Cub Tracks’ Fear and Loathing on the complain trail

It remains to be seen whether the Cubs will occupy the outhouse or the penthouse — the Cubs’ brass left Bryce Harper’s bazaar with the original group still intact, and that has to be a disappointment for some, if not most. This offseason lurches along like Hunter Thompson playing the village drunk in an Irish novel and it’s looking more and more like there’s going to be a beast of a CBA battle next time around.

“Genius around the world stands hand in hand, and the shock of recognition runs the whole circle ‘round” — Rob Manfred

GMs likely view such circumlocutory sarcasm with the same fear and loathing with which they view Scott Boras’ approaching shadow. Inside baseball stays inside. We in our armchairs aren’t privy to that flow of information and have to subsist on the runoff.

My sometime partner Standing Pat, of the Tacoma Coma nation, is enthused over the prospect of such stasis. Don’t give him any static or he’ll glue your balloons to the ceiling. “Luxury Tax be damned!” he thunders! “Baseball is a necessity! But we need to pursue fiscal responsibility at all costs!”

Cazart! Heisenberg is as uncertain of that principle as I am. 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).

• Patrick Mooney (The Athletic {$}): Why the Cubs valued Brandon Hyde and what the Orioles are getting in their new manager. “He’s like the perfect mix of old school and new school,” said Cubs farm director Jaron Madison.
• Patrick Mooney (The Athletic {$}): The Cubs left Las Vegas without hitting it big, and don’t expect them to strike it rich before spring training. “...this could be another offseason that drags into spring training, with free agents still looking for jobs after pitchers and catchers report to camp.”
• Tony Andracki (NBC Sports Chicago*): 7 Cubs takeaways from the MLB Winter Meetings. “...the Cubs front office insist they had a productive week even if they don’t have any moves to point to.” Mark Gonzales has five.
• Michael Cerami (Bleacher Nation): Is this another weirdly long, slow winter…or just the new normal? “Rumors are fun for a while, but eventually, it just gets really uncomfortable.”
• Jordan Bastian (MLB.com*): Lots of talk, but no big moves by Cubs at meetings. “GM Hoyer says dialogue was ‘good and productive’ as club eyes upgrades to bullpen, bench.”
• Ryan Davis (Forbes*): MLB Winter Meetings 2018: Chicago Cubs stuck in airplane mode. “...the astute observer would know that Theo Epstein is at his busiest when he’s the quietest...”
• NBC Chicago Sports: Catching up with new Cubs pitching coach Tommy Hottovy [VIDEO].
• Bill Thompson (Wrigleyville-Baseball Prospectus): Player Profile 2019: Pedro Strop. “There’s no indication that his production will drop off.”
• Jeff Burdick (Cubs Insider): Cubs keep doubling down on young bats despite diminishing returns. “all answers are internal.”
• Jordan Bastian (MLB.com*): Kris Bryant ‘in great shape,’ has no limitations. “The Cubs are optimistic that Bryant’s offseason regimen will put the shoulder problems in the rearview mirror.”
• Evan Altman (Cubs Insider): Bryant back to old swing, attacking offseason strength and conditioning program like ‘quiet assassin’. “He is focused, like Jed said,” Mike Bryant, Kris’s father, told Cubs Insider.
• Gordon Wittenmyer (Chicago Sun-Times* {$}): No Harper, no problem? Cubs’ hope for impact upgrade starts with Kyle Schwarber. “Say hello to the other big hope and a prayer.”

Food for thought: