Cub Tracks chickens out

Cubs win in extras! Exciting!

The last episode was digest-size. This one is somewhat different -- maybe not as lengthy as some, but fully-packed. Tomorrow’s the last day of regular trading... which ends at 3 p.m CT. Nobody knows what might happen, but people will be speculating. That’ll create additional excitement. I don’t personally think there will be any more acquisitions but I’m wrong at least half of the time, so take that with a pound of salt. Joe Maddon agrees with me though. Or does he?

MLB Network will televise 15 consecutive live hours of trade deadline coverage starting at 9 a.m. CT Monday.

On a more somber note, condolences to (Cubs Den) John Arguello’s family. He succumbed to his ailment Saturday night, and will definitely be missed.

As always * means autoplay on™ (directions to remove for Firefox and Chrome).

Today in baseball history:

“He hit line drives that put the opposition in jeopardy. And I don't mean infielders, I mean outfielders.” — Ossie Bluege on Harmon Killebrew

• 1930 - In the first night game ever played by a major league team, the American Association's Indianapolis Indians defeat the Reds in an exhibition game, 17-5. The big floodlights used to illuminate West Washington Street Park make it difficult for the players to judge distances when fielding balls in play.
• 1933 - Dizzy Dean sets a modern major league record, striking out 17 Cubs. Cardinal teammate Jimmie Wilson, the club's catcher, also sets a new mark by recording 18 putouts.
• 1966 - In the fifth season of the franchise's existence, the Mets experience their first winning month when they beat Chicago at Shea Stadium, 6-3.
• 1980 - During a workout at the Astrodome, Houston hurler J.R. Richard, who had complained on several occasions about a dead feeling in his arm, suffers a stroke attempting to throw for the first time since being hospitalized for tests. Emergency surgery is performed to remove a blood clot behind his right collarbone, but the Astros' fireballer will never pitch in the major leagues again.
• 2003 - The Cubs reacquire center fielder Doug Glanville from the Rangers in exchange for cash and outfielder/first baseman prospect Jason Fransz, who will not appear in a major league game.

Cubs news and notes:

“I’m going to continue to get stronger as the year progresses. I feel like my best baseball, my best pitching, is still ahead of me.” — Jake Arrieta

• Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation): Reports: Cubs are a “stealth” team on Sonny Gray, or maybe even an “Active Suitor”. “...I don’t know that they should be chopping up the big league roster at this time to bring in Gray.” More trade stuff here. Kirk Nieuwenhuis? Ugh.

• Gordon Wittenmyer (Chicago Sun-Times*): Cubs willing to limit scope of potential trades to keep roster intact. “...it would be a surprise if they ultimately changed course and decided to trade from the roster.”
• Patrick Mooney (CSN Chicago*): Why Maddon believes Theo will keep Cubs’ World Series core intact at trade deadline. “I think we have all the ingredients that we need right here,” Maddon said. Again.
• Bruce Miles (Daily Herald {$}): Brian Duensing's confidence bringing results for Chicago Cubs. “He's getting some really significant outs for us right now,” said Maddon.
• Jesse Rogers (ESPN*): Leadoff hitter by committee: Variety is working for Cubs. “We don’t have that prototypical speedy guy,” Maddon said. “Let’s make the best of it we can, but I’ve liked the way it’s worked.”
• Joe Ostrowski (Daily Herald {$}): Willson Contreras both elite and a bargain for Chicago Cubs. Contreras is the only Cub to be top five in fWAR at his position.
• Eli Hershovitch (The Sporting News): Contreras’ budding relationships spurring success with Cubs. Henry Blanco said “I think he’s done a great job, and he’s going to keep learning.”

• Mark Gonzales (Chicago Tribune* {$}): Joe Maddon thinks more hitters should use Anthony Rizzo's two-strike method. “It's something I like to see more of our guys do, and it's industry wide,” he stated.
• Brendan Miller (Cubs Insider) Kyle Schwarber going oppo with authority since returning. “...expect his numbers to continue to rise because he’s now using the opposite field with authority without sacrificing an ounce of power.”
• Jared Wyllys (Wrigleyville-Baseball Prospectus): Ian Happ’s love of golf pushes his success on the baseball field. “I think the mental aspect of golf translates well to baseball. You’re going to hit 70-80 shots, and you have to be right on every time,” Happ says. “You have to be mentally focused for 3-4 hours just like you have to in baseball, so I think a lot of what I take away from golf is mental.”
• Bruce Miles (Daily Herald {$}): Maddon says Jon Jay invaluable to Cubs so far. "I think I've felt the same way all year," Jay said. Maddon likes Jay's approach.
• Mark Gonzales (Chicago Tribune* {$}): Joe Maddon frustrated by Cubs' increased strikeouts. “We have to get better with that, or we’re not going anywhere offensively. But I’ll take the home run,” he said.
• Joe Deacon (Pantagraph): Legends Game: Mark Prior, Carlos Zambrano 'happy' to see Cubs win Series. “I’m happy for them. … I’m happy watching them,” said Prior.
• Tommy Birch (Des Moines Register): How a phone call to his father turned around the career of this Chicago Cubs prospect. “Dillon Maples was ready to quit baseball.”

Food for thought:

• Aleszu Bajak (Science): Microbe new to science found in self-fermented beer. “Such yeast hybrids are common in brewing; in fact, lager yeast was recently discovered to be a hybrid of two Saccharomyces species.”
• Tina Hesman Saey (Science News): Potential ingredient for alien life found on Titan. “Vinyl cyanide on the Saturnian moon could form millions of cell-like balls in methane oceans.”
• Kendra Pierre-Louis (Popular Science): Sunscreen made from DNA would last forever. “You can’t pick this up at the supermarket, at least not anytime soon.”

Dang. I was gonna get some when I went to buy some chicken. Here in southern Arizona we’re grilling instead of tending the hot stove. Enjoy your Sunday. Cub Tracks will return Tuesday with more of whatever this is. Thanks for reading.