Cub Tracks avoids the actual word

Welcome to today’s edition 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.

More roster jenga looms. Robert Gsellman is in Iowa now. Robel Garcia is in the KBO. Seiya Suzuki won’t need a rehab assignment. Jonathan Villar comes off the injured list today. And then?

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• Evan Altman (Cubs Insider*): Cubs getting early start on rumor season means nothing unless they spend big this winter. “... it sure feels like the Cubs are trying to find any way they can to drum up interest in a product that hasn’t been selling quite so well.”
• Tim Stebbins (NBC Sports Chicago*): How Cubs’ Kyle Hendricks, rotation lining up entering road trip. “Monday’s off day allows the Cubs to reset entering their road trip against the Orioles and Yankees.”
• Jared Wyllys (MLB.com*): Justin Steele ties career high after tip from Jon Lester. “One of the main things was establishing the four-seam command, down and in to righties on that inner third...” Tim Stebbins has more of this.
• Tim Stebbins (NBC Sports Chicago*): How Cubs’ Wade Miley used ‘Forrest Gump’ to help Matt Swarmer settle in. Said Miley: “He looks just like him.”
• Sahadev Sharma (The Athletic {$}): Caleb Kilian’s Cubs debut offers hope of a bright future in Chicago. “... Kilian’s debut stands out as the potential turning point of a rebuild that fans are already growing tired of.” Jake Misener has thoughts. Mark Gonzales also adds on.
• Tim Stebbins (NBC Sports Chicago*): Cubs have ‘great’ conversation with Kilian after option. “We just had a lot of baseball conversation. It was great. I think he understands he’s going to be a major league pitcher for a really long time and help us win,” said David Ross.
• Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation*): Willson Contreras’s arbitration hearing is this week – but the trade market is likely to get more attention. Based on Mike Petriello article.
• Gordon Wittenmyer (NBC Sports Chicago*): Cubs trade chip power rankings, Free Willy edition. “Our goal is to build something really special, just like last time,” team president Jed Hoyer said recently. “And I think sometimes to do that you have to take the long view.”
• Patrick Mooney (The Athletic {$}): Cubs rookie sensation Christopher Morel will follow Willson Contreras’ lead for however long this lasts. “That’s why I’m here,” Contreras said.
• Meghan Montemurro (Chicago Tribune* {$}): The story behind Frank Schwindel’s bond with a 7-year-old Chicago Cubs fan — and the quest to raise awareness of an unnamed disease. “Sometimes, if you look closely, you can spot the blue band on Schwindel’s wrist.”
• Tony Andracki (Marquee Sports Network*): ‘There’s no bad days in the big leagues’: From hot streaks to slumps, Schwindel keeps it all in perspective. “I think minor league coaching really helped him,” Jed Hoyer joked last week.
• Darragh McDonald (MLB Trade Rumors*): Cubs, Phillies expected to pursue marquee shortstops this offseason. “... there’s not a lot preventing the club from making a big splash this winter if they want to.” Brett Taylor has remarks.
• Jake Misener (Cubbies Crib*): Cubs thanking their lucky stars watching Javier Báez struggle. “He carries a 50 wRC+ with just a .228 OBP...”
• From our Astros site The Crawfish Boxes, the wife of one of their writers, in town for a conference, attended Saturday’s game. Here’s her view of Wrigley Field and Wrigleyville.

Food for Thought:

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