Cub Tracks’ Sears mermaids and other stories

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.

It never rains but it pours, eh?

Cub Tracks apologizes in advance for anything too absurd or off-color in the contents of this listicle. I for one would like to voice a complaint as to the tenor of our times and would gladly sing the praises of anyone who can make it more harmonious, even though I am probably preaching to the choir. Hot off the front page:

It is an open question as to whether the players and owners are merely posing or whether intense bargaining is really taking place. For all I know they’re all in there downing margaritas and playing endless rounds of Donkey Kong, or placing bets on their fantasy teams based on leaks from Jon Heyman.

I know, my attitude sucks. I’m working on it. Really I am.

Jed Hoyer is selling his house. What does that mean?

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. The powers that be have provided sarcasm font in the comments.

• Jay Jaffe (Fangraphs*): More marathon CBA negotiations push back “real” deadline to play 162 games. “It’s possible that a deal could come Wednesday… or that the whole thing could fall apart, with more finger-pointing, and Manfred announcing the cancellation of more games.” More MLB lockout news from CBS sports.
• Evan Altman (Cubs Insider*): MLB has reportedly reached streaming deal with NBC for Monday, Wednesday games. “Not much is known about the specifics of the deal, but it could be non-exclusive just like the ESPN games were.”
• Jon Greenberg (The Athletic {$}): What’s the deal with CHGO Sports? Is it the next Athletic or Sports Podcastio?: Dollars and sense. “During the offseason/lockout/spring training, the podcast is doing five shows a week in the studio.”
• Matt Slater (The Athletic {$}): The financial reasons that Chelsea’s next owners are likely to be American. “The first is that years of low-interest rates have created a deep reservoir of dollars looking for a home.”
• Gordon Wittenmyer (NBC Sports Chicago*): Fans will still tune into baseball after lockout [VIDEO].
• Marc Severson (Cubbies Crib*): Some tips for Cubs fans as our baseball withdrawal continues. “First up: College baseball!”
• Ed Leiser (Sports Mockery*): Three ways the Chicago Cubs can be playoff contenders in 2022. “1. Kyle Hendricks and Marcus Stroman prove to be a formidable 1-2 punch.”
• Maddie Lee (Chicago Sun-Times* {$}): Waiting game: How Cubs players are preparing for uncertain spring-training start. “The Cubs are well-represented at the Arizona facilities the MLBPA reserved for players during the lockout this spring.”
• Meghan Montemurro (Chicago Tribune* {$}): Kyle Hendricks — throwing in Arizona — is ‘super pumped’ about a revamped Chicago Cubs rotation setting the tone. “The game just needs to be on the field, you need to be seen, and you need to be playing in front of the fans,” he said.
• Maddie Lee (Chicago Sun-Times* {$}): ‘Not going to stop me’: Cubs’ Brad Wieck ready for spring training months after heart surgery. “Six months ago, Wieck underwent heart surgery for atrial fibrillation, but on Tuesday, he said, “everything feels great.””
• Sahadev Sharma (The Athletic {$}): Cubs backfield notes: Defensive adjustments and a trio of center fielders. “With all the plaudits being delivered over the last few weeks of access to Cubs prospect camp, one has to remember just how far many of these players are from making a big-league impact.”
• Meghan Montemurro (Chicago Tribune* {$}): Chicago Cubs’ Patrick Wisdom and Nico Hoerner getting in work at the MLBPA facility in Arizona: ‘It’s just such a luxury’. “Bell Bank Park is available for players on 40-man rosters.”
• Lance Brozdowski (Marquee Sports Network*): Pete Crow-Armstrong’s new stance creates offensive upside for 2022. “We put in two months of really good work,” Crow-Armstrong said, “And I really like where I’m at right now.”
• Michael Cerami (Bleacher Nation*): The best left-handed pitching prospects in baseball … would you believe me if I said the Cubs were all over the list? “The first Cub on the list is Brailyn Márquez, who came it at No. 11...”
• Lance Brozdowski (Marquee Sports Network*): How pitching prospect Jordan Wicks has refined his arsenal with Cubs. “Armed with four pitches and multiple modifications, Wicks enters 2022 with the expectation that he’ll quickly move through the Cubs system given his ample experience in the Big 12 conference.”
• Jordan Bastian (MLB.com*): ‘Michael Jordan-type stuff’: Triantos brings championship pedigree to Cubs camp. “It was just, he’s a special talent,” Dan Kantrovitz said.

Cubs birthdays: Dad Lytle, Gene DeMontreville, Bill Heath, Joe Campbell, Darcy Fast, Donnie Murphy.

Food for Thought:

Thanks for reading. Cub Tracks and Bleed Cubbie Blue do not necessarily endorse the opinions of writers whose work is linked in this series of articles. We try to present a balanced view, and let the facts speak for themselves.