Until further notice, Cub Tracks believes that every Cub is on the trading block and that most media figures are only perpetuating narrative. This to me is the sanest take. Call me crazy if you like.
That doesn’t mean that silly trades will be posted here, unless they are really funny. But there don’t seem to be any sacred cows in this mad dash for a positive bottom line. People once thought untouchable have found greener pastures, others have been put out to pasture, and the warm fuzzies of 2016 have a distinct smell of paraffin to them, as if they had been pried off the flame-curious with teeny tweezers — perhaps the small immature sons of the tweezers used to acquire the gophers’ nuts thrown by the pitching staff of the simCubs in the playoff series against the simDodgers.
Baseball ceased to be an escape from the real world some time ago. On that cheery note, welcome to the Sunday edition of Cub Tracks News and Notes, your every-other-day-except-on-weekends escape from the humdrum. 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.)
What they said:
Kyle Schwarber: "I don't ever think a change of scenery is bad."
— Jesse Rogers (@JesseRogersESPN) January 9, 2021
Schwarber on the Nats: "This was my No.1 place on my list to be."
— Jesse Rogers (@JesseRogersESPN) January 9, 2021
Mentioned he heard from the Yankees among other teams
The disdain that the Cubs ownership group has for Cubs fans in just insane
— FullCountTommy (@FullCountTommy) January 9, 2021
One added aspect to Schwarber's deal with the Nats: It includes an $11 million mutual option for 2022 or a $3 million buyout, per sources. The previously reported $10 million guarantee includes that buyout, so his 2021 salary technically is $7 million.
— Mark Zuckerman (@MarkZuckerman) January 9, 2021
Schwarber said he has no hard feelings about how his time in Chicago ended. Said he will always cherish 2016. As for DC, will play as if it’s more than a one-year deal. Embracing the new environment.
— Britt Ghiroli (@Britt_Ghiroli) January 9, 2021
— Sara Sanchez (@BCB_Sara) January 9, 2021
Cubs continue to listen to offers for Kris Bryant and Willson Contreras. Angels make sense as possibility for Contreras due to Joe Maddon link as @Ken_Rosenthal said. Nothing more concrete known yet.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) January 9, 2021
What they wrote:
- Patrick Mooney (The Athletic {$}): When will the Cubs spend big on free agents again? “their time horizon is not our time horizon”
- Mark Gonzales (Chicago Tribune* {$}): Chicago Cubs Q&A: Can they still win the NL Central? What will they do with the $59 million in savings from the Yu Darvish trade? And can new announcer Jon Sciambi pitch? “... he indicated he was a catcher in high school but failed to make the team at Boston College.”
- Jordan Bastian (MLB.com*): Here’s why Cubs think new rotation can work. “We’ve had a lot of success with pitchers that can throw a bunch of pitches for strikes, can really control bat speed,” Jed Hoyer said.
- Michael Cerami (Bleacher Nation*): Are the Phillies thinking Willson Contreras is the “Best Plan B” if they don’t re-sign J.T. Realmuto? “Dave Dombrowski is legitimately a mad man when it comes to transactions.”
- Tim Stebbins (NBC Sports Chicago*): Cubs could trade Kris Bryant ‘as soon as this weekend’. “Andy Martino said other teams are pursuing him more aggressively than the Mets.” Evan Altman equivocates.
- Moshe Wilensky (Cubs Insider*): Early results comparing free agent deals to crowdsourced predictions. “... the masses have been right on the money so far.”
Food for thought:
Oh yeah, and they sent them to space, too. https://t.co/qypx3oyHRr
— Futurism (@futurism) January 9, 2021
Ice Age hunters’ excess meat may have spurred the rise of dogs.https://t.co/YFoXI45Q8R
— Science News (@ScienceNews) January 8, 2021
"This treatment is for those who have failed every other treatment." https://t.co/DLOF5lvYvC
— Futurism (@futurism) January 9, 2021
Thanks for reading!