Cub Tracks chases random phantoms

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.

Well, Al put it in a nutshell. I’ll just add this — new or no news, we will all be working our BCB butts off to continue the current high standard of site content. Well, except for me. I’ll be doing this

laughs

As if.

But in the spirit of the impending Yuletide season, I’ll be tying bows on everything and singing “Deck the Halls” to the tune of War Pigs. Don’t run away!

That may be taken as a metaphor for the whole shebang, at least for the next two days, until I come up with another one.

Maybe we can dig into MLB using two different balls in 2021, if we need a story. Cub Tracks first reported on this December 2, with a story from Audacy.

Imagine my surprise that it’s getting buried. Brett Taylor and Evan Altman provide additional wisdom on the current contretemps, and we have some armchair general-managing and more Buck O’Neil content. Read all about it!

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). #IStandWithThePlayers

• Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation*): Revising our understanding of permissible transactions during the lockout. I get by with a little help from old friends.
• Evan Altman (Cubs Insider*): MLB provided Union list of non-negotiable topics that includes arb expansion, earlier FA status, additional service time accumulation. “... we haven’t drawn any lines in the sand on anything,” said Bruce Meyer. Jayson Stark has thoughts {$}.
• Meghan Montemurro (Chicago Tribune* {$}): After signing Marcus Stroman, the Chicago Cubs still have ‘a number of holes to fill.’ Here’s what else they need to do this offseason. “Evaluating the Cubs will ultimately require looking at the entire picture.” Keith Law has thoughts {$}. Brett Taylor has words about his thoughts.
• Jaclyn Hendricks (NY Post*): Clint Frazier’s fiancée Kaylee models Cubs cap after his signing. “...Kaylee Gambadoro models a Cubs cap on her Instagram story...”
• Noah Yingling (Call to the Pen*): Chicago Cubs, Washington Nationals “dark horse” candidates for Carlos Correa. “...per MLB.com.”
• Thomas Erbe (Fansided*): Why MLB lockout could actually aid a Kris Bryant reunion. “A player of Bryant’s caliber is not going to wait long after the lockout...”
• Jake Misener (Cubbies Crib*): Kyle Schwarber’s demands align with what the Cubs are looking for. “Schwarber is said to be seeking a three-year, $60 million deal.”
• Alec Lewis (The Athletic {$}): Buck O’Neil’s long-awaited Cooperstown selection unleashes jubilation, champagne at Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. “These were the folks who did not expect this opportunity to come again.” Tim Stebbins has words.

Today in Cubs and MLB history:

• 1887 - The Arbitration Committee meets and grants reserve rights to minor league clubs for the first time. In the most prominent contract dispute‚ prospect Bug Holliday signs with minor league Des Moines‚ despite the claims by major league St. Louis.
• 1939 - Lou Gehrig‚ age 36‚ is unanimously elected to Baseball’s Hall of Fame‚ the sole choice this year. The five-year waiting period is waived for the “Iron Horse.”
• 1966 - The Cubs trade P Dick Ellsworth to the Phils for P Ray Culp and cash.
• 1983 - In a complicated three-team swap‚ pitcher Scott Sanderson is traded from the Expos to the Cubs. Montreal receives pitcher Gary Lucas from San Diego‚ and the Padres get P Craig Lefferts‚ 1B-OF Carmelo Martinez and 3B Fritzie Connally from Chicago, and IF Al Newman from Montreal.
• 1998 - The Cubs sign two free agents, 3B Gary Gaetti and OF Glenallen Hill.
• 2016 - The Royals trade closer Wade Davis to the Cubs in return for OF Jorge Soler.
• 2017 - The Cubs sign free agent P Tyler Chatwood to a three-year deal worth $38 million.

(All of the above and below are from bb-ref)

Cubs birthdays: Ed Morris, Don Johnson, Jorge Comellas, Mark Freeman, Don Cardwell, Scot Thompson, Ryan Theriot, Mike Baxter, Kyle Hendricks. Also notable: Johnny Bench HOF.

Food for Thought:

Thanks for reading.