Baseball's spring storylines

Just 101 days ago, the Chicago Cubs rewrote history. Does it seem longer since the night a smiling, stumbling Kris Bryant tossed the ball across the diamond to Anthony Rizzo, capping a wild Game 7 that clinched the Cubs’ first World Series championship since 1908?

Well, next year is here. Pitchers and catchers reported to most camps beginning Monday, with first workouts a day later.

Here is a breakdown of three important storylines to play out under the skies in Arizona and Florida. Ready for a baseball fix? Well, pace yourself. Opening day remains 50 days away.

Can the Cubs handle prosperity?

There’s a new storyline for the first time in 109 years as the Cubs enter spring training with their shortest winter season in franchise history.

The Cubs are bidding to become the first National League team to win back-to-back titles since the 1975-76 Cincinnati Reds.

The Cubs are favored to win it again considering that their only major defections were center fielder Dexter Fowler, starter Jason Hammel and closer Aroldis Chapman.

And now they’ll have slugger Kyle Schwarber for an entire season, along with closer Wade Davis, whom they acquired from the Kansas City Royals. Their top four starters are all back, too, in Jon Lester, Jake Arrieta, Kyle Hendricks and John Lackey. They combined for a major league-leading 989 innings while the rotation led MLB with a 2.96 ERA last season. And now Mike Montgomery and newcomer Brett Anderson join the group.

The Cubs will focus this spring on pitching and defense, manager Joe Maddon says, and that means finding a center fielder to replace Fowler. They enter the spring with Albert Almora and Jon Jay. They would love for the talented Almora to win the job, but Jay is a veteran with a proven bat, and they could wind up sharing the job.

This will also be a huge test for Schwarber, who hasn’t played the outfield since having reconstructive knee surgery in April. It’s highly unlikely he’ll return to a backup catcher role this year, and the Cubs hope to find out this spring whether he can play nine innings without the need of a late-inning replacement. He also might be used as their primary leadoff hitter, replacing Fowler.

Yet the Cubs’ biggest question of all will be whether they can have the same drive and motivation of a year ago and not be content to have that shiny new ring on their fingers.

Can the World Baseball Classic do no harm?

Every four years, teams brace for the departure of some of their players for at least a week and up to 16 days as the World Baseball Classic interrupts the gentle routine of spring training.

Aware of the tournament’s importance to Major League Baseball, clubs mostly bite their tongues publicly while praying their players return in one piece. Those worries might be heightened this year with the US team loading up with stars Buster Posey, Nolan Arenado, Giancarlo Stanton, Paul Goldschmidt and Andrew Miller.

In previous tournaments, concerns about injuries have proved to be mostly unfounded, as WBC rules and careful handling of players have minimized ailments.

Still, accidents can happen: Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Hanley Ramirez needed thumb surgery after getting hurt in the 2013 final while playing for the Dominican Republic.

This year’s US squad will be led by three-time Manager of the Year Jim Leyland.

Yasiel Puig: Asset or hindrance?

Joc Pederson’s defensive skills and his second-half surge last year cemented his status as the Dodgers’ starting center fielder, at least against right-handers. The question of who will flank him will be answered during the spring. Much like last year, there’s no shortage of candidates.

The Dodgers added one more to the mix last week when they signed former Gold Glover Franklin Gutierrez, a hint that Trayce Thompson’s back problems likely will continue to sideline him. He didn’t play in a game last season after July 10.

Perhaps the biggest intrigue for the Dodgers is what can they expect from the enigmatic Yasiel Puig, whose on-base-plus-slugging percentage has dipped each of the last three years and who earned a one-month demotion to the minors in 2016.

The Dodgers were tired enough of his act to shop him around last year, but they also realize he’s immensely talented, just 26 and perhaps their best solution to the team’s well-chronicled woes against lefties. Puig led the club with a .784 on-base-plus-slugging percentage when facing left-handers.

Puig’s at-bats have shrunk from 558 in his All-Star season of 2014 to 334 last year, partly because of injuries, partly because of performance.

The other outfield options come with caveats. Andrew Toles, who batted .314 with a .365 on-base percentage as a rookie, has played in only 48 major league games. Veteran Andre Ethier missed most of the season with a broken leg and turns 35 in April. They both hit left-handed.

On the right-handed side, Scott Van Slyke is coming off a down season in which he was hampered by a wrist injury, Thompson is still healing from his back fractures and Kike Hernandez is more of a utility type.

Gutierrez, who registered a .780 OPS with the Seattle Mariners last season, brings added depth and experience, but the Dodgers could really use a productive Puig to clear up their outfield picture.