What should a pipeline-based podcast do when there's no pipeline baseball? You've got me. I'm at a loss.

The college baseball season is breaking. The Ivy League season ends tonight. The Big Ten isn't allowing fans at spring season games. Including baseball. Including scouts. How can scouts scout what they can't see.?

No, this has nothing to do with Marquee Network, Comcast, or buying tickets. It does tell you a way you can help a player in a minor-league pipeline continue to pursue his MLB goal.

A Donnie Dewees homer highlighted a 5-run ninth inning in a 16-5 Cubs win. Michael Rucker is back in Cubs camp at the MLB level. Two prospects are quarantined, and one has his arm in a sling.

The Cubs 2010 Draft wasn't very successful. I learned from it, as did the team. Since then, the team has learned some lessons. So have I.

The Cubs rank 23rd in MLB.com's first 1-30 ranking. Should they be higher? How would we know? What difference should it make if you think that's too low of a ranking?

For an off-day, I am a loaded question? What do the Cubs do well? How would we know? Are they improving in player development? Or getting worse?

The Cubs are swept in a pair of split-squad games that are "going to add up to nothing:. Brennen Davis faced Tyler Thornburg, and lined out. I also discuss Cubs pitching prospect Brailyn Marquez.

Why are the Cubs having trouble signing players to extensions? And what do five players from different areas of the continent have to do with it? This is meant as a "share with a friend" episode.

The Cubs received Michael Rucker back from Baltimore on Friday. That leaves Vimael Machin in Oakland as a Rule 5 selection fighting for a spot elsewhere. What are his chances of making Oakland's roster? Are trade possibilities viable? Why is there a Rule 5 Draft, anyway?