Cub Tracks’ it takes Tom to tango

Here at CUB TRACKS NEWS AND NOTES™, we have news for you. The Cubs and Rockies played a baseball game Tuesday night. I watched, all the way to the end. I did yesterday, too. Leopold von Sacher-Masoch and Tom Lehrer are likely proud of me.

But then, I’m an old-school Cubs fan and I’m inured to this abuse.

This game was at least better than Tuesday’s, as the Cubs reversed the recent trend of losing one-run games. All of the runs scored early, with the Rockies plating theirs in the bottom of the first. Alec Mills had another quality start, with three DPs thrown. The bullpen held. I could actually go for a few more like that.

Al has details in his recap. Also, Sahadev Sharma tweeted that Boog Sciambi will be back Friday, if you’re into pain, too.

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The issue isn’t simply that the franchise mainstays couldn’t get it done or that Tom Ricketts is cheap... Evan Altman.

Justin Steele Stats as a starter: 20.2 IP, 11 H, 2 ER, 0.87 ERA, 29 K’s

• Jeff Passan (ESPN+ {$}): Inside one of the wildest trade deadlines in MLB history — and where season goes from here. “That second title never came, and neither did the almost inevitable contract extensions that would have accompanied it...”
• Mike McGraw (Daily Herald* {$}): Ricketts promises quick Cubs turnaround, but can he deliver? “... competing right away means pursuing some high-level free agents, whether they’re ex-Cubs or otherwise.”
• Steve Greenberg (Chicago Sun-Times* {$}): Tanks for the empty platitudes, Tom Ricketts, but this Cubs rebuild is far from a sure thing. “Ownership and management will be held to the fire like never before if this one stalls, let alone fails.”
• Russell Dorsey (Chicago Sun-Times* {$}): How long will it take to build the next Cubs contender? “Cubs president Jed Hoyer doesn’t believe the Cubs rebuild will be the long process their first was. There’s precedent to back that up.”
• Meghan Montemurro (Chicago Tribune* {$}): Jed Hoyer is still plotting the Chicago Cubs’ offseason course — but he expects them to be competitive soon: ‘This isn’t a 2012, 2013 situation. This isn’t a long rebuild.’ “I think I said this other day: The legacy of this group, ultimately, is that we change the expectations here.” Maddie Lee adds on. Evan Altman has thoughts.
• Jordan Bastian (MLB.com*): Hoyer: ‘No soap opera’ with traded Cubs. “I think it can all speak for itself that there’s a common denominator that no one signed,” said Anthony Rizzo.
• Patrick Mooney and Sahadev Sharma (The Athletic {$}): Scouting the Cubs’ new prospects from their trade deadline sell-off: ‘I’m excited about what’s in store’. “It sounds like a lot of really good pieces in return for some horses,” Ross said.
• Tony Andracki (Marquee Sports Network*): Where trade deadline acquisitions fit in Cubs farm system. “... the rundown of where the new players are ranked within the system...”
• Tony Gill (NBC Sports Chicago*): Cubs Talk Podcast: Breaking down trade deadline acquisitions. Features former exec Kevin Goldstein.
• Maddie Lee (NBC Sports Chicago*): Justin Steele to start for Iowa Wednesday, then ‘we’ll see’. “Now, the Cubs just have to figure out where to slot in Steele and Keegan Thompson.”
• Greg Huss (Cubs Insider*): Alfonso Rivas playing like he wants to fill Anthony Rizzo-Sized gap in lineup. “He has the goods to be a starting-caliber player in the majors at first base, albeit in an unconventional way.”
• Tommy Birch (Des Moines Register* {$}): ‘A special place in my heart’: I-Cubs fan-favorite Taylor Davis returns to Principal Park.

Food for thought:

Thanks for reading.