Cub Tracks fights evil

The Cubs are so out of the loop that ESPN hasn’t had a Cubs-related article in eight days. If that ain’t symbolic I don’t know what is... anyway, I did watch Saturday afternoon’s game, or at least was in the room while it played, which turned out well as the stinkin’ Cardinals lost.

Two more like that and I’ll feel slightly better about the universe — it’d be fine if the series didn’t get back to St Louis. I’m warming to the idea of the Nationals winning it all for the Hawk and Rock and guys like Warren Cromartie and Ellis Valentine, and Steve Rogers and Tim Wallach, all of whom were on the best team in baseball in 1981 and didn’t win a thing, foreshadowing the events of 1994. Thanks, Jeffrey Loria. And thanks, MLB. You do such a great job. I never thought I’d look fondly back at the reign of Bowie Kuhn. Ugh. We thought at the time that it was the end of the world.

I dunno where that was supposed to be going, but I don’t have any better ideas, so we’ll just let that one hang like an Adam Wainwright curve...

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.

• 2015 - For the first time in their history, the Cubs clinch a postseason series in Wrigley Field when they defeat the Cardinals, 6-4, in Game 4 of the NLDS. The Cardinals take an early lead on a two-run homer by Stephen Piscotty in the first, but the Cubs reply with a four-run second, highlighted by a three-run shot by Javier Baez. After the Cardinals tie the score in the sixth, solo homers by Anthony Rizzo in the sixth and Kyle Schwarber in the seventh, both off Kevin Siegrist, send Chicago to the NLCS. (BBRef)

• Jon Greenberg (The Athletic {$}): After the Dodgers go home early, the Cubs can say, ‘At least we won one!’ “They are looking more and more like the second coming of the 1990s Atlanta Braves than the ’90s Yankees.”
• Gordon Wittenmyer (Chicago Sun-Times* {$}): “Won’t Stop Believing: Theo Epstein confident ‘we’re the right group’ to fix Cubs — but is he right?”... farm system problems from the beginning and poor decisions in an effort to sustain the success leave plenty of room for doubt.”
• Evan Altman (Cubs Insider*): Breaking down the 6 known candidates for Cubs manager. “... it seems like a good time to take a quick view of them in a group.”
• Paul Sullivan (Chicago Tribune* {$}): The 8 ingredients to making a quintessential Cubs manager, from Lou Piniella’s decision-making to Dusty Baker’s player relations. “A wide assortment of characters have inhabited the Cubs manager’s office over the decades, with varying degrees of success.”
• Tim Stebbins (NBC Sports Chicago*): What the Cubs can learn from the 2019 MLB postseason so far. “October is a chance to evaluate those in the Big Dance.”
• Brendan Miller (Cubs Insider*): Willson Contreras got quieter behind plate, will that quiet trade rumors? “You’re going to see a significantly improved framer and receiver going into next year,” Theo Epstein said.
• Mark Gonzales (Chicago Tribune* {$}): Is Albert Almora Jr. part of the future? 4 questions about Cubs center fielders heading into 2020. “... the eighth in a series of position-by-position analyses of the Cubs after the 2019 season.”
• Cubs birthdays: Rube Waddell (HoF), Charlie Silvera, George Frazier, Mike Capel, Bryan Hickerson, Damian Miller, Kennie Steenstra. Also notable: Eddie Mathews (HoF), Trevor Hoffman (HoF).

Food for thought:

Thanks for reading.