Cub Tracks’ amber waves

Welcome to today’s edition of Cub Tracks news and notes™, featuring material from current beat writers and bloggers, centered around #Cubs, #MiLB, and #MLB baseball.

There’s a kernel of truth in the title... it’s the only kind of wave a Cubs fan might endure. Also good food for thought. More to chew on below.

The Cubs are going to need a different center fielder next year. I like Ortega’s bat okay but his glove has a hole in it.

Can’t say enough about the evolution of Nico Hoerner.

Nick Madrigal looks great so far and I’m very happy about the Franmil Reyes pickup. I wanna see him doing the Sosa hop for at least a couple of years.

Cubs get the meatloaf.

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“This game is about making adjustments. Obviously, things are not going well the last couple years. I always say I would try to give my best every time. I’m not going to quit. That’s not how I was raised. I have to keep working hard and give my best every day like I know. I’m going to be back soon.” — Franmil Reyes.

“I became a home run hitter in my career since the minors because of Johnny Washington,” Reyes said before Tuesday’s loss to the Nationals. “I was just a regular guy that liked to hit a lot of line drives.

“He was like, ‘Bro, you’re not going to get to the big leagues if you don’t put the ball in the air.’”

• Shakeia Taylor (Chicago Tribune* {$}): 4 of the top 5 picks in this year’s MLB draft were Black — the result of minority development and other grassroots programs. “It’s a pipeline for sure,” Termarr Johnson told MLB.com on draft night.
• Alexander Patt (Cubbies Crib*): Cubs should consider sidelining Kyle Hendricks for 2022. “The Cubs have two months left in the season, less than 60 games, and Hendricks is not even throwing yet.” More Hendricks from Brett Taylor. Tim Stebbins confirms it’s a thing.
• Tony Andracki (Marquee Sports Network*): Yan Gomes used PitchCom to troll Justin Steele during a start. “It was the first time I threw the changeup that game and it was a pushed one, just a non-competitive pitch,” Steele said. “He’s just ‘cancel, cancel.’ Let’s not throw that one again.”
• Tony Andracki (Marquee Sports Network*): What’s next for Frank Schwindel after demotion to minors? “I think he knows he’s not where he wants to be,” David Ross said. Ryan O’Rourke has some thoughts.
• Jordan Bastian (MLB.com*): Power up: Cubs hoping to find Reyes’ missing pop. “The power is real. That’s a gift he has,” Cubs assistant hitting coach Johnny Washington said. Meghan Montemurro has more Reyes {$}. Sahadev Sharma is on this train {$}. Tony Andracki has the latest.
• Evan Altman (Cubs Insider*): Should Christopher Morel use his two-strike swing more often? “Morel’s two-strike approach is very good but not good enough to take over as his every-pitch approach.”
• Patrick Mooney (The Athletic {$}): Jason Heyward put his stamp on a Cubs World Series team despite all the noise. “... it’s worth remembering that you can’t win your second World Series until you win your first.” Jon Greenberg also has thoughts on this {$}. Maddie Lee says a few syllables.
• Todd Johnson (North Side Bound): Baseball America’s newest top 30 list has some new faces in different places. “The list itself will take on greater importance when we have other lists to compare it to in the coming weeks.”
• Tommy Birch (Des Moines Register* {$}): MLB will not return to Field of Dreams site in 2023, owner Frank Thomas says. “... construction plans at the movie site will prevent a return next year...”
• Alyssa Hertl (Des Moines Register* {$}): How an Iowa couple is celebrating their love, while honoring a late friend at Field of Dreams. “You get so many emails saying you’ve won something or whatever, and I thought it was a scam,” Brice VanDrimmelen said. “I didn’t even look at it. I just deleted it.”
• Tyler Jett (Des Moines Register* {$}): Iowa Cubs sold as Endeavor unloads minor league clubs after less than a year of ownership. “The Iowa Cubs have changed hands for the second time in eight months as the company that bought the team sold it to a close affiliate under pressure from Major League Baseball over a perceived conflict of interest.” More on this.

Food for Thought:

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