Cub Tracks’ field of screams

It’s that time in the Hot Stove Season when baseball executives are trying a little tenderness. And there’s so much at stake these days, as budgets shrink according to how much money those execs think they failed to earn with the pandemic and all of its effects. Whatever it is, it’s for sale.

Wednesday should bring plenty of news. But this is what we have today, as the national writers/unofficial spokespeople determine the spin cycle and the beats rinse the dirt off and put it back on the grill.

Let’s remember that the people running the show are so goddamn crooked that they have trouble screwing their pants on. But the game itself still has beauty. I prefer the stare but I’ll take the flip.

Here’s Cub Tracks 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 on this page as sarcasm font. (In the comments section, use @ before and after your remarks @ to produce sarcasm font.)

• Jordan Bastian (MLB.com*): Cubs make series of front-office promotions. Three assistant GMs, for starters. Evan Altman adds water . Maddie Lee applies the brush. Mark Gonzales counts it all up.
• Sahadev Sharma (The Athletic {$}): Jed Hoyer’s Cubs front office continues to take shape, but who will be his GM? “I want fresh ideas and I want to be challenged,” Hoyer said.
• Bryan Smith (Bleacher Nation*): Is Colin Rea’s versatility a bug, not a feature, in his Cubs tender decision? “... the eye test matches the sample size ...”
• Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation*): Trading Kris Bryant straight up for Starlin Castro might generate some chuckles, but it’s not a real option. “A non-tender is a better return for Bryant than Castro right now.” Evan Altman has more.
• Will Laws (Sports Illustrated*): Five teams that should trade for Bryant. “The former MVP may be on the move this winter, and we’ve got some landing spots in mind.”
• Jordan Bastian (MLB.com*): Best position-player seasons in Cubs history. “One season can change the course of a career.”
• Food for Thought:

Thanks for reading.