Chicago Cubs: Hammel solid in outing; more renovation legal battles

The Chicago Cubs Jason Hammel seems to be settling back into his “old” Cubs’ form. The righty threw five innings of shutout baseball while striking out nine. The bullpen was not as successful however, allowing six runs over the final three innings in the 6-1 loss. Arismendy Alcantara‘s second home run of the spring accounted for the Cubs only run.

The legal battles of the Wrigley Field restoration will continue this week, as the organization and two rooftop owners will be in court this week. At stake will be the right-field signage, which at this time appears all that is in question. For the time being, the left-field video board will go untouched, but a ruling in the rooftop’s favor could open it up for future challenges.

It’s that time of year again for fantasy baseball. Who to take first? Pitching or hitting? Of course, all depends on your style of league, but no matter which–where do you draft Kris Bryant? If you’re in a Cubs’ fan heavy league, sooner is better because he will be an early homer pick. In reality, he’s middle of the pack for third baseman, so it’s hard to gauge off of potential and Spring Training alone.

A couple of the most intriguing position battles are happening right in Chicago according to Christina Kahrl of ESPN.com. The battle for second and third base makes her list, with Kris Bryant and Javier Baez going in opposite directions this spring. Bryant will likely have to wait due to service time, while Baez will be for his contact issues.

These and other stories you might have missed:

‘Jason Hammel strong, but Cubs’ pen falters in 6-1 loss’ – Cubbies Crib

‘Wrigley renovations face another legal battle on Monday’ – Cubbies Crib

‘Where would you draft Kris Bryant in fantasy baseball?’ – Cubbies Crib

‘Five NL position battles to watch’ – ESPN.com

‘Mets’ Matt Harvey looking primed to return to dominance’ – MLB.com

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