Cub Tracks meets the enemy?

Here at CUB TRACKS NEWS AND NOTES™, we have news for you.

Expectations, you know? Walt Kelly might have had had it right, all those years ago. The Cubs were supposed to become one of THOSE organizations, like the Dodgers or the dad-gummit Cardinals, who are almost always in the hunt, always coming up with new players or the one crucial free agent. And I’m not seeing it. I think they tried, and failed, but in the process, they created expectations...

That could possibly never have been met. But that’s the nature of the hype train. And why Friday’s dip seems like so much of an abyss.

Anyway the post-fire sale Cubs and Nationals played Saturday night, with Kyle Hendricks on the hill versus Joe Ross. Ross blinked first. Professor looked good throwing his 16th QS of the season.

That particular group made a lot of hard contact. Jason Heyward even got into the act. Alcantara and Romine will be excellent bench pieces should there be a 2022 season, subbing for/spelling Hoerner and Madrigal, presumably, as the Cubs morph into the kind of team that David Ross has professed that he prefers, that can do situational hitting and rely on sound fundamentals.

We’ll see how that flies for the rest of the year. They’ll still need people that can swat those flies though. Patrick Wisdom and David Bote are not the whole answer. The old guys that went away are raking, I’m both sad and happy to say. But I kind of expected that. Rizzo is on an historical tear.

Rex Brothers didn’t look quite as good as Hendricks. But things didn’t get completely out of hand, due to the work of Codi Heuer. Kyle Ryan came on for the save. The new Cubs are 1-1 and play again today. Al will have details of the game in his recap.

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• Marquee Sports Network*: Jed Hoyer remarks.
• Meghan Montemurro (Chicago Tribune* {$}): After the Chicago Cubs trade one-third of their opening-day roster, the offseason will be a true indicator of their retooling status. ‘We have raised the expectations of what people want in this city,’ says Jed Hoyer. “The decisions that we have to make in this game sometimes are really difficult,” Hoyer said.
• Patrick Mooney (The Athletic {$}): Long before trade deadline, Cubs president Jed Hoyer had seen enough: ‘There was no reason to go halfway’. “...you don’t let a crisis go to waste.”
• Matt Snyder (CBS Sports*): Cubs say gut-wrenching goodbye to fan favorites as best era in franchise history officially comes to an end. “... the emotional attachment fans feel to players doesn’t have anything to do with logic.”
• Alex Kirshner (Slate*): The Chicago Cubs are a baseball travesty. “If you know anything about the Cubs and their owner, it was inevitable that it was going to end this way.”
• Evan Altman (Cubs Insider*): First impression of deadline moves has Cubs taking all-filler, no-killer approach with hitters. “... the reformation of the middle of the field represents a major departure from the past.”
• Tim Stebbins (NBC Sports Chicago*): How Cubs’ selloff impacts Ross’ managing. “I’m hoping we’re a better team at the end of the year than the group that we are today.” Arrieta wants in, too.
• Gordon Wittenmyer (NBC Sports Chicago*): Change of heart? Contreras ‘would love to’ lead rebuild. “I’m not thinking about getting moved or getting traded,” he said.
• Jim Callis (Marquee Sports Network*): Talks about new prospects [VIDEO].
• Todd Johnson (Cubs Insider*): Ranking 10 new prospects Cubs acquired during deadline fire sale. “...these guys are now part of the organization.”
• Tommy Birch (Des Moines Register* {$}): Outfielder Greg Deichmann, highly regarded Triple-A prospect, excited after trade to Iowa Cubs. “I’m looking forward to getting back there (to Wrigley) and making it a permanent part of my career,” Deichmann said.

Food for Thought:

I’m for a no-day work week. Thanks for reading.