Cub Tracks’ fill in the blanks

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.

Now I just need the Cardinals, Mets, and Padres to lose out. Make their playoff runs nasty, brutish, and short. Please and thank you, baseball gods.

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• Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation*): The Cubs are using one piece of technology in player development in a way no other organization is. “... the whole thing just makes me optimistic that the current front office is seeking out every possible edge they can find...” Based on Athletic article by Patrick Mooney and Sahadev Sharma{$}.
• Steve Greenberg (Chicago Sun-Times* {$}): Polling Place: What letter grades did you give White Sox, Cubs for 2022 performances? “I give the Cubs credit,” @ShawnaP79 commented. “They played much harder than my Sox.”
• Gordon Wittenmyer (NBC Sports Chicago*): Rizzo, Schwarber, Darvish lead bold, new ‘Ex-Cub Factor’. “They’re all in the 2022 playoffs while the current Cubs are home watching them.”
• Patrick Mooney (The Athletic {$}): Cubs know they need pitching, from prospects like Jordan Wicks to a free-agency splash. “Jed’s job is to make this organization better,” Wicks said.
• Andy Martinez (Marquee Sports Network*): Michael Rucker had a heartwarming gesture for his teammates, Cubs staffers. “Rucker has left messages with clubhouse attendants and coaches in the past, but this year wanted to share those with his bullpen teammates, to acknowledge “the hard work we put in.””
• Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation*): Chicago Cubs among the early favorites for free agent shortstop Trea Turner? “The first set of odds on where Turner could land in free agency have the Cubs near the top.”
• Patrick Mooney (The Athletic {$}): Cubs prospect Brennen Davis, fully recovered from back surgery, looks forward to next year. “I know who I am as a player,” Davis said. “I know what I want to be. And I think that’s a pretty damn good ballplayer.” Maddie Lee has more.
• Melissa Hudson (ABC57*): South Bend Cubs reveal their Marvel-designed logo. “Marvel Entertainment’s illustrators created team logos for the 96 teams participating in the Marvel’s Defenders of the Diamond special event and content series.”

Food for Thought:

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