Cub Tracks puts the cheese on the steak

Well, the simCubs escaped from the City of Brotherly Love with a meatloaf, which probably had Cheez-Wiz on it, and they’re eating it on the plane on the way across the big water.

The Jasons, Jason Heyward, Jason Kipnis, and honorary Jason, Javier Baez, accounted for all 5 of the Cubs’ runs as the simCubs took two out of three from the Phillies and head for a scheduled date with the Cardinals. Craig Kimbrel tied for the league lead in saves and the Cubs’ bullpen turned in another splendid effort.

The big water in this case is probably the Schuylkill River instead of the Atlantic Ocean, and that’s all I can say about our top-secret venue, as MLB The Show 2020 does not have London Stadium in their group of available ballparks. We’ve selected a suitably historic park to play the two games in, Saturday and Sunday. Al will have more about the series over the course of the next couple of days, and you can lurk at the BCB Media Center and catch past games and game videos, if you want the full #simCubs experience.

And now, here’s Cub Tracks 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.

“Your salaries are higher than they ever have been at any time. True, you deserve to be well paid … But you take few, if any, of the great risks involved. … Baseball is at a serious point in its history.” — ’Gussie’ Busch, 1969.

“When are these guys going to learn? This goes back to the ‘70s and the earliest days of free agency and fights with Marvin Miller and the union.”— Gordon Wittenmyer.

• Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation): Commissioner Manfred guarantees there will be baseball this year, but doesn’t guarantee an agreement. “... the league is ready to unilaterally impose a super short season ...” More of this. Evan Altman opines.

• Gordon Wittenmyer (NBC Sports Chicago*): Why Cubs’ Jason Kipnis and other players have reason to mistrust owners. “This shouldn’t be a public matter at all; that was their intention, of trying to get the public on their side to make it look like the players are the ones holding it up,” said Kipnis. More of this. Tim Stebbins also has thoughts.
• Evan Altman (Cubs Insider*): Cards Chairman Bill DeWitt Jr. echoes Tom Ricketts’ claim that MLB ownership ‘Isn’t very profitable’. Riiiiiiiight. Open the books then. Prove it. Jesse Rogers has words.
• Patrick Mooney (The Athletic {$}): Theo Epstein believes the Cubs are ready for a season with no final answers yet. “... I think I just share the sentiments of all baseball fans when saying I’m really hopeful that we have baseball as soon as possible.”
• Steve Greenberg (Chicago Sun-Times* {$}): Cubs head into MLB Draft with new VP of scouting under a blazing spotlight. “There really isn’t much on Dan Kantrovitz’s plate at all. Heading into Wednesday’s first round, all he has to do is come through for boss Theo Epstein and restock the Cubs’ system with greatness.” Sahadev Sharma {$} writes about this.

• Caitlyn Bird (Charleston Post and Courier*): Chris Singleton, son of Emanuel AME victim, pens children’s book about loving others. “Former Cubs draft pick, whose mother was killed in that church murder in Charleston SC.”
• Jon Greenberg (The Athletic {$}): After getting drafted by the Cubs in 2018, Itamar Steiner is finding his own way. “In the two years since he was drafted in the 40th round by his hometown team, Steiner has prospered.”
• Bob Goldsborough (Chicago Tribune* {$}): Cubs’ Jason Heyward lists Gold Coast condo — among the priciest homes of Chicago athletes — for $7.6 million. “Heyward has decided to part with his condo, which is one of only two units of that size in the No. 9 Walton building.” More of this from Alex Shapiro.
• Greg Joyce (New York Post*): Sammy Sosa is gently pushing for Cubs forgiveness. “I believe that I will be there pretty soon,” Sosa told the Chicago Tribune.
• Cubs birthdays: Roger Bresnahan HOF, Claud Derrick, Charlie Hollocher, Frank Thomas, Jimmy Stewart, Jason Waddell,

Food for thought:

Thanks for reading!