Cub Tracks Basks In Bryant

Is writing Cub Tracks like riding a bike? I'm not sure, but I'm happy to fill in for Russ today. Since he's at a basketball-officiating camp, we want him to feel missed. So...

Are you blind?!?! You blew the call ref!

Hope you enjoyed the camp, Russ. Oh, and we also get a hand from Al today, who finished this column off. It's a true team effort today. Enough with the nonsense, on with the links. Wanna guess who is being talked about?

From Comcast SportsNet Chicago:

• The wait is over. Kris Bryant has arrived.
• And Kris says there is no bad blood over the service time issue.
• Here's a video of Kris talking about making his debut.
• And Bryant says the journey is just starting.
• Where does Bryant fit in long-term? Some quotes from Joe Maddon here.
• Let's move on to the next shiny new toy. The team thinks Addison Russell is the next big thing down on the farm. COMMENCE ADDISON WATCH!
• Next to Bryant and Russell, Jorge Soler is a grizzled veteran. And he could be the next superstar.
• In case you missed it, Neil Ramirez got a little good news. A MRI revealed no structural damage in the reliever's shoulder.

From Cubs.com:

• Kris' call-up wasn't scripted for service time. It was all about a time of need.
• Starlin Castro thinks Bryant's debut was right in line with other stars.
• If you didn't see this, Bryant had an emotional moment with his family before the big debut.
• The first game at the plate didn't go the way Bryant would've hoped. But he showed well at the hot corner.
• Mike Olt, unfortunately, might be in a cast for up to four weeks.

From ESPN Chicago:

• It's time to enjoy Kris Bryant.
• And the young slugger is ready to make an impact.
• Kris talks about his debut.
• Here's Bryant's debut in Twitter time.
• Cubs bench coach Dave Martinez went searching in the ivy after Friday's incident and found something ancient.

From CBS Chicago:

• Bryant is a different breed of player.
• Kris' bond with his father makes his debut special.
• That debut was a success, despite some failure.
• I hereby issue a BCB challenge: Top these Kris Bryant memes.

From the Chicago Tribune:

• Kris Bryant's promotion could cause a chain reaction in the rest of the organization.
• One of those chains is Addison Russell, who has impressed Theo Epstein.
• For his part, Bryant feels no pressure.
• Travis Wood, Welington Castillo, and Edwin Jackson have something in common: they are survivors.
• Bruce Levine has the story of Bryant's second big-league day, which turned out much better than his first.

From the Chicago Sun-Times:

• Addison Russell is next on the clock.
• ABC7 hit a grand slam with Bryant's debut.
• It was an emotional day for the whole Bryant family.
• There's a Kris Bryant poem.

From the Daily Herald:

• Matt Spiegel says the Cubs are rolling in the right direction.
• Here are images from Kris Bryant in the minors and college.
• Former Cub manager and current Cincinnati Reds' coach Jim Riggleman remembers the instant electricity Kerry Wood brought to the park when he was promoted.

From Cubs Den:

• Here's an update on the Cubs' IFA plans this summer. SIGN ALL THE CHILDREN!

From Bleacher Nation:

• Happy Kris Bryant Day, everyone.
• The Cubs are going to blow out the IFA budget again.
• The Cubs have figured out a clever way to use some outfield signage.
• Cubs tickets are still expensive.

From Chicago Cubs Online:

• Here are some ramblings from first place.
• Joe Maddon isn't worried about Jon Lester.

From Cubs Insider:

• Arbitrary home run facts prove the Cubs are getting better.
• The Cubs are putting the "fun" and "mental" in fundamental.
• The Cubs don't need any comic book movie remakes. They have their own superhero in right field.

Miscellaneous:

• Here's a video produced by Red Bull -- yes, it's a commercial enterprise, but a cool video nevertheless -- showing what Kris Bryant was doing at Iowa before his callup... besides baseball. Humorous and with a number of faces that should be quite familiar to you, but a little too much "goat," perhaps.

Today's food for thought: