Cub Tracks is armed and dangerously

Cub Tracks apologizes for harboring any thoughts of Justin Turner, Dodgers management, or MLB officials having any sense of actual responsibility and we would like to say that we’re sorry that such sorry excuses for humanity not only populate the planet but are looked up to as examples and role models for all of you young baseball players out there (see this fargin great article). Once. We are sorry once. Your fault if you weren’t looking.

We have spent this entire week in a caffeine-fueled deep dive into electoral politesse and are in no mood for niceties. Apologies for our French and for our short temper but what the actual gamethread word was that heap of bovine guano?

I can’t even. So I ain’t gonna. But that there are going to be no penalties whatsoever for that behavior makes my skin crawl like a disembodied hand, and it’s way too early for Svengoolie, so we’ll have to go with Joel and his friends.

Meanwhile, back at Cub Tracks News and Notes, we are closing in on our eighth anniversary. Hold the ranch! 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.)

• Michael Cerami (Bleacher Nation*): The Chicago Cubs have won the first-ever NL Team Gold Glove Award. “... handed out by Rawlings ...” Tony Andracki adds wisdom.
• Jordan Bastian (MLB.com*): How will the Cubs look on Opening Day? “Opening Day is months away and uncertainty is in surplus as the Cubs plan for next year.”
• Ryan Boyer (Yahoo Sports*): MLB Team Roundup: Chicago Cubs. “The Cubs rode a hot start in the shortened season to an NL Central title.”
• Evan Altman (Cubs Insider*): Quick clarification on Cubs not adding Michael Rucker, Trevor Megill to 40-Man Roster. “... a little contractual wrinkle meant that they’re actually subject to the same November 20 deadline as most other prospects.”
• Todd Johnson (Cubs Insider*): Power-hitting prospects headline Cubs Instructs as things wind down in Mesa. “Here are a few key takeaways from what’s been going on ...”
• Marquee Sports Network*: Cubs Weekly Podcast: Ryan Dempster on balancing analytics and baseball, treasuring Jon Lester, World Series memories.
• Gordon Wittenmyer (NBC Sports Network*): What gave ex-Cub Mark Prior flashbacks during Dodgers World Series run. ‘Yeah, the 27th out is still the most important out.’ Prior is also on the podcast.
• Paul Sullivan (Chicago Tribune* {$}): Baseball is life, and life during this election season is imitating the 2016 World Series — again. “With apologies to Washington Post columnist Thomas Boswell ...”
• Robert Goetz (DVIDS): For Cubs fan, Nov. 2 now holds two indelible memories. “It was very special,” Gast said after the ceremony.
• Cubs birthdays: Monte McFarland, Joe Hatten, Clarence Jones, Joe Niekro, Reggie Patterson, Glendon Rusch, Les Walrond. Also notable: The Only Nolan, Dick Stuart.

Food for thought:

Thanks for reading.