Cub Tracks’ dark matters

In my world, it’s still Saturday and we’re watching some kung fu preparatory to Svengoolie viewing. Tonight’s feature is The Two Faces of Dr Jekyll, which would mark as prescient our comments about the exquisite Mark Blankfield version if we hadn’t been cheating by looking ahead in the program listings. Or were we? You couldn’t make this stuff up. Or could ya? We imagine it’s somewhat less far-fetched than some of the trades we see around the Twitters, yeah? But even Jekyll and Hyde (or Heckle and Jeckle, for that matter) were not as two-faced as the owners, who merely send out their emissaries, who make prepared statements and genuflect at regular intervals in the interest of holy collusion... gosh the rich make me hungry.

Righto. That was silly. Let’s just nip that in the bud before we start out Stevenson and go all Jonathon Swift and strain our gullivers through the grandstand netting.

Here at Cub Tracks, we’re more responsible than to print such rot. We are, after all, professionals. 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.

“Traditionally, you know, Christmas was always kind of a boundary for free agents,” said Cubs general manager Jed Hoyer on Thursday, even as his friends from 29 other front offices were sprinting for the airport. “Everyone wanted to be signed by Christmas. Maybe we’re going back to that. So that would certainly leave the rest of December and January to be more of a trading season.” — Ken Rosenthal, Jayson Stark {$}.

• Gordon Wittenmyer (Chicago Sun-Times* {$): Cubs 2020 answers on hold as they try to solve ‘a different puzzle’ this winter. “Fans hearing the names of their favorite players in trade rumors are left to grouse and wonder why a billionaire-elite ownership group won’t increase payroll spending, without so much as a pitching prospect to ease their angst.”
• Paul Sullivan (Chicago Tribune* {$}): 5 takeaways from baseball’s winter meetings, including other agents in awe of Scott Boras and why the meetings no longer are necessary. “... baseball executives could do everything they do at the winter meetings from their homes or offices...”
• Evan Altman (Cubs Insider): Trading away stars to build budget roster would almost certainly cost Cubs more than additional luxury tax hit. “Beyond the potential to be disastrous for their competitiveness, it could also be bad for business.”
• TC Zencka (MLB Trade Rumors): Cubs rotation candidates. “Given their financial situation and the volume of competition for the top remaining arms in free agency, it’s unlikely they’ll be players in that space.”
• Dan Szymborski (ESPN+ {$}): Five MLB teams that need to shop hard for hitting help. “The team’s protests about a sudden lack of funds notwithstanding, a reunion with Nick Castellanos or paying for a player like Marcell Ozuna would be a highly desirable move for the Cubs.”
• Tim Stebbins (NBC Sports Chicago*): Nationals ‘love’ Kris Bryant but potential holdup could stymie trade talks. “The Cubs would likely seek center fielder Victor Robles in a deal, a holdup on Washington’s end, Jon Heyman said.”
• Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation): Shogo Akiyama reportedly making his decision by Christmas. “... the final four are the Cubs, Reds, Diamondbacks, and Rays, eh?” Evan Altman weighs in on this matter.
• Todd Johnson (Cubs Insider*): These 6 prospects could be first beneficiaries of new hitting development practices. “Jonathan Sierra is right at the top of that list.”
• Cubs birthdays: Mike Prendergast, Ken Crosby, Mike Proly, Michael Wuertz, Luis Montanez.

Food for thought:

Thanks for reading.