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MESA, Ariz. -- No matter what the record says, Chicago Cubs president of baseball operations Theo Epstein insists he sees progress as he begins his third season in charge. It hasnt shown at the major league level. "The people that we have in place in this organization -- the coaches, scouts -- I believe are impact, and I believe in the processes that we have in place," Epstein said Thursday. "It takes time to turn our organization around. It takes time to build impact talent and to build requisite depth. But its happening. People in those meetings, the people in this organization, really believe that were on the verge of something special. And we understand that were perceived otherwise, and thats our fault because weve been a last-place club the last couple years. Were not protesting. We need to earn our way into a position where were championship contenders on an annual basis, and we feel like that is certainly moving in the right direction." It hasnt been an easy process, and while success might be on the horizon, it doesnt appear to be at hand. Pitchers and catchers reported on Thursday, and for the Cubs, it doesnt look like much will be different this season. They were relatively quiet in the off-season, although they did hire manager Rick Renteria to replace the fired Dale Sveum and made a run at star Japanese pitcher Masahiro Tanaka, but mostly it looks like they are in for more rough times at the major league level as they wait for their top prospects to develop in the minors. Their most recent winning season was when they went 83-78 under Lou Piniella in 2009. With four straight sub-.500 seasons, theyve matched their longest streak since 1984 to 1988. And another losing season would put them on their longest run since they finished below .500 six years in a row from 1978 to 1983. For now, the Cubs continue to sell hope, a promise that better days are coming. They tout their minor league system, and while renovations to Wrigley Field remain on hold, they can point to new facilities in the Dominican Republic along with a spring training home that just opened. As for the Cubs record, it cant get much worse. Theyve dropped 91 or more games each of the past three years and are coming off a two-year run under Sveum that produced a 127-197 record. Theyre hoping Renteria will provide the right atmosphere for young major league players such as shortstop Starlin Castro and first baseman Anthony Rizzo as well as top prospects Javier Baez, Jorge Soler, Albert Almora and Kris Bryant. They believe they have three solid starters in Travis Wood, Jeff Samardzija and Edwin Jackson, although Jackson struggled last season and Samardzija is a potential trade chip after he was unable to reach a long-term agreement and took a one-year deal. Jake Arrieta, a candidate to start, might not be ready for the beginning of the season because of tightness in his right shoulder. General manager Jed Hoyer revealed Thursday that Arrieta, acquired from Baltimore last July, experienced some tightness this winter and is being brought along slowly. Hoyer announced Arrietas injury after confirming the Cubs agreed to one-year contracts with starting pitchers Jason Hammel and James McDonald. Both could be candidates to be traded before the deadline if they succeed, considering thats exactly what the Cubs did with Paul Maholm and Scott Feldman the past two seasons. "We know we have some numbers now," Hoyer said. They also have hope that better days are coming. "Theres a real dichotomy between how the organization is perceived from the outside and how we look at it internally and the morale that we have internally," Epstein said. NOTES: Renteria tabbed newcomer Jose Veras as the closer. ... Hoyer basically dismissed the idea of moving Castro to another position even though he and the White Soxs Alexei Ramirez led major league shortstops with 22 errors last season and Baez is in the pipeline. "Castros our shortstop," Hoyer said. "We have all the confidence in the world that hell remain our shortstop and hell keep working hard and keep improving. And he knows theres (room) to improve there." ... Hoyer said reliever Kyuji Fujikawa will soon start throwing off the mound. Hes coming off Tommy John surgery to repair a torn ligament in his right elbow. ... Epstein said the Cubs will look to draft pitchers going forward, although not necessarily with their first pick. Preston Brown Jersey . -- Having already fallen behind because of the NFL lockout, Blaine Gabbert couldnt afford a lengthy holdout. Sam Hubbard Jersey . Now he can be had by any team willing to pay his salary. According to a report from ESPN, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are shopping the veteran CB and plan on releasing him Wednesday if they cant find a trade partner. http://www.officialcincinnatibengalsfoot...rsey-womens.com) - The Vancouver Canucks hope an upcoming stretch of home games will be enough to get the club into the postseason. C.J. Uzomah Jersey . It took five games, but the Celtics finally helped Stevens earn his first NBA victory. "Im going to celebrate for a whole 12 minutes, and then Im going to start watching Orlando and trying to figure them out," the first-year Celtics coach said after Boston beat the Utah Jazz, one of the leagues other winless teams, 97-87 on Wednesday night. Jordan Evans Jersey . Rockies manager Walt Weiss was unhappy, too. Weiss addressed the issue in a 15-minute meeting with his pitcher and catcher after the Rockies gave up 14 hits and lost 10-1. De La Rosa lasted only 4 1-3 innings and allowed five runs in his first opening-day start.CALGARY - Canada won two of three team matches in Saturdays late draw to take a 22-8 lead in points over Europe at the Continental Cup curling tournament.Winnipegs Mike McEwen and his team of B.J. Neufeld, Matt Wozniak and Denni Neufeld scored deuces in the second, fourth and fifth ends to beat Swedens Niklas Edin 7-4 in Draw 9.We had comfortable control, managed to turn around the hammer in the first end, said McEwen.On the womens side, Edmontons Val Sweeting and her rink of Lori Olson-Johns, Dana Ferguson and Rachelle Brown downed Swedens Margaretha Sigfridsson 7-2.Europe was able to earn one of a possible three points when Norways Thomas Ulsrud stole three in the second end to beat Brad Jacobs and his team of Ryan Fry, E.J. Harnden and Ryan Harnden of Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., 8-3.The competition wraps up Sunday with Draws 10 and 11 consisting of a skins format. The winner will be decided by the team that reaches 30.5 points first.Canada swept all three team matchess in Saturday afternoons eighth draw to build a 20-7 lead over Europe.ddddddddddddCalgarys John Morris, Winnipegs Jennifer Jones and Ottawas Rachel Homan guided their teams through some tricky situations before emerging victorious to give Canada three more valuable points.Morris beat Great Britains Dave Murdoch 7-5, Jones got past Russias Anna Sidorova 7-3 and Homan scored one in the eighth to nip Scotlands Eve Muirhead 6-5.In the morning mixed-doubles draws, Wozniak and Sweeting scored four in the third end, then stole singles in the next four ends en route to an 8-3 win over Scott Andrews of Scotland and Sigfridsson.Winnipegs Kaitlyn Lawes and Morris built a 5-0 lead after three ends but needed the last rock to score two in the eighth to beat Muirhead and Murdoch 8-5.Europes lone point in morning play came when Scotlands Anna Sloan made her last-rock draw to score one as she and partner Christoffer Svae of Norway edged Mike and Dawn McEwen and 6-5. 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