Cub Tracks kicks back

Tyler Chatwood again. I’m sorry, but it’s like having a handicap when this guy pitches. Fortunately, when they remember their bats, the Cubs can flat rake, and they overcame that initial hardship and came back to quash the Red menace 8-7. The snappy comeback has become a Cubs specialty...

“Each of the Cubs’ last eight wins since June 26 has been a come-from-behind victory.” — Bruce Miles.

You’d have to think that’s inherently unsustainable. Fun, though. Here’s some recap for ya. It’s kinda like updoc but looks better on yer shirt.

The Cubs found their late-inning mojo. — Carrie Muskat.

The Cubs go for meatloaf today. In the meantime, there’s this about that and a little bit of those in the news. As always * means autoplay on, or annoying ads, or both (directions to remove for Firefox and Chrome).

Cubs News and Notes:

“You must try to generate happiness within yourself. If you aren’t happy in one place, chances are you won’t be happy anyplace.” — Ernie Banks

“Baseball gives you every chance to be great. Then it puts every pressure on you to prove that you haven’t got what it takes.

It never takes away the chance, and it never eases up on the pressure.”—Joe Garagiola

“I’m not an athlete, I’m a baseball player.” -John Kruk

• Bruce Miles (Daily Herald {$}): Jon Lester figures to lead Chicago Cubs’ all-star contingent. “I’m sure every player wants to be in the All-Star Game,” Javier Baez said.
• Bruce Miles (Daily Herald {$}): Cubs rally to overcome another poor Chatwood start. “Down 7-4, the Cubs rallied for 4 runs in the bottom of the eighth inning Saturday to post an 8-7 victory.”
• Mark Gonzales (Chicago Tribune* {$}): Cubs’ Willson Contreras floored by support in NL All-Star voting. “Whether I make the team or not, I’m going to be very happy and thankful for the fans,” Contreras said.
• Phil Rogers (Chicago Tribune* {$}): Maddon plans to lighten catcher Contreras’ workload with return of Victor Caratini. “Victor being back, I’ve got to play him,” Maddon said.
• Evan Altman (Cubs Insider): Maddon admits Kris Bryant may need to play through shoulder pain. “We’ve all been through that, where you get those kind of nagging things,” he said.
• Tom Musick (Chicago Sun-Times* {$}): Bryant flashes power as Cubs await his return. “I talked to him yesterday on the bench, and he’s feeling a lot better,” Maddon said.
• Chris Kuc (NBC Sports Chicago*): Bryant close to return, Maddon ready to play ‘Lineup Roulette’. “(Bryant will) probably go out somewhere and get some at bats,” Maddon said.
• Matthew Martell (MLB.com*): Jason Heyward exits after taking foul ball to groin. “Albert Almora Jr replaced Heyward in center field to start the fourth.”
• Whet Moser (Chicago Magazine): The Brewers are keeping pace with the Cubs by imitating them. “...it’s unlikely to hold up over a full season...”
• Matt Monagan (Cut Four): Wrigley Field chanted for Henry Rowengartner to come into an actual game. “Daniel Stern wanted a real Cubs crowd chanting for Henry...”

Food For Thought:

• Maria Temming (Science News): Designer diamonds could one day help build a quantum internet. “A defect-riddled, boron- and silicon-laced synthetic is a real gem at storing and sending data.”
• Nicola Davis (The Guardian): Is it true that eating alone is bad for you? “Headlines are quick to scream that solitary eating has a dark side, but the science is more complex.”
• Joshua Sokol (Wired*): Flattened fluids help scientists understand planets and atmospheres. “...two-dimensional systems organize themselves into large, stable flows...”

Thanks for reading.