Cub Tracks stays between the lines

The Bryce Harper rumors are alive until they’re dead, apparently. It doesn’t take much squinting to see the opposing narratives with a common conclusion: The Cubs need help.

But there are differences of opinion as to exactly what kinda help. A nebulous cry for federal aid, manna, and a beneficial turn of the karmic wheel? A big bat, big arm, a collection of smaller arms? A whole flock of bats?

The championship window is closing.

The neighborhood is getting gentrified. Competition is good. It’s not best to be the big wheel all of the time.

Theo Epstein has a different view, I’d wager. But he hasn’t revealed his turn at the wheel, he has just offered his spin:

“I understand the desire for a big name every winter. And there will be winters when we do acquire big names and there’s going to be winters when we don’t acquire a big name. I don’t know what category this winter will fall into yet, but there’s a chance that it’s going to be a winter where we don’t acquire a big name from outside the organization. That does not represent failure. We should be judged on the product on the field and we should be judged on the games we win and we should be judged on whether we make the playoffs and we should be judged on how we perform in October.”

The truth is somewhere in between those five convoluted lines. Theo is trying to let people down easy, just in case the Cubs Caravan goes awry. It doesn’t mean that he’s unwilling to improve the team, just that he wants to do the responsible thing.

That’s why Joe Maddon wasn’t extended, I humbly submit. Cubs end up in third, win 90, are out of the playoffs, Joe gets let down easy, doesn’t take all of the blame, but someone’s gotta go. “He didn’t have all of his chosen men, you know. Wasn’t entirely his fault. But we have to move on,” says Theo, in the post-season press conference. “We’ll be looking for the right man,” he continues. “Those are big shoes to fill.”

Meanwhile, in the group behind him, a phone rings. David Ross fishes his out of his pocket and answers. “Size eleven and a half, extra wide,” he says.

Sad about Valbuena. Even sadder that it seems to have been a deliberate action (see below). 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* {$}): Former Cubs infielder Valbuena killed in a car crash in his native Venezuela; foul play suspected. “...four people have been detained after they were found with the players’ property.”
• Tony Andracki (NBC Sports Chicago*): Cubs know NL Central is going to be a dogfight: ‘We have our work cut out for us’. “...it’s been a really long time since the Cardinals played in October.”
• Sahadev Sharma (The Athletic {$}): The ‘reckoning’ is here and Epstein says, ‘You should judge us on how we play next year’. “...the more Epstein talks, the clearer it’s becoming that the biggest changes may have to come from within.”
• Michael Allerdyce (NBC Sports Chicago*): Report: Epstein working diligently to add ‘professional hitter’ to Cubs lineup. So, Matt Stairs? Jim Bowden says so.
• Gordon Wittenmyer (Chicago Sun-Times* {$}): No dice for Bryce? Look for Cubs at craps table in Vegas during winter meetings. “We’d have to get really creative to add dollars of real significance,” Epstein, the Cubs president, said.
• Patrick Mooney (The Athletic {$}): Why Epstein’s budget issues are real and Harper looks like a long shot for the Cubs. “We always operate within a budget,” Epstein said.
• Mark Gonzales (Chicago Tribune* {$}): Source: Cubs interested in free-agent pitcher Joakim Soria. “Soria has 220 career saves to go with a 2.88 ERA in 11 seasons with six teams.”
• Jesse Rogers (ESPN*): Cubs might have to get creative without budget for a winter meetings splash. “Cubs fans are hungry for a move or two that could put their own team over the top.”
• Jordan Bastian (MLB.com*): Theo: Internal growth more vital than FA splash. “This year is really a reckoning in a lot of ways,” he said.
• Brendan Miller (Cubs Insider): Kyle Hendricks has been one of MLB’s best players since 2015. “Hendricks has accumulated 17.5 rWAR since 2015.”
• Bill Thompson (Wrigleyville-Baseball Prospectus): Anthony Rizzo: Hall-of-Famer? “He’s sneaky great, and that means he often falls between the cracks.”
• Tony Andracki (NBC Sports Chicago*): State of the Cubs: First base. “...it’s probably the most secure position for the Cubs through at least 2021.”
• Tim Stebbins (NBC Sports Chicago*): Fangraphs’ Cubs top prospects list headlined by position players, but what about pitchers? “...they have struggled to draft and develop impactful MLB pitchers.” Fangraphs article.
• Eno Sarris (The Athletic {$}): The next ‘Moneyball’ is already happening all around us, in the Wild West of player development. “...some of your favorite teams are spending gobs of cash on it, as it provides a chance to get a leg up on the competition.”
• Chicago Tribune: Who does what for the Cubs? An organizational breakdown (Flowchart).

Food for thought: