Cub Tracks’ tomorrow never knows

Welcome to your Tuesday, and today’s episode of Cub Tracks news and notes™, featuring material from current beat writers, bloggers, and the occasional in-house habitué, moonlighting. These pieces center around #Cubs, #MiLB, and #MLB baseball. Scroll down for the links or linger for the commentary and tweetstorm.

The Cubs think they have some lightning in a bottle. Older players broke out last year when given opportunity, and the Cubs have a few somewhat younger would-be stars on hand. A few of them were in evidence against the White Sox. Rafael Ortega had a good game, and Seiya Suzuki looks like the real deal. Even Jason Heyward seems to have caught the lightning bug.

Hoerner and Madrigal set a nice table.

Let’s hope for a blue home plate special Thursday at the Friendly Confines. Some of the players discovered the spread early. Willson Contreras went out to launch. Ian Happ had the mashed. Nick Madrigal had his with tater with flair. Good gravy!

You know it would be a Surprise (AZ) if veterans were to show up at today’s game, with the for-real games coming right up. So that was the dress rehearsal, and I have to say, the Cubs have exceeded my expectations so far. Seems like the writers agree — they’re saying nice things at the moment.

Doubtless we all have reservations, or we wouldn’t be here. But sure, I’ll look at the menu.

I had kinda thought Vargas would make the 28 with Simmons out (he’s not expected to miss much time though). But this clears a spot for Rivas, maybe. The Cubs have a little bit of a liquid look to them — hopefully things will solidify. Only time will tell. As always, we await developments.

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• Tim Stebbins (NBC Sports Chicago*): Cubs’ roster coming into focus with latest camp cuts. “The Cubs have three more cuts to make before Thursday’s Opening Day.” Maddie Lee talks cut-downs.
• Maddie Lee (Chicago Sun-Times* {$}): Cubs set top of rotation: Justin Steele to pitch Game 2, Marcus Stroman Game 3. Cubs only need four starters for about ten days. “Lefty Drew Smyly and right-hander Alec Mills appear to be up for the spot.” Brett Taylor talks rotation. Lee talks Hendricks, Stroman.
• Jordan Bastian (MLB.com*): Catchers Yan Gomes, Willson Contreras bond over shared goal. “We both just were talking,” Gomes said. “And I was like, ‘Hey, it’s not me against you or anything like that. I’m not here to take anybody’s spot. I’m here to get the team better.’”
• Ryan Fagan (The Sporting News*): Future Wrigley Field fan favorite Nick Madrigal finally set to make long-awaited Cubs debut. “I’m extremely excited,” he told The Sporting News last week at spring training.
• Sahadev Sharma (The Athletic {$}): Why the Cubs believe they have a potential breakout candidate in Clint Frazier. “It’s not hard to see why Frazier was once a top draft pick and a highly thought of prospect.” Brett Taylor talks Frazier.
• Gordon Wittenmyer (NBC Sports Chicago*): Release Heyward? Nope — make him part of next Cubs core. “There are a lot of exciting things to stick around for and always be a part of Chicago,” Heyward said. He’s staying for now, says Sahadev Sharma with interpretation by Jake Misener. “But if Heyward doesn’t at least show some improvement at the dish, I suspect we’ll see the front office re-visit the idea of cutting him loose at some point this season.”
• Jake Misener (Cubbies Crib*): 3 Opening Day storylines to keep an eye on this week. “Seiya Suzuki will make his big league and Wrigley Field debut on Thursday...”
• Alexander Patt (Cubbies Crib*): 4 Cubs first-round draft picks you might have forgotten about. “Terry Hughes was a third baseman taken by the Cubs second overall in 1967...”
• NBC Sports*: Chelsea Manager backs fan protests over Cubs’ Ricketts’ ownership. “The opposition towards the Ricketts family and their bid to take over Chelsea continued ahead of the team’s match against Brentford.”

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