– Cubs pitchers and catchers report for duty in Mesa on Wednesday. When they arrive, they'll find new security measures around the team's spring training complex.

That's because three young players already in camp, Jeff Samardzija, Jake Fox, and Tyler Colvin, had a variety of personal items stolen from their lockers a couple of weeks ago. The alleged thief, one Todd Robert Smith, was arrested on Saturday and charged with going on a burglary rampage that included the thefts in the Cubs complex.

– Pat Hughes was named Illinois Sportscaster Of The Year on Tuesday and dedicated the award to his constituents, Cubs fans, whom Hughes called "the greatest fans in the world."

Milo Hamilton, who lives in Texas, wouldn't have been eligible for the award, but I bet he's still bitter he didn't win.

– My favorite Baseball Prospectus writer, Joe Sheehan, offered his Spring Preview of the NL Central on Monday, and of the Cubs, Sheehan wrote:

The Cubs return the good players from the division titlist of 2007, and have upgraded in right field as well as added some depth. The middle infield is pretty lousy for a contending team, which is why the pursuit of (Brian) Roberts, even at a cost of (Felix) Pie, has made sense. It will be harder to hold off the Brewers this season, and even the Reds could make some noise if things break right. Still, you’re looking at the favorites, part of the cluster of teams that can lay claim to being the second-best in the league behind the Mets.

Nice to read the Cubs being referred to as favorites to win anything, isn't it?

Interesting to read mention of the Cubs pursuing Brian Roberts. Strange--I really hadn't heard anything else about that.

On Tuesday, the Cubs announced that they had extended spring training invitations to 19 non-roster players. The 19 include reliever Chad Fox, who appeared in 11 games for the Cubs in 2005 (1 save, 6.75 ERA in 8 IP) before blowing out his elbow. Fox, who hasn't pitched in the majors since sustaining that injury, was signed to a minor league deal last Friday and promised a chance to make the team this spring in Mesa.

Other notables--or at least semi-notables--include Koyie Hill, who was briefly Carlos Zambrano's very most favorite catcher last season, and outfielder Tyler Colvin, the Cubs' first-round pick in the 2006 draft who finished last season at Class AA Tennessee.

Another interesting name is Jose Ceda, the radar-gun-intimidating relief pitcher picked up in the trade that landed Todd Walker in San Diego in July 2006. Ceda was touched for just 14 hits in 46 1/3 IP last season at Class A Peoria, and in his last 23 1/3 innings, he held opponents to no hits. That's 'no' as in zero.

Tasty.

Most thrilling piece of information contained in Tuesday's announcement: pitchers and catchers report to Mesa in 29 days.