Cub Tracks doesn’t send a text

We’re seeing rumors about Kyle Schwarber and Corey Kluber.

News is necessarily an impermanent commodity. Therefore Cub Tracks will continue our proud tradition of not having any sort of review or best-of, and not being included in any top ten lists. Our unique perspective deserves unique exposure, after all.

The editorial we worked very hard this year, and we gladly received our lump of coal, putting it in a pile with the charcoal and using it to grill the Christmas lamb. Cub Tracks experienced personal growth in a nonlinear way, in the form of calluses on our typing fingers (both indexes and the left pinky for the shift), the gain of fifteen or so pounds, and mysterious greenery in the hall closet.

Maybe the greenery has something to do with the weight gain. I dunno. The discovery of DoorDash didn’t affect that at all.

Sitting down at the typer on a daily basis has been productive in other ways, and we are pleased to announce that the small press that we helped found has somehow gotten critical acclaim and has experienced decent sales figures, and that we’ll be publishing our award-winning writers and bestselling weird fiction offerings with increasing frequency in 2019.

We appreciate those of you who take the time to read and comment. Thanks for being.

Here’s today’s Cubs News and Notes, such as they are. It’s the season! No, the other other season. As always * means autoplay on, or annoying ads, or both (directions to remove for Firefox and Chrome).

• NBC Sports Chicago: A cup of Joe, pt. 2. [AUDIO].
• Evan Altman (Cubs Insider): Joe Maddon’s future in Chicago may depend on his past. “Some skeptics may even note a bitterness not unlike Jeppson’s Malört lingering at the periphery of Theo Epstein’s calls for greater urgency.”
• Sahadev Sharma (The Athletic {$}): How one new statistic values the 2018 Cubs differently. “...the last thing North Side fans want is a fancy new statistic to get them all riled up.”
• Brendan Miller (Cubs Insider): Recent Kendall Graveman deal isn’t like last year’s Drew Smyly deal. “...the Graveman deal is more risk-averse and has a higher likelihood of returning value.” More Graveman news from Cubs Insider. Brad Mills?
• Phil Rogers (Forbes*): There are two ways Cubs can manage their payroll to become Bryce Harper-friendly. Pay down Jason Heyward or take the tax hit.
• Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation): Even using JD Drew as a comp for Harper, you shouldn’t be scared away from a huge contract. “...the comparison does become useful, for underscoring just how unique it is for a player like Harper to reach free agency at such a young age.”
• Rian Watt (Fangraphs): To not fade away. Miguel Montero wanted to be a leader, and for a time there in Chicago, he was.
• Dan Santaromita (NBC Sports Chicago*): Anthony Rizzo is getting married this weekend and getting the band back together. Dexter Fowler spilled the beans.
• Phil Thompson, Mark Gonzales (Chicago Tribune* {$}): Cubs lose minor-league field coordinator Tim Cossins to Orioles, promote Chris Valaika to hitting coordinator. “Valaika takes over for Jacob Cruz, whom the Pirates hired last month as assistant hitting coach.”
• Jay Jaffe (Fangraphs): JAWS and the 2019 Hall of Fame Ballot: Sammy Sosa. “Steroid saga aside, the superficial statistics suggest Sosa is a Hall of Famer.” Maybe Sammy should have just used Nugenix. Eh, Frank Thomas?
• Michael Walton (NBC Sports Chicago*): Bronx-waiter mistakenly receives Bryce Harper news...from not Bryce Harper. “Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Trevor Williams was out at a restaurant with his wife Jackie when their waiter mistook him for the 6-time All Star...”

Food for thought:

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