Cub Tracks’ victorious interruptus

Remember a month and a half ago, when I predicted that the Reds might could win the division? Yeah, that’s why. They can be a scary outfit. I was probably a year premature — it isn’t looking right now like Cincinnati will make the playoffs but there’s a lot of season left.

I don’t mind if I’m wrong and the Cubs win, and Jon Lester is a horse, as usual. A lot of this kinda stuff for me is predicated on the apparent reality that I am wrong far more often than random chance would indicate... indeed I am admittedly almost always wrong. I have a friend who is a Pirates fan and dates back to the days when Dick Groat was a regular. He asks me every couple of days if I still believe that the Reds will win the division.

My standard answer — “It’s too early to tell.”

I’ll stick to that all the way through September and you may consider the perspective to apply to the rest of the division as well.

I wonder how hard it would be to pry Ken Giles from the Blue Jays? I’d offer one of Addison Russell, Ian Happ, or David Bote, and one of Rowan Wick, Dakota Mekkes, or Junichi Tazawa, just to get the idea out there. I’d consider moving Carl Edwards Jr. Feel free to cheer or jeer.

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).

“I still think we’re in a good spot,” Cubs reliever Steve Cishek said. “As the fans ride the roller coaster, we do, too. There’s ups and downs throughout a long season. We started off slow and then we rode a hot streak for a long time. It’s going to happen again. We’re going to be fine.”

“I would never utter a disparaging word towards Mr. Cishek ever,” Maddon said after the Cubs (29-20) lost for the second time this week and third time this season when leading after eight innings. “It didn’t work today. Give [the Reds] credit. But don’t overlook the fight of the team. We played a pretty good game today. We swung the bats well. We hit some homers. I thought Kyle [Hendricks] was very good. We’re playing hard and [playing] good baseball. We didn’t win. They kicked the last field goal. That happens.” — Mark Potash.

• Jordan Bastian (MLB.com*): Lester’s cutter getting hit hard in past two starts. “Something doesn’t feel right. We’ll figure it out. I’ve been here before. I’m just not making good pitches,” Lester said. Bruce Levine has commentary.
• Teddy Greenstein (Chicago Tribune* {$}): Joe Maddon will not request fresh arms from Cubs front office: ‘I’m really good at staying in my lane’. “Steve Cishek politely declined to comment on Maddon’s assertion that his tank was three-quarters full.” Sahadev Sharma amplifies.
• Teddy Greenstein (Chicago Tribune* {$}): Cubs bullpen implodes as Reds rally for 6-5 win at Wrigley Field: ‘Days like this are going to happen’. “And the bullpen continues to cause headaches.” Mark Potash has words about this as well. Jordan Bastian also opines.
• Sahadev Sharma (The Athletic {$}): ‘It’s all about him, man’: Could Tyler Chatwood find himself in a marquee bullpen role? “I’ve felt good all year,” Chatwood said. “The big thing is keeping that and keep building off it.”
• Laura Messer (Cubs Insider): Edwards showing improvement since return from Iowa. “Edwards’ pitching splits show major improvements regarding the main topic of concern, his command of the strike zone.”
• Phil Thompson (Chicago Tribune* {$}): Anthony Rizzo gets a ‘bill’ for damage to Wrigley Field’s Budweiser sign — then a check from the beer company. “Thanks for the beer and matching donation @budweiserusa,” Rizzo wrote, “next time I’ll try to knock out more lights #damagecontrol.”
• Cam Ellis (NBC Sports Chicago*): Wrigley Field’s outfield demands a lot, but the Cubs are answering the call. “Who doesn’t love defense?” Cubs manager Joe Maddon said earlier in the week.
• Mark Potash (Chicago Sun-Times* {$}): Cubs notebook: Kyle Schwarber thriving in leadoff spot, so far. “But if you look at his overall abilities … for me that’s a perfect spot for him, especially in our lineup,” Maddon said. Tim Stebbins feels similarly.
• Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation): Both Kyle Schwarber and Albert Almora Jr. have been hot for a month – But who’s been better? “... what’s funny is that they both heated up on the exact same day: April 25.”
• Tony Andracki (NBC Sports Chicago* ): How close is Ian Happ to rejoining the Cubs? “Happ is still struggling to make consistent contact.”
• Jeff Agrest (Chicago Sun-Times* {$}): Report: Cubs’ Marquee Sports Network asking $4 per month to providers to carry it. “Combined with NBC Sports Chicago’s carriage fee, the two networks could cost area consumers almost $13 per month ...” Evan Altman makes remarks. Brett Taylor joins the discussion. Paul Sullivan adds on.
• C. Trent Rosecrans (The Athletic {$}): Holy cow! ’80s Cubs Jody Davis and Leon Durham reunited in Reds system. “We’ve been together so long, it’s just like being thrown back with your brother,” Davis said.
• Ryan Fagan (The Sporting News*): What if? With Mark Prior and Kerry Wood, Cubs fans still wonder what might have been. “Today, we’re looking at a couple of pitchers who suffered similar frustrating fates.”
• Cubs birthdays: Bob Wicker, Jim Marshall, Angel Echevarria, Todd Walker, Randall Simon, Scott Hairston, Brad Snyder, Neil Ramirez.

Food for thought:

Thanks for reading.