Cub Tracks Adds Spice And A Little Heat

Brought to you by Wayward Heyward courtesy of Soler Power Co.

From Comcast Sportsnet Chicago:

• Tony Andracki: Cardinals don't appreciate Jason Heyward's reason for signing with the Cubs. Tempest-in-a-teapot department. "The Cubs-Cardinals rivalry has already started to heat up and we're not even into January yet...2016 is going to be fun, you guys." Includes [VIDEO].
• Joe Maddon on Cubs/Cardinals rivalry: "It's good for baseball." [VIDEO]

From CBS Chicago:

• Bruce Levine: Are the Cubs done shopping? "The holiday season is upon us, as is the end of another year. That means that spring training is only two months away...Theo Epstein sounded like a man content with his 2016 club when he joined 670 The Score's Inside the Clubhouse show on Saturday morning." Includes [AUDIO].

From Cubs.com:

• Lindsay Berra: Joe Maddon continues to give back to hometown. The Cubs manager founded the Hazleton Integration Project to bridge the gap between cultures with communication and education.

From Cubs Den:

• Jared Wyllys: How much have the Cubs improved? Part one - Pitching. "The quiet strength of this team in 2016 will come from their pitching." Analysis of Cubs' staff and prospects.
• John Arguello: Cubs putting stock in Jorge Soler. "The Cubs understandably are enamored with Soler's offensive potential." What does that mean, exactly? Let's find out.
  

From Bleacher Nation:

• Brett Taylor: The offensive upgrade from Dexter Fowler to Jason Heyward is also significant. "...Heyward has a huge lead in offensive runs above average (94.5 to 50.3)." And then...comparison and analysis.

From Cubs Insider:

• Michael Canter: The Rundown: Analyzing player values, opt-out clauses, roster depth and more. The key term in today’s exercise is "intrinsic value," which, simply put, is the valuation of an asset (a player in this case) independent of that asset’s market price (that player’s contract). Embrace the tangent.
• Evan Altman: Despite rumors and my previous conclusions, the Cubs are putting stock in Soler. "It’s as if there’s no perfect solution." Analysis of the outfield.
• Todd Johnson: The Theo Epstein Era and Macchiavelli's "The Prince" --  a comparative discourse. "Leadership is a funny thing. To describe it is difficult, but you know it when you see it" Pretty much what Damon Knight said about science fiction. Waxing philosophical.

Miscellaneous:

• NL Central Notes: Heyward, Cubs, Cardinals, McCutchen. Charlie Wilmoth writes about recent controversies. I don’t blame him. But I don’t like it," says Mike Matheny.
• Heyward's comments add spice to simmering rivalry. Jacob Shafer has words about those words.
• Jason Heyward had no desire to be The Man in St. Louis. "Heyward’s comments show an uncertainty that Cardinals management and ownership can continually guide the team in a competitive direction."
• Joe Maddon, Theo Epstein, and the quest for the Holy Grail. "...it is 105 days until the tournaments begin." Remember the lessons of Caer Bannog.
• Is Juan Perez a sleeper for the Cubs in center field? No, not like Claudell Washington. The other way, the good way. "In 2015 he pulled off at least one catch climbing the wall like Spiderman and robbed a St. Louis Cardinal of a home run, and that’s something Theo Epstein and Joe Maddon would like to see more of at Wrigley."
• What's the most you'd pay for Cubs tickets, beers? Vote! George Castle (no relation to Frank; I'm not trying to "punish" you) brings a poll and speculation.
• Happy Holidays from the Chicago Cubs. [VIDEO]

Food for thought:

• Birds observed arguing over parental duties. [VIDEO]. Has nothing to do with recent events.
• Christmas spirit, bah humbug syndrome traced to brain activity. Danish study draws conclusions.
• Could Christmas lights slow down your wifi? About 20 percent of poor Wi-Fi performance is caused by electronic gadgets and lights in your home. Prioritize!