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The Rundown: Morel Is Counsell’s Ride-or-Die, Darvish Helps Cubs Recruit Japanese Players, Chaos Rocks MLB’s Opening Day

Craig Counsell doesn’t make rash lineup decisions, so Christopher Morel will be his ride-or-die at third base this season. The Cubs’ new manager has said repeatedly that the end of spring training is not a final exam and that Morel will continually be evaluated as the season progresses. What should we expect?

  • The Good: Majestic power, instant offense, draws walks at a solid rate, and fiery hustle. His average exit velocity, barrel percentage, and hard-hit percentage all ranked in the top 10th percentile of major league hitters.
  • The Bad: Morel’s 31.6% K-rate is, well, not good.