Cub Tracks’ school daze

At my house, we have the Disney+ channel now. Finally the ESPN+ sub bore fruit as I had Hulu as well, so after the six months free I got from a code the service will cost me couple of bucks a month, and everything is billed in one convenient package.

This’ll have to do for now. A la carte is the future but the path isn’t clear yet. Profit motive, as always, interferes with freedom of choice. For the love of money is truly the root of all evil, as the axiom falls.

Just resist the uncontrollable urge to change the channel. It’ll probably cost ya.

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.

• NBC Sports Chicago: Podcast with Ned Colletti [AUDIO].
• Steve Greenberg (Chicago Sun-Times* {$}): Burning question: Who wins World Series first, White Sox, Cubs or Joe Maddon’s Angels? “As offseasons go, it’s a mighty big one.’
• Paul Sullivan (Chicago Tribune* {$}): Baseball’s sign-stealing controversy is an old story with a modern, high-tech twist. “This story, as they say in the business, has legs.”
• Jayson Stark (The Athletic {$}): The 10 numbers that defined baseball in 2019, revisited. “... strikeouts, the only True Outcome that never takes a day, a week or a season off.”
• Ryan Pavich (Pinstripe Alley): If the Cubs want to trade, the Yankees should be all-in. “... the Yankees can afford to spend some of their chips on the lineup provided they improve their pitching staff in free agency.”
• Marl Feinsand (MLB.com*): 1 potential trade candidate on all 30 teams. “... don’t be surprised if it’s a blockbuster swap that steals the show.”
• Jason Martinez (Fangraphs): Roster Resource Free Agency Roundup: NL Central. “... each team’s most notable free agents...”
• John Harper (SNY): With Cubs open to trading from core, what could it mean for Mets and Yankees? “... Epstein apparently is ready to consider any and all deals that could save the Cubs some money while still giving them a shot in 2020 at another championship.”
• Matt Monagan (Cut4): Everyone wants to be Yu Darvish’s friend but none of us are cool enough. “He’s been a superstar since second grade.”
• Matt Snyder (CBS Sports*): What a Javier Baez extension could look like as Cubs reportedly negotiate new deal with star shortstop. “Baez should get more than Xander Bogaerts and less than Jose Altuve.”
• Brendan Miller (Cubs Insider*): Kris Bryant made yet another successful adjustment against fastballs in 2019. “The Bryants made it a priority to ambush pitchers who were throwing up-and-in on the hands...”
• Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation): Cubs reportedly still view Albert Almora, Jr. as valuable enough to retain for now. “...that means he’s almost certainly going to be with the Cubs next spring.”
• Greg Huss (Cubs Insider*): After liner to head forced him into 18 month hiatus, lefty Jack Patterson pitching with renewed purpose. “... he is widely considered one of the top pitching prospects in the entire organization.” Tim Huwe’s take.
• Cubs birthdays: Tom Dettore, Mitch Williams, Darnell McDonald, Scott Moore. Also notable: Tom Seaver (HoF).

Food for thought:

Thanks for reading this far. Have a nice day.