Cub Tracks’ slip slidin’ away

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.

No game Monday. Probably a good thing. That was a bad trip. Not entirely surprising, but bad. This is still a fun season, full of memorable moments, even if it doesn’t look like it right now.

I’ll take this occasion to pat myself on the back. Cherry-picked from the BCB Roundtable:

Al Yellon: The projection systems can only go on past performance. Who’s to say, for example, that Cody Bellinger won’t be better than he was last year?

Duane Pesice: I suspect he will. In fact I see him as the Comeback Player of the Year.

Al Yellon: So do I.

Still to be seen but looks likely at this juncture.

Duane Pesice 85 (wins), just/miss the playoffs, third place.

Looks good to me. Also, the Cubs are going to have six players with 20+ home runs. I chose Happ to lead the team. Clearly that isn’t going to happen, and I flailed wildly at most of the rest of the questions. But so did everyone else. The scrying glass is cracked.

Not so many links today — I winnowed out the meatballs and the weak sauce.

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“It’s been frustrating. The past week there’s been a lot of unfortunate bounces. We’re still in a good spot.” — Cody Bellinger.

“They were better than we were in all aspects of the game. They played better defense, they pitched better, they had timely hitting, they ran the bases better. We got beat all the way around. A bad road trip. Try to wash it on the off day tomorrow.” — David Ross

• Jack Thompson (AP*): Diamondbacks sweep Cubs with 6-2 win, pass Chicago in NL wild-card race. “The latest victory moved Arizona a half-game ahead of Chicago for the second NL wild card...” Meghan Montemurro has more of this. Patrick Mooney has virtually ordered the pine box {$}. “There are not many buttons left to press,” he writes.
• Michael Cerami (Bleacher Nation*): I know what I said, but I lied: I’m gonna need the Cubs to make the playoffs. “Objectively, they are still in this thing.”
• Mike McGraw (Daily Herald* {$}): Considering Cubs history, this September slump is mild. “The biggest take-away from this 10-game slump: It’s been a buildup of little things.”
• Jordan Campbell (Cubbies Crib*): David Ross should be held accountable if Chicago Cubs miss the postseason. “If the season is now being evaluated by winning, Chicago Cubs manager David Ross has failed at his job.”
• Evan Altman (Cubs Insider*): Cubs running on fumes as guys who got them here fade. “... this appears to be a chronic issue rather than an acute one.”
• Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation*): Cubs re-align starting rotation. “... the headline here for the Pirates series is that Jameson Taillon will not make his next start in his expected spot.”
• Maddie Lee (Chicago Sun-Times*): Why Cubs’ David Ross dubbed reliever Julian Merryweather the ‘unsung MVP’ of the team. “Merryweather faced the Diamondbacks four times in less than two weeks and didn’t allow a hit.”
• Meghan Montemurro (Chicago Tribune* {$}): Chicago Cubs lineup shuffle: Why Ian Happ is hitting leadoff — plus options in center field. “Right now you’re doing anything you can to help the team win,” Happ said.
• Mike McGraw (Daily Herald* {$}): Naperville’s Armstrong ready for role of lifetime, watching son at Wrigley Field. “There aren’t many better seats at Wrigley Field than the one Armstrong will be sitting in this week.”
• MLB.com*: Chicago Cubs host Hispanic Heritage Celebration at Wrigley Field September 19. “On the same day, the Cubs also will celebrate Roberto Clemente Day.”
• Tommy Birch (Des Moines Register* {$}): Iowa Cubs outfielder Yonathan Perlaza making strong case to play in the big leagues. “I just want to play in the big leagues,” Perlaza said. “Especially with the Cubs.”
• Brad Wakai (Fan Nation*): Cubs star prospect contender for ‘Pitching Prospect of the Year’. “Cade Horton was the seventh overall pick by the Cubs in 2022.”

Food For Thought:

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