Cub Tracks plays .500 at home

Hmm. Cubs looked better after the delay. Not quite good enough, given the early hole, but better. I’m going to hold on to that. I dunno about you. Kyle Schwarber needed another biscuit for breakfast, I guess. That ball wasn’t quite barreled. Might’ve changed things, who knows?

Hoping for another split. Could be worse. These are the good old days. The Cubs will catch up.

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). {$} means paywall. {$] means limited views.

Craig Kimbrel has completed his Minor League assignment and is en route to Wrigley Field.

“He’s on his way right now,” Cubs manager Joe Maddon said prior to Wednesday night’s game against the Braves. — Jordan Bastian.

Javy’s brother Gadiel was a switch-hitter.

Popeye was a juicer.

• Patrick Mooney (The Athletic {$}): The Cubs are nearing the halfway point to … where exactly? “... why does it feel like something is missing with this team?”
• Gordon Wittenmyer (Chicago Sun-Times* {$}): Cubs’ Yu Darvish picks ‘L’ of a way to end franchise-record streak of no-decisions. “... he still seeks his first victory at Wrigley Field 16 months after signing a six-year, $126 million free agent contract.”
• Sahadev Sharma (The Athletic {$}): Showing poise on the mound, Adbert Alzolay impresses as the future of Cubs’ homegrown pitching. “... he’s young; it’s his first outing, and he’s going to get better,” said Willson Contreras.
• Mark Gonzales (Chicago Tribune* {$}): Craig Kimbrel en route to Cubs, but is Alzolay headed to Iowa? “There are other ways we can do this,” said manager Joe Maddon, careful not to rule out any possibilities. Tommy Birch climbs on the Kimbrel train. Jordan Bastian sits in another car. Brett Taylor discusses Alzolay.
• Matt Clapp (The Comeback): Q&A with Cubs 1B Anthony Rizzo, who still pays for food & drinks in Chicago after winning the World Series. “The questions and answers have been edited for clarity.”
• Kelsey Driscoll (AOL.com): Rizzo lets the kids play: Cubs superstar surprises Little Leaguers in Chicago. “The 2016 World Series Champion and retired Little Leaguer surprised a group of young Chicago-area baseball players on Tuesday by inviting them to run drills and imparting some invaluable wisdom.”
• Jordan Bastian (MLB.com*): Javier Baez makes things count even when he’s behind. “The count does not matter as much as it might for another batter.”
• Mark Gonzales, Tim Bannon (Chicago Tribune* {$}): 2-year-old girl hit by Albert Almora Jr.’s foul ball in Houston suffered a skull fracture, according to family attorney. “Houston lawyer Richard Mithoff said the child sustained a skull fracture with subdural bleeding, brain contusions and brain edema.”
• Brendan Miller (Cubs Insider): Almora’s slump highlighted by excessive weak contact. “In his last 50 batted-ball sample... has only made hard contact roughly 22% of the time.”
• Chris Emma (670 The Score): Cubs staying patient with struggling Ian Happ. “Everybody’s talking about how wonderfully he’s been handling all of this,” Maddon said.
• Craig Edwards (ESPN+ {$}): Grinders, pluggers and dirtbags: Every team’s unsung first-half hero. The Cubs’ representative has a .357 OBP and a .796 OPS.
• Ryne Sandberg talks to Cubs Talk [AUDIO].
• Des Moines Register*: ‘Wow, I’m back’: Why Des Moines is a special place for Jim Adduci and his family. “I knew that Des Moines is a great city, and there’s good people,” he said.
• Cubs birthdays: Wayne Terwilliger, Danny Breeden, Jim Edmonds, Daryle Ward. Also notable: Bull Durham, Fuzz White.

Food for thought:

Otto Octavius, please pick up the white courtesy phone. Otto Octavius, please pick up the white courtesy phone... Thanks for reading.