Cub Tracks knows Bo knows

I voted for Babe Didrikson Zaharias. Bo is a good man, though, and was a fantastic athlete. I used to run a car wash he patronized, about a quarter-century ago. He was awesome with little kids. He’d stroll through the gangway next to the tunnel, watching his Mercedes get scrubbed, wearing dark glasses.

Kids’d come up, tug on his shirt tail. “Are you...are you him?”

“I don’t know, “ he would say, slowly. “Who am I this time?”

“I know!” would come the answer. “You’re Bo. I know you’re Bo!”

“I am,” he’d allow, smiling slightly, inscrutably, and shake hands gravely. “Good to meetcha.” Sometimes autographs or a picture would happen. He liked light Armor-All on the wheels and a through job of vacuuming. He tipped a fiver on Saturday mornings, when he’d come in early.

He met Hubert Sumlin, another habitue, in the hallway once. “Bo may not know Diddly,” he said. “But Bo knows blues. How you doin’, man?”

“Pickin’ and grinnin’, young man. How’s retirement treatin’ ya?”

I drifted away.

Here’s today’s Cubs News and Notes. As always * means autoplay on, or annoying ads, or both (directions to remove for Firefox and Chrome).

• Mark Gonzales (Chicago Tribune* {$}): ‘He’s a problem-solver’: Tommy Hottovy’s analytics background, communication skills lead to his promotion to Cubs pitching coach. “He’s adept at using the vast resources and technology that we have at our disposal to help pitchers get better,” said Theo Epstein.
• Jordan Bastian (MLB.com*): Cubs’ auction includes booth meet and greet. “This year’s auction will support the Jackie Robinson Foundation and the Negro Leagues Museum...”
• Tony Andracki (NBC Sports Chicago*): MLB Winter Meetings: Cubs hot stove rumors roundup. Adam Ottavino has been added to the list.
• Mark Gonzales (Chicago Tribune* {$}): Cubs say they’re looking to tweak roster, put the way last season ended behind them. “And so, for us to start moving pieces around the board, I think it has to make a lot of sense, whether that helps us financially or not. That’s got to be the biggest focus,” said Jed Hoyer.
• Sahadev Sharma (The Athletic {$}): If the Cubs can’t spend big at the winter meetings, what can they do? “...we should be judged on how we perform in October.”
• Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation): Levine: There are “rumblings” Ricketts family has signed off on possibility of big expenditure. “...“rumblings” could be malarky tossed about by agents or other teams with an agenda...”
• Tony Andracki (NBC Sports Chicago*): Lee Smith credited Billy Williams with saving his Hall-of-Fame career. “...he said, hey, you haven’t done anything in this game yet; go out there and earn your place.”

• Mark Gonzales (Chicago Tribune* {$}): Cubs backup catcher Victor Caratini is getting a head start on 2019 in winter ball. “At 25, Caratini may be at a point where he doesn’t want to be labeled as a career reserve, so he is playing for Caguas this winter in the Puerto Rican League.”
• Jon Greenberg (The Athletic {$}): Javier Báez: ‘What a year for that kid’ who made Cubs baseball fun. “Each year, he gets better and better.”
• Evan Altman (Cubs Insider): So, could the Cubs actually consider trading Ben Zobrist? “...selling high on the aging Zobrist might allow the Cubs to pry prospects from another contender while opening up payroll for a reliever and a cheaper contact bat.”
• John Perrotto (Forbes*): Robinson Cano trade shows how Tigers and Cubs can make Miguel Cabrera’s and Jason Heyward’s contracts disappear. “Jerry DiPoto did not pull a rabbit out of his hat or saw someone in half.”
• Zack Moser (Wrigleyville-Baseball Prospectus): Farewell for now from BP Wrigleyville. “...migrating to the BP main site.”

Food for thought: