Cub Tracks spills the beans

Here at CUB TRACKS NEWS AND NOTES™, we like to keep things brief on the principle that it makes us appear wise. Unless we feel a rant. But we don’t mind a little informing with the entertaining. We are short but sweet, like a honeybee in a scotch bonnet.

The editorial we cannot help but notice that the writing on the wall isn’t in Anthony Rizzo’s hand, and that #Cubs Twitter blew up as a result. I was gonna have a rant, but, seriously, I’ve long since become inured to the generalized malfeasance and codger financial planning of this Cubs mismanagement group and there ain’t a gamethreadword thing I can do about it. Putting more salt on doesn’t do anyone any good. But of course we will report events if and when they happen.

We also wish to recognize the distaff staff of BCB for moving up a step in the baseball scribe world. Congratulations are certainly due to Sara and Ashley for their fine work. Both of them put a lot of time into their baseball offerings and it’s good to see that work bearing fruit for them. We are privileged to share their light, and so are the readers at Fangraphs, now.

We would also like to say that you can throw coffee beans at us anytime. We particularly like the chocolate-covered ones. Let’s become a Legacy Coffee Partnership, shall we? You can name the gate whatever you want if you give me coffee.

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.)

• Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation*): Chicago Cubs Valuation grew 5% over the past year to over $3.3 Billion, according to Forbes. “... the Chicago Cubs rate as the fourth most valuable franchise behind the Yankees, Dodgers, and Red Sox.”
• Jordan Bastian (MLB.com*): Cubs enter ‘21 loaded with talent, questions. “After the twists and turns of the past year for everyone, not only those around baseball, this spring was a much-welcomed return to a sense of normalcy.”
• Paul Sullivan (Chicago Tribune* {$}): A surprise team or the beginning of the end? The Chicago Cubs are embarking on a season that could go in many different directions. “... for the first time since Year 3 of the rebuild in 2014, the Cubs enter a season without the usual preseason hype.”
• Meghan Montemurro (Chicago Tribune* {$}): How Adbert Alzolay gives the Chicago Cubs rotation a different look — and why the team is going against some starting pitching trends. “I love to see what makes each guy tick and what helps them stay in line or prepare for their next start,” Jake Arrieta said Sunday. Russell Dorsey reports on this.
• Jordan Bastian (MLB.com*): Arrieta, Alzolay provide snapshot of ‘21 Cubs. “Arrieta knows what it is like to be inside Wrigley Field for Opening Day.”
• Tony Andracki (Marquee Sports Network*): Willson Contreras might be the Cubs’ most important player in 2021. “He’s one of those guys that does a lot of things well,” Ross said.

• Evan Altman (Cubs Insider*): Significant gap in Anthony Rizzo offer as Cubs not close to extensions with Big 3. “... the South Florida native might be willing to play chicken with the threat of heading home to close out his career.” Ken Rosenthal and Patrick Mooney dig deeper {$}.
• Maddie Lee (NBC Sports Chicago*): David Bote’s patience pays off: ‘See how far you’ve come’. “It’s David’s turn,” Ross said Saturday.
• Russell Dorsey (Chicago Sun-Times*): Despite a steep learning curve in 2020, Cubs’ David Ross became one of MLB’s best skippers. “Ross had no blueprint for how to handle his first season as a major-league manager, but he quickly established himself in the Cubs’ dugout in a wild 2020 season.”
• Ronald Blum (Chicago Tribune* {$}): MLB will relax COVID-19 protocols when 85% of players and primary field staff are vaccinated. “Not many players have been vaccinated, according to MLB...”
• Jeff Agrest (Chicago Sun-Times* {$}): Len Kasper is once again living his dream. “Kasper is set to embark on a new challenge on White Sox radio after 16 seasons on Cubs TV.”

Food for Thought: