Chicago Cubs News: Pace-of-play changes; Baez ready to go

Baseball makes some changes to the pace-of-play in the minors, stirring the emotions of many fans. And the Chicago Cubs’ Javier Baez is ready to go, mostly because he was never hurt.

Pace-of-play is relatively unchanged for the Chicago Cubs and the rest of Major League Baseball. The same cannot be said for the minor leagues. Courtesy of the Commissioners Office, several new pace-of-play initiatives were put into place. A 15-second pitch clock, six mound visits in nine innings, and starting a runner at second base in extra innings. While this might only be in the minor leagues, it may only be a certain amount of time before Rob Manfred starts trying to stick these rules in the MLB.

The Cubs’ Javier Baez is ready to go following his hamstring injury, sort of. According to Baez, it was only a cramp. The Cubs have played it safe by keeping him out of the lineup and making sure to get him fluids. He’s gone about hitting, fielding and running–just not in a game situation. The hope is that he will be able to return either this Frida against the White Sox or Saturday against the Indians.

Cubs’ Theo Epstein has talked about how lucky the team is to keep the core around this long. While some teams get a few years with a group, the Cubs are likely to seven or eight with them. It’s an homage to his mother, who was a big fan of the Brooklyn Dodgers’ in the 40’s and 50’s. The hope is that maybe 30 years from now, fans will recall the names of all the players like hey did for that Dodgers team.

These and other stories that you might have missed:

‘Pace-of-play changes loom large’ – Cubbies Crib

‘Baez was never hurt, ready to go’ – Cubbies Crib

‘The team that stays together, wins together’ – Cubbies Crib

‘Injury roundup for MLB’ – MLB.com

‘The best postseason upset for all 30 teams’ – ESPN

#Cubs on Twitter

Next: Time to pump the brakes on some early spring performances