Cub Tracks’ Kimpossibilities

Hohoho. You probably hate me now. Sorry, not-sorry. These are tough times and I have to make the info dump look good (can’t help the smell). I watched that show with my grand-daughter a few times. Damn near as awful as being in the same room with Mulan. Oh, the humanity!

Now she has a phone attached to the end of her nose. Almost makes me miss Kim. But not Jessie. Anyway, relevance. Let’s get on with it.

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.

Cubs Twitter is ripping Joel Sherman a new one.

• Dan Szymborski (Fangraphs*): The Brew Crew continued to thrive while thwarting Cubs. “From the point of view of the 2010s Cubs, one could argue that their true antagonist has been the Milwaukee Brewers rather than their historical rivals, the St. Louis Cardinals.”
• Patrick Mooney (The Athletic {$}): New manager David Ross will have influence as the Cubs target free agents. “... he’s got a breadth of experience and insight that puts him in a good position to give his opinion, said Theo Epstein.”
• Peter Gammons (The Athletic {$}): How teams are changing their culture thanks to new voices and and eye on development. ““If your pitching development system is five years old, it’s probably already out of date,” says Epstein.”
• Mark Gonzales (Chicago Tribune* {$}): Cubs are showing interest in a pair of Far East free agents: Korean pitcher Kwang-Hyun Kim and Japanese outfielder Shogo Akiyama. “He’s an interesting guy,” said one scout who saw Kim before his surgery. Tim Stebbins has more on Kim. Ken Rosenthal started it {$}. Brett Taylor speculates about Kim. And Shogo. Evan Altman shows interest in Kim.
• Jerry Trotta (12UP*): This trade between the Cubs and Braves for Willson Contreras could actually work. “... the Braves boast enough riches within their farm system to make a deal happen.”
• Jordan Bastian (MLB.com*): Inbox: What is Contreras’ trade market? Also Kris Bryant speculation.
• Mark Gonzales (Chicago Tribune* {$}): Early free-agent signings by the White Sox and Braves could help the Cubs define the trade market for Contreras and Bryant. “The Braves and White Sox have done their best to spark the hot stove league by making unusually early free-agent signings.”
• Jordan Bastian (MLB.com*): The Ben Zobrist effect: Improving Cubs’ contact rate. “... the veteran’s absence magnified one of the team’s offensive flaws.”
• Jared Wyllys (Forbes*): Nico Hoerner fits Cubs’ 2020 plans. “Hoerner might be the perfect player to fill the void...”
• Joe Giglio (NJ.com*): MLB trade rumors: Why Cubs-Phillies Bryant blockbuster isn’t crazy talk. From the Philly perspective. Still crazy talk in the blue view. D-backs?
• Michael Ernst (Cubs Den*): A look at the Cubs current outfield depth. “We all know what’s coming after the 2021 season.”
• Bryan Smith (Bleacher Nation): Meet the Cubs’ surprise 40-man roster addition: Hard-throwing righty Manuel Rodriguez. “A 23-year-old from Mexico, Rodriguez is pretty obscure...”
• Mark Gonzales (Chicago Tribune* {$}): Cubs hire 8 new minor-league coaches, including Rachel Folden, a former Chicago Bandits softball player who created a data-based instruction tool. “Folden is believed to be the first woman on a coaching staff in professional baseball, not counting independent leagues.” Jordan Bastian says she’s gonna be a star.
• Phil Rosenthal (Chicago Tribune* {$}): Cubs broadcaster Pat Hughes on a possible Hall of Fame honor: ‘You try not to think about it, but it’s like trying to keep the sun from coming up in the morning’. “... it’s unsurprising and understandable Hughes’ mind would continue drifting to Dec. 11...”
• Cubs birthdays: Jimmy Sheckard, Jesse Petty, Claude Jonnard, Herman Reich, Billy Ott,

Food for thought:

Thanks for reading.