Cub Tracks falls short

No haircuts, please. Just jewelry. In my not so humble opinion, games lost to violation of pandemic rules should be forfeit. The consequences are quite literally potentially lethal and I don’t think that too extreme of a response. Your mileage may vary.

The Cubs played the Brewers last night. Brandon Woodruff and Alec Mills both looked damn good early. The umpire was generous at times but it seemed to go both ways.

Then the bats started talking. Christian Yelich canceled the Cubs plans to nurse the lead with a three-run bomb in the sixth, as he does.

What happened after that? Check Al’s recap.

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.

• Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation): WOW: Cleveland is optioning out Mike Clevinger and Zach Plesac to their alternate site. “This is the equivalent of sending these two to the minors.”
• Paul Sullivan (Chicago Tribune* {$}): As the Cubs rack up wins, they can’t concern themselves with the Cardinals’ plight. “... Cubs fans already are dreaming about a socially distanced parade route to Grant Park.”
• Matt Snyder (CBS Sports*): Cubs enjoying hot start and embracing possibility this is their core’s last season together. Anthony Rizzo admitted the players know this could be it. Russell Dorsey also writes of this.
• Jordan Bastian (MLB.com*): ‘It starts with Rizz’: Energy driving Cubs’ roll. “We create our own weather,” Rizzo said. “Whether it’s 30 degrees or 100 degrees, it’s however we look at it.”
• Mark Gonzales (Chicago Tribune* {$}): Why the Cubs’ 13-3 start is even more impressive this season: ‘We just got to keep doing what we’re doing’. “You can’t speak enough to what everyone and their families are sacrificing on a daily basis off the field,” Kyle Schwarber said.
• Sahadev Sharma (The Athletic {$}): How sustainable is the Cubs’ hot start? Analyzing their small-sample success. “At 13-3, the Cubs can go .500 the rest of the way and still win 35 games, surely more than enough to snag one of the eight playoff spots in the NL and very likely win the division.”
• Maddie Lee (NBC Sports Chicago*): Why José Quintana likely won’t return for upcoming doubleheaders vs. Cardinals. “Talking to him, I didn’t get the feel that he’s quite ready yet,” David Ross said.
• Patrick Mooney (The Athletic {$}): ‘I’m El Mago’: Javier Báez and the back-to-basics approach for the red-hot Cubs. “Just playing as a team, not playing with numbers,” Báez said.
• Jordan Bastian (MLB.com*): It’s not that easy: Javy dazzles with grab, arm. “The magician’s latest trick was throwing Milwaukee’s Manny Piña out — from left field.”
• Evan Altman (Cubs Insider*): MLB reportedly considering expanding player pools to 75. “... this would be a way to offset the potential cancellation of the Arizona Fall League by bringing another 15 prospects into camp.” Keith Law addresses the minors problem {$}.

Cubs birthdays: Elmer Foster, Les Sweetland, Cecil Garriott, Ted Pawelek, Barney Schultz, Seth Morehead, Ramon Morel, Roberto Novoa, Also notable: Charlie Comiskey HOF

SimNews:

The simCubs played the first of three games in the Rogers Centre Friday. It was a pitchers’ duel with the Cubs railing by a run until the Cubs erupted for seven runs, batting around in the process. Nico Hoerner drove in two with a well-placed single to left and then Kyle Schwarber lofted a monstrous shot to right-center to make the score 5-2, and the rout was on. Anthony Rizzo contributed a two-run blast to the cause and Javier Baez obliterated a baseball and sent the shreds over the left-field fence. Way over the left field fence, in the top of the eighth for the final Cubs run in the 9-3 road victory.

Lourdes Gurriel Jr. swatted a deep fly to left in the bottom of the ninth and that was all she wrote as a single turned into a fly ball and an attempt at scoring on a sac fly turned into a Schwarber to Contreras heave-ho at the plate for the final out. Good times. Six wins in a row for the simCubs, who just keep on doing that Cain Marko imitation. Jesus Luzardo relieved Jon Lester and vultured his 11th win with an assist from Dan Winkler.

Kyle Hendricks will pitch in the middle game of the series at 12 pm CT. All game video and related material is available commercial-free, 24/7, at the BCB Media Center.

Switch-hitting middle infielder/outfielder Greg Smith has been added to the 40-man roster. Ineffective southpaw Kyle Ryan, who was mired in Double-A, has been removed from the 40 and will be assigned to Iowa if he clears waivers. Brett Phillips has been sent to Toronto and Greg Allen is on his way to Iowa. Phillips is available for defense or pinch-hitting and will likely start Sunday.

Food for thought:

Thanks for reading.