Cub Tracks gives a gamethread word

Lee Elia had the right spirit, once upon a time. People were mad, but Lee was mostly right. Cubs fans still speak the same language, um, idiomatically. Just check any gamethread, especially if the Cubs are losing.

Hmm. Almora that?

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

Cubs News and Notes:

“We do feel like our answers are internal. We need to focus on getting our players to maximize their potential. With that said, I think we’re open to business and listening and [the trade market] will probably be our focus more than shopping at the top of the [free-agent] market.” — Jed Hoyer.

• Tim Stebbins (NBC Sports Chicago*): Cubs fans collective rage measured in one word. GAMETHREAD! “Cubs fans ranked first in frequency of using f-bombs per postseason game played at 432 occasions.”
• Sam Fels (Wrigleyville-Baseball Prospectus): Jim Hickey and anger clouding everything. “There’s no question that there were some issues with Hickey in the first half of the season.”
• Jonah Keri (CBS Sports*): How the Cubs can make the right hot stove additions and turn back into a World Series contender in 2019. “...like every contender, they’ll try to buy the best collection of bullpen reinforcements they can.”
• Tony Andracki (NBC Sports Chicago*): MLB Hot Stove: How Cubs are approaching the trade market this winter. “...they won’t make moves just for the sake of shaking things up.”
• Patrick Mooney (The Athletic {$}): As the Cubs try to build for the future, a look at their prospects: Justin Steele, Nico Hoerner, Adbert Alzolay. “The Cubs built and maintained a championship-caliber rotation without any homegrown starting pitchers.”
• Sahadev Sharma (The Athletic {$}): Are Joe Maddon’s lineups a problem for the Cubs or the main reason they won 95 games in a ‘down’ season? “...the Cubs are re-evaluating a lot of processes, from communication to planning, this offseason.”
• NBC Sports Chicago: Cubs Talk talks to Jim Hendry [AUDIO].
• Evan Altman (Cubs Insider): Addison Russell candidate for what could be ‘Larger-than-Usual’ non-Tender pool. “Keep in mind that it’s not simply a matter of the Cubs either offering Russell a deal or letting him become a free agent.”
• Jonathon Mayo (MLB.com*): Which Cubs prospects get 40-man spots? 5 Cubs minor-leaguers vie for the honor. Mayo also mentions Duane Underwood as the Cubs’ ROY candidate.
• Jim Callis (MLB.com*): Nico Hoerner is a top AFL hitter after first pro season. “I feel like I understand already what I do that works for me at this level, but also things I really need to work on and got exposed in some ways,” Hoerner said.
• Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation): Signs still point to Cubs starting their own regional sports network – big risk, big reward. “...there are a number of interconnected threads this offseason that we need to do our best to keep following...”
• Jordan Bastian (Major League Bastian): Thanks for everything, Cleveland. “I never forgot the kindness that Carrie Muskat showed me in that locker room 14 years ago, and I know I have huge shoes to fill as her replacement on the Cubs beat now.”

Food for thought:

Thanks for reading.