Cub Tracks’ slim and none

Here’s the skinny — nice win! More of that please.

Russell Johnson must be proud.

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.

• Mark Gonzales (Chicago Tribune* {$}): Experienced Cubs face a potential unknown playoff pool, only adding to the challenges of the 2020 season. “The scouting dynamic from home is funny,” David Ross said. “You hear the feedback from the scouts. It’s unique and a challenge for a lot of those guys.”
• Patrick Mooney (The Athletic {$}): Anthony Rizzo’s message and the team chemistry built inside Cubs’ playoff bubble. “When we all look back on this season, it’s not going to be about your numbers,” Kris Bryant said. “It’s going to be about how we came together as a group and got through something that was a crazy time, a crazy time that we’re living in.”
• Jordan Bastian (MLB.com*): Notes: Ross, Rizzo on Jon Lester; injury updates. “I look at things through a different lens,” Ross said. “I don’t see it as his last start here, for me. I see him coming back...” Lots of emotions. More Lester from Evan Altman. Russell Dorsey has thoughts. Gordon Wittenmyer chimes in. Sahadev Sharma closes it all out {$}.
• Maddie Lee (NBC Sports Chicago*): How Jeremy Jeffress solved the Cubs’ closer, bullpen problems. “According to Ross, Jeffress has mentored the Cubs’ young relievers all year.”
• Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation*): Craig Kimbrel is back. “The guy who didn’t show up last year, and took five outings to re-emerge this year.”
• Maddie Lee (NBC Sports Chicago*): Ross: José Quintana, Andrew Chafin ‘extremely close’ to return. “... could be any day now,” Ross said.
• Bryan Smith (Bleacher Nation*): Kyle Schwarber’s hard-hitting, ice-cold two weeks, and problems on the inner half. “... how can we reconcile a guy that’s making so much hard contact with a guy getting no results?”
• Evan Altman (Cubs Insider*): CI Exclusive: Cubs set dates for Fall Instructs, which includes 20-game schedule. “... the Cubs will indeed be holding their fall instructs in Mesa beginning September 27, the last day of MLB’s regular season.”
• Jeff Agrest (Chicago Sun-Times* {$}): Ryan Dempster doing more than just pitching in for Cubs’ Marquee Sports Network. “... the former Cubs pitcher has been a regular contributor, combining his two passions: talking baseball and entertaining people.”
• Patrick Reddington (Federal Baseball): Story Time with Davey Martinez: Getting called up on the day the Cubs’ manager got fired... “I go downstairs with my bag to go in the clubhouse and immediately got — they told us, ‘Turn around.’”
• James Fillmore (Twinkie Town): The underknown Steve Goodman and the Cubs. “If this piece gets one person who’s never heard Goodman before to check out any of his stuff, my 2020 TT writing is a success.” I was one of his students for a while. This is a great tribute.
• Cubs birthdays: Buddy Schultz, Phil Stephenson, Randy Myers, Scott Baker, Also notable: Duke Snider HOF, Joe Morgan HOF, Jim Abbott

SimNews:

The simCubs won their 106th game, clinching the best record in the NL, as Tyler Chatwood pitched his second very good game in a row. Javier Baez scored on a wild pitch, Willson Contreras untied the game with a single, and Kyle Schwarber doubled our pleasure with a mammoth blast to right.

Yu Darvish will take the mound today, trying to go to 11. Game time is 3 p.m. CT unless otherwise noted. All game video and related material is available commercial-free, 24/7, at the BCB Media Center.

Food for thought:

Thanks for reading.