Cub Tracks’ grand old apres

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.

Well, midyear is upon us. The Cubs may still be wheelin’ and dealin’. There’s no way to know but most agree that it would be a bad look to be selling given the delay in competition and current ticket prices.

I’m not sure that the brass shares that perspective — they ought to, but clearly the opinions of the man on the street mean little to them. I have long called them Ferengi and there’s no evidence whatsoever that says I’m wrong.

Photo by CBS Photo Archive/Getty Images

The littlest one even looks like Jed.

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• Evan Altman (Cubs Insider*): Wrigley Field among possibilities for 2025 ASG, which we’ve heard more than once before. “This goes all the way back to 2016...” The Sun-Times adds on.
• Paul Sullivan (Chicago Tribune*): The MLB All-Star Game — with generic uniforms and a slew of new faces — has morphed from ‘Who’s who’ to ‘Who’s that?’ “The game itself was notable for packing its biggest moments into the first two at-bats.”
• Michael Cerami (Bleacher Nation*): So what are the Cubs gonna do leading up to the trade deadline? “... the Cubs are still 7.0 games behind the Reds in the NL Central and 6.5 games out of a Wild Card spot.”
• Jake Misener (Cubbies Crib*): Cardinals ‘going to trade people’ - now it’s on the Cubs to be buyers. “... John Mozeliak confirmed as much in an interview on Wednesday, saying, “we’re going to trade people.”
• Meghan Montemurro (Chicago Tribune*): 5 takeaways from the Chicago Cubs’ 2023 MLB draft, including an offensive power infusion and intriguing 16th-round arm. “There’s always a chance that there’s some surprises that crop up between now and the signing deadline and potentially a little leakage in certain places,” vice president of scouting Dan Kantrovitz said Tuesday.
• Patrick Mooney (The Athletic {$}): Why the Cubs-Marcus Stroman partnership has worked so well (for however long it lasts). “I feel very comfortable here,” Stroman said. “Everyone allows me to be myself, which is not even over the top.”
• MLB.com*: Steele slings scoreless frame in first ASG. “... one hit and one strikeout.”
• Andy Martinez (Marquee Sports Network*): For Cubs’ Justin Steele, All-Star Week has been a family affair. “Something I’ll never forget, nor will my family.” Steve Greenberg has more. Quite a birthday, says James Neveau.
• Jordan Campbell (Cubbies Crib*): Seiya Suzuki’s lack of power is a concern. “Chicago Cubs right fielder Seiya Suzuki has not seen the expected power development that many fans were hoping for this season.”
• Steve Adams (MLB Trade Rumors*): The Cubs hit a jackpot in Minor League free agency — now what? “Mark Leiter Jr. has been nothing short of a godsend at Wrigley Field.”
• Bryan Smith (Bleacher Nation*): The reasoning and development plan for the Chicago Cubs Round 2-10 draft picks. “... assuming the Cubs will sign all of these players.”
• Patrick Mooney (The Athletic {$}): What the Cubs see in Jaxon Wiggins, the top pitcher in their draft class. “The Cubs project Wiggins, 21, to eventually return to action with mid-to-upper 90s velocity and a powerful slider.”
• Jordan Campbell (Cubbies Crib*): Keith Law predicts All-Star appearances for newest Chicago Cubs prospect. “Shaw was sort of a favorite of mine — I ranked him seventh in the class — so of course I love this pick...” he said to start it off.

Song of the Day:

Food For Thought:

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