Cub Tracks captures the flag

#Cubs, #MLB, and #MiLB news, notes, and commentary, four days a week, rain or shine. Ohio State stole our ‘W’, the bastages. It’s not raining free agents yet. What’s up with that?

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. No artificial intelligences were deployed, employed, entranced, or embalmed in the commission of this missive (apparently I might be training some though). Cub Tracks eagerly awaits the advent of robotic umpires and has already amended the three laws. The going is weird. Cub Tracks turned pro a long time ago.

Cub Tracks. Where the great ones run away.

Once it rained for two million years. At each end of the epoch was a Cubs World Series. Or so it seems.

Today is the rostering deadline for the Rule 5 Draft, so we’ll know some things for sure by day’s end. Also Qualifying Offers have to be accepted or rejected, though no Cubs are involved there. This can get interesting, and we’ll have more coverage Thursday when Cub Tracks returns.

Vox/SBN doesn’t allow yet for Apple News readers to pick up Bluesky links, and sometimes they’re not available in other formats. In that case, as below, we’ll provide context.

*means autoplay on, (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 enabled real sarcasm font in the comments.

 

• Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation*): Chicago Cubs adding one of the most well-regarded pitching experts in baseball, Tyler Zombro. “… Zombro is roundly seen as a guy who has a long and bright future ahead of him in the game.”
• Jordan Bastian (MLB.com*): What do Cubs value most in free-agent pitchers? “The Cubs clearly value pounding the strike zone…”
• Jake Misener (Cubies Crib*): A key Cubs rival may have shot themselves in the foot with a qualifying offer move. “The Cincinnati Reds are now using up roughly 20% of their payroll on a swingman in his mid-30s.” Brett Taylor has more.
• Tony Andracki (Marquee Sports Network*): State of the Cubs: A new path at third base. “… the Cubs believe they have solidified third base for years to come.”
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• Rhea Jha (NBC Chicago*): Former Cubs player Kris Bryant’s Lamborghini stolen in luxury car hacking scheme. “Police determined, through an investigation, a transport company’s email system had been hacked, allowing the suspect to reroute Kris Bryant’s car to an unauthorized location.”
• Matthew Trueblood (North Side Baseball*): Ranking Cubs non-tender candidates, from most to least likely. “The team needs to create some space.”
• Randy Holt (North Side Baseball*): Cubs Arizona Fall League prospect wrap-up. “Several Cubs prospects finished a month-long autumn showcase last week in Arizona. Let’s put a wrap on things.”
• Evan Altman (Cubs Insider*): Pat Hughes, Ron Coomer have new multiyear deals with Cubs Radio. “As first reported by Sun-Times deputy sports editor/media columnist Jeff Agrest.”