Cub Tracks strikes back

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.

“You realize this group believes in each other and it’s definitely the right thing to do to keep them together and let them play the last two months. In a lot of ways, they made it really easy the way the team played. When you look at where we are in the season, it’s been an odd path for sure, but if you look at the way we’ve played since really early June, we’ve played great baseball. It’s a cohesive group. We look at the underlying numbers, the team is even better than the record and fans are really responding to this group.” — Jed Hoyer

The trading deadline has come and gone. The Cubs quite clearly felt relief as a team and exploded for twenty runs Tuesday night against the NL Central-leading Reds, staying over .500 and keeping themselves very much in the conversation when it comes to playoff chances. This is a huge series, and the next series against the Braves is even bigger. Every game from now on is big. This is the kind of competitive baseball we were promised. I’m going to lay off Jed for now — he had some things to say, and they’re just below. Sahadev Sharma says Wrigley is abuzz {$}, and that much is obvious from the tv.

Wednesday night, the Cubs sent Drew Smyly (8-7, 4.50) to the mound to oppose Brandon Williamson (3-2, 4.48), in a battle of southpaws. Smyly was iffy — gave up five earned in 4⅔ innings, three of them to Joey Votto, who swatted two long balls. But the bullpen and the bats were up to the challenge and the Cubs won by a touchdown, extra point, and field goal. I’d like to get used to this. SO MANY HIGHLIGHTS!

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• Doug Gray (Redleg Nation*): Cubs embarrass the Reds again, beating Cincinnati 16-6. “For the second night in a row we saw backup catcher Luke Maile pitch for the Cincinnati Reds.”
• ESPN*: 2023 MLB trade deadline: What to make of Mets, Yankees, more. Jesse Rogers says the math isn’t in the Cubs favor. “Even being just five games behind those teams is enough to bet against the Cubs overtaking them.”
• Michael Cerami (Bleacher Nation*): Where do the Chicago Cubs Playoff Odds stand post-trade deadline? “... it feels appropriate, then, to reset our expectations with a look at the Cubs’ playoff odds...”
• James Neveau (NBC Sports Chicago*): What are the Cubs’ chances of making the 2023 MLB playoffs? “Overall, their playoff odds sit at 29.8%...”
• Sahadev Sharma (The Athletic {$}): The Cubs finally showed Jed Hoyer what he needed to see to buy at trade deadline. “There was a period where it looked like we were gonna be sellers,” Hoyer said. Meghan Montemurro had similar thoughts.
• Meghan Montemurro (Chicago Tribune*): Chicago Cubs right-hander Marcus Stroman lands on the IL with right hip inflammation: ‘I’m not even slightly worried’. “I just had to go to the root of the problem rather than trying to get around it,” Stroman said of his hip inflammation. “I’m not even slightly worried. I know after this I’m going to feel strong.”
• Andy Martinez (Marquee Sports Network*): How the Cubs envision using new acquisition Jeimer Candelario. “I think we’ll probably play Candy at both first and third. I think Nick [Madrigal] has done a great job at third, really impressive defensively. And I think we’ll probably play Patrick some at first, against lefties.” said Hoyer.
• Maddie Lee (Chicago Sun-Times*): Jeimer Candelario’s path back to Cubs full of ‘full circle’ moments. “Right now, seeing that I’m here in Wrigley Field again, man, it’s -really special for me and for my family.”
• Patrick Mooney (The Athletic {$}): Jeimer Candelario calls his shot at trade deadline, hoping Cubs would bring him back. “It’s funny,” Juan Cabreja said, “because the last time we played the Nationals, he said, ‘Hey, keep winning, keep winning, because I might get traded here if you’re competing.’”
• Evan Altman (Cubs Insider*): Jed Hoyer can barely contain himself while discussing Cody Bellinger. “... He knows how we feel about him. He’s been wonderful and I think it’s been a really good fit.”
• Dave Eminian (Peoria Journal-Star*): Bradley grad’s hero status with the Chicago Cubs is on the rise. He has his own T-shirt. ““The Palatine Pounder” is Tauchman’s nickname on the Cubs, and now on a special shirt revealed on social media Tuesday and officially licensed by MLB Players, Inc. and distributed by Obvious Shirts.”
• Tommy Birch (Des Moines Register* {$}): The only one not buying into the hype of Pete Crow-Armstrong: Crow-Armstrong. “I’m in no rush to move up. I really bought into the plan that they have in place for me. So, whatever happens the rest of this year, happens.”
• Jordan Campbell (Cubbies Crib*): Seiya Suzuki appears to be demoted with recent lineup change. “This is a matter of the Cubs needing to start their best nine players and as of this moment, Suzuki does not fall into that category.”

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