Cub Tracks’ with six you get meatloaf

Welcome to today’s edition of Cub Tracks news and notes™, a greatest-hits from Chicago-style beat writers and bloggers, ground from #Cubs, #MiLB, and #MLB baseball, overheated, and then cold-brewed overnight for maximum flavor.

This final series is fun so far. We can enjoy this. Then there’s playoff baseball, which the Cubs won’t be involved in, and we can do the recriminations then, while free agent speculation reaches crescendo.

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• Paul Sullivan (Chicago Tribune* {$}): As Wrigley Field prepares to close its doors for the season, the Chicago Cubs look ahead to better days — again. “This has not been a season to celebrate on the North Side despite the uplifting ending.” Ask the ST holders.
• Gordon Wittenmyer (NBC Sports Chicago*): Why Cubs fans should root for Padres to win World Series. “No team in baseball loses money anymore.”
• Mark Gonzales (Chicago Sun-Times* {$}): Cubs players can expect specifics during exit interviews. “Team wins sixth straight game, but Ross warns late-season success not a guarantee of 2023 success.”
• Andy Martinez (Marquee Sports Network*): Drew Smyly was determined to make one more start at Wrigley as uncertain future awaits. “I really wanted to start this weekend and not next week in Cincy, just to experience that home crowd at Wrigley one more time...” Tim Stebbins has more. It was worth 1.05 million, says Mark Gonzales.
• Patrick Mooney (The Athletic {$}): The Cubs are creating a pitching identity to set the stage for an ‘aggressive’ offseason. “We’re building something,” Adbert Alzolay said.
• Jordan Bastian (MLB.com*): Cubs’ ‘changing of the guard’ takes center stage. “Heyward receives tribute at Wrigley as top prospects take in the Friendly Confines”. Heyward unselfish, writes Bastian. Tony Andracki concurs. Tim Stebbins provides more coverage.
• Tim Stebbins (NBC Sports Chicago*): Caissie on Cubs winning another title: ‘We can do it again’. “The Cubs org is pretty good and we’re pretty deep,” Caissie said Saturday. “I do think we can do it again, for sure.”
• Jordan Bastian (MLB.com*): Seiya Suzuki plans to return as ‘one of the best’ in 2023. “Numbers-wise, I feel like I’m not satisfied,” Suzuki said.

Food for Thought:

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