Cub Tracks’ Jameson, neat

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.

This has been a fun season no matter what happens. Hopefully Jedco in the offseason can fill the talent gap and get this club to the next step. The playoffs are not out of the question, but those hopes are rapidly waning, with a mere eight games remaining to the regular season. Fangraphs says so.

The enigmatic Jameson Taillon took the mound against Noah Davis of the Rockies, seeking to buoy up his club by providing quality starting pitching.

Hey hey!

The ‘Stro Show goes today. He’s likely to be an opener for Jordan Wicks but we’ll see how it goes.

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Congratulations are due to Owen Caissie, the Cubs’ 2023 Minor League Player of the Year, according to Baseball America, and to the Tennessee Smokies in general for their fine, and still ongoing, season.

“If we’re such a bad team, maybe he should have managed his team a little better and beat us.” — Bryan Reynolds.

• Andy Martinez (Marquee Sports Network*): Seiya Suzuki, Jameson Taillon help spark Cubs to much-needed win over Colorado. “Suzuki had 3 hits, including a 2-run homer, and 3 RBI and Jameson Taillon pitched 6 shutout innings...” MLB.com has more.
• Paul Sullivan (Chicago Tribune*): The Chicago Cubs are in a tailspin. Someone notify David Ross and Marquee Sports Network. “Every game is big from now on.”
• Jordan Bastian (MLB.com*): Marcus Stroman hopes to be ‘weapon’ in Cubs’ bullpen. “... to go out there and close games or to be used as an opener, to be used for a few innings in big-time roles, I think that’s exciting.”
• Maddie Lee (Chicago Sun-Times*): Kyle Hendricks is showing he could repeat this season — he should do it with Cubs. “He’s just really solidified our rotation,” David Ross said, “and having him in there and his consistency, his demeanor, his track record is really valuable for us.”
• Meghan Montemurro (Chicago Tribune* {$}): An unforgettable debut at Wrigley Field for local Quinn Priester — with a chance to spoil Chicago Cubs’ postseason hopes. “When Pittsburgh Pirates manager Derek Shelton called on Priester to begin the second inning against the Cubs, the Cary native and Cary-Grove High School graduate couldn’t help but soak it in.”
• Michael Cerami (Bleacher Nation*): Jeimer Candelario could be back as soon as this weekend! “He’s going through full baseball activity today. We’ll see how he reacts tomorrow. Looking at it, I think the best-case scenario is probably Sunday. If not, Tuesday is the hope.”
• Andy Martinez (Marquee Sports Network*): How Miles Mastrobuoni stayed ready and stepped up when Cubs needed him the most. “I think just doing anything to help the team win is rewarding,” Mastrobuoni said. “That’s all that matters at the end of the day. That’s all I’m focused on.”
• Talia Soglin (Chicago Tribune*): Wrigley Field concessions workers OK strike ahead of Cubs’ final home weekend. “The concessions employees’ contract expired in October 2020, said Unite Here, which announced the results of the strike vote late Thursday.” More on this.
• Mike Fitzpatrick (AP*): With the future of AM unclear, a look back at the powerful role radio plays in baseball history. “Not all change is progress,” Suzyn Waldman said.

Food For Thought:

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