Cub Tracks’ Chicago Blues

Welcome to today’s episode of Cub Tracks news and notes™. Here we have material from current beat writers, bloggers, and the occasional in-house habitué, moonlighting. These pieces center around #Cubs, #MiLB, and #MLB baseball.

So far the Cubs’ only news has been on the management side. Those pieces needed to be on the board before any actual movement began. Greg Brown, the hitting coach, hasn’t been confirmed yet, but most of the reporters seemed to think it was a fait accompli.

Free agency has begun. The CBA, however, is holding the floodgates hostage.

Get you some new bobbleheads.

You know how it goes. Cub Tracks will report such news as is available. In the meantime, enjoy these selections from Buddy Guy’s club:

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. In the text body. It doesn’t work in the headlines).

• Patrick Mooney and Sahadev Sharma (The Athletic*): It’s time to find out what ‘The Next Great Cubs Team’ really means. “To spur interest in this team, the Cubs are going to have to sell something other than fiscally responsible decisions.”
• Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation*): The annoyingly good reason for slow-playing this offseason if you’re the Cubs. “... changes to the draft pick compensation rules could REALLY impact how teams like the Cubs proceed.”
• Alexander Patt (Cubbies Crib*): Jed Hoyer is poaching talent from top-tier organizations. “While Chicago has failed at a number of recent reclamation or plug-in projects, other teams have been successful at it.”
• Mark Powell (Fansided*): Why the Cubs out-of-the-box hire for hitting coach might just work. “He has everything the Cubs would want in a hitting coach, assuming his skills translate to the major league level.”
• Ryan O’Rourke (Cubbies Crib*): Budget-conscious Oakland Athletics could be perfect trade partners. “With some of their pieces nearing free agency, now’s the time to pick up some cheap deals.”
• Gordon Wittenmyer (NBC Sports Chicago*): Joc Pederson to White Sox, Carlos Correa to Cubs? It’s Just Science. “Schwarbombs and Jagermeisters for Opening Day anyone?”
• Tim Boyle (Rising Apple*): 1 big threat to steal 2 Flushing free agents. “The Chicago Cubs are a team that could spoil many New York Mets rumors this winter.”
• Evan Altman (Cubs Insider*): AFL Pitcher of the Week Caleb Kilian implementing Spike Curve. “I’m also working on two new pitch grips,” Kilian told MLB.com’s Jim Callis. Kilian talks about it here.

Today in Cubs history:

• 1943 - Dick Selma is born.
• 1959 - Ernie Banks wins his second National League MVP Award in a row on the strength of his 45 home runs and 143 RBI for the Chicago Cubs. Eddie Mathews finishes second.
• 1967 - Eric Karros is born.
• 2016 - Five million fans turn out for the Cubs’ World Series victory parade in downtown Chicago, IL, 108 years in the making. The Chicago River is dyed in blue to celebrate the long-awaited title. But you knew that.

Food for thought:

Thanks for reading.