Cub Tracks does the math

Lots of Cubs news Monday. Most of it was covered on the front page but there are endless permutations as the writers spin, and we have those and the best of the rest of, and are glad to have them, though truthfully it would be better to have some Cubs baseball. I admit I switched Sunday’s game off and watched the Bears instead. That was the TWD version of the Cubs... I couldn’t take too much of it. It was painful and slow, not unlike a Sunn O))) show.

Like many of you, I expect better things next year... but a (small and apparently vocal) part of me wouldn’t mind badness if it makes Theo strike out for greener pastures. Joe got the short end. Don’t @ me — it’s just my opinion. Plenty of internal conflict to sort through, and the coach carousel hasn’t been spun yet and that should mix up the old feels a little more still.

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). {$} means paywall. {$} means limited views. Italics are often used here as sarcasm font.

Without Joe Maddon, there is no 2016 World Series championship. — Tony Andracki

Major props to Cardinals beat writer Derrick Goold.

• Patrick Mooney (The Athletic {$}): What drove the split between Joe Maddon and Theo Epstein? “The most surprising part about the Cubs firing Joe Maddon is that it wasn’t a surprise at all.” Rick Morrissey blames the Ricketts.
• Gordon Wittenmyer (Chicago Sun-Times* {$}): Cubs on Joe Maddon: ‘Those kind of people, let alone managers, don’t come around often’. Even across the field, Cardinals second baseman Kolten Wong told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch that Maddon “changed the whole culture of the Chicago Cubs.”
• Paul Sullivan (Chicago Tribune* {$}): Theo Epstein preaches accountability from the Cubs but won’t explain why he let Joe Maddon go. “We can all benefit from turning the page and looking forward and not backward,” he said. “Joe is going to go someplace and dominate.” Andy Koval has more. Evan Altman explains about the “winner’s trap”.
• Jordan Bastian (MLB.com*): Cubs’ Maddon era comes to emotional end. “Every good story comes to an end,” Anthony Rizzo said. “You hope the next book we open up is just as good.” Tim Stebbins considers David Ross in this context, as does Sahadev Sharma {$}. Tony Andracki considers why Maddon was the perfect guy for the circumstances. Dan Santaromita lines up courtiers. Evan Altman has Joe kicking some ass. Brett Taylor is on Obsessive Manager Watch. Jon Greenberg {$} wonders if there is someone better. Steve Greenberg talks about how Maddon changed the Cubs’ culture. Gordon Wittenmyer assesses various chances to succeed Maddon.
• Jared Wyllys (Forbes* {$}): Joe Maddon isn’t the only Cubs loss on the horizon. “... the Cubs also look set to say goodbye to two very important pieces of their roster in Ben Zobrist and Pedro Strop.”
• Jordan Bastian (MLB.com*): Five questions facing Cubs this offseason. “It would be hard to imagine anyone on the Major League roster being off limits in trade talks under the current set of circumstances.” Gordon Wittenmyer reckons. Chris Emma is open to answers.
• John Grochowski (Chicago Sun-Times* {$}): Cubs finished six games worse than their runs scored/allowed indicated they should. “The bullpen blew too many late-inning leads. The starting pitching faded after the All-Star break. Leadoff men didn’t get on base often enough.”
• Bruce Miles (Daily Herald {$}): It will be hard to match WGN’s Cubs legacy. “... if you’re going to be with somebody for 72 years, as WGN was with its Cubs viewers, you better have the right touch and feel.”
• Cubs birthdays: Bill Bonham, Vance Law, Chuck McElroy, Mitch Atkins. Also notable: Rod Carew (HoF).

Food for thought:

Thanks for reading.