Cub Tracks’ it might as well rain

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

Well, Michael Rucker looked like he held the golden ticket to the Iowa train. I dunno how firm his footing is at present. The Cubs dropped a game to the aggressive-on-the-bases Giants, and looked generally sloppy, though there were bright spots here and there.

Cole Wright should be kept away from microphones until he stops with the initialese and bad nicks. MLJ isn’t the man’s name or his nickname or anything like that. He annoys me. Cliff Floyd was just fine. He didn’t say much. I like that in an announcer.

This HAS to be a better year than last, but still, there will be times...

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• Maddie Lee (Chicago Sun-Times*): Javier Assad’s Cubs teammates not surprised by his WBC success: ‘That’s just how he is’. “Assad threw 2 2⁄3 scoreless innings against Puerto Rico in the WBC quarterfinals on Friday.” Meghan Montemurro has more.
• Evan Altman (Cubs Insider*): Keegan Thompson may open season in Iowa as bullpen takes shape. “Thompson’s fastball velocity isn’t where the Cubs would like it to be and his secondaries haven’t been as crisp...”
• Meghan Montemurro (Chicago Tribune*): Chicago Cubs relief prospect Cam Sanders setting himself up for an in-season promotion: ‘He’s been really fun to watch’. “I cherish every day that I’m in this locker room,” Sanders said.
• Sahadev Sharma (The Athletic {$}): Cubs closers: The veteran favorite and two youngsters who could someday claim the title. “... March isn’t always the best time to figure these things out.”
• Maddie Lee (Chicago Sun-Times*): Cubs prospect Matt Mervis taking WBC as learning experience: ‘I still have a lot of work to do’. Mervis went 3-for-4 in his first Cactus League game back from the World Baseball Classic.
• Tony Andracki (Marquee Sports Network*): 23 for ’23: After career years with Cubs, what’s next for Ian Happ and Nico Hoerner? “Both Happ and Hoerner are prime extension candidates but with Opening Day less than two weeks away, the Cubs have not yet been able to reach an agreement with either player.”
• Kade Kistner (Fan Nation*): Los Angeles Dodgers manager reveals thoughts on Bellinger after joining Cubs. “Dave Roberts shared his thoughts on Bellinger and reflected on his time with the club.”
• Michael Brakebill (Cubbies Crib): When will Cubs prospect Pete Crow-Armstrong make his MLB debut? “... I’m guessing we’ll see Crow-Armstrong at Wrigley at some point in 2024.” What about Brennen Davis?

Food for Thought:

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