Cub Tracks thinks outside the boxcar

Last episode, we led off with the proposal that Ian Happ and Albert Almora Jr. are the best bets at the top of the lineup for the beloved. That part will be continued at our cozy new spot by the window in the smoking car, as we bid a fond adieu to say goodbye to reams of additional commentary as Cub Tracks has undergone meiosis.

This will allow me to continue talking to myself on a regular basis. Ian Hunter was right, and Ian Hunter was right. So was King Crimson. And Voivod. It might be catching... and so might Victor Caratini. We know what happened in the world of finance on this day — let’s take a look at October 29 in baseball history:

• 1889 - The National League's Giants defeat the Brooklyn Bridegrooms of the American Association, 3-2, to win the World's Championship Series, a precursor to the modern-day World Series.
• 1942 - Branch Rickey, the architect of the St. Louis Cardinals' farm system, resigned as the team's vice president.
• 1959 - White Sox right-hander Early Wynn, who posted the most victories in either league, wins the Cy Young Award as the top pitcher in the majors. The 39-year-old veteran, who led Chicago to an AL pennant with a 22-10 record, is named on 13 of the 16 votes cast by the BBWAA, with the Giants' Sam Jones and teammate Bob Shaw also receiving consideration from the writers.
• 2008 - Playing three innings at Citizens Bank Park, the Phillies complete the first-ever suspended game in World Series history, beating the Rays, 4-3, in Game 5 to win the Fall Classic.
• Happy birthday Jesse Barfield, Sr. I was fortunate enough to play with him for a year. He once broke a window in the used-book store across the street from Joliet Catholic’s ballpark.

Aaaaand, here’s the news — and, as always * means autoplay on™ (directions to remove for Firefox and Chrome).

Boggs and Martinez are apparently good friends, so the information could very well be reliable. Also, who needs journalists anyways? — Patrick Mooney

Heh. And I thought I was off the rails.

• Carrie Muskat (MLB.com*): Anthony Rizzo humbled by Clemente Award honor. Rizzo never forgot how difficult it was for his parents to deal with the news that their son had cancer, and that sparked the Cubs first baseman's efforts to help other families cope with the horrible disease.
• Evan Altman (Cubs Insider): How much can Cubs spend this winter, how much will they spend? “Just because the Ricketts family has turned Wrigleyville into a mint does not mean the Cubs are going to have MLB’s highest payroll. Nor does that make ownership cheap.”
• Phil Rogers (MLB.com*): Cubs in position to make splashy move. "I certainly think we have Major League talent to move in certain areas, if we're able to find the right deal," Theo Epstein said.
• Jon Heyman (FanRag Sports): Cubs in position to trade. “Javier Baez, Addison Russell, Kyle Schwarber, Ian Happ and Albert Almora (are) among those being eyed by other teams.”
• Brendan Miller (Cubs Insider): How MLB’s conflicting stance on mental health could affect Cubs arbitration cases. “...using mental issues as a focal point during salary negotiations is inherently dangerous because it could encourage players to leave issues untreated.”
• Michael Cerami (Bleacher Nation): There “continue to be whispers that Bryce Harper could eventually wind up with the Cubs”. “Obsessive Bryce Harper Watch...” Brandon Morrow? Hmm.
• Patrick Mooney (NBC Sports Chicago*): How Theo Epstein sees Chili Davis making a difference for Cubs. “His philosophy and approach happened to fit with what we hope will be the next step for many of our hitters.”
• Teddy Eley (Cubs Insider): Let’s talk about Cubs’ poor record of late round draft picks. “...their farm system is likely to be ranked among the bottom five in all of baseball.”
• Mike Axisa (CBS Sports*): Jon Lester: 'I absolutely hate it' when starters get pulled early in postseason. “Baseball is your starters go six, seven, eight and then you mix and match and do your things that you need to do from that point forward. That's my opinion on it."
• Kenny Kelly (Wrigleyville-Baseball Prospectus): Offseason player profile: Jon Jay. “Jay can still help a team win in 2018, but he’s not the best fit for the Cubs going forward.”

Food for thought:

Thanks for reading. Happy birthday to me. Cub Tracks will be back Tuesday with our costume on.