in return to Wrigley. “He made sure to reintroduce himself to the Wrigley faithful once the game got started.”
• Jordan Bastian (MLB.com*): Finding form again, Ian Happ enjoys 3-hit day. “... the baseball gods had to help him out eventually...”

Food for Thought: