Cub Tracks is a terrible thing to waist

Thanks to Terry Forster for the title. Not so much happening in Cubtown today. All the action is elsewhere, as the Cubs are not in the playoffs. They are, as has been mentioned and ever shall be mentioned, word without end, currently manager-less, ramen. Do we go Old-School?

... or Next Gen?

Feel free to proclaim your allegiance. Mark Loretta, David Ross, Max Venable, Joe Girardi, these are the frontrunners. Others are out there. Mark Kotsay, Carlos Beltran, Joe Espada, Sam Fuld, Raul Ibanez, and more have been mentioned as managerial candidates, and there are a few current bench coaches who might move on given a chance at the top job. Miami writers have intimated that Tim Wallach, my personal dark horse, might have happy feet. I like to noodle along, preferably outside the box.

Theo Epstein will be hitting some of the managerial candidates metaphorical fungoes this week and in the weeks to come. We’ll try to keep abreast of developments. A’ight? I’m off to the Mexican buffet. Got to stay in shape. Their café con chocolatl is por muerte, even sugarless.

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.

“It sucks that we haven’t won another World Series,” Rizzo said. “It was the best thing. It’s the most addicting thing. But when you give it everything you have, that’s what makes it sting even more. It’s like it just wasn’t good enough.”

• Bruce Miles (Daily Herald* {$}): Chicago Cubs beat writer Bruce Miles heads for home after stellar career. “If you cover the Cubs, you have plenty to write about every single day.”
• Gordon Wittenmyer (Chicago Sun-Times* {$}): Cubs next manager has no idea what he’s getting into — at least until roster shakeup comes. “Next year is a priority,” Epstein said. “We have to balance it with the future.”
• Patrick Mooney (The Athletic {$}): Will Joe Girardi’s Yankees experience help him land the Cubs’ managing gig? “Girardi has managed almost 1,800 games in the majors, plus 12 playoff rounds.”
• Bruce Levine (670 The Score): Mark Loretta: Cubs need more structure, accountability. In an interview (included with the article), Loretta opined thusly. Evan Altman translates. He also handicaps the coaching derby. Brett Taylor is on ‘obsessive manager watch.’
• Gordon Wittenmyer (Chicago Sun-Times* {$}): Cubs brace for change: ‘You go on the internet, it’s in your face. ... It’s going to be hard.’ “Players can’t predict who might be traded or who will be left standing from their 2016 championship core when spring training starts.”
• Mark Gonzales (Chicago Tribune* {$}): Should Anthony Rizzo take on a larger leadership role? 5 questions about Cubs first basemen heading into 2020. “I think he is our leader, someone capable of heroic acts,” Epstein said.
• Mark Gonzales (Chicago Tribune* {$}): Should the Cubs trade Kris Bryant or Javier Baez — or keep both and potentially sacrifice the future? A look at the pros and cons. “They’re both hugely important, and it would be hard to see them out of a Cubs uniform,” Epstein said Monday.
• Cubs birthdays: Dutch Meyer, Gene Clines, George Riley, Jay Baller.

Food for thought:

Thanks for reading.