[adinserter block=”2″]Chicago Cubs Spring Training nominally begins, at its earliest, on Friday. That’s the reporting date for pitchers and catchers – i.e., the day by which they must arrive to start Spring Training. Position players will be due four days later, and the first full team workout will be the next day.
Less nominally, Spring Training for the Cubs has already begun. Players generally start trickling in as the calendar flips to February – some, especially younger players, have already been in Mesa, Arizona working out and training – and there are already a bunch of players at Cubs camp.
For some delightful visual examples to follow. For example, check out the trio of onlookers here:
Rizzo, Schwarber, and Heyward already in Az, already taking BP, and I might pass out. (Thanks to David for the pic.) pic.twitter.com/HlRXghp8bB
— Brett Taylor (@BleacherNation) February 15, 2016
I believe that’s Matt Szczur in the cage, too. Also, look closer …
Also, highly important from that picture. #Merica pic.twitter.com/QjF9Ei3owD
— Brett Taylor (@BleacherNation) February 15, 2016
John Arguello was taking lots of pictures today, including this one, where Jason Heyward is clearly about to Gillooly Kyle Schwarber:
This may be my favorite pic of the day #Heyward #Schwarber #Cubs pic.twitter.com/i646jB50pz
— John Arguello (@CubsDen) February 15, 2016
A glimpse of you 2015 NL CY Young Award Winner pic.twitter.com/mttUQ2v2W5
— John Arguello (@CubsDen) February 15, 2016
Got a few more pics for you all here…https://t.co/ZU5RA6FjsJ pic.twitter.com/oEKfDOB9j6
— John Arguello (@CubsDen) February 15, 2016
Carrie Muskat was there and got some shots, too. For example:
#Cubs Schwarber taking swings pic.twitter.com/bmxVwT8avo
— Carrie Muskat (@CarrieMuskat) February 15, 2016
Cubs PA man Tim Sheridan put together a 40-second video with shots from Arizona, and it’s awesome:
Arguello also grabbed some batting practice video, which he’s collected here. For example, Albert Almora and Willson Contreras:
There’s also Jason Heyward, Anthony Rizzo, and Kyle Schwarber in that set, so give it a look. And, from the look of his efforts so far, you’re definitely going to want to be following John Arguello on Twitter this Spring.