Cub Tracks’ rocket surgery

Welcome to today’s edition of Cub Tracks news and notes™, a greatest-hits collection of Chicago-style beat writers and bloggers, ground from #Cubs, #MiLB, and #MLB baseball, overheated, steeped in writers’ tears, and then cold-brewed overnight for maximum flavor.

Face front, true believer! Depending on what time you’re reading this, there either is a game today or there was a game today (available via MLB.TV, for those of you who are out of the local broadcasting area). Actual real professional baseball, though it doesn’t count in the standings. Potentially, it does, of course. The events and decisions that occur now have everything to do with the future. But that will be then, and this is now. Well, okay, yesterday’s tomorrow, to be sure. But that’s the way these things go.

We’ve been waiting a long time for this present. The roster is starting to take shape. The Cubs can’t play all six third basemen simultaneously, can they? How to decide... and who’s on first? Who’s going to be the fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth starter? There’s prospect talk, especially about the young players that are in Cubs camp to start Spring Training, and words with players on the comeback trail. We have some words from Jed Hoyer, which YouTube TV and the MLB Network have conspired to hide from me by disagreeing about contracts. Smooth operators.

We await developments, as the saying goes. But now we shall HAVE developments like it’s a Fotomat in the summertime. I’m trying to develop a photographic memory, thank you very much. Excelsior!

Photo by Thomas McGovern/Getty Images

Marcus Stroman is slated to start. Al will have all the details for you at 12 noon CT. I am excite. You?

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• Jayson Stark (The Athletic {$}): MLB gearing up to refocus on ‘sticky stuff’ enforcement: Here’s what it could entail. “... MLB has informed club officials it will encourage umpires to refocus on the use of sticky stuff this season.”
• Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation*): Jed Hoyer Speaks: Swanson, Bellinger, Barnhart. “Cubs President Jed Hoyer appeared on MLBN’s High Heat for an interview with Alanna Rizzo, talking about the offseason and a number of new Cubs players.” The video is embedded in the article.
• Chicago Tribune* {$}: Chicago Cubs report to spring training. Photo gallery.
• Michael Allardyce (NBC Sports Chicago*): David Ross eolls out Cubs’ projected lineup for the 2023 season. “The first baseball games of 2023 are nearly here.”
• Ryan Taylor (NBC Sports Chicago*): Why Marcus Stroman decided to represent Puerto Rico in WBC. “... his mother and his heritage as a Puerto Rican were the major influences on his decision to switch.”
• Tony Andracki (Marquee Sports Network*): Pitch grips with new Cubs starter Jameson Taillon. Includes video.
• Evan Altman (Cubs Insider*): Kyle Hendricks displays new mechanics in first bullpen since July. “... it does appear as though he’s shortened his arm stroke...”
• Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation*): So it turns out Caleb Kilian was dealing with a knee issue last year. Getting the knee issue worked on was a start. Refers to Sahadev Sharma article {$}.
• Tony Andracki (Marquee Spots Network*): Behind the plate with Tucker Barnhart and Joe Girardi. Includes video.
• Matthew Richie (MLB.com*): Christopher Morel eager to stand out among vets in sophomore season. “I focused on understanding home plate. I’m going to try and be as consistent as possible, working to command the plate when I’m at bat.” Evan Altman has more Morel.
• Evan Altman (Cubs Insider*): David Ross impressed by Nick Madrigal’s work at 3B, where Cubs have serious glut. “He’s moving really well. Feels like a totally different player than we saw last year where he looked like he was guarded at times and it was hard work to run...”
• Maddie Lee (Chicago Sun-Times*): Cody Bellinger feeling refreshed, confident in first spring training with Cubs. “Bellinger is aiming to bounce back after a few down years at the plate.” More Bellinger from Brett Taylor. Jordan Bastian talks things Bellinger as well. Sahadev Sharma cleans up {$}.
• Jordan Bastian (MLB.com*): Brennen Davis looking to get back on track this spring. “... Davis is likely ticketed for Triple-A Iowa to continue to get regular playing time.”
• Tommy Birch (Des Moines Register* {$}): 10 Chicago Cubs prospects who could play for the Iowa Cubs in 2023. “The list is pretty long of who they’re talking about and what their abilities are or what they’ve proven up to now in their young years,” Iowa Cubs president/general manager Sam Bernabe said.
• Jim Callis, Jonathan Mayo and Sam Dykstra (MLB.com*): Here’s each team’s best pure hitting prospect. “Not only is Crow-Armstrong the best defensive player in the Minors, he’s also a gifted hitter with a quick left-handed stroke...”

“The most important tool for position players is hitting ability. If you can’t hit, it’s almost impossible to be a big league regular. If you can’t hit at a high level, it’s difficult to be a star.” — from the article above.

• MLB.com*: Cubs announce promotions in baseball operations. A complete list of recent alterations to the team’s front office fabric.

Food for Thought:

Please be reminded that Cub Tracks and Bleed Cubbie Blue do not necessarily endorse the opinions of writers whose work is linked to in this series of articles. Thanks for reading!

We apologize most humbly for the many and egregious typos in the last edition and promise to do more, better.