Cub Tracks smells a mystery

Welcome to your Saturday, and today’s episode of Cub Tracks news and notes™, featuring material from current beat writers, bloggers, and the occasional in-house habitué, moonlighting. These pieces center around #Cubs, #MiLB, and #MLB baseball.

In my time, I have been exposed to a lot of baseball. Friday night was no exception. The Cubs played the Rockies at 420, I mean 5:40 pm local time. Expectations were still low going in but I sensed a disturbance in the Source, perhaps a blot of mustard or some Kirby Krackle™ as these nooCubs seemed to be headed in the right direction at 4-3. Whether that be by design or by accident is yet to be determined but I for one propose to enjoy it while it continues, and not to ruminate on the horse’s halitosis. Seiya Suzuki is certainly providing some horsepower early, and of course the writers noticed. Not so much in Friday’s game, though, as he wasn’t in the starting lineup.

Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images

The Cubs and the Stro’ Show won/lost to the Rockies by a score of 6-5, while I grilled thick steaks on the patio. The late comeback fell a little short but that was good beef at blue rare.

The event took place a mile high, as it were, and it was so much fun that they’ll do it again tonight, a half-hour earlier, with a no-longer-mystery starter (see below), but mystery roster moves. I was unable to contract the services of Ralph Dibny, for whomever is wondering, as his agent wasn’t feeling expansive that day.

Al will have details of the each contest in his recap, and we will have uncoverage here. I may well grill steaks again. They’re on sale. Meanwhile, the game is afield. The real mystery is in how long this plot thickens — I don’t want to put this one down.

Photo by David Benito/Getty Images

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• Gordon Wittenmyer (NBC Sports Chicago*): Willie Harris on hometown pride and protecting a dream. “You can’t blame anyone. It’s been like that for a long time,” he says of the overall challenges that persist in baseball’s systemic practices.
• Jake Misener (Cubbies Crib*): Has any Chicago Cubs pitcher ever thrown a perfect game? No.
• Jake Misener (Cubbies Crib*): Keegan Thompson sure looks like a key piece for the Cubs early on. “So far, he’s found success by limiting walks and hard contact alike...”
• Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation*): Cubs Pitching Notes: Thompson suspension reduced, Mark Leiter Jr. with the team. “... a Leiter start seems pretty likely.”
• (Tommy Birch (Des Moines Register* {$}): Chicago Cubs prospect Caleb Kilian was traded for Kris Bryant. He wants to be known for more than that. “It’s an honor to be a part of that,” Kilian said. “But I want to make a name for myself. I want to be Caleb Kilian.”
• (Sahadev SharmaThe Athletic {$}): Despite searching for his timing, Cubs’ Frank Schwindel has put up solid numbers so far. “When Frank’s right, he’s going to put the ball in play,” hitting coach Greg Brown said.
• Gordon Wittenmyer (NBC Sports Chicago*): Javier Báez on Cubs talks: ‘We were 5 days from getting it done’. “I thought it was going to happen,” Báez told NBC Sports Chicago. “We were five days from getting it done. And then the pandemic hit.”
• Maddie Lee (Chicago Sun-Times* {$}): How Kris Bryant’s Cubs tenure is impacting the next generation of MLB players. “In the end, an arbitrator sided with the Cubs. But the story didn’t end there.”
• Maddie Lee (Chicago Sun-Times* {$}): Cubs’ Jason Heyward sees ‘so much opportunity’ for West Side baseball academy. “Heyward is finalizing the hire of a baseball operations director for his academy in Chicago’s North Austin neighborhood.”
• Jay Jaffe (Fangraphs* {$}): Seiya Suzuki has been a hit so far. “Admittedly, we’re in small-sample theater, but the show thus far is worthy of strong reviews.”
• Robbie Stratakos (Sportsnaut*): Why Suzuki is the Chicago Cubs’ X factor. “Suzuki is an MLB rookie but not one to the game itself.”
• Tommy Birch (Des Moines Register* {$}): Ben Leeper was undrafted after injuring his arm twice. Now the Iowa Cubs star is a big-league talent. “Being labeled as someone who can contribute is something that I’ve always wanted,” Leeper said.
• Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation*): Chicago Cubs sign an additional trio of International prospects. “Per Ben Badler.”
• Marc Tompkin (Tampa Bay Times via Yahoo*): Kiermaier brothers see Rays-Cubs series at Wrigley Field as a family affair. “I’m looking forward to it so much,” said Kevin Kiermaier.
• Mike Keating (The Alliance Review* {$}): Alliance native Logan Nordquist accepts medical position with the Chicago Cubs. “I’m still a physical therapist, but I have [added] responsibilities,” Nordquist said. “I also won’t travel with the team, so I’ll be working out of Mesa.”

Food for Thought:

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