Cub Tracks underscores

Yuck. I don’t have much to say about that game because I didn’t watch it all. I made it to Corey Dickerson’s double/E9 and that was that. I bet even Al thought about turning it off. If only Kyle Schwarber’s long ball had been fair... I thought that was the pivotal moment.

(I finished later while looking for things for this thing. I heard MVP chants for Josh Bell. I heard “Javy, Javy” just as loud. But that game felt bad. It was ugly to see.)

“It’s like they’re taking batting practice here tonight.” Jim DeShaies.

Second place. Today’s another day, and there’s another game. Kyle Hendricks has come off the IL to pitch. He’ll have a number limit, for sure. Let’s look on the bright side — he’s off the IL. Maybe the Cubs can avoid a sixth consecutive road series loss. 16-24? Ewwwww.

Theo Epstein and co. have a month to shape the team for the rest of the year. The negative nabobs have hot takes on this. I’m not letting them scuttle my postseason plans just yet.

I bet Bobby Bonilla is having a good day.

Good thoughts to the Tyler Skaggs family. Damn, man. Rough. Makes everything else seem small.

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.

Joe Maddon was upset with a fan interference call during an Anthony Rizzo at-bat in the 3rd inning on Sunday. Rizzo was called out after a review of a fan reaching over to catch a foul ball which Reds left fielder Phillip Ervin was tracking: “You know what I would like you to do? Call New York. Because I’m tired of getting fines, quite frankly. I want my grandkids to go to college. Every time I make a comment on umpires I get fined. I prefer that you call New York and ask them. Please do. Please do. Because I want to hear what they have to say. It was just way too ambiguous to be overturned for me.” — Jesse Rogers.

• Evan Altman (Cubs Insider): Jed Hoyer on Cubs trade needs: ‘We haven’t played well enough to rule anything out’. “... it is obvious that some changes need to be made.”
• Rick Morrissey (Chicago Sun-Times* {$}): The trouble with these Cubs is that they’re not those Cubs. “They’re still a good team, but they aren’t what they used to be.”
• David Haugh (Chicago Tribune* {$}): Theo Epstein needs to make bold moves — such as trading Kyle Schwarber or Addison Russell — if the Cubs hope to make a playoff run. “... it requires a quantum leap of faith to envision the Cubs planning a championship parade without Epstein daring to intervene.”
• Gordon Wittenmyer (Chicago Sun-Times* {$}): Out of answers? Cubs six-week run of mediocrity raises long list of questions for July. “The Pirates’ 18-5 rout... underscored a growing number of problems for the Cubs.”
• Mark Gonzales (Chicago Tribune* {$}): Joe Maddon baffled by Cubs’ road woes: ‘Maybe the other teams have gotten better’.
• Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation): 40 Games and 40 Blahs – Why the Cubs have been solidly under .500 since mid-May isn’t complicated. “The good news today is the same as it’s been for a month: the rest of the NL Central is flopping around like a dying fish, too.”
• Jake Crouse (MLB.com*): Cubs place Tony Barnette on restricted list. “I think Tony is kind of reevaluating things with his family right now,” Hoyer said. Tim Stebbins has more. Evan Altman has more still.
• Sahadev Sharma (The Athletic {$}): How former top draft pick Danny Hultzen let go of expectations en route to Cubs comeback attempt. “I look at things so differently now,” he said.
• Tim Stebbins (NBC Sports Chicago*): Cubs shortstop Javier Baez invited to 2019 Home Run Derby, still deciding whether he will participate. “Báez’ heel is “still bothering him a bit”.”
• Jordan Bastian (MLB.com*): Kris Bryant an All-Star: ‘This is the most special one’. “... it’s just a nice reward to come into this year and kind of put some of the other stuff to rest and just go out there and play baseball.” Jesse Rogers offers thoughts.
• Phil Rosenthal (Chicago Tribune* {$}): When the Cubs and Cardinals play in London next year, leave the U.S. announcers at home. “...not necessarily because U.S. viewers will learn anything new about the game but because they’ll gain a greater understanding of what is foreign to others.”
• Cubs birthdays: Len Madden, So Taguchi, Jermaine Van Buren, Angel Pagan.

Food for thought:

Thanks for reading.