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A Tale Of Two Cub Tracks

What the Dickens?

By Duane Pesice
iCub, uCub, weallCub
iCub, uCub, weallCub
Oli Scarff/Getty Images

The future is here. And so is the past. It was the best of teams. It was the worst of teams.

Okay, kids, here's the short version: BCB poster Hairy Angel has proposed a format change, in which the links are collated by subject instead of original publication. So that you can see how it works, I've done this edition of Cub Tracks both ways, down to the "Miscellaneous" and "Food for thought" sections, which will remain the same.

Some of the items grouped under "Looking forward to it" would end up as miscellaneous items. These subheads would necessarily be flexible.

You'll be able to vote for your preference on this page. Cub Tracks will be happy to entertain further discussion, especially if there are plain brown envelopes and/or brown paper bags full of twenties added to the parameters.

Classic view

From Comcast Sportsnet Chicago:

  • Patrick Mooney: Cubs and Jake Arrieta still need to make deal. "The headline-grabbing move out of Cubs Convention won’t be the megadeal that keeps Jake Arrieta pitching at Wrigley Field for the rest of his career."
  • Tony Andracki: Jason Heyward takes the high road in war of words with Cardinals. "I'm just kinda happy that somebody's gonna miss me when I'm gone," he said.
  • Mooney: Theo Epstein calls contract status a nonissue. Chairman Tom Ricketts has described an extension for the president of baseball operations as just a matter of time. This just isn't the time.
  • Fans have high expectations as Cubs Convention kicks off. Ted talks. Ted is a lifelong Cubs fan who has attended all 31 of the team's annual Cubs Conventions. [VIDEO]
  • Cubs strengthening security at Wrigley Field after Paris attacks. "The thing that keeps me awake all night now is the crazy times we live in," said Crane Kenney. Front-page news!
  • Andracki: Epstein on DH in the National League: "We can't count on it." Theo Epstein said he and his front office aren't anticipating a major shift on the DH front anytime soon.

From CBS Chicago:

From ESPN Chicago:

From Cubs.com:

  • Cubs Top 30 prospects list. I think Duane Underwood should be first, but I'm biased.
  • Phil Rogers: Epstein carries out Ricketts' vision in Chicago. Tom Ricketts saw the need to improve the size and quality of the Cubs' baseball operations staff in his first two years as an owner, in 2010 and '11. Theo Epstein carries on from there.
  • Carrie Muskat: Adding former Cardinals not intentional, but not lost on Cubs. The Cubs weren't trying to weaken the Cardinals by signing two players who were with St. Louis last season. Free agents Jason Heyward and John Lackey were simply the best fit for the Cubs team.
  • Cash Kruth: New safety measures focus of Wrigley talk. "We take the security issue really seriously. Large venues like Wrigley Field are targets," said president of business operations Crane Kenney, who encouraged fans to plan for longer waits to enter the ballpark.
  • Cubs fired up for 2016 season. [VIDEO]

From the Chicago Tribune:

From the Chicago Sun-Times:

  • Gordon Wittenmyer: If past echoes, future beckons as John Lackey seeks third title with third team. Threepeat when necessary. Lackey has won with the Angels and Red Sox.
  • Wittenmyer: Kris Bryant: "Grievance with the Cubs about players after me." "Bryant is more concerned with helping the Cubs beat another path to the playoffs than becoming a trailblazer for the players’ union.

    But it’s not lost on him how significant his role is in the union’s efforts to change service-time manipulation practices by teams as players and owners open negotiations on a new collective bargaining agreement this year."

From the Daily Herald:

From Cubs Insider:

  • Evan Altman: Arrieta open to extension, plays a little coy just the same. "I’m going to be a Cub for the next two seasons, which I’m very excited about. And if it goes longer than that, then that would be nice, too," Jake says. I suspect he's watching a lot of MLB network these days. Anyone who gets that joke watches too much tv *nod* *wink* *nudge nudge*

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HA2016 View

Jake Arrieta department:

  • Patrick Mooney: Cubs and Jake Arrieta still need to make deal. "The headline-grabbing move out of Cubs Convention won’t be the megadeal that keeps Jake Arrieta pitching at Wrigley Field for the rest of his career."
  • Chris Emma: Arrieta, Cubs "far apart" in avoiding arbitration. "...both sides are intelligent and have done this a lot. It’ll get worked out," said Jake Arrieta.
  • Evan Altman: Arrieta open to extension, plays a little coy just the same. "I’m going to be a Cub for the next two seasons, which I’m very excited about. And if it goes longer than that, then that would be nice, too," Jake says. I suspect he's watching a lot of MLB network these days. Anyone who gets that joke watches too much tv *nod* *wink* *nudge nudge*

Theo Epstein department:

  • Patrick Mooney: Theo Epstein calls contract status a nonissue. Chairman Tom Ricketts has described an extension for the president of baseball operations as just a matter of time. This just isn't the time.
  • Bruce Levine: Theo Epstein not worried about contract extension. "Everything is (fine)," Epstein replied when asked about an extension. "We are completely on the same page. We just haven’t gotten around to hammering out an actual contract."
  • Phil Rogers: Epstein carries out Ricketts' vision in Chicago. Tom Ricketts saw the need to improve the size and quality of the Cubs' baseball operations staff in his first two years as an owner, in 2010 and '11. Theo Epstein carries on from there.
  • Tony Andracki: Epstein on DH in the National League: "We can't count on it." Theo Epstein said he and his front office aren't anticipating a major shift on the DH front anytime soon.

Security options:

  • Cubs strengthening security at Wrigley Field after Paris attacks. "The thing that keeps me awake all night now is the crazy times we live in," said Crane Kenney. Front-page news!
  • Cubs looking at closing streets around Wrigley Field on game days. Crane Kenney said "Cubs fans are going to have deal with the reality of the world today." Ripped from the front page!
  • Jesse Rogers: Cubs to increase security in 2016. For the first time, fans will have to go through metal detectors to enter the park, and the team is trying to close several streets around the Wrigley Field on game days to create a "safe perimeter." Headliner!
  • Cash Kruth: New safety measures focus of Wrigley talk. "We take the security issue really seriously. Large venues like Wrigley Field are targets," said president of business operations Crane Kenney, who encouraged fans to plan for longer waits to enter the ballpark.
  • Crane Kenney on new security measures. [VIDEO]

Dis-Card:

  • Tony Andracki: Jason Heyward takes the high road in war of words with Cardinals. "I'm just kinda happy that somebody's gonna miss me when I'm gone," he said.
  • Carrie Muskat: Adding former Cardinals not intentional, but not lost on Cubs. The Cubs weren't trying to weaken the Cardinals by signing two players who were with St. Louis last season. Free agents Jason Heyward and John Lackey were simply the best fit for the Cubs team.
  • Gordon Wittenmyer: If past echoes, future beckons as John Lackey seeks third title with third team. Threepeat when necessary. Lackey has won with the Angels and Red Sox.

Looking forward to it:

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Miscellaneous:

Food for thought:

Next Cub Tracks, we'll talk a little about themed pages. I aim to please. Just let me know where to take the potshots. Now I'm off to take a collect call from Cthulhu.

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