Cub Tracks is working on it

Well, faithful readers, let’s just say that was ugly, and turn the page.

Kris Bryant extended his hitting streak. The Brewers won and have now extended their streak to ten. The Braves have an eleven-game streak happening. The Cubs should start one of their own today.

Yu Darvish will be on the hill to face Eric Lauer. Yu has been pitching very well indeed in recent days and Lauer is not especially effective. Al will have more about the game in the game post at 2:30 p.m. CT, and then I’ll post the actual URL to the stream at 3 p.m. CT. Or you can catch the game at the BCB Media Center and also catch past games and game videos, if you want the full #simCubs experience.

And now, here’s Cub Tracks 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.

“Is it ideal? No.” said Sox TV analyst Steve Stone, who has the distinction of pitching and announcing for both teams. “Sixty (games) isn’t ideal. But 60 is better than no games.

“The criticism toward the owners and players is going to happen. Chicago is a union town. We hear it’s millionaires versus billionaires. But a lot of people love baseball. This is a step toward bringing people back to their normal lives.”

“But [we’re] all together for one goal and understand the sacrifices we’re making and the uncomfortableness of some of these protocols, and how outside the norm this environment is,” Ross said. “And to still be able to compete at a high level and compete for one another and be one unit in this bubble we’re trying to create, I think that’s really important.”

• Steve Greenberg (Chicago Sun-Times* {$}): Take that asterisk and shove it — Cubs skipper David Ross wants a trophy and a parade. “Think a 60-game regular season is illegitimate? Ross isn’t buying it. “If they’re passing out a trophy, I want it,” he said.”
• Mark Gonzales (Chicago Tribune* {$}): ‘60 is better than no games’: Baseball is back in Chicago, with the Cubs and White Sox reporting to training camp 2.0. But things will be far from normal. “... this as good as it gets — for now — as the Cubs and Sox attempt to kick-start next month ...”
• Gordon Wittenmyer (NBC Sports Chicago*): Cubs’ Yu Darvish plans to play as others in MLB opt out over COVID-19 concerns. “To this point we have not had anyone talk to us about opting out,” general manager Jed Hoyer said Monday.
• Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation): Kris Bryant and Anthony Rizzo still expected to go 1-2 in Cubs lineup. “The joy for the very good friends is real, even if the two can celebrate only in spirit at the moment.”
• Maddie Lee (NBC Sports Chicago*): Ross promises Kyle Schwarber, ‘It’s not going to be strictly a DH role’. “He’s comfortable in the DH spot, he told me that,” Ross said Monday.
• Sahadev Sharma and Patrick Mooney (The Athletic {$}): Ready or not, the Cubs’ roster and return-to-play plans are taking shape. “... by filling out the full 60, the Cubs would limit their flexibility from the outset.”
• Tim Stebbins (NBC Sports Chicago*): Cubs expect to play 3 exhibition games —White Sox likely opponent? “We’re working on it,” Hoyer said.
• Jordan Bastian (MLB.com*): Cubs announce player pool; 10 spots open. “Any 40-man-roster players who are not included in a player pool (for example, maybe a prospect who isn’t deemed ready for the Majors) will still be paid during the season.”
• ESPN*: MLB prospects to watch from each team’s 60-man pool. “Catcher Miguel Amaya and outfielder Brennen Davis aren’t ready for the bigs, but both have some pop and already are top-100 material.”
• Mark Gonzales (Chicago Tribune* {$}: Burl Carraway wasn’t on the Chicago Cubs’ initial summer roster, but the 2nd-round pick still could join rare company by making it to the majors this year. “The Cubs have 10 spots open on the 60-man summer roster ...”
• Evan Altman (Cubs Insider*): Lefty pitching prospect Jordan Minch goes public with story of perceived poor treatment by Cubs. “The idea that he was going to be on the taxi squad as a member of the 60-man roster is highly dubious ...”
• Maddie Lee (NBC Sports Chicago*): Two Cubs staff members test positive for COVID-19, are delayed in joining camp. “Hoyer described both staff members’ symptoms as “mild.””
• Cubs birthdays: Jocko Flynn, Davy Jones, Johnny Hudson, Joe Stephenson, Paul Toth, Doug Dascenzo, Mark Grudzielanek.

Food for thought:

Thanks for reading!