Cub Tracks draws a blank

Ok then...we’ve looked at the 40-man roster as it stands, and we’re awaiting developments. I stayed up late to try to find some worthwhile links, but no go — that leaves us precious little to talk about over our coffee, so I added some items of historical importance. The Brewers lost last night...I guess that’s a good thing from competition’s sake. I’ve decided that I want the Brewers to win the LCS so that the Cubs loss looks better. I really don’t have a rooting interest in the playoffs and am ignoring them in favor of getting of couple of anthologies ready for Hallowe’en release.

Nico Hoerner had a good night — I’m sure our stalwart minor-league correspondents will cover that. I’m looking forward to seeing him play.

Today in Cubs history:

• 1906 - The White Sox, known as baseball’s ‘hitless wonders’, complete their unbelievable World Series upset of their powerful crosstown rivals, beating the Cubs, 8-3, at South Side Park. The Cubs had won a record 116 regular season games. (1) The losers share of $439.50 for the Cubs is the lowest ever. (2)
• 1908 - In front of the smallest crowd in World Series history, Chicago, behind the strong pitching of Orval Overall, beat the Tigers in just 85 minutes to capture the Fall Classic. The 6,210 fans, witnessing the fifth and final World Series game at Detroit’s Bennett Park, have no idea it will be the last time the Cubs will win a World Championship in the next 100+ years. (1) Upset over seating arrangements at the World Series, sports reporters form a professional group that will become the Baseball Writers Association of America. (3)
• 1929 - The Philadelphia A’s rallied for three runs in the ninth inning to beat the Chicago Cubs 3-2 and take the World Series in five games. Mule Haas’ two-run homer tied the game and Bing Miller’s RBI double won the game. (2)
• 2003 - Holding a 3-0 lead and needing only five more outs to reach the World Series for the first time since 1945, the Chicago Cubs give up eight runs on five hits, three walks and an error to the Florida Marlins. Chicago appears to come apart after a Cubs fan, sitting along the left-field foul line at Wrigley Field, tries to catch a foul ball that is about to be caught by Cubs’ outfielder Moises Alou for the second out of the inning. (1)
• 2017 - The Dodgers win Game 1 of the NLCS, 5-2, at home over the Cubs. Chris Taylor breaks a 2-2 tie with a solo homer off Hector Rondon in the sixth, and Yasiel Puig follows suit with a shot off Mike Montgomery in the seventh as six Dodgers pitchers limit Chicago to five hits. (3)
• Cubs birthdays: Joe Start, Charlie Waitt, Tom Poorman, Ed Eiteljorge, Hugh Casey, Art Shamsky, Joe Girardi, Carlos Marmol,

(1) The National Pastime.

(2) Today in Baseball History.

(3) Baseball Reference.

As always * means autoplay on, or annoying ads, or both (directions to remove for Firefox and Chrome).

Cubs News and Notes:

**full 40-man as of 10/13.

I talked with Chili Davis today. He wished the Cubs well and admitted things didn’t always “mesh” easily or enough between him and the players. He said there are no hard feelings after being fired as the team’s hitting coach on Thursday. — Jesse Rogers.

• Tim Dierkes (MLB Trade Rumors): Offseason Outlook: Chicago Cubs. “...a loss to the Rockies in the Wild Card game left a bitter taste in the Cubs’ mouths and the front office must make significant additions to the offense and bullpen.”
• Evan Altman (Cubs Insider): Six early candidates for next Cubs hitting coach. “For my money, it’s Hinske or Haines on this one...”
• Patrick Mooney (The Athletic {$}): Thoughts on the next hitting coach and where the Cubs go from here. “Even people who’ve worked together before don’t always know what they’re getting into, and player development can be wildly unpredictable.”
• Sam Fels (Wrigleyville-Baseball Prospectus): ): All the strands of possible Kris Bryant extension. “...this might be an attempt to somewhat poison the water around Bryant.”
• Jeff Fletcher (OC Register*): Cubs bench coach Brandon Hyde on Angels’ managerial list. “Hyde is among the candidates to be interviewed for the Angels’ managerial job, according to multiple sources.”
• AP via Chicago Daily Herald: Wrigleyville’s appeal tested following Cubs’ playoff exit. “I think redevelopment is awesome. It makes the neighborhood a nicer place to be,” said Joe Spagnoli, owner of Yak-Zie’s restaurant and bar.

Food for Thought:

Thanks for reading.