Weekend Catch-Up: Cubs Logo, Free Agent Finances, Roster Move, Hammel Signs, More

Are you up yet after watching that Super Bowl? I didn’t have a dog in that fight, and as I said yesterday, I’m less inclined to be anti-Patriots than most folks, it seems. But that was just an incredible comeback, and crazy second half.

There were other things going on this weekend, though, in the Cubs’ world, so catch yourself up …

Friday, February 3

  • Friday kicked off with some MLBits, with notes from around baseball as Spring Training approaches.
  • New Spring Training gear and logos were released, and the Cubs’ hat finally features a different logo – and it’s one of the best ones!
  • The difference between a team like the Cubs and a team like the Nationals? The depth.
  • Luis wrote about the importance of outfield defense, and about how the Cubs can repeat their dominance out there in 2017 despite some turnover.
  • The slow and soft offseason this year may have been about much more than just the weak free agent class.
  • Michael pondered ranking the divisions in baseball, and where the NL Central falls in the ranks.
  • [adinserter block=”1″]

    Saturday, February 4

  • Commissioner Manfred got into a bunch of topics, including the one that has quickly become his recent focus: pace of play.
  • Saturday’s Bullets featured a range of stuff, including thoughts from Jed Hoyer on Jason Heyward’s swing, the hole at Wrigley, and much more.
  • Some video of Kyle Schwarber and Willson Contreras taking hacks, gearing up for Spring Training makes me happy.
  • Dylan Floro, the righty the Cubs DFA’d to make room for Eddie Butler, has cleared waivers and was outrighted to Iowa.
  • Sunday, February 5

  • Luke dug in on catching prospect Victor Caratini, who isn’t discussed all that much, but should be.
  • Over at BIF, Michael unearthed one of my favorite baseball videos: that Braves minor league manager completely losing his mind.
  • I thought about the Patriots as the Cardinals, and Joe Smith is headed elsewhere, among Sunday’s Bullets.
  • And as the Super Bowl was just ending, Ken Rosenthal dropped the news on us: Jason Hammel is signing with the Royals.
  • written by

    Brett Taylor is the Lead Cubs Writer at Bleacher Nation, and you can find him on Twitter at @BleacherNation and on LinkedIn here. Brett is also the founder of Bleacher Nation, which opened up shop in 2008 as an independent blog about the Chicago Cubs. Later growing to incorporate coverage of other Chicago sports, Bleacher Nation is now one of the largest regional sports blogs on the web.

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