Maybe Jason Kipnis isn’t the player he used to be. Could be the fact that it took signing a minor-league contract with the Cubs in February just to keep his career going removes any doubt about it.
But the baseball gods can take that “minor” and shove it, because Kipnis, 33, a two-time All-Star second baseman, is back. The Cubs added him to their 40-man roster Friday. A few hours later, he was in the middle of the infield next to superstar shortstop Javy Baez for an intrasquad scrimmage. That’s his double-play partner now. This is his team now.