Cub Tracks’ special addition

Welcome to today’s edition of Cub Tracks news and notes™, a greatest-hits from Chicago-style beat writers and bloggers, ground from #Cubs, #MiLB, and #MLB baseball, and cold-brewed overnight for maximum flavor.

The Chicago Cubs visited the nation’s Capital or thereabouts Wednesday for the final game of a three-game series, which had been tied, going in. Southpaw Drew Smyly, who has been rather good recently, opposed Nationals hurler Cory Abbott, with whom some of you may be familiar, as he pitched a whole 17⅓ innings for the Cubs last year. I’d like to see Smyly re-sign for another $5 million or so. He gives the club some good innings and he’s been bouncing around since the Cubs rehabbed him some years ago, with middling success.

Get that done, Jed. Also #extendwilly and #extendianhapp and let’s offer Franmil Reyes some money, too. He’s been pretty special so far.

The season is winding down, so I’m adding a little more minor-league stuff than I had been, as we peer into the crystal and try to divine next year’s 40-man roster and/or the candidates for it.

Of course Abbott was fantastic. You knew he would be. But Smyly hung in there and the Cubs at last prevailed, for a fourth straight series win. Bring on the meatloaf!

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A Brennen Davis sighting!

• Patrick Mooney (The Athletic {$}): Cubs look to the future with pitching robot machines. “... this farm system is a tech-savvy, data-driven environment...”
• Meghan Montemurro (Chicago Tribune* {$}): How Chicago Cubs lefty Justin Steele has kept hitters guessing by altering the movement on his fastball. “His ability to change the action on his fastball prevents hitters from trying to cheat on the pitch when they hunt for a fastball.” Maddie Lee also has some Steele.
• Ryan O’Rourke (Cubbies Crib*): Cubs have a new late-inning shutdown arm in young Brandon Hughes. “Hughes has taken his game to another level.”
• Tony Andracki (Marquee Sports Network*): Chicago native Tyler Schlaffer has a simple approach in Cubs farm system: ‘Throw nasty stuff’. “[My goal] is to stay focused, stay in the moment and honestly just strikeouts. Just keep striking guys out. That’s the main goal. And throw nasty stuff.”
• Tim Stebbins (NBC Sports Chicago*): Cubs’ Contreras on fan’s heckling: ‘It was not right’. ““If somebody tries to mess with my family, they’re going to [have to go through] me first,” Contreras told reporters...”
• Andy Martinez (Marquee Sports Network*): Why Cubs think the leadoff spot is a good fit for Nick Madrigal right now. “... the Cubs want Madrigal to have as many at-bats as he can as the season winds down.”
• Tim Stebbins (NBC Sports Chicago*): Why Hoerner’s emergence key to Hoyer’s ‘aggressive’ winter. “He’s been great,” Hoyer said of Hoerner.
• Patrick Mooney (The Athletic {$}): Where do the Cubs go from here after not trading Ian Happ at the deadline? “... at a certain point, the Cubs will have to slow down the roster churn and make more commitments instead of holding auditions.”k
• Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation*): The Cubs have three prospects in the new MLB Pipeline Top 100. “Pete Crow-Armstrong comes in at 31, Brennen Davis slides to 51, and Kevin Alcántara makes his top 100 debut at 91.”
• Greg Huss (North Side Bound): What’s going on in my head: Brennen Davis, Alfonso Rivas, young pitchers. “He’s back. Well, sort of.”
• Tommy Birch (Des Moines Register* {$}): Fox broadcaster John Smoltz honored his late father by calling Field of Dreams game. “Smoltz’s father was his biggest fan.”
• Michael Cerami (Bleacher Nation*): Dennis Eckersley does NOT hold back when talking about the Pirates lineup. “They’ve spent years not spending money while shipping away their top talent to no meaningful end.”
• Marquee Sports Network: Joe Girardi joins Marquee Sports Network as game analyst. “Girardi will join the broadcast booth for this weekend’s series vs. the Milwaukee Brewers (August 19-21) and next month’s series at the Miami Marlins (September 19-21).”
• Jeff Agrest (Chicago Sun-Times* {$}): Pat Foley will fulfill dream by calling Cubs game at Wrigley Field. “Foley will call the nightcap of the Cubs’ doubleheader against the Cardinals. He’ll work the first three innings on 670 The Score, move to the Marquee Sports Network booth for the middle three and finish the game on radio.” As reported on the front page a couple of days ago, but still very cool.

Food for Thought:

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