Cub Tracks puts a crooked number on the board

“Make mine a Bud light,” said Anthony Rizzo brightly. I’ve been accused of being blunt, so I’ll just say he hammered it. Albert Almora Jr. nailed one for a granny. Javier Baez brought his lumber, too.

Wind blowing out. Cole Hamels hit a lot of bats and had everyone chewing their nails until Rizzo fashioned his statement. Tyler Chatwood continued to avoid both walks and bats. Al will have details in his recap.

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).

Cubs closer Pedro Strop (strained left hamstring) threw 25 pitches in a bullpen session on Wednesday. The right-hander is scheduled to throw again this coming weekend.

“He’s doing good,” Maddon said.

Strop has been on the injured list since May 7, and the team has not decided whether he will go on a rehab assignment before being activated. - John Jackson.

• Theo Epstein on The Score [AUDIO].
• Moshe Wilensky (Cubs Insider): Predicting future Chicago Cubs payrolls (Part 3): What will Marquee Sports Network add? “The broad base is important.” Pt. 2.
• Jesse Rogers, Sam Miller (ESPN): Why PECOTA projections were so wrong about the Cubs. The Cubs defy math. They have Javy.
• Gordon Wittenmyer (Chicago Sun-Times* {$}): October starts in June and July for Cubs. “Cubs won’t get far in October without significant bullpen upgrades — if they get there at all.”
• Sahadev Sharma (The Athletic {$}): How the Cubs are piecing wins together with an incomplete bullpen — and why it won’t last. “... the free passes will inevitably catch up to them.”
• Mark Gonzales (Chicago Tribune* {$}): Cubs newcomer Rowan Wick makes a successful conversion from outfielder to reliever. “It took me five months just to get my arm in shape,” he said of the transition.
• NBC Sports Chicago*: Joe Maddon and Kris Bryant talk about Bryant’s baserunning [VIDEO].
• Sean Holland (Cubs Insider): Albert Almora Jr.’s more pull-heavy approach leading to extra bases. “He doesn’t have the raw power to do a lot of opposite-field damage, so hard-hit balls to left are going to yield better results.”
• Patrick Mooney (The Athletic {$}): Key questions – and answers – as Cubs ramp up TV network with hiring of Marquee GM. “Mike McCarthy began working for the Cubs as a consultant in August 2018...”
• Cubs birthdays: Algie McBride, Duke Brett, Augie Galan, Ricky Gutierrez. Also notable: Zack Wheat (HoF).

Today in Cubs history:

• 1926 - Hack Wilson hits the left-field scoreboard.
• 1991 - Andre Dawson steals second at Shea Stadium and becomes the third member of the 300/300 club, joining Willie Mays and Bobby Bonds. Should Bobby be in the Hall?
• 1995 — Kevin Foster and Marvin Freeman, both Chicago-area products, hit home runs off each other as the Cubs edge the Rockies 7-6, at Coors Field.

Food for thought:

Thanks for reading. Go Cubs!