Cub Tracks’ extra extra

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.

The Mariners have brought their fleet to the city of Broad Shoulders and little cat feet for a three-game series, and we’ll see if the Cubs can scuttle them.

As you know, Nelson Velázquez has returned for this round of roster Jenga, and he’ll likely play right field against lefties until Seiya Suzuki returns. This even though Patrick Wisdom did reasonably well in that capacity, but I expect Wisdom to be logging regular 3B ABs before long. His renascent defense doesn’t hurt you, and his bat is currently only hurting baseballs. By then we should have answers to the rostering issues regarding Suzuki and perhaps even Brandon Hughes, into the bargain.

Drew Smyly versus Luis Castillo to start. Some Cubs have big numbers against Castillo, but that was at the Great American Ball Park. Smyly has been loading up on gopher balls recently. Something had to give.

A pitchers’ duel of sorts ensued. Jarred Kelenic had late-inning lightning but Nico Hoerner stole his thunder in the tenth and the Cubs won the frame and the game.

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• Chicago Tribune* {$}: Photos: Cubs beat Mariners 3-2 in 10 innings.
• John Grochowski (Chicago Sun-Times*): Baseball by the Numbers: Defense hard to measure. “dWAR, other metrics take into account that all positions aren’t created equal.”
• Ronald Blum (AP*): MLB batting average up 16 points, game time down 31 minutes. “Major League Baseball’s new rules designed to speed pace of play and encourage more action seem to be working through the first 1 1/2 weeks of the season.”
• Matt Trueblood (North Side Baseball*): Hayden Wesneski has made the necessary sacrifice. “This spring, Wesneski and the Cubs talked about the possibility that he could turn a corner this year by using his four-seamer more.”
• Sahadev Sharma (The Athletic {$}): Cubs know defensive lulls can’t be a trend if they aim to compete this season. “On days when Wisdom starts at third and Suzuki is back in right, there will be no obvious defensive weaknesses on the field.”
• Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation*): Trey Mancini really lays it all out there about his misplay in right field. “Bad read, bad jump, bad route,” Mancini told The Athletic of the play {$}.
• Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation*): Suzuki’s second successful start at Iowa, and what comes next (UPDATE). “The Cubs will have a very interesting decision to make when Suzuki is ready to return.” More Suzuki from Meghan Montemurro.
• Jordan Bastian (MLB.com*): These Cubs prospects are worth keeping a close eye on in 2023. “Here are our picks for some prospects to keep a close eye on as the Minor League season gets rolling.”
• Jon Greenberg (The Athletic {$}): Cubs’ boozy lineup gets a major power boost with ‘beer bats’ and CBD drink: Dollars and sense. “The Cubs have a lot of “official partners.””
• Dave Byrnes (Courthouse News Service*): Chicago Cubs on trial over wheelchair access at Wrigley Field. “It’s a textbook failure to integrate the seats according to the ADA,” David Cerda said.

Food for Thought:

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