Cub Tracks’ time marches on

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, steeped in writers’ tears, and then cold-brewed overnight for maximum flavor.

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• Patrick Mooney (The Athletic {$}): The year in Cubs quotes: Was 2022 just a preview of things to come? “Need to address the double birds first,” Cubs manager David Ross said...
• Rick Telander (Chicago Sun-Times*): Dreaming about next year amid the dreading of this year. “Here are some hopes and fears for 2023 — for Chicago sports and beyond.”
• LaMond Pope (Chicago Tribune* {$}): What’s happened this MLB offseason? A look at the moves made so far in the AL and NL Central. “This offseason has witnessed a return of hot stove staples such as speculation, trades and signings.”
• Evan Altman (Cubs Insider*): Back to Good? Cubs listed among most-improved teams this winter. Anthony Castrovince says so. SI chimes in. Cubbies Crib adds on.
• Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation*): The Jameson Taillon signing and the Cubs as a pitcher destination. “I heard great things about (pitching coach) Tommy (Hottovy) and (assistant pitching coach Daniel) Moskos,” Jameson Taillon said.
• Bryan Smith (Bleacher Nation*): So I guess the Cubs now employ the world’s currently-hottest starting pitcher? “It’s now 37.2 innings in a row for Elías without an earned run.”
• Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation*): Do the Cubs project to have a lot more home run power in 2023? “... there’s a little bit of art and eyeball work to look at the projections, and then think about whether we could actually see more power from the Cubs.”
• Jake Misener (Cubbies Crib*): Cubs adding the impact bat they need isn’t as simple as it sounds. “... if the Cubs are going to land that last piece of the puzzle, it’s got to come from a trade...”
• Aldo Soto (Sports Mockery*): Cubs have a Top-10 ranked farm system. “... after being named one of the five most improved minor league systems this past year.” North Side Bound has similar thoughts.
• Aldo Soto (Sports Mockery*): 3 Prospects Who Can Turn Cubs from Pretenders to Contenders in 2023. “So, Mervis, Wesneski, Davis, believe in one, two or all three?”
• Joey Mistretta (ClutchPoints*): From Dansby Swanson to Cody Bellinger: Grading Cubs’ MLB free agency moves. “It was unclear where the Cubs stood entering the offseason.”
• Megan Janetsky (Associated Press): US to let MLB stars play for Cuba in World Baseball Classic. “It clears the way for MLB stars such as José Abreu, Yordan Alvarez, Randy Arozarena, Yoán Moncada and Luis Robert to play for Cuba in the WBC in March.”

Food for Thought:

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