Cub Tracks loses it late

Today, in Yu Darvish news... he was pretty damn good. 11 Ks. And a hit! Probably the hit that Kris Bryant was supposed to get in regulars but whatcha gonna do? The gods of baseball are nothing if not capricious. Mike Marshall said “Baseball is an ass,” and he knew he was right.

The bullpen said “Wednesday is Prince Spaghetti Day!” and provided the meatballs. Anthony didn’t play. Still, extras. Kris and Javier Báez took advantage of the opportunities to continue their streaks.

And then things went south. Overthinking? I dunno. Maybe. Maybe Albert catches that drive if they’re positioned normally. Maybe, Joe Maddon.

Here’s a cute cat pic, if it helps you feel better:

Here’s today’s Cubs News and Notes. As always, * means autoplay on, or annoying ads, or both (directions to remove for Firefox and Chrome).

• Jesse Rogers (ESPN*): Forget last year’s collapse and their slow start -- the real Cubs are back. “I don’t think how we played on our first road trip was indicative of our talent level or our preparation,” team president Theo Epstein said Tuesday.
• Chris Kamka (NBC Sports Chicago*): The Cubs’ huge turnaround can be traced back to their pitching staff. “... they arrived at Wrigley Field for their home opener. And everything changed.”
• Brendan Miller (Cubs Insider): Kyle Hendricks success fueled by improved pitch tunneling. ““tunneling” is the ability to throw pitches consistently through the same imaginary column of space.” Michael Cerami talks professor.
• Mark Gonzales (Chicago Tribune* {$}): Cubs starter Yu Darvish takes a big step forward as showdown with Jake Arrieta looms. “The uber-mercurial Darvish validated Maddon’s positive feelings on Wednesday against the Reds.”
• Jon Greenberg (The Athletic {$}): Yu vs. Yu: Will walks hamper Darvish’s ability to go on a run for the Cubs? “When my fastball (command) is back, I will get my confidence. After a couple good starts, my confidence will come back.” Brett Taylor also has thoughts.
• CBS Chicago: Cubs Pitcher Steve Cishek helps recent grads’ company sell socks to help the homeless. “For each pair they sell, they donate a pair to a different homeless shelter.”
• Patrick Mooney (The Athletic {$}): Ben Zobrist’s future with the Cubs remains unclear amid divorce filings. “... the Cubs are once again focusing on the person more than the player.”
• Patrick Mooney (The Athletic {$}): As the Addison Russell situation plays out, the Cubs leave no doubt: Báez is their shortstop. “Javy’s been one of the most dynamic players in the league,” Theo Epstein said. Bill Quinn (Cubs Insider) has similar thoughts.
• Mark Gonzales (Chicago Tribune* {$}): Joe Maddon sticks with slumping Jason Heyward as the Cubs leadoff hitter, calling him ‘unlucky’. “It doesn’t look good, I get it,” Maddon said. “But he’s had some pretty good swings that have not been rewarded.”
• Andre Fernandez (The Athletic {$}): Down memory lane with the ‘D-Train’: Catching up with Marlins legend Dontrelle Willis. “... Sosa sees us and goes, ‘You guys ready to go home today?’” Willis said.
• Cubs birthdays: Howard Fitzgerald, Rube Walker, Rick Reuschel, Bob Patterson, Mitch Webster. Also notable: Jack Morris (HoF).

Food for thought:

Thanks for reading.