Cub Tracks extends a hand

Welcome to today’s edition 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, and then cold-brewed overnight for maximum flavor.

Matt Mervis continues to do the Monster Mash. Brennen Davis buries the critics. The Cubs are clearly getting ready for Halloween. Sadly, Frank Schwindel turned into a pumpkin and several other ghosts haunted the roster during the regular season.

The specter of 2022 will hang over every 2023 decision. Let’s hope the Cubs aren’t short-sheeted.

* means autoplay on, or annoying ads, or both (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 sarcasm font in the comments.

• Jordan Bastian (MLB.com*): What did we learn about the Cubs in ‘22 and what’s next? “Over the season’s final 71 games, Chicago was one of nine teams to win at least 40 games.” The other 8 made the playoffs.
• Evan Altman (Cubs Insider*): Jed Hoyer’s quest for more blowouts must include more than just big names. “We definitely need to continue to add offensively. We didn’t have enough power this year,” Hoyer said.
• Aldo Soto (Sports Mockery*): 6 Players the Cubs will most likely non-tender. Out of 10 arbitration cases. Ian Happ, Nico Hoerner, Nick Madrigal and Codi Heuer are likely to be back.
• Andy Martinez (Marquee Sports Network*): Evaluating a potential fit on 2023 Cubs pitching staff for Drew Smyly, Wade Miley. “There’s no finish line when it comes to adding guys that can make starts in the big leagues,” Jed Hoyer said.
• Logan Whaley (Cubbies Crib*): Drew Smyly represents perfect low-cost option in 2023. “... there seems to be a higher likelihood Smyly would return to Chicago on a new contract rather than coming back via the mutual option.”
• Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation*): Now we know just how much this year’s qualifying offer will be worth. “Joel Sherman reports that it comes in at $19.65 million.”
• Tony Andracki (Marquee Sports Network*): State of the Cubs: Where roster stands at catcher entering crucial offseason. “This position all comes down to the Willson Contreras situation.”
• Gordon Wittenmyer (NBC Sports Chicago*): Unconventional Wisdom vs. Matt Mervis for Cubs 1B opening? “Wisdom might be the best in-house option already on the roster.”
• Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation*): Nico Hoerner is “expected” to be extended by the Cubs this offseason? “It’s just sensible.”
• Tim Stebbins (NBC Sports Chicago*): Why spring training arrives early for Cubs’ Mervis, Davis. “So far, so good.” Mervis has three dingers in the AFL.
• Tim Stebbins (NBC Sports Chicago*): Ian Happ on clock for extension after ‘remarkable step forward. “I’d say that we’ve taken the first steps,” Cubs president Jed Hoyer said.
• Ryan O’Rourke (Cubbies Crib*): Cubs face a difficult roster decision with Franmil Reyes. “Reyes still has two years of control left and, so far, 2022 is the only truly down year of his career.”
• Evan Altman (Cubs Insider*): Yankees reportedly view Cubs among competition for Aaron Judge. “Jon Heyman writes that the Yankees see the Giants as their main competition, with the Dodgers and Cubs possibly lurking in the wings.”
• Patrick Mooney and Sahadev Sharma (The Athletic {$}): How the Cubs view their prospects at the beginning of a pivotal offseason. “The prospects are nice,” David Ross said. “But they’re also prospects, right?”

Food for Thought:

Please be reminded that Cub Tracks and Bleed Cubbie Blue do not necessarily endorse the opinions of writers whose work is linked to in this series of articles. Thanks for reading!