Cub Tracks’ spring greens

The only pain as exquisite as that of the Cubs fan is pain au chocolat, which is even more delicious with cafe au lait. And hey, there’s goes the lede...

I remember when being a division title contender was a pipe dream, and the weed wasn’t even that good. Chicago window box, man. It has a short season, like the Cubs did in those days.

But then the Cubs’ organization led us to believe that their mostly homegrown team would be a well-managed perennial world title contender, the cream of the crop, and they’re not, but they did win a World Series and made the playoffs a few more times. So expectations have been adjusted upward. The weed is better these days, but it’s distributed by ‘the Man’. Some of the thrill is gone. It’s like when Jerry Rubin went Wall Street. Ironic.

Progress. Sometimes maybe it isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Put that in your pipe and smoke it.

Can I get you anything from the bakery?

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

• Marquee Sports Network: Cubs Weekly Podcast: Class is in Session with Doug Glanville [AUDIO].
• Matt Martell (Sports Illustrated*): Is the NL Central really the Cardinals’ to lose? “PECOTA projections are here to pour cold water on any hype St. Louis is feeling after the Nolan Arenado trade.”
• Lamond Pope (Chicago Tribune* {$}): The Chicago White Sox begin Cactus League play Feb. 28 and the Chicago Cubs on March 1 — and both will allow limited fans at spring home games. “Pitchers and catchers from both teams will report Wednesday, with the first full-squad workouts set for Feb. 22.”
• Patrick Mooney (The Athletic {$}): Why the Cubs deal is a ‘dream come true’ for Trevor Williams and his dad. “Richard grew up at 45th and Cicero on the South Side of Chicago, watched the Cubs on WGN and worked as an Andy Frain usher at Wrigley Field.”
• Tony Andracki (Marquee Sports Network*): Could Burl Carraway make an impact in Cubs bullpen in 2021? “The Cubs aren’t forecasting that just yet...”
• Maddie Lee (NBC Sports Chicago*): How Nico Hoerner can ‘grab hold’ of everyday role. “... he’s going to need to impress at the plate to do so.”
• Laura Messer (Cubs Insider*): Javier Báez serving food, community through growing restaurant chain in Puerto Rico. “... Báez and his brother-in-law, Minnesota Twins pitcher José Berríos, are preparing for life after baseball with an investment in a local business.”
• Ron Kantowski (Las Vegas Review-Journal* {$}): Kris Bryant all smiles despite uncertain future with Cubs. “... the World’s Friendliest Superstar positioned a protective screen between himself and home...”
• Tony Andracki (Marquee Sports Network*): Cubs believe big things are in store for prospect Christopher Morel. “The Cubs invited him to work out at the alternate site in South Bend last summer...”
• Jordan Bastian (MLB.com*): These are the best Illinois-born Cubs. “... only a select few in history have put on a Cubs or White Sox uniform as native sons.”
• Food for Thought:

Thanks for reading~!