Cub Tracks’ round and round

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

Yesterday was a long week for everyone. The Pitch Lab will be humming. I don’t know if the vaunted Lab can help with the current bullpen crunch, though. Somebodies will have to step up as the dependable arms have moved on. Maybe they can viddy some of the others during rain delay theater. There’s no game to play, so...

Just don’t have them watch Mychal Givens’ Met debut, unless you want to see what NOT to do.

Cubs are fifth in line for waiver claims. Is Dinelson Lamet at the Pitch Lab yet? Also:

* means autoplay on, or annoying ads, or both (directions to remove for Firefox and Chrome). {$} means paywall. {$} means limited views. Italics are often used on this page as sarcasm font. The powers that be have enabled sarcasm font in the comments.

Just in case you missed it:

• Jordan Bastian (MLB.com*): Cubs, Reds excited for Field of Dreams showcase. “It’s an incredible movie and I’m looking forward to being out there,” Kyle Farmer said in a Zoom call on Wednesday afternoon.
• Rick Morrissey (Chicago Sun-Times*): For the Cubs and White Sox, rebuilding ain’t what it used to be. “Remember when we were told tearing down was the only way to go up? Tell that to the Dodgers.”
• Andy Martinez (Marquee Sports Network*): Jed Hoyer explains the Cubs’ thought process at the trade deadline with Willson Contreras, Ian Happ. “We were willing to listen if someone gave us a piece that could really help our future,” Hoyer said after the trade deadline. “We never crossed that threshold.”
• Gordon Wittenmyer (NBC Sports Chicago*): Cubs’ handling of Contreras at trade deadline shameful. “In some ways, it’s a continuation of business-first, player-last practices with Contreras all season.”
• Jake Misener (Cubbies Crib*): If Cubs don’t extend Contreras, this is a historic failure. “The only problem with that idea is that the Cubs have had years – literally years – to do so, but haven’t.”
• Tim Stebbins (NBC Sports Chicago*): New Cub Kervin Castro excited to build on rapport with Contreras. “I was hoping that he would stay since I knew him,” said Castro.
• Bryan Smith (Bleacher Nation*): Scouting new Cubs prospect Hayden Wesneski: A whirly-throwing starter on the cusp of the big leagues. “Wesneski’s ability for gloveside breaking ball movement is rare.”
• Greg Huss (North Side Bound*): What’s going on in my head: Outlook for Cubs prospects acquired in trades, draft. “... the Cubs acquired three true prospects in their trades recently...”
• Sahadev Sharma (The Athletic {$}): Contreras, Happ ‘super happy’ to remain Cubs after trade deadline. “We’re still here,” a beaming and relieved Contreras told members of the media after Tuesday night’s 6-0 loss to St. Louis. “I’m happy to still be here,” Happ said.
• Patrick Mooney (The Athletic {$}): Cubs, Contreras stuck with each other for now as deadline passes. “It’s not you, it’s us.”

Food for Thought:

Please be reminded that Cub Tracks and Bleed Cubbie Blue do not necessarily endorse the opinions of writers whose work is linked to in this series of articles. Thanks for reading!