Cub Tracks’ life, the twitterverse, and everything

Anthony Rizzo hit two solo homers to propel the Cubs to victory in the first game. The second dinger was the damndest one I’ve ever seen. I don’t think that’s worth throwing over his head the moment the lead seems safe, though. Just sayin’.

David Ross got to manage from the tunnel. Tempers ran a little high the rest of the game. Later, #42 was ejected. Joey Votto #42 and Jesse Winker #42 were key. David Bell #42 also managed to be thumbed out. The Cincinnati twitters went berserk.

“Anthony has a history of having meaningful conversations with the Reds dugout.” — Jim Deshaies.

JD owes me a coffee now. Bastich.

Ian Happ also had a very interesting home run. It was a very interesting day of baseball. Al will have details in his recap. SimBrel is better.

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.

• Jordan Bastian (MLB.com*): Yu Darvish drops glove midpitch, still gets a strike. “That never happened to me before,” Darvish said. “I tried to throw a splitter. I don’t know how that happened, but it works. That was the best splitter in this game. I hope I can throw that pitch next game, too.”

• Maddie Lee (NBC Sports Chicago*): How slowing down vaulted Cubs’ Darvish into the Cy Young conversation. “I think he’s just at a point where he’s really comfortable in who he is,” Cubs manager David Ross said.

• Mark Gonzales (Chicago Tribune* {$}): Police shootings and racial strife weigh on Cubs’ Kyle Schwarber. Schwarber’s father, Greg, was the former police chief of Middletown, Ohio, and a 32-year veteran before retiring in 2012. “And I’m married to a biracial woman,” Schwarber said. Patrick Mooney went in-depth on this {$}.
• Brendan Miller (Cubs Insider*): Cubs Stats to Follow: Passive offense taking fewer swings at good pitches. “... their swing-and-miss sluggers are especially susceptible to heavy breaking stuff.”
• Tim Stebbins (NBC Sports Chicago*): Benches clear in Cubs-Reds doubleheader nightcap after two up-and-in pitches. “Things got a bit tense ...”
• Sam Kelly (Chicago Sun-Times* {$}): Ballhawks at Wrigley Field stay on the lookout. “... the routine hasn’t changed much, albeit it now is done with masks ...”
• Cubs birthdays: Cal McVey, Tom Seaton, Kiki Cuyler HOF, Carmen Fanzone, Marlon Byrd, Todd Wellemeyer, Sean Marshall. Also notable: Ted Williams HOF.

SimNews:

Marcus Stroman was too much for the Cubs in Friday’s game, which was played Saturday, in Citi Field. He shut the Cubs’ bats down so bad that an Ian Happ fifth-inning double was the first hit. The Cubs looked listless as Tyler Chatwood worked as an opener and Anthony Rizzo heaved a second-inning throw into left field on a double-play attempt and the team continued to brandish their pool noodles at the plate until the eighth, when too few runs too late spelled another loss, eight out of the last 10. Many key players have gone cold of late, with Javy, Rizzo, Contreras, and Schwarber going through extended slumps while Lester and Darvish have struggled on the mound.

The players brought in to spell them haven’t been real productive, either, with only Nico and Greg Jones showing enough to stick for long as the team continues to look for right-handed outfield help.

Chatwood has been remanded to the bullpen and faces a possible DFA as the playoff roster has to be determined from the 40-man and there are people who might deserve a spot on the 40.

In better news, the simCubs today signed outfielder Kyle Schwarber to an extension — three years for 42.3 million. Expensive unproductive players can be swapped for other players. Players that are not signed are just losses. 40-man and playoff roster decisions are looming.

Today the Cubs will play two. Yu Darvish will start the first against Steven Matz. Hoerner and Jones will lead off, with Willie spelling Rizzo and KB cleaning up. Happ, Baez, Bote, Caratini round out the lineup against the southpaw.

Ryan Yarbrough will start the second against Jacob DeGrom. The Mets really can’t hit but their pitching is still deadly. The games will be played at old Shea Stadium — starting at 10:00 a.m. CT, with a scheduled start of 12:00 p.m. for the second game. All game video and related material is available commercial-free, 24/7, at the BCB Media Center.

Food for Thought:

Thanks for reading. Hold the Vogon poetry please. RIP Chadwick.