For me, it's all that candy I got from my kids for Father's Day. Darned sweet tooth of mine...
From Comcast SportsNet Chicago:
- The Cubs are continuing to build their character with wins like Sunday's 2-0 victory in which the Cubs only recorded three hits.
- As Dexter Fowler goes, the Cubs go: The Cubs are 27-12 in games in which Fowler gets on base.
- What's it like having Jorge Soler back in the lineup? From Joe Maddon: "It really makes the whole thing thicker."
From Cubs.com:
- Clayton Richard may not know what his next step is with the Cubs, but whatever it is, Carrie Muskat writes that he can handle it after everything he's been through in his career.
- [VIDEO] For the StatCast fans out there, here's the tale of the tape behind Kris Bryant's grand slam on Saturday.
- [VIDEO] Hard to believe that this was 17 years ago already, but it was on July 5, 1998 when the hilarity in the booth occurred of Mike Ditka singing "Take Me Out to the Ball Game".
From ESPN Chicago:
- Runs have been scarce for the Cubs lately, but the Cardinals have also been having a hard time finding them.
- It's still only early July, but Jon Greenberg writes that the Cubs haven't seen a week such as their upcoming one in years.
From CBS Chicago:
- What's the trade market like at this point? From Theo Epstein: "There's only like three or four sellers right now."
- Dan Bernstein writes that for the Cubs to get something in this trade market, they're going to have to give something to do it.
- Tim Baffoe writes that all things considered, the Cubs are in a good place. And he's 100 percent correct: Provel is not a proper form of cheese. And St. Louis pizza (I'm looking at you, Imo's and Cecil Whittaker's) is not truly pizza. Man, I miss Chicago pizza. But, anyway...
- This Week's "Behind the Plate" focuses on Ted Butterman and the Cubs Dixieland Band.
From the Chicago Tribune:
- Mark Gonzales takes his weekly dive into the Cubs' Mailbag.
- The Cubs have some tough pitching challenges this upcoming week, but Anthony Rizzo is looking forward to them.
- Jason Motte on the Cardinals: "They are not my Cardinals. I'm a Cub."
From the Chicago Sun-Times:
- Maybe Joe Maddon and Theo Epstein share a word-of-the-day calendar. Epstein on the trading deadline: "The trade deadline is not a panacea."
From Cubs Den:
- Not only are the Cubs looking for another starting pitcher, but according to Jon Morosi they're also looking for a left-handed-hitting outfielder.
From Bleacher Nation:
- Baseball Prospectus released its midseason update of its top 50 prospects, and two Cubs are on the list.
- Part of the success for Kyle Hendricks as of late has been an improved whiff rate from his changeup, writes Luis Medina.
Miscellaneous:
- [VIDEO] Straight from YouTube, here's the Cubs' Fourth of July fireworks show from Wrigley Field.
Today's food for thought:
- How do you make school lockers less boring? Paint them to look like a gigantic bookshelf.
- Here's a photo gallery of the new spaceport that's being built in far Eastern Russia.