Cub Tracks’ if at first you don’t succeed, call Acme in the morning

Welcome to today’s edition of Cub Tracks news and notes™, a greatest-hits collection of Chicago-style beat writers and bloggers, ground from #Cubs, #MiLB, and #MLB baseball, overheated, and then cold-brewed overnight for maximum flavor.

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It looks like José Abreu is an Astro. So plan B is operative, whatever that is. Josh Bell? Trey Mancini? Tell us about your dark horses.

I’m starting to come around to Adam Duvall in center, and taking a flyer on Joey Gallo. I have no earthly idea why — it’s just that some inside part of me nodded when I saw those ideas OUT THERE.

Recognition/misdirection, like a tunnel painted on the wall, I think. That rocket could just as easily be a herring as a lemming.

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• Paul Sullivan (Chicago Tribune* {$}): Will Jed Hoyer finally put his stamp on the Chicago Cubs at the winter meetings? “He’s got a lot of flexibility, and we’ll let him do it,” Ricketts said of Hoyer.
• Meghan Montemurro (Chicago Tribune* {$}): Chicago Cubs hired a baseball scientist last month. Meet Mike Sonne — and see what he hopes to do for the team’s on-field performance. “His unique baseball journey brought him to the Chicago Cubs.”
• Jim Bowden (The Athletic {$}): MLB trade and free-agent matches: Solutions for each NL team’s most-pressing needs. “The Cubs are hoping to make a splash this offseason”
• Evan Altman (Cubs Insider*): Higher risk tolerance on pitching side could (should?) lead Cubs to Andrew Heaney. “... there’s a big difference between signing players just because they’re cheap and targeting players with huge upside who just happen to be cheap based on their health history.”
• MLB.com*: Cubs among teams with interest in Senga (report). “Feinsand said that there are three teams to watch in the Senga sweepstakes: the Giants, Rangers and Padres.”
• Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation*): I have many thoughts about the Cubs not landing Jose Abreu. “That’s what you get when you ask the baseball gods for ANY news.”
• Rylie Smith (FanSided*): Cubs Carlos Correa hopes looking grimmer by the day. “The Twins are expected to go full force to keep Correa around, as they should.”
• Bradford Doolittle (ESPN+ {$}): Where should Aaron Judge sign? Ranking all 30 MLB teams. Cubs #12 — “... it would be awfully fun to see what Judge could do on warm summer days with the wind blowing out at the Friendly Confines.”

Food for Thought:

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