Cub Tracks’ big empty

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.

Rob Hates Baseball. That’s what the bumper sticker says. Really, it seems like Rob is indifferent to baseball, and loves the law. But that’s hard to put on a sticker. So, I opt for the tvtropes version.

Most players really aren’t millionaires, you know. Owners are all billionaires, and have all the advantages, according to most ‘authorities.’ And so favoring one side or the other splits along political lines, which we shan’t get into here. If you’re pro-union, the players have your favor. If you’re not, they don’t. This probably isn’t news... which is, as usual, below.

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.

Cubs Fans,

Major League Baseball has yet to reach a new collective bargaining agreement with the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA).

Since it is important to have four weeks of Spring Training for players to safely prepare for the season, Opening Day of the 2022 MLB season, previously scheduled for March 31, is being delayed. The first two series have been removed from the schedule. Additionally, MLB has notified all clubs that Spring Training would not begin sooner than March 12.

MLB is committed to finding common ground with the MLBPA to reach an agreement that avoids further harm to the 2022 season and strengthens and grows the game we all love. We will continue to provide you with updates as developments occur. In the meantime, please visit www.mlb.com/update.

Thank you for your continued patience and support.

Sincerely,

The Chicago Cubs

• Rob Manfred (MLB.com*): A letter to baseball fans. ”So far, we have failed to achieve our mutual goal of a fair deal.”
• Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation*): Cubs players react to MLB’s decision to cancel games.
• El Telegraph*: MLB lockout only reinforces a certain ugliness about the game. “It won’t kill baseball — because the players always save it — but it has made it a little less attractive, watching it a little less given.”
• Gordon Wittenmyer (NBC Sports Chicago*): Colossal self-own by a tone-deaf commish. “Players and fans around the world who love baseball are disgusted, but sadly not surprised,” baseball’s players union said in statement Tuesday.” Maddie Lee chimes in.
• Rick Telander (Chicago Sun-Times* {$}): Baseball just can’t seem to get out of its own way. “Baseball has a career stupidity gene, and some kind of intervention from outside forces seems to be the only thing that can save it from its Darwinian self-extinction march.”
• Jeff Passan (ESPN*): ‘They need to stop treating us like we’re idiots’: How MLB can salvage this season. “The core goal in these negotiations is to increase competition.”
• Jermont Terry (CBS Chicago*): Bars, other businesses say lockout, delay of Major League Baseball season is bad news for their bottom line. “Now, they are watching and hoping the MLB lockout doesn’t last even longer.”
• Logan Whaley (Cubbies Crib*): Intentional development provides opportunity to young prospects. “There has been a shift in the way the forefront of Cubs baseball is operating moving into the 2022 regular season...”
• Jordan Bastian (MLB.com*): Southpaw Wicks delves into four-pitch arsenal at Minors camp. “I feel like I’m loaded up, weapon-wise,” Wicks said. “Different than I ever have been.”
• Meghan Montemurro (Chicago Tribune* {$}): 5 Chicago Cubs prospects, 1 adjustment each: Breaking down the tweaks some of the organization’s top young hitters made this offseason. “Since the 2021 season ended, every player has focused on some area of his game to improve.”
• Jake Misener (Cubbies Crib*): These Cubs prospects have more promise than we’ve seen in years. “The group ramping up for this season, meanwhile, showcases a ton of high-ceiling, high-risk talents...”
• Meghan Montemurro (Chicago Tribune* {$}): An unexpected Chicago Cubs connection: How a phone call from Kyle Schwarber has helped 19-year-old prospect James Triantos. “Schwarber’s kindness in helping a young player with just 25 games of professional experience wasn’t lost on Triantos, who called Schwarber a really nice, down-to-earth guy.”
• David O’Brien (The Athletic {$}): Broadcasters of today on the MLB broadcasts of tomorrow: Applying analytics, integrating betting content and more. “Drive by a sandlot today, and you rarely see kids out playing baseball.”

Cubs birthdays: Art Bues, Joe Jaeger. Also notable: John Ward HOF, Willie Keeler HOF.

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.