Cub Tracks has a convoy

Well, that was nice. Damn near as nice as the rain that moved in here just as I was sitting down to write this whatever this hybrid beast is. So much for barbecue. Cubs raked the Pirates over the coals pretty good, though.

And I love me some Kyle Schwarber but a good left fielder catches both of those balls. He only caught one. Recap here.

Maybe some sweeploaf for lunch. 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.

• Cam Ellis (NBC Sports Chicago*): The Cubs challenged themselves to open up the second half strong. Two games in, they look up to the task. “We’re all rested, and we’re all ready to go,” Kyle Schwarber said. Sahadev Sharma {$} has thoughts too. Jesse Rogers joins the colloquy.
• Cam Ellis (NBC Sports Chicago*): Jon Lester’s made a dramatic change in how he pitches this season. How much a difference has it made? “The cut fastball. It’s now his most-thrown pitch...”
• Evan Altman (Cubs Insider): Alec Mills to get Tuesday start, Cole Hamels ‘really unleashed’ in throwing session. Hamels ‘could be throwing from the mound by the middle of next week’.
• Gordon Wittenmyer (Chicago Sun-Times* {$}): Cubs stand by Willson Contreras, even though he comes up short in catching metric. “I don’t know that any team would not want him to be their catcher,” said Maddon. Russell Dorsey has more Willy.
• Ryan Thomure (Cubs Insider): Underlying peripherals suggest Schwarber ready for stronger second half. “... he’s actually putting up his best season yet according to xwOBA?”
• Cubs birthdays: Art Nichols, Jiggs Parrott, Julio Bonetti, Steve Stone, Chuck Rainey, Derrick May, Jose Hernandez, Jack Leathersich.

Food for thought:

Thanks for reading.