The Cubs were at it again at Sloan Park on a beautiful Saturday afternoon. A mite cool for locals but clear and sunny. Just ask PCA how sunny. Sources say they’re still adding less-well-known players.
“Everyone’s replaceable in this game,” Taillon said after giving up three runs in two innings in the Chicago Cubs’ spring training opener Friday afternoon. “Your track record now doesn’t matter as much as it did back in the day. So it’s kind of, ‘What have you done for me lately?’ I understand that. You’re only as valuable as your next start. I’m always looking for an edge and to keep up.” — Sharma{$}.
Matt Shaw looked decent out in right. Maybe this experiment will work.
The Cubs scored twice as many runs as against the Sox, but the Rangers scored three. With any luck they’ll score a bit today against the . Game time is 1:05 local.
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- Jordan Bastian (MLB.com*): Cade’s day? Ranking the Cubs’ Opening Day candidates. “The Opening Day starter is more of a ceremonial assignment than anything else.“ More Horton from the AP.
- Jason Ross (North Side Baseball*): Shōta Imanaga’s perilous journey from overrated to underrated. “Have Cubs fans been too quick to give up on him?“
- Sahadev Sharma (The Athletic {$}): How Cubs pitcher Jameson Taillon keeps reinventing himself to stay ahead of aging curve. “Every athlete looks for ways to battle Father Time.“
- Maddie Lee (Chicago Sun-Times* {$}): Cubs’ Seiya Suzuki blasts home run in first spring-training game, asks for sun to be moved. ‘‘I loved him,’’ Suzuki said of his Team Japan teammate (Murakami). ‘‘But after the [fly ball], I hate him, and I’m not going to support him.’’
- Meghan Montemurro (Chicago Tribune* {$}): Chicago Cubs notes from camp: Kevin Alcántara puts injury behind him — and a lockout ‘all but guaranteed’. “I need to be focused for whatever opportunity I have to do my job,” Alcántara said.
- Manny Randhawa (MLB.com*): Broadway Joe was nearly Wrigley Joe. “He could even drive a ball over the Forbes Field wall.“
Food For Thought:
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RIP Bill Mazeroski