Cub Tracks’ bumbles and beeswax

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

Cubs legend Jon Lester appeared against the Cubs Saturday, in the park. Cubs legend and Hall-of-Famer Ryne Sandberg was in the booth with JD and the irrepressible Boog, who actually did get off a good story about Molina and Happ and the bee.

Adrian Sampson was on the mound opposing Lester. Honestly, he was the better of the two, and the Cubs were even looking decent and professional in this latest edition of the extended dress rehearsal, but a double TOOTBLAN brought down the curtain, and frankly, I’m ready to have the pleasantly plump prima donna vocalize. I understand she’s warming up.

Sampson is probably going to get get a look in Spring Training. I suspect his future (if he sticks is swingman). He’ll have plenty of company, even some kids his age to play with.

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• Jared Wyllys (Chicago Sun-Times* {$}): Why hasn’t Cubs ace Kyle Hendricks been his usual self this season? “Pitching coach Tommy Hottovy said he thinks Hendricks’ struggles mostly have come down to two things.”
• Jordan Bastian (MLB.com*): Adrian Sampson impresses again in 2022 audition. “You need those glue type of guys,” Cubs pitching coach Tommy Hottovy said.
• Tommy Birch (Des Moines Register* {$}): Iowa Cubs pitcher Matt Swarmer stayed sharp in 2020 facing hitters in an adult wood-bat league. “I think I gave up like one hit on a dribbler but that was about it,” Swarmer said.
• Jake Misener (Cubbies Crib*): Chicago Cubs will either extend or trade Willson Contreras this offseason. “... there are few alternatives when it comes to the catching market this winter.”
• Jordan Bastian (MLB.com*): These 3 Cubs ‘have proven who they are’. “The only certainty right now is the fact that players like Wisdom, Schwindel and Ortega have played their way into the conversation for ‘22.”
• Tim Stebbins (NBC Sports Chicago*): How Brennen Davis put himself in Cubs’ plans for 2022. “I think he’s already accelerated his timeline this year,” Cubs president Jed Hoyer said.
• Paul Sullivan (Chicago Tribune* {$}): The Chicago Cubs held a sell-off at the trade deadline while the St. Louis Cardinals were buyers. What if the North Siders went the way of their archrivals? “The Rickettses are unlikely to give Hoyer the go-ahead to go on a big spending spree, though Hoyer said he would be “really active” in free agency.”
• Tim Stebbins (NBC Sports Chicago*): Cubs, Cardinals take divergent paths after All-Star Break. “We were in completely different places,” Jed Hoyer said of the trade deadline.
• Gordon Wittenmyer (NBC Sports Chicago*): Former Cub Javy Báez seeks next Bryzzo with Mets, Francisco Lindor. “I think me and Lindor are closer than KB and Rizzo,” Báez said.
• Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation*): MLB is reportedly experimenting with pre-tacked baseballs at Triple-A. “... it seems MLB is finally taking an affirmative step toward changing the surface of its sometimes-too-slick ball.”

Food for Thought: