Cub Tracks saddles up

#Cubs, #MLB, and #MiLB news, notes, and commentary, four days a week, rain or shine. Player movement, GM Meetings — the 2024-25 offseason is on the air.

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.

Stuff! Cody Bellinger opted in, and I have every reason to believe he’ll have a better 2025, minus some of the power-sapping injuries he had in 2024. A replay of 2023 would suit me fine, though I did expect a few more homers from him last year, so let’s pencil them in, too.

Bellinger is in a mood to gamble on himself again. Can’t blame him either way. You’re only as old as you feel.

Drew Smyly’s option was declined, and he is on his way to greener pastures, joining Kyle Hendricks and Jorge Lopez. And Anthony Rizzo, who was let go by the Yankees.

Quintin Berry says hello.

The Cubs look to be trying to find an edge to exploit, which is their usual thing. Also usual is failure to do so.

But… anything can happen. You know what to do about developments. Now let’s have some meetings.

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• Randy Holt (North Side Baseball*): Breaking down the MLB Trade Rumors candidates & how they fit on the Chicago Cubs. “We have merely the smallest sense of who could actually be moved.”
• Maddie Lee (Chicago Sun-Times*): MLB GM meetings: As Cubs offseason begins, star-power questions loom. “Baseball operations executives meet in San Antonio this week for GM meetings.”
• Andy Martinez (Marquee Sports Network*): Cubs decline option on lefty reliever. “… Drew Smyly will become a free agent.” Michael Cerami has more.
• Jordan Bastian (MLB.com*): Bellinger exercising option, returning to Cubs in 2025 (source). “Adding to the catching depth will be on the to-do list, but there is little flexibility elsewhere.” Andy Martinez has more. Meghan Montemurro reports. Sahadev Sharma finishes {$}.

Food for Thought:

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