Cub Tracks’ chain letters

Wednesday night in Cleveland, oh boy. The Professor taught class, Tim Timmons taught impatience, and Kris Bryant said his wrist is all right. Javier Baez still loves Francisco Lindor. Anthony Rizzo is linked to crimes against a baseball — he murdered one.

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.

• Gordon Wittenmyer (NBC Sports Chicago*): Why Cubs, other contenders could find best playoff answers in NCAA hoops. “The only thing anybody knows for sure is that MLB has no intention of shutting down, or pausing the league, for anything short of extreme multiple-team spread of the virus or an otherwise grave consequence.”
• Matt Danielowicz (Marquee Sports Network*): When do teams know they have something special? “Bruce Levine and Ryan Sweeney discussed with Cole Wright about how teams know they have “something special” on Cubs Live!”
• Russell Dorsey (Chicago Sun-Times*): Jon Lester showing he has a lot left in the tank for Cubs in shortened season. “He has been a model of consistency and a key to their success over the last half-decade.”
• Tony Andracki (Marquee Sports Network*): All signs positive as José Quintana continues to progress. “Now the Cubs are trying to get him up to speed to handle a starter’s workload.”
• (Bleacher Nation): David Ross: Getting Craig Kimbrel right is going to “take a minute”. “... every single Kimbrel-related decision made by the Cubs needs to be about what comes later.”
• Jared Wyllys (Forbes*): The Chicago Cubs need to get creative at closer. “The Cubs have one of the worst bullpens in baseball so far this season, but there are options.”
• Russell Dorsey (Chicago Sun-Times*): Defense starting to become Cubs’ calling card during fast start. “I don’t know that defense ever gets enough credit,” Ross said.
• Evan Altman (Cubs Insider*): Forget batting average, Victor Caratini hasn’t looked like himself at plate in early going. “... Caratini’s .370 BABIP is 90 points above league average, indicating that a tremendous amount of luck has worked in his favor thus far.”
• Jordan Bastian (MLB.com*): Javy on Frankie: He’s the best. I’m ‘El Mago’. “Báez calls Lindor a “complete player,” and one worthy of being viewed as the best shortstop in an era filled with elite talent at the position.” Maddie Lee reports on this.
• Sahadev Sharma (The Athletic {$}): How Kris Bryant is tapping into his natural athleticism at third base. “He came in ready to work this spring,” Andy Green said.
• Cubs birthdays: Andre Thornton, Will Ohman, Corey Patterson.

SimCubs news:

The simCubs played two yesterday against the simReds. They won the first game going away, 9-3, and the second game was a teeter-totter affair that finally wound up as a 2-1 Cubs victory.

SimJHey was the hero in game one. simFried pitched well and got the W.

simDarvish ended up with a no-decision after simbrel blew the save in the second game. simLuzardo vultured the win when simSchwarber blasted his second solo job.

No game today for the 86-35 simCubs. Tomorrow the simCubs open a three-game series against Toronto. All game video and related material is available commercial-free, 24/7 at the BCB Media Center.

Food for thought:

Thanks for reading!