Cub Tracks detects a disturbance

Speaking of reflecting, I took over this column four years ago today, trying to fill the outsize shoes of Russ La Croix. The first installment appeared October 27, 2015. This little thing has already had a spin-off and who knows what programming lies in the future... but let’s not force anything. We are, however, renewed for another season.

Curiously, the second installment also had me wanting October baseball for the home team. The more that things change... anyway I’m in no rush to finish right now. Tradition has it that this activity commences at the outset of the game and ends shortly after the game does. The beloved are not playing this evening, due to their not making the playoffs, so the Nationals will have to jump the shark themselves.

This fits me like Columbo’s raincoat but hey, there are worse things in the world. Serpentine, Sheldon. My (former) ‘in-laws’ bought me a new laptop for my upcoming birthday and this is the test run. Enjoy immoderately.**

Oh yeah, and David Ross.

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.

October 26, 1971

Fergie Jenkins receives 16 of the 24 1st place votes to win the NL Cy Young Award. He is the 1st Cubs pitcher to win the award, going 24-13 in 39 starts with 30 complete games and a 2.77 ERA. He led the league in innings pitched with 325, wins, games started, and complete games.

• Doug Glanville (NBC Sports Chicago*): Old players make young managers: How the Cubs’ hiring of David Ross reflects both an organizational and league-wide culture shift. “You no longer need ‘experience’ in the Maddon sense of the word to be a big league manager.”
• Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation): A 2015 Profile of Ross tells you almost everything you need to know. “... it isn’t merely “looking back” to bring Ross on board as the manager.”
• Sahadev Sharma (The Athletic {$}): Ross is signed, but what else do the Cubs need to figure out this offseason? “It’s (Theo) Epstein’s job to make the necessary moves this winter to ensure his Cubs tenure ends with a bang and not a fizzle.”
• Patrick Mooney {$}): Jon Lester isn’t worried about how Ross will manage his friends: ‘We’ll be fine.’ “We’re all grown,” Lester added. Jon Greenberg {$} examines how Ross would manage. Front page article on this subject. Steve Greenberg has words.
• Larry Hawley (WGN-9): Yu Darvish gets a little fun Twitter ‘payback’ on Justin Verlander during the World Series. “... this was something that Verlander did to Darvish early in his Cubs career.”
• Evan Altman (Cubs Insider*): Dakota Mekkes working to limit walks with improved mechanics, sharper put-away pitch. “When you’re talking about the difference between strike three and ball four, an extra tenth of an inch here or hint of finger pressure there can yield the desired results.”
• Mark Gonzales (Chicago Tribune* {$}): Cubs minor league relief pitchers excel in Arizona Fall League.
• Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation): Another season for Ben Zobrist? It’s not yet clear if he intends to hang ‘em up. “I’m 38 but I got that feeling all over again...”
• Jeff Gordon (St Louis Post-Dispatch*): Tipsheet: Kris Bryant’s lingering rift with Cubs could trigger trade. “But with the entire industry well-aware of Bryant’s long-standing beef with the Cubs, the trading conditions are not optimal.” How the Dodgers could be impacted. RJ Anderson has thoughts on this. Michael Blinn posts a few considerations.
• Cubs birthdays: Andy Sommers, Harry Chapman, Tommy Griffith, Otto Vogel, Steve Ontiveros. Also notable: Skipper Friday, Monk Sherlock, Snuffy Stirnweiss.

Food for thought:

Thanks for reading.

**I am available to explain all jokes, easter eggs, references, sub-references, and allusions. Please apply to the management.