Cub Tracks needs one more

Wednesday afternoon, the simCubs and the simPirates met in simPNC Park. Kyle Hendricks faced Joe Musgrove in the third game of a four-game series. Hendricks was virtually unhittable as the Cubs throttled the Pirates and now seek the sweep. Musgrove was just as good but reliever Richard Rodriguez gave up the winning run in the seventh as Kris Bryant continued to be clutch.

However, the game was not without drama, and the outcome was in doubt until Craig Kimbrel earned his fourth save by inducing Jose Osuna to fly out to left for the final out.

Today, they play the fourth and final game of the series. There is rain in the Pittsburgh forecast but we’ll do everything we can to get the game in.

Al will have more information about that game in the game post, at 2:30 pm CT for our 3 p.m. start. I’ll drop the specific URL to the contest in the game thread, but you can lurk at the BCB Media Center and catch it there as well. All past games and highlights reels are available there too, and I also make some game data available on my Twitter account, especially postgame, if you want the full simCubs experience.

And now, here’s Cub Tracks News and Notes, the only links column that really matters. 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.

• Rick Telander (Chicago Sun-Times* {$}): Let’s play ball, however strange it is. “How could anyone be against that?”
• Gordon Wittenmyer and Vinnie Duber (NBC Sports Chicago*): How a shortened MLB season could impact the Cubs and White Sox. “... the discussions offer a glimmer of possibility, if not the start of a blueprint, for an actual season this year.”
• Patrick Mooney (The Athletic {$}): Anthony Rizzo’s foundation delivers real-world impact in uncertain times. “Rizzo recognizes health care workers in an emerging coronavirus hotspot.”
• Gordon Wittenmyer (NBC Sports Chicago*): How Cubs’ Nico Hoerner is making an impact in Chicago during shutdown. “This is affecting people in so many different ways,” he said.
• Jordan Bastian (MLB.com*): Cubs’ Top 5 second basemen: Bastian’s take. Some may be debatable. Also, most-hyped 2B prospects from MLB.com.
• George Castle (Chicago Tribune* {$}: From his home in Lake Bluff, Hall of Famer Ryne Sandberg holds out hope that the Major League Baseball season can begin in July ‘if it’s safe enough for all involved’. “You’d like to see something salvaged instead of no baseball at all,” he said.
• Mark Gonzales (Chicago Tribune* {$}): Michael Burkhart, the Cubs’ visiting clubhouse manager for 16 seasons, dies at 63. “Before his appointment to Wrigley Field, Burkhart served 18 seasons as minor-league equipment manager.”
• Todd Johnson (Cubs Insider*): Cubs have new wave of teenage prospects to unleash once season resumes. “... by young players, I mean kids who are 16-18 years old.”
• Cubs birthdays: Jack Hendricks, Hippo Vaughn, Tiny Osborne, Claude Passeau, Brian Dorsett, Mike Brumley, Jose Guzman, Blaise Ilsley, Ryan O’Malley.

Food for thought:

Thanks for reading. Happy 4/20. Rants and raves at medium.