Cub Tracks shouts it out

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, steeped in writers’ tears, and then cold-brewed overnight for maximum flavor.

Well, the mess the Cubs made of Willson Contreras’ contract negotiations was a complete PR disaster, and now he’s a stinkin’ Cardinal. I still love him, always will, but that’s pretty sucky. Yes, worse than Dexter. More like Santo with the Sox.

It reminds me of the time I was working in an east coast restaurant when we decided that we wanted to serenade the back-of-the-house manager, to the tune of the Isley Brothers’ SHOUT... with new lyrics supplied by me, on the spot.

“You make me want to sh**

Kick my heels up and

Throw my hands up

Throw my head back and

Come on now...”

I’m sure you get the idea. I’m impatient with the process right now. Lots of us are.

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• Tim Stebbins (NBC Sports Chicago*): Why Cubs may face tough path to hosting ASG in near future. “Manfred said they’re among the teams vying to host one of the upcoming games, along with the Red Sox.”
• Jordan Bastian (MLB.com*): Cubs off and running after busy Meetings. “We still have a lot more work to do,” Jed Hoyer said. Maddie Lee has some thoughts.
• Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation*): Chicago Cubs Business President Crane Kenney doesn’t exactly squash Cubs fan hopes for major spending. Makes one wonder what Kenney’s game is. Evan Altman touches down here.
• Sahadev Sharma (The Athletic {$}): Why Jameson Taillon was the Cubs’ top pitching target. “He’s a guy we’ve had our eye on for a long time,” team president Jed Hoyer said...
• Jordan Bastian (MLB.com*): How Cubs can move on from Contreras. “Listen, I wish him the best,” Hoyer said. Patrick Mooney has some Contreras {$}. Paul Sullivan does, too {$}.
• Willson Contreras (The Players’ Tribune*): Let’s do this, St. Louis! “This is truly going to be one of the great honors of my entire life.”
• Patrick Mooney (The Athletic {$}): Can the Cubs win the offseason without landing a star shortstop? “Because no one thinks this team is one player away from competing for a World Series title again.”
• Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation*): Carlos Correa’s ZiPS Projections for 2023 are out – he’s quite good. 5.6 WAR good.
• Evan Altman (Cubs Insider*): Dansby Swanson, Braves ‘haven’t had any legit negotiations’ since $100M offer during season. “... he wants someone to want him.” Neeeds someone to need him, would love them to love himmm... Altman has more Swanson, like a TV dinner.

Food for Thought:

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