Cub Tracks doesn’t care about Yu

True. Cub Tracks endorses the return of Jake Arrieta. Last time around, we tuned in, more or less in honor of cutting the cable-tv cord. This means that I sacrifice the MLB Network, which doesn’t appear on any Roku channels. I’m gonna miss Mark DeRosa and Lauren Shehadi, but not so much that I’d pay 150+ dollars on a monthly basis just for them. Every other channel that I watch is available either over-the-air or through an app.

This, though, is the problem with streaming right now. The major sports are not represented very well. There’s precious little coverage (or analysis), and no coverage of the coverage at all. Most teams don’t even have official presence -- the Dodgers do, but I can imagine that’s because most folks can’t watch them.

The medium is still in its infancy. It reminds me of the internet, about 1995, when Mosaic still roamed the earth and AOL was still gaining a foothold on the market.

Every horror movie ever invented is on Roku (and Fire)...and if you like giallo or grindhouse like I do, you’re in business. Also mysteries, westerns, romance, and older sci-fi. And wrestling. And ESPN...which doesn’t scratch the analysis itch at all.

MLB.tv even has an offseason option now, where they charge an additional 25 bucks to allow people to watch older content. Yeah, I went for it. I need my baseball, and the powers-that-be at Major League Baseball control the flow. It makes me not very hopeful about the potential of the “Cubs Network”. I’m planning to dig into this more as time goes on, and I’ll see what kinda facts and figures I can come up with. If you have any you’d like to share, my email is on my profile page.

Thanks for your forbearance. Now, on to the sports page. As always * means autoplay on™ (directions to remove for Firefox and Chrome).

Today in baseball history:

• 1921 - Kenesaw Mountain Landis becomes baseball’s first commissioner, replacing the three-man National Commission, formerly governed by league presidents Ban Johnson and John Heydler and Reds owner Garry Herrmann.
• 2009 - Jon Lester becomes the 48th recipient of the Hutch Award, and the first to be actually treated by a doctor from the renowned institution named for Seattle baseball legend Fred Hutchinson.
• Happy birthday: Mike Krukow, Dave Smith, Alan Benes

Cubs news and notes:

• Patrick Mooney (The Athletic {$}): Why the Cubs see pitching prospect Adbert Alzolay as the next big thing. “He’s a leader on and off the field,” said Alex Suarez, who helps run the Cubs’ international scouting and player development systems.
• Tony Andracki (NBC Sports Chicago*): How Addison Russell plans to keep nagging arm/foot injuries at bay in 2018. “I’m getting a little bit older and I think a little wiser when it comes to training and knowing my body,” Russell said.
• John Graff (NBC Sports Chicago*): Jason Heyward predicts he will be the MVP of 2018 Cubs. “Just an honest answer from a confident 28-year old with a $184 million contract.” Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation) also has a few words on the subject. Evan Altman (Cubs Insider) piles on.

• Paul Sullivan (Chicago Tribune* {$}): A crowded Cubs outfield has plenty to prove in 2018. “I don’t know what to expect,” Ben Zobrist said.
• Kyodo News: Koji Uehara doesn’t intend to pitch past 2018. “I want to play this year, for one more year,” the free agent right-hander said at a baseball clinic in Fukushima. “If I get a contract, I’m more than 90 percent certain that this will be the end.”
• Jon Heyman (FanRag Sports): Bryce Harper to Cubs next winter hardly a sure thing. “That isn’t going to happen,” one source suggested.
• Todd Johnson (Cubs Insider): Cubs system position-by position: Right-handed starters, pt 2. Looking at the people on the next step.

Food for thought:

Thanks for reading.