Today’s Reflections
Good morning, everyone.
Monday night withstanding, as Cleveland threw a hodge-podge of relievers at the Devil Rays, just think if the Cleveland pitching and Cubs defense got together. Messy defense at key times, Cleveland. Good try, though. I’ll cheer for you if I can again next year.
I’ll just sit back and watch a relaxing World Series*.
*(Subject to sudden changes. This page is not responsible for erratic WS thoughts)
I appreciate your reading.
*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.
Free Agency for Executives and Players:
- Evan Altman (Cubs Insider): Cubs Hire Steve Miller as New VP of International Scouting. “Some people call him the space cowboy; some call him the gangster of love.”
- Jordan Campbell (Cubbies Crib): Cubs can’t ignore one major Michael Soroka red flag if they consider an offseason reunion. “Not this again.”
- Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation): Japanese Slugger Teruaki Sato is Officially Being Posted. “In a market thin in impact bats – ironically, Seiya Suzuki is probably right there at the top in this very same class – Teruaki Sato will find plenty of bidders out there.”
- Doug Schwamb (Chicago Cubs On SI): 4 Trade Targets the Chicago Cubs Have to Keep an Eye On This Offseason. “There are plenty of names to trade for this off-season. Here are some players the Chicago Cubs can consider.”
Pitching Stories:
- Randy Holt (North Side Baseball): Did Ryan Rolison Do Enough for a Higher-Leverage Look in 2027? “As injuries mounted in the Cubs’ 2026 bullpen, Ryan Rolison took on an increased role. Did he do enough to not only make it permanent, but become even more important in 2027?”
- Jordan Campbell (Cubbies Crib): When can Cubs fans realistically expect Cade Horton to return in 2027? “Is Cade Horton going to pitch next year?”
- Paul Niemiec (North Side Sports): Edward Cabrera’s Rocky Debut Season Leaves Cubs With More Questions Than Answers. “
Hitting and Minor League Stories:
- Michael Cerami (Bleacher Nation): Michael Busch Had a Disappointing Season — Here’s What I Think Happened. “Busch will probably be around for a while. And that makes me want to talk about his performance in 2026, because for the most part … it was very disappointing.”
- Sam Caulder (North Side Baseball): Why Josiah Hartshorn is Now Cubs’ Top Prospect, and What He Still Needs to Work On. “Josiah Hartshorn’s first full season in professional baseball deserves another look. After a dominant 2026 season, he’s gone from a mid-round draft pick to the organization’s top prospect, with an exciting future ahead.”
Other Stories:
- Paul Sullivan (Chicago Tribune {$}): Column: Milwaukee Brewers making World Series is unfortunate for Chicago Cubs — but great for baseball fans. “The Milwaukee Brewers in the World Series is an unfortunate turn of events for almost everyone except real baseball fans.”
- Jake Misener (Cubbies Crib): Former Cubs manager David Ross faces another offseason of being overlooked. “Ross may need to re-think the options he’s open to if he wants to return to the dugout.”
Food For Thought:
Robert Petway (born c. 1903, date of death unknown) was an American blues singer and guitarist. He recorded only 16 songs, but it has been said that he was an influence on many notable blues and rock musicians, including John Lee Hooker, Muddy Waters, and Jimi Hendrix. There is only one known picture of Petway, a publicity photo from 1941. Like many bluesmen from the Mississippi Delta, Petway traveled as a musician, playing at parties, roadhouses, and other venues. Petway and Tommy McClennan often travelled and performed together. After McClennan had been in Chicago for a few years, Petway travelled north to join him and cut records, as did Georgia’s Frank Edwards, who had met them in Mississippi.
Petway recorded the song “Catfish Blues” in 1941. Among many other musicians who played variations of the song, Muddy Waters used the arrangement and lyrics of “Catfish Blues” for his song “Rollin’ Stone” (the song from which the Rolling Stones took their name). The composition credit given to Petway is based entirely on the recording date of his version of the song, but it cannot establish that his version was the original and the source of later versions. There is no record, official or unofficial, of Petway’s death. The last record of his public life is a quote from Honeyboy Edwards: “nobody I know heard what become of him.” In his autobiography, Edwards stated that he had heard that Petway may have moved to Chicago, where Edwards himself lived, but that he never met him there.
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