Cub Tracks reallocates that money

Welcome to today’s episode 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.

Rumors continue swirling. The Cubs will shortly sign EVERY FREE AGENT, no need to worry. The Cubs will have a different DH every game, and each will make a cool million per at-bat. It’s a whole new world!

Hoho, I want what I’m smoking!

Let’s move on, shall we?

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• Meghan Montemurro (Chicago Tribune* {$}): How Craig Breslow’s 5 years with the Chicago Cubs prepared him to take over the Boston Red Sox: ‘He left us in really good shape’. “The truth is, honestly, Bres is probably not going to take one person to replace all of the things that he was doing,” Hoyer said, “so we’ll probably look for a multiprong approach to replace him.”
• Rich Eberwein (Cubbies Crib*): The Chicago Cubs just sent the Milwaukee Brewers into a rebuild. “... the Brewers may be heading toward a rebuild with the team reportedly willing to trade any player...”
• Paul Sullivan and Kori Rumore (Chicago Tribune* {$}): First words of Chicago Cubs managers, from World Series aspirations to needing to be ‘crazy’ — but not going ‘cuckoo’. “Major League Baseball has 29 managerial jobs — then there’s the Chicago Cubs.”
• Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation*): Further indication that the Cubs and Marcus Stroman won’t be reuniting this offseason. “Patrick Mooney of The Athletic sums it up...Jed Hoyer’s baseball operations group can reallocate that money and go in a different direction.”
• Maddie Lee (Chicago Sun-Times*): GM meetings: How Cubs are approaching pitching market. “Regardless of whether the Cubs land a top free-agent starter this winter, the development of their young starters will shape their depth and trajectory beyond this season.”
• Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation*): Padres may not have “Much of a Choice” in trading Juan Soto, Cubs are name-checked (UPDATE: 100% Will Be Traded). “Buster Olney says it...”
• Evan Altman (Cubs Insider*): Rambling notes: Craig Counsell spoke with David Ross, AJ Preller hasn’t heard from Jed Hoyer, Matt Mervis in limbo. “... the Cubs are as stealthy as any team in baseball when it comes to hiding their moves from the public eye.”
• Gerard Gilberto (MLB.com*): Here are the Cubs’ 2023 Organization All-Stars. “Overall record: 348-357 (16th among MLB organizations)”

Food for Thought:

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