Cub Tracks manages expectations

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.

The Cubs started off Hot Stove Season with fresh meat. Craig Counsell is the Cubs new manager. Some surprise! Counsell is a very good manager, probably better tactically than Ross, though I don’t know which has the superior people skills. In any event, change is upon us, and usually a strong appetizer like that means the Cubs are cooking up something really special.

Counsell is in the best shape of his life, tanned, rested, and ready to take the Cubs to the toppermost of the poppermost. Will he, with a willing and able assist from the front office? It remains to be seen.

For now, a chef’s kiss to the Cubs for their knife skills. Separating Counsell from the Brewers and installing him on the Cubs is certainly le mot juste, if not le berceau le plus méchant de tous.

“As always, we await developments.”

In other news, Jeremiah Estrada is a Padre, Jared Young a Cardinal. Brendon Little is a Blue Jay. Drew Smyly will be back, having exercised his option.

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• Todd Rosiak (Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel*): Craig Counsell is leaving the Brewers to become manager of rival Chicago Cubs. “Counsell finishes his Brewers tenure with three 90-win seasons to his credit...” James Neveau tells you all about Counsell.
• NBC Sports Chicago*: Brewers’ owner has 5-word response to Craig Counsell’s exit to Cubs. “are you messing with me?,” he said.
• Paul Sullivan (Chicago Tribune*): By replacing David Ross with Craig Counsell, Chicago Cubs President Jed Hoyer dips into Theo Epstein’s playbook. “Counsell bet on himself last winter when he opted against extension talks with the Brewers, and it paid off handsomely.” Brett Taylor has the story, courtesy of Sahadev Sharma {$}.
• Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney (The Athletic {$}): What we’re hearing about the Chicago Cubs ahead of the GM meetings. “... the options will become clearer this week during MLB’s general manager meetings in Arizona...”
• Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation*): I think the Chicago Cubs just announced that they will be extremely aggressive this offseason. “... the expectations for 2024 just ROCKETED up.”
• Tim Dierkes,Anthony Franco and Steve Adams (MLB Trade Rumors*): 2023-24 Top 50 Free Agents with predictions. “Cody Bellinger. Twelve years, $264MM.”
• Michael Cerami (Bleacher Nation*): Several MLB GMs say Cubs are “The Sleeper Pick” for Shohei Ohtani. “According to USA Today.”
• Evan Altman (Cubs Insider*): Cubs exercise 2024 Option on Yan Gomes. Kyle Hendricks, too.
• Jordan Bastian (MLB.com*): Swanson, Hoerner, Happ bring home Gold Glove hardware. “Swanson and Hoerner became the first middle-infield duo in the Cubs’ long, storied history to win Gold Gloves in the same season.” Maddie Lee has more.
• Jordan Bastian (MLB.com*): Bellinger gets qualifying offer from Cubs. “There’s no prediction of the future in anything,” Bellinger said at the end of the season.
• Bruce Levine (Audacy*): Cubs are working closely with mayor’s office to bring All-Star Game back to Wrigley Field. “Baseball has stepped up this time and asked the city of Chicago to support us,” Crane Kenney said.

Food for Thought:

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