Paul Sullivan: Baseball is back — though it might never be the same if MLB has its way

CHICAGO — Where were we again?

Oh, yeah. Marcus Stroman is a Chicago Cub. Craig Kimbrel is still with the White Sox. Joe West is gone.

And baseball is back, same as it ever was after MLB and the players union on Thursday tentatively agreed to a new collective bargaining agreement, with nine-inning games in doubleheaders, no more ghost runners in extra innings and expensive beers soon to be available at a ballpark near you.

No hard feelings. We take back all those nasty things we said. Well, some of them, at least.

The owners’ lockout was still unnecessary,