Cub Tracks Fishes For Meatloaf

In our last episode, Snidely Whiplash had lashed Nell to the Cub Tracks, using fishing line and an assortment of sinkers. Today, we bravely continue to wave the fishing rod, having just had a date with the Miami Marlins, who were angling for a road victory, but were unable to reel it in. I love it when Hendricks solos.

Today, we’re hoping for a nice plate of Mama’s meat loaf instead of that nasty old fish. I hope the Marlins take the bait, hook, line, and sinker.

The non-waiver trade deadline is over. This is our team, all 43 or 44 of them. Here are some items to fill your infotainment needs. As always * means autoplay on (directions to remove for Firefox and Chrome).

Dan Haren cracks me up. And so it goes.

• Carrie Muskat (MLB.com): Cubs add funk to their bullpen, acquire Joe Smith from Angels. There’s a whole lot of rhythm goin’ round. We all knew things could get sideways.
• Bradford Doolittle (ESPN*): How Joe Smith fits with Cubs’ bullpen. He has a different look and abilities.
• Josh Mayhood (Halos Heaven): Joe Smith traded to Cubs for young righty Jesus Castillo. JC should be on the side of the Angels, yes?
• Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation): Jed Hoyer Speaks: New reliever, Jorge Soler timeline, acquiring offense, and other rumors. Lots of tweets feed the fire on the hot stove.
• Evan Altman (Cubs Insider): Crazy win may reignite Cubs’ fire. It had that feeling, and there’s likely more fuel left.
• John Grochowski (Chicago Sun-Times*): Framing an argument for Cubs’ catcher Miguel Montero. “With Montero catching, 95 more pitches than average have been called for strikes. “
• Bruce Miles (Daily Herald): Ichiro Suzuki watch moves to Wrigley Field. The outfielder is on the cusp of 3000 hits as a Major Leaguer.
• Neil (Chicago Cubs Online): Albert Almora Jr riding seven-game hitting streak since returning to Iowa. 3 of his 11 hits have gone for extra bases.
• Dieter Kurtenbach (Fox Sports): MLB trade deadline grades: Yankees, Cubs, Brewers lead the way. All 30 teams are represented.
• Jayson Stark (ESPN): How the Cubs, Indians, and Yankees turned the deadline upside down. “...we might have to call this the coolest trade deadline ever -- just as soon as we process what happened.”
• TJ Tedeschi (isportsweb): Constructing the 2016 Cubs playoff roster. “...have the Cubs done enough in order to give themselves the best shot possible to win their first World Series title since 1908?”
• Patrick Mooney (CSN Chicago*): Cubs believe they have enough to win World Series. If this is it, are they good enough? “Yeah, I think so,” Jon Lester said.
• Jesse Rogers (ESPN): Chicago Cubs stand pat in the field and rotation as trade deadline passes. “There’s a lot of conversations that don’t come to fruition,” Jed Hoyer said.
• Henry Druschel (Wrigleyville-Baseball Prospectus): Adam Warren’s confusing Chicago tenure.
• Ryan Davis (Wrigleyville-Baseball Prospectus): In Pedro Strop and Hector Rondon, Cubs have one of their best-ever duos. Lists some of the other unforgettable (and forgettable) combinations.
• Tim Huwe (the Zygote 50): Pooping out pitching. The Cubs are not good at it. Perhaps more fiber is in order.

Food for thought:

• Emma Mason (BBC History): Seven of the strangest scientific theories in history. Not enough phlogiston in the aether, if ya ask me.
• Science Daily: Scientists grow mini human brains. These advanced mini versions of the human midbrain will help researchers develop treatments and conduct other studies into Parkinson's Disease (PD) and aging-related brain diseases.
• Kelly Dickerson (Science.Mic): Scientists just figured out how black holes twist space-time. QED, QPD? Sort of like Joe’s lineup juggling.

See you Thursday for a well-deserved day off.