Cub Tracks breaks like the wind

Well, that was a convention to remember, wasn’t it? All of the momentous events and monumental player signings and the plan is finally coming together and it’s all so hard to take that it’s harder to swallow than the bones in a spring surprise. I can smell the glove.

“The 2020 Cubs: You’re Going to Need a Drink.” — Jon Greenberg {$}

The Cubs are bringing back the A-Team. That’s my story, and I’m sticking to it. For now.

Oh, wait.

It’s only the madness behind my method that becomes apparent, upon reflection**. I’ve yet to shed any light on the Cubs Way (but I’m not alone in that). On the plus side, I haven’t spilled my drink there, either, but my face did break the mirror. Sorry.

So much for castles in the sand — scattered, smothered, covered, chunked, diced, peppered, capped and topped, just like my metaphor. Suddenly I’m overcome with the desire to visit Waffle House.

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.

• Barry Rozner (Daily Herald* {$}): Cubs’ TV voice Len Kasper joins elite company. “... now is about the time you start wondering about Kasper’s Hall of Fame chances.”
• David Kaplan (NBC Sports Chicago* {$}): MLB Source: Cubs ‘got fat and happy’ after World Series, culture must change. They’re in the best shape of their lives.
• RJ Anderson (CBS Sports*): Cubs GM says team is ‘past the point’ where retaining entire core is an option. “Jed Hoyer indicates change is coming to the Cubs, and it’s probably financially driven.”
• Sahadev Sharma (The Athletic {$}): Would you want to manage the Astros right now? Cubs coach Will Venable talked about his job interview. “I look at these as really good opportunities to talk to people about baseball,” Venable said.
• Tim Stebbins (NBC Sports Chicago* {$}): Andy Green ‘fired up’ to be with Cubs, help David Ross any way he can. “...my mom took me up to Wrigley at 12 or 13. I was like ‘This is big-league baseball.’”
• Patrick Mooney (The Athletic {$}): Where is the Cubs’ next core player? On prospects Miguel Amaya, Brennen Davis and Brailyn Marquez. “The Cubs aren’t handing out multi-year deals to relievers and won’t be mortgaging their best prospects in win-now trades.”
• Russell Dorsey (MLB.com*): Cubs overhaul player-development strategy. “There’s so much opportunity to try and gain a competitive advantage,” new senior director of player development Matt Dorey said.”
• Paul Sullivan (Chicago Tribune* {$}): Yu Darvish wonders if Brewers star Christian Yelich has forgiven him for their Twitter beef: ‘I think he’s still mad’. “I’m using more English now, so I can talk to him,” he said.
• Jeremy Cluff (AZCentral* {$}): Kris Bryant trade speculation: Arizona Diamondbacks a ‘wild card’ in pursuit of Chicago Cubs star. Pedro Gomez scuttlebutt.
• Evan Altman (Cubs Insider*): Cubs believe Nico Hoerner has skills to bat leadoff, maybe even play center. “... senior director of player development Matt Dorey said the Cubs were so convinced of the Stanford star’s makeup that they felt he was as close to a sure thing as possible.” Jordan Bastian adds a few more words on this subject. Mark Gonzales elaborates.
• Todd Johnson (Cubs Insider*): Cubs Convention offered several very positive takeaways from minor leagues. “... Marquee GM Mike McCarthy announced that the network would be showing some MiLB games in an abbreviated format.”
• Paul Sullivan (Chicago Tribune* {$}): Lou Piniella returns to the Cubs as an analyst with Marquee Sports Network. How about that? “I always felt bad I had to leave before the season was over,” he said.
• Mark Gonzales (Chicago Tribune* {$}): 4 takeaways from Cubs Convention, including Lee Smith’s return to the organization. “I’m really loving it. I’ll get a chance to see my old buddies in the fire department (adjacent to Wrigley Field) again,” quipped Smith.
• Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation): Cubs hoping to land 2022 All-Star Game at Wrigley Field. “Guys like Kris Bryant, Javy Baez, Anthony Rizzo, and Kyle Schwarber are all due to be free agents before 2022.”
• Luis Torres (Beyond the Box Score): Trade Retrospective: Cubs continue their rebuild by sending Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel to the A’s. “The A’s were ready to go all-in, and the rebuilding Cubs did well to capitalize on it.”
• Cubs birthdays: Mike Krukow, Dave Smith, Alan Benes.

Food for thought:

**Yes. Detective Dep sniffed my dastardly plan out but didn’t divine my full devious plot. Novelists, I know. There is continuity in the Cub Tracks Continuum™. Thanks for reading.