Cub Tracks strikes back

Well, a bunch of new players were signed today. I suspect the next time we’ll read their names is when they’re DFA’d but hey! this is the offseason that is, and the Cubs Convention has commenced, for what that’s worth. Some of the front-page people are attending.

I’m only there in spirit. Maybe as a poltergeist — I’m just trying to get to the other side of things. Anyway we’ll be covering the coverage, from a safe distance of 3,000 or so miles. Boo!

Here’s today’s episode of Cubs News and Notes, the only links column that really matters. 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.

• Madeleine Kenney (Chicago Sun-Times* {$}): MLB luxury tax is a concern for Cubs board member Laura Ricketts. “Yeah, we have some new revenue streams — [and] everything we make goes back into the team — but you don’t want to be spending it on fees and penalties, you want to be spending it on talent.”
• Evan Altman (Cubs Insider*): Tom Ricketts warns against believing in magic Free Agents, wants you to believe in Cubs’ process instead. “That’s what happens when you work from a carefully crafted series of talking points...”
• Gordon Wittenmyer (Chicago Sun-Times* {$}): Say it ain’t so, Joe Ricketts: Cubs Convention is all about the business cost of Cubs baseball. “Get used to it.”
• Jay Cohen (AP via Yahoo News*): Chicago Cubs keeping options open with season on the horizon. “Sometimes you’re one incoming call away from a deal,’’ Theo Epstein said.
• Jed Hoyer on the Score [AUDIO].
• Paul Sullivan (Chicago Tribune* {$}): David Ross is OK with being called ‘Rossy,’ ‘Skip,’ even ‘Grandpa.’ But the new Cubs manager wants to be known as more than ‘Theo’s guy.’ “Of course, but there are questions with everybody,” Ross said, laughing. “There are questions with me.”
• Phil Thompson (Chicago Tribune* {$}): Cubs pitcher Yu Darvish now wonders: Was he tipping pitches for the Dodgers against the Astros in the 2017 World Series, or were they cheating? “... Darvish said he took lessons from that World Series experience that proved invaluable later.”
• Mark Gonzales (Chicago Tribune* {$}): Anthony Rizzo, still recovering from a sprained ankle, says he prefers to hit 3rd or 4th for the Cubs despite his success as a leadoff hitter. “I’ve done well batting leadoff, but my true love is hitting third or fourth,” Rizzo said.
• Jordan Bastian (MLB.com*): Rizzo, Hoyer address state of Cubs’ core group. “It would be kind of irresponsible and naïve of us players to not know that they have a business to run,” Rizzo said. Michael Cerami chimes in. Tim Stebbins has words. Sahadev Sharma offers his take {$}.
• Madeleine Kenney (Chicago Sun-Times* {$}): Nico Hoerner could benefit from Cubs’ quiet offseason. “Hoerner doesn’t know what the team has planned for him this season, though he has a right to be optimistic.”
• Rick Morrissey (Chicago Sun-Times* {$}): Flu prevents Kris Bryant from offering thoughts on his fuzzy future with Cubs. “Judging by the number of people wearing his jersey at the convention Friday, there will be a mass uprising if the Cubs do deal him.” Mark Gonzales offers wisdom.
• Madeleine Kenney (Chicago Sun-Times* {$}): Cubs’ Albert Almora Jr. pained by update on 2-year-old fan hit by foul ball: ‘That should never happen on a baseball field’. “If MLB is doing something it’s because it had to be done,” Almora said.
• Cubs birthdays: Charlie Eden, Babe Twombly, Billy Grabarkewitz, Dave Geisel. Also notable: Curt Flood.

Today in baseball history:

• 1922 - The Chicago Cubs obtain outfielder Jigger Statz and pitcher Vic Aldridge from the Los Angeles Angels of the Pacific Coast League for eight players and cash considerations.
• 1995 - Former major league umpire Ron Luciano dies at the age of 57, victim of an apparent suicide. An American League umpire for 11 seasons, Luciano gained fame as one of the most colorful and flamboyant arbiters in the game’s history, and as the author of four best-selling books of anecdotes about the game.
• 2002 - Pitcher Kerry Wood, who had a 12-6 mark with a 3.36 ERA and struck out 217 batters in 174.1 innings, avoids arbitration, agreeing a one-year deal with the Chicago Cubs believed to be worth between $3.5 and 4 million.
• 2009 - The Chicago Cubs send former top prospect Félix Pie to the Baltimore Orioles for Garrett Olson and Henry Williamson.
• 2018 - Ignoring resistance from the Players Association, Commissioner Rob Manfred unilaterally announces two measures to speed up the pace of play: the introduction of a 20-second pitch clock with no runners on base, and a change to the definition of mound visits to include those made by the catcher or by an infielder. Previously, only visits by a manager or coach would count, with the second resulting in the automatic replacement of the pitcher by a reliever. The players’ reluctance is seen as a reaction to the slow free agent market this off-season that has resulted in a number of top-notch players still being unsigned a month before the opening of spring training. On February 19th, the Commissioner will come to an agreement with the MLBPA not to introduce the clock, but to go ahead with other measures to speed up the pace of play.

all items from BBRef.

Food for thought:

Thanks for reading.