Cub Tracks’ unkind cuts

Curtis Granderson had a number of unkind cuts last night. Let’s just say that I’m not in his fan club right now. Nor am I on the Lorenzo Cain express, as he also had some unkind cuts. I can’t blame the Brewers if they’re feelin’ it. I would be if I were them. But I’m cool. IT’S A PENNANT RACE! THIS IS WHAT WE WATCH THIS STUFF FOR!

Sure, it makes one’s head spin to see this collection of major-league bats have so many damn holes in them. They’re so high-paid they should be able to hit with their wallets! Omigawrsh they suck! Don Martin had words for the sound the ball makes when it comes off of a Cub bat.

Um, wait. What? What is your conceptual continuity? I thought you were a fan, Mr. Front-Page writer! What gives?

Well, I had a lousy steak, and that unkind cut of meat turned into meatballs in my soul, and everything became gristle for my mill. I checked out mentally before Wide Right came in and got to playing with my grinder, figuring that twigs and seeds wouldn’t greatly aid my outlook, but that an herbal remedy might help my digestion and perhaps provide the necessary attitude adjustment needed to re-orient my tender psyche and get me back on track.

The re-orient express, so to speak, by way of “Marrakesh”. All Aboard the train!

Just look sideways for relevance. As always * means autoplay on, or annoying ads, or both (directions to remove for Firefox and Chrome).

Cubs News and Notes:

“It ain’t braggin’ if you can back it up.” — Dizzy Dean.

“There are three things you can do in a baseball game. You can win, or you can lose, or it can rain.” — Casey Stengel.

“There are no excuses,” Ben Zobrist said. “Everyone has had to deal with bad weather across the league over the course of the season. It’s a tough time of the year to go to the field as many games as we’ve had to. But we have extra help right now. You would rather have it happen now than June or July.

”It’s tough, but we keep persevering.” — Jesse Rogers.

• Jesse Rogers (ESPN*): Cubs battling more than Brewers during tiring stretch run. “It’s a tough stretch, man,” Maddon said. “Fatigue is nasty.”
• Paul Sullivan (Chicago Tribune {$}): Cubs-Brewers encore in October would be just what baseball needs. “Really, would you want it any other way?”
• Matthew Martell (MLB.com*): Brandon Morrow seeks return next week; Yu Darvish has surgery. “I’m just looking forward to coming back and contributing at all,” Morrow said. “There haven’t been any hiccups from [Pedro Strop], so there’s no reason to switch up what’s been working, even if I come back at 101 percent.”
• Sahadev Sharma (The Athletic {$}): Unexpected heroes arise in bullpen as Cubs wait for another to emerge. “The only thing you know is the unexpected is going to happen,” team president Theo Epstein said recently.
• Jared Wyllys (NBC Sports Chicago*): ‘He’s not backed down’: Jorge De La Rosa a bullpen surprise worth playoff consideration. “Every time we call him, he’s done really well. I don’t know if he’s had a bad outing yet,” Maddon said. Patrick Mooney (Sports Mockery) agrees.
• Tony Andracki (NBC Sports Chicago*): What’s going on with Willson Contreras’ offense? “Is it just that he’s tired?”
• Evan Altman (Cubs Insider): Victor Caratini getting more at-bats could be key to Cubs winning division. “...Caratini performing at the plate opens things up in a big way.”
• Jeff Burdick (Cubs Insider): Reviewing Addison Russell’s incredible diving play with angle you probably missed. “Without defense that steals occasional hits, doesn’t give away outs, shortens innings and prevents runs, a championship is nearly impossible.”
• Adam McCalvy (MLB.com*): This triple bounced twice on HR line marker. “Questionable home runs are subject to crew chief review...”
• Jared Wyllys (NBC Sports Chicago*): Joe Maddon likened noted Cub-killer Lorenzo Cain to old Cubs favorite. Him and Dexter Fowler have that same kind of a leadoff mentality,” Maddon said Tuesday.
• George Castle (Chicago Jewish News): Like father, like son, Cubs make Chicago Jew’s dream come true. “Baseball is forever for Itamar “ET” Steiner, even though the former Tel Aviv Little Leaguer has likely played his last competitive contest as an outfielder.”

Food for Thought:

thanks for playing along.