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...playing for the Chicago Cubs Charlie Morton Jersey , and other bullets" for TCMAs I write, it’s Saturday night, and, in my mind, I’m in Berwyn (I actually lived there for a while, around the corner form the car sculpture)! We remember Julie Adams with an encore of “Creature from the Black Lagoon”! And actual baseball news is still back. Good times!And I was inspired by the music pages to create a ‘Duane Radio’ group on Facebook. I’ve been in the habit of filling idle time with chestnuts and nuggets for quite a while now, and some other people convinced me to let them in on the fun. You can join if you want...it’s a closed group. I just thought I’d let those responsible know what a Frankenstein monster they’ve created (yeah, that’s me in the link).Let’s sweep that all aside, Igor, and here’s today’s Cubs News and Notes. As always * means autoplay on, or annoying ads, or both (directions to remove for Firefox and Chrome).Watch Cole Hamels react to a computer program predicting a last place finish for the Cubs while pointing towards an older rotation as a reason for regression.Gordon Wittenmyer (Chicago Sun-Times* {$}): Algorithm? Collusion by any other name smells just as foul. “Teams say they like you but they’re not making offers,” said Brad Brach. Robert Kuenster (Forbes* {$}): Key deals By Theo Epstein turned Cubs into perennial pennant contenders. “Even after we won in 2016, we’ve never had any interference in doing whatever it takes to keep us a winning team,” Epstein said.Mark Gonzales (Chicago Tribune* {$}): 5 takeaways from Cubs spring training Saturday, including Joe Maddon reinforcing his support for Addison Russell. “I hate being the last out,” Albert Almora Jr said.Mark Gonzales (Chicago Tribune* {$}): Cubs players of all ages are embracing advanced technology and analytics: ‘They’re willing to dig in’. “He can do it all. We all trust his work. And regardless of his age or who he is http://www.astrosfanproshop.com/authentic-justin-verlander-jersey , we know what he brings to the table,” said Kyle Hendricks about Tommy Hottovy.Mark Gonzales (Chicago Tribune* {$}): ‘It’s an honor’: Veteran lefty Hamels is taking his new leadership role seriously. “...when you’re able to play the game as long as we have, that’s the role you get thrust into.”Sahadev Sharma (The Athletic {$}): Brach looks like sweet addition for hungry Cubs bullpen. “Coming here knowing that you’re expecting to win from day one, it’s exciting and I’m looking forward to it,” Brach said.Jordan Bastian (MLB.com*): Daniel Descalso won’t go head-first into role as leader. “I’m not going to come in right away and stand up on the couch and be giving like a rah-rah Knute Rockne speech,” Descalso said with a laugh.Tony Andracki (NBC Sports Chicago*): What Maddon thought about Russell’s press conference.“...hopefully there’s a tremendous growth moment for him.”Paul Sullivan (Chicago Tribune* {$}): Russell and the Cubs are under the microscope for all the wrong reasons. “The start of spring training usually is a time to spread the word of hope.”Jordan Bastian (MLB.com*): Almora’s time as everyday player ‘on the horizon’. “Maddon said the goal is to have Almora continue to show improvement against right-handed pitching in order to earn more days in the starting lineup.”Tony Andracki (NBC Sports Chicago*): Almora has a plan to cope with Manny Machado questions in Cubs camp. “...I’m playing for the Chicago Cubs and that’s all I know.”Pat Eaton-Robb (AP via Chicago Tribune {$}): Minor league baseball team bans peanuts and Cracker Jack from stadium. “It’s just important that people know there is a safe space, and where that safe space is going to be.”Food for thought:Thanks for reading! #Cubsnews Who’s impressed YOU the most?"WhiteFanposts Fanshots Sections Houston Astros NewsGame ThreadsHouston Astros Minor LeaguesAstros Game DayPodcastsAstros Open Forum: Whose Stock Rose the Most this Spring TrainingNew,19commentsWho’s impressed YOU the most?CDTShareTweetShareShareAstros Open Forum: Whose Stock Rose the Most this Spring TrainingJ.B. BukauskasSteve Mitchell-USA TODAY SportsWhat do the following all have in common?Dime Store Cowboy. Juke Box Hero. Vice President of the United States. Spring Training Sensation.Butch Dill-USA TODAY SportsWhat do they have in common?They’re all wannabes, phantoms, mirages. They may seem impressive, they may look real for a while, but they’re not.And yet, even though the stories of the Spring Training hero who fades back into oblivion are legion, sometimes, just sometimes, a great Spring Training is the difference between the Majors and the obscurity of AAA. Tyler White was on the cusp going into Spring Training in 2016.He hit 1.031 OPS in Spring, made the 25-man roster Jose Cruz Jr. Jersey , and made player of the week after Opening Day.He’s been up and down since then, but he figures to start at DH on this Opening Day, 2019. A great Spring Training got the 33rd rounder his first shot.Who got noticed this Spring Training? Whose reputation soared? Who gave us to believe that their future may be better than we thought?Here are a few of the leading candidates along with their statistics.3B Nick Tanielu:Spring Training stats.342/.405/.789, 4 home runs, 15 RBI. In 2016 our own Astros Future wrote a profile warning us that Tanielu had a future.But in 2017 he had an ACL injury, and 2018, although good at AAA, (.289/.337/.412) was a season of recuperation. He came to camp ready, having just finished a season with Aukland in the Australian league.3B Abraham Toro: .324/.375/.568/ 2 HR, 13 RBIToro is a 2016 5th round draft pick. He only hit .688 OPS lastyear at AA but had a very successful Fall season at Scottsdale.C Garrett Stubbs: .300/.333/.650Left hand hitting catcher who can run, reputedly a good defender, the 25 year old only hit .726 OPS in 2017 at AAA, but improved to .836 last year.OF Yordan Alvarez: .300/.404/.376The 21 year old has been included in most Top 100 prospect lists. Alvarez hit 1.006 OPS at AA last year.PJ.B. Bukauskas: 10 IP, 1 ER, 5 BB, 13 K’s,1.10 WHIPThe first round Nolan Ryan Jersey , 2017 draft pick, now 22, and a Top 100 Prospect, advanced 5 levels last year in limited time, and had a 1.61 ERA at A+ ball.PBrandon Bielak: 9 IP, 1 ER, 4 BB, 7 K’s, 0.76 WHIPThe almost 23 year old Bielak was an 11th round draft pick.He had a 2.35 ERA at AA last year.PBrendan McCurry: 9 IP, 1 ER, 6 BB 13 K’s, 1.11 WHIPThe 27 year old 22nd round draft pick, acquired from the A’s in the Jed Lowrie trade, had a 3.69 ERA last year in AAA.