Cub Tracks is strong ‘til the finish

All the news that’s printed to fit.

Seriously. Things are getting so desperate that I’m tempted to post other people’s links pages. Arg. It’s not like I can make up the news. There’s not even context to establish.

Here at Cub Tracks News and Notes, we are winding up the fifth year of the reign under Duane (and closing in on the eighth anniversary overall) and also it’s almost my birthday. I’m not super-sentimental about such things but that’s an anniversary, too. 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 on this page as sarcasm font. (In the comments section, use @ before and after your remarks @ to produce sarcasm font.)

• Paul Sullivan (Chicago Tribune* {$}): Fans are back at the ballpark for the NLCS and World Series — but is that for financial reasons instead of hope for the future? “... anyone who has been to a men’s restroom in a stadium knows social distancing at the urinals is easier said than done.”
• Steve Greenberg (Chicago Sun-Times* {$}): When it comes to the Cubs, we’re done living in the past. After this one last time … “Trade everybody. Blow it up. Embrace change. But can we at least cry into our 2016 hankies first?”
• Maddie Lee (NBC Sports Chicago*): Kyle Hendrick’s curveball elevates ‘foundation’ of Cubs rotation. “Getting away from being that two-pitch guy,” Hendricks said, “throw in another wrinkle, it opens up the rest of my game.”
• Patrick Mooney (The Athletic {$}): What a Cy Young Award would mean for Yu Darvish and the Cubs. “Theo Epstein views Darvish and Hendricks as the building blocks for the franchise’s next playoff team.”
• Michael Cerami (Bleacher Nation*): The Cubs “Could Pursue” star 25-Year-Old KBO shortstop Ha-Seong Kim. “... there’s an obvious place on the Cubs roster for Kim, especially given his bat ...”
• Mark Gonzales (Chicago Tribune* {$}): Is Nico Hoerner the second baseman of the future? Could Tommy La Stella return? 5 questions about Chicago Cubs second basemen heading into 2021. “... the fifth in a series of position-by-position analyses of the Chicago Cubs ...”
• Sahadev Sharma (The Athletic {$}): How Cubs prospects Brennen Davis, Burl Carraway and more developed in South Bend. “... there was a lot more work that many never got to see.” Michael Cerami interprets.
• Jackie Kozak (Newmarket Today*): Newmarket teen scouted to play with Chicago Cubs in California. “Joining the Cubs mean Paul Xenophontos will be seen by college and professional scouts.”
• Tommy Birch (Des Moines Register* {$}): Former Iowa Cubs infielder Elliot Soto was contemplating retirement. Then the Angels called. “I didn’t have to really think about it because now I’m like, ‘Here we go — I’m ready to keep going,’” Soto said.
• Cubs birthdays: George Nicol, Paul Derringer, Johnny Ostrowski, Johnny Klippstein, John Mabry, Carlos Gonzalez. Also notable: Buck Ewing HOF.
• Food for Thought:

Thanks for reading! I eats all the woims and spits out the goims! Toot! Toot!