Cub Tracks wraps it up

Okay, that took a long time to end. And it didn’t end well. And the Cubs are still slugged away in second place like they’ve been sprinkled with rock salt. How bad can it get? I like my horror movies at night, not in the afternoon. Joan Crawford models the Cubs’ home whites on Svengoolie:

Do you have those in XXXL? I’m sorry I axed. Maybe the Cubs will be sharper today and salvage the rubber game while I watch from the rubber room.

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.

• Paul Sullivan (Chicago Tribune* {$}): MLB reinforces Players Weekend cap policy after Cubs go rogue. “Around baseball, players and personnel mocked the uniforms.” Eric Stephen piles on.
• Brian Sandalow (Chicago Sun-Times* {$}): Bad call just one of Cubs’ issues in loss to Nationals. “The turning point for us was the Happ at-bat,” manager Joe Maddon said.
• Patrick Mooney (The Athletic {$}): ‘Woof.’ The Cubs look bad, play bad on Players’ Weekend. “I’d just like to know who said this was a good idea,” Maddon said. Bruce Miles echoes the sentiment.
• Gordon Wittenmyer (Chicago Sun-Times* {$}): Cubs’ dismay away isn’t sign of doomsday. “The team that provides hope is the ’73 Mets,” Maddon said.
• Bruce Levine (670 The Score): Anthony Rizzo on Maddon’s future: ‘Right guy for the job’. “If the Cubs finish with a whimper and don’t secure the division crown, it figures to reflect poorly on Maddon.”
• Jordan Bastian (MLB.com*): Willson Contreras (hamstring) up to throwing drills. “There are still boxes to check for Contreras, who will travel with the Cubs for their upcoming road series against the Mets.” Brett Taylor has more Contreras.
• Jordan Bastian (MLB.com*): Rizzo (back tightness) TBD after early exit. “Rizzo has dealt with back tightness at times throughout his career.”
• NBC Sports Chicago: Ian Happ reacts to called strike three [VIDEO].
• Cubs birthdays: Rube Kroh, Doug Glanville, Gary Matthews, Jr., Adam Warren. Also notable: Rollie Fingers (HoF).

Food for thought:

Thanks for reading.