Cub Tracks’ Yadi yadda yadda

Here at CUB TRACKS NEWS AND NOTES™, we like to keep things brief on the principle that it makes us appear wise. We don’t always, but we like to.

The Cubs and Cardinals partied Saturday night, with the victory going to the. The Cubs scored in the first inning for the second game in a row and that was good but Joe Buck and John Smoltz steadily refuse to be wished into the cornfield.

Adbert Alzolay looked great. He’s gonna throw a no-no one day. Maybe soon if they don’t fix the ball. But not this time. Quality start though, and deserved a better fate.

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“I felt emotion when I stepped out, and it was a pretty crowded St. Louis stadium,” said Cubs manager David Ross after the Cubs turned a tie game through six innings into a 12-3 rout late.

“It definitely felt more like the norm of a baseball season with a pretty big crowd, a weekend series; they’re in first place; we’re in second,” he added. “It’s early still, but I had a little bit of emotion where it felt like a normal big, rivalry series in St. Louis.” — as told to Gordon Wittenmyer.

• Jayson Stark (The Athletic {$}): Weird and wild, the weird no-hitter facts edition. “I wake up now in no-hitter watch mode,” Jim Deshaies said.
• Mike McGraw (Daily Herald* {$}): David Ross enjoys watching Cubs’ rookie debuts. “Yeah, it’s the best,” Ross said.
• Tim Stebbins (NBC Sports Chicago*): ‘Vintage’ Hendricks pitching like ace Cubs need. “We need Kyle to be historically who he’s been for us to win baseball games,” Ross said. Russell Dorsey has thoughts about this.
• Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation*): Jason Adam injured during batting practice at Triple-A Iowa (UPDATE). “... the main hope for now is that Adam is going to be OK long-term.” He’s undergone ankle surgery.
• Tim Stebbins (NBC Sports Chicago*): Cubs injury updates on Mills, Megill, Marisnick, Heyward. It won’t be long, yeah.
• Ryan Herrera (MLB.com*): Pederson, Happ a leadoff ‘luxury’ for Ross. “If they’re swinging the bats well, it’s a good thing to have.”
• Gordon Wittenmyer (NBC Sports Chicago*): Anthony Rizzo: The Goldschmidt standard for Cubs. “... the proximity this weekend of Rizzo and Goldschmidt is just the latest reminder of extensions the Cubs haven’t gotten done...”

Food for Thought:

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