Cub Tracks’ Northern highlights

Welcome to today’s episode 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.

Nico’s out until at least next Friday. Hopefully Miles Mastrobuoni can provide some positives. He can theoretically man five or six positions and bats lefthanded, though his MLB data says he doesn’t hit very many baseballs. He’s batting .194 lifetime in the majors over 38 at-bats, as of Friday. I don’t doubt that Brandon Hughes will throw some quality innings. He has been doing so when he is healthy enough to ascend to the mound.

The Cubs are the best sub-.500 club around. Let’s hope they can fix that. I upped for Apple+ TV, did you? It meant one less Maxwell St. Polish at Portillo’s, and last time I had one before the game they lost.

So, a little ‘stitious? I’ll go with that. I added a meatball or two today, for amusement’s sake if nothing else. You can spot them by the cheese on top. I’m trying to keep them away from the pitchers. Nobody sneeze.

Boy that HD picture looks nice. That’s about all I liked about the broadcast. Dontrelle Willis was just babbling. Wayne Randazzo isn’t so bad but damn. I turned Dontrelle off by the middle of the third. Heidi Watney flat-out bores me.

Lots of ongoing narratives, plus a game-night report. Read on!

The Cubs played some smallish ball, with the runs scoring on a sac fly, a Mervis double, and a Gomes single. Drew Smyly was good again, and deserved the win.

And then, Morel support!

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• Sahadev Sharma (The Athletic {$}): Cubs remain firmly in the race, but can’t separate themselves in a weak division. “... ultimately our pitching has been fantastic. I think our run prevention has been fantastic. We just haven’t gotten any big hits. That’s really — I hate to simplify it, but we just haven’t gotten the big hit when we needed,” Jed Hoyer said.
• Derrick Goold (St. Louis Post-Dispatch*): Cardinals catching heat for Willson Contreras decision, a Cubs view: Best Podcast in Baseball. “Patrick Mooney, baseball writer at The Athletic, and Gordon Wittenmyer, longtime Cubs beat writer for the Chicago Sun-Times, join the Best Podcast in Baseball...”
• Sam Fels (Deadspin*): Chicago Cubs skipper David Ross is clueless. Who could have guessed a previously concussed catcher looks overmatched in the dugout?

I don’t think Hoyer views Ross as a placeholder and I don’t think he’s anywhere near being on the hot seat. For the most part, it feels as though a lot of the complaints are a bit overblown. Almost any manager, maybe outside Terry Francona, would garner a lot of complaints. That’s what happens when you watch a team every day. You notice every little potential misstep and pick it apart, especially when the team you’re following has a three-week stretch like this team just had.

But Ross certainly isn’t perfect either. This is not a suggestion that he deserves zero criticism. Mostly just that a lot of these decisions aren’t as black and white as some make them out to be. Although, there are some that feel less defensible than others. — Jed Hoyer via Sahadev Sharma {$}.

• Tony Blengino (Forbes* {$}): Cubs’ Justin Steele is the best unknown pitcher In baseball. “You see, it’s now been 18 starts since he had a bad one.”
• Andy Martinez (Marquee Sports Network*): Cubs’ prospect Ben Brown’s performances don’t capture full story of successful start to year. “I think the biggest thing that’s stood out for us is the makeup,” Hoyer said. “I mean he believes in himself. He wants to be out there.”
• Andy Jasner (Fan Nation*): Chicago Cubs will live or die by their offensive output this season. “This lineup is built to score runs in bunches. But it doesn’t always happen.”
• Alexander Patt (Cubbies Crib*): The presence of Yan Gomes continues to be crucial. “The Cubs are 13-5 when Gomes starts in a game, with a pitching staff ERA of 3.04 and a .210 average when he is behind the dish.”
• Jordan Bastian (MLB.com*): How Miguel Amaya earned trust in his first Cubs stint. “He did a tremendous job,” Yan Gomes said. Andy Martinez amplifies. Patrick Mooney turns it up {$}.
• Riche Eberwein (Cubbies Crib*): 1 Chicago Cubs offseason deal that already looks like a mistake. ... Barnhart also has a player option for next season, which he will likely exercise to guarantee his $3,250,000 salary for 2024.”
• John Garcia (ABC7*): Chicago Cubs star Patrick Wisdom invites 13-year-old leukemia survivor to hospital prom: VIDEO.
• Mike Petriello (MLB.com*): How this one-time MVP found new life in Chicago. “He’s a good hitter now; just a different one.”
• Maddie Lee (Chicago Sun-Times*): Cubs considering adjustments to new Wrigley Field lights. “Overall, the new LED lights have been an improvement. But there’s one issue the Cubs are trying to address.”
• NBC Sports Chicago*: Popular bar near Wrigley Field announces closure. A case of ‘Deacon Blues’? “Pour one out for the Houndstooth Saloon, Chicago.”

• ABC7*: Chicago Cubs hosting third annual STEAM Fair. It’s today. It’s free.

Food for Thought:

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