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Cubs vs. Athletics at Mesa preview, Wednesday 3/23, 3:05 CT

Once again, the Cubs return to Sloan Park for a one-game “homestand.”

Photo by Adam Bow/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

A few notes for today:

Here are today’s particulars.

Cubs lineup:

Madrigal 2B, Heyward CF, Contreras C, Happ DH, Frazier LF, Wisdom 1B, Hoerner SS, Davis RF, Vargas 3B

A couple of notes. First, more everyday regulars are in today’s lineup. Second, good news about Brennen Davis, back in the lineup today after being HBP on his knee during Monday’s game, obviously not a serious injury.

A’s lineup:

Kemp 2B, Andrus SS, Murphy C, Brown 1B, Pinder 3B, Thames DH, Kelly LF, Bolt CF, McKinney RF

A couple of old friends here, Tony Kemp and Billy McKinney. Also, Skye Bolt is an 80-grade baseball name.

Marcus Stroman will start for the Cubs today. Cubs relievers today: Jesse Chavez, Scott Effross, Mark Leiter Jr., Cayne Ueckert and Rowan Wick (spring debut for Wick).

Another former Cubs prospect, Paul Blackburn, will start for the A’s. Other A’s pitchers today: Adam Oller, Lou Trivino, Paul Blackburn, Deolis Guerra, Kirby Snead, Dany Jiménez and Ryan Castellani.

Today’s game is on Marquee Sports Network. Here’s a list of providers currently carrying Marquee. There’s an audio webcast available today with the A’s announcers, if you live in the San Francisco Bay area it’s being carried by KNEW 960.

MLB.com Gameday

Please note that during spring training, Gameday doesn’t usually go pitch-by-pitch as it does during the regular season — usually, it will update after each at-bat.

Here is the complete MLB.com Mediacenter for today.

Please visit our SB Nation A’s site Athletics Nation. If you do go there to interact with A’s fans, please be respectful, abide by their individual site rules and serve as a good representation of Cub fans in general and BCB in particular.

As we have done in the past, we’ll have a first-pitch thread at five minutes to game time and one overflow thread, 90 minutes after game time. For today, that will be 3 p.m. CT and 4:30 p.m. CT. There will be only one set of threads for both games today since they start at the same time.

These threads will not post individually onto the front page; instead, you can find links to them in the box marked ”Chicago Cubs Game Threads” at the bottom of the front page. There will also be a StoryStream on the front page with all the game thread links, as well as the recap after the game is over. The pitcher photos and regular-season stats will return on Opening Day.

Discuss amongst yourselves.