Cub Tracks features creatures

Cub Tracks is of course on board with beheadings, as long as they’re televised. I won’t name any actual names but there are people who I would submit as possibilities for such treatment. It isn’t cruel if you do it quick and it isn’t unusual if you do a lot of it.

This is all very horrorshow but I’m on board with that as well. Does the name Berwyn mean anything to you? I knew it would. Pardon the plug, neighbor.

The Cubs have been a horror show lately, we all know that. It has been the subject of several hundred running jokes and/or baseball columns. Jon Lester, however, did not seem to have read those, and went totally beastly in the matinee, pitching as though someone was anointing his rubber chicken with wolfsbane, or maybe trying to get him to eat Matt Carpenter’s salsa. I dunno. But he pitched his tail off and was rewarded with a Kris Bryant deep fly that felt like a game-winner. Could the pendulum swing back the other way? Would it?

Berr-wyn! 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. Italics are often used here as sarcasm font. Recap here.

• Gordon Wittenmyer (Chicago Sun-Times* {$}): Beware shouting fire (the manager) in a crowded playoff race, especially if you’re the Cubs. “It’s just crazy. It’s unfounded,” Cubs pitcher Kyle Hendricks said. Brett Taylor shares his thoughts on the matter.

• Mark Gonzales (Chicago Tribune* {$}): Cubs’ message for Little Leaguers: Have fun, work hard, hustle — and don’t think about launch angles. “Every manager or coach you’ll have loves players who work hard and hustle. That’s what they need to hear,” opined Joe Maddon.
• Jordan Bastian (MLB.com*): Cubs escape Pittsburgh with much-needed win. “They’re on the road, too,” Kris Bryant said with a smirk (regarding today’s game in Williamsport).
• ESPN: Jon Lester talks about the win [VIDEO].
• Matt Snyder (CBS Sports*): Craig Kimbrel likely to return Sunday as Cubs could be starting to pull out of bullpen skid. “Since the beginning of July, Tyler Chatwood has been amazing, sporting a 1.76 ERA with 20 strikeouts against just four walks in 15 1/3 innings.” Brett Taylor has also noted Kimbrel’s return.
• ESPN: Kris Bryant talks about his game [VIDEO].
• Gordon Wittenmyer (Chicago Sun-Times* {$}): Who you gonna call? Ian Happ won’t say who’s on phone, but Cubs hope for slump buster. “I can’t discuss that,” Happ says.

• Gordon Wittenmyer (Chicago Sun-Times* {$}): Shark week: Red-hot Giants starter Jeff Samardzija talks football, baseball, Cubs, $ports$. “The Cubs are in there. They’ve been in there from Day 1, and that won’t change.”
• Teddy Greenstein (Chicago Tribune* {$}): Cubs get some love at the BMW Championship — in an unusual place. “At this point the Cubs will take any good vibes they can get.”
• Cubs birthdays: Eddie Hickey, William Marriott, Burleigh Grimes (HoF), Mandy Brooks, Bernie Friberg, Bob Humphreys, Paul Popovich, Justin Wilson. Also notable: Roberto Clemente (HoF)

Food for thought:

Thanks for reading.