Cub Tracks covers up

Previously, Cub Tracks observed Boxing Day, another slow news day in a skein of slow news days. Cub Tracks isn’t resorting to the second silly season...yet, but it’s possibly not long before the deluge, unless there’s a rain of real news in the reasonably near future.

I mean, this is the #1 item today, in terms of number of articles:

KB making news, that’s not news. The man gets around:

Even though the beat writers seem to be on vacation (how dare they?), we did have some news to peruse, anyway. Read on for the details — as always * means autoplay on™ (directions to remove for Firefox and Chrome).

Today in baseball history:

• 1926 - Bob O'Farrell is named to replace Rogers Hornsby as the Cardinal manager. The 'Rajah', who guided the Redbirds to a World Championship as the team's player-manager last season, was traded to the Giants eight days ago for Frankie Frisch and Jimmy Ring.

• 1957 - After Representative Kenneth B. Keating, a member of the House's Antitrust Subcommittee, indicates Congress should reopen its sports hearing, CBS announces it will not broadcast major league games into any area at the time a minor league game is scheduled. The television network has entered an agreement with six teams - Indians, Orioles, Phillies, Reds, White Sox, and Yankees - to telecast major league games nationally on Sundays next season.
• Happy birthday — Bill Lee

Cubs news and notes:

“This has been one of the slowest and weirdest offseasons, with way more rumors and fakeouts than actual trades and deals. It feels like months ago that the possibility of Manny Machado coming to Chicago was sort of real, and what few rumors have popped up recently haven't amounted to much.

“We're entering the real doldrums of winter, when there's little to distract from sub-zero wind chills -- at some point, team owners might have to lock their GMs outside until they are able to get some things done. After all, the hot stove ain't going to heat itself! It's not ideal, but desperate times call for desperate measures.” — Lauren Comitor

• Jesse Rogers (ESPN*): Has St. Louis' offseason splash closed gap in Cubs-Cardinals rivalry? “Perhaps a little, but then again, the winter isn’t over...”
• Bruce Levine (CBS Chicago*): Amid stagnant market, Cubs explore all options to add pitching. “...most of the next wave of Cubs prospects will be young pitchers.”
• Ryan Davis (FanRag Sports): Locked on Cubs – Episode 5: Waiting on Yu. Mailbag answers.
• Robert Villareal (Baseball Essential): Mike Montgomery wants a shot, and he has earned it. “Should Montgomery be a reliever in 2018? Probably, but he has still earned his shot.”

• Robert Murray (FanRag Sports): Red Sox or Cubs — who has advantage for Manny Machado? “What both teams lack is a farm system to get a trade done.” And, well, realistic desire. But still.
• Evan Altman (Cubs Insider): Okay, let’s try to clarify this Manny Machado trade offer business again. “I guess nothing’s ever really over.”
• Carrie Muskat (MLB.com*): Chris Singleton's message transcends baseball. "Baseball is definitely No. 1, but I feel baseball has given me more of a platform for my inspirational speaking," he said.
• Joe Posnanski (MLB.com): Kerry Wood's compelling career full of swings. “...the Ballad of Kerry Wood...”
• Eric Chesterton (Cut Four): The Hall of Fame case: Carlos Zambrano. Perhaps no player has had a more fitting nickname than Zambrano's "El Toro”.
• Phil Thompson (Chicago Tribune* {$}): Jessica and Kris Bryant surprise Jessica's mom with Jeep for Christmas. “she’s the mom and that’s her job”.

• Jared Wyllys (Cubs Den): Albert Almora vs. Ian Happ: The eye test vs. the metrics. “Measuring defense objectively is extremely tricky.”
• Todd Johnson (Cubs Insider): Offseason prospect profile: Jose Albertos looking like next big thing. “...three plus pitches that he can command...”
• Evan Altman (Cubs Insider): Thanks, congrats to unsung hero leaving Cubs front office. Namely Assistant Director of Communications Kevin Saghy.

Food for thought:

Thanks for reading. But wait, there’s more...Burgess Meredith would have loved this one!

Art by Nick Gucker; cover by Michael Adams

Still on sale! TPB and Kindle editions available.