Cub Tracks extras edition

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Things are different today. Please allow me to introduce myself.

Here at CUB TRACKS NEWS AND NOTES™, we read the news today, oh boy. The Cubs played a hump day game against their arch-rivals the Cardinals, and. More about that below.

I saw the news about a possible sportsbook at Wrigley (also on the front page) to continue the desecration of a once-proud and now vainglorious site. Sort of appropriate as the Cubs continue to gamble with the fans’ affections, though. It’s as if they truly don’t care and believe that there will always be 39,000 asses in the seats, no matter what they do. Nothing to get hung about. Wrigley-Ricketts Field forever. The proposed legal change also includes Guaranteed Rate Field, Soldier Field, United Center and Wintrust Arena, who I assume are making similar plans.

I so don’t want this to happen, but you can’t always get what you want, to put a little more English on the ball. Everybody’s got something to hide.

Rafael Ortega’s been hiding hits in his bats, apparently. He was the story early as a surprise leadoff man and made David Ross look positively sagacious by hitting rockets in his first two plate appearances, including his run-scoring triple in the third inning.

Ian Happ played a little defense.

Adam Wainwright hides his age pretty well. He’s not even young by my standards, and his pitches are not what they used to be, but he’s still effective. Kyle Hendricks probably throws harder than Waino, now. He’s not so bad, himself. Cubs ace Hendricks was going for his 13th win. A pitchers’ duel resulted, as was expected. The Cubs took that early-one run lead and held it until the seventh, when a wild Contreras throw on a third-base-line dribbler opened the gates for a couple of runs. Fan favorite Eric Sogard tied the game in the ninth with a pinch double to get Hendricks off the hook.

Arg, Rizzo. That was some really bad baserunning. Just hold the bag. Could have cost the Cubs the game.

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 on this page as sarcasm font. (In the comments section, use @ before and after your remarks @ to produce sarcasm font. In the text body. It doesn’t work in the headlines.)

• Russell Dorsey (Chicago Sun-Times* {$}): 3 questions the Cubs need to answer before the trade deadline. “As the trade deadline gets closer, the Cubs will have to decide not only the future of the franchise, but what to do with Kris Bryant, Javy Baez and Anthony Rizzo.”
• Jordan Bastian (MLB.com*): Jake Arrieta’s ‘mental break’; David Ross on Jon Lester’s HR. “It’s had to help,” Ross said.
• Paul Sullivan (Chicago Tribune* {$}): Is there still room for Jake Arrieta on the Chicago Cubs? It’s past time to have a tough-love conversation. Asked before Tuesday’s game against the St. Louis Cardinals if he envisions Arrieta going back into the rotation, Ross replied: “I do.”
• Steve Greenberg (Chicago Sun-Times* {$}): Cubs closer Craig Kimbrel is ready for what might be the inevitable. “Show up every day,” he said, “and pitch for the team you’re pitching for.”
• Tony Andracki (Marquee Sports Network*): Javy Báez and the subtle art of not trying too hard. “Báez admitted he gets too excited at times in the batter’s box and speeds up his mechanics and timing.”
• Maddie Lee (NBC Sports Chicago*): Cubs’ Matt Duffy expected to return from IL Thursday vs. Cardinals. “Duffy has joined the team in St. Louis...”
• Sam Dykstra (MLB.com*): The hottest rookies of the past two weeks. Patrick Wisdom — “His .619 slugging percentage, .941 OPS and 148 wRC+ are all tops among rookies with at least 140 plate appearances this season.”
• Sahadev Sharma (The Athletic* {$}): Bryant’s ‘fatigued’ hamstring overshadows Cubs’ shocking comeback victory as trade deadline nears. “He didn’t have much of an All-Star break, I was trying to get him a day (Wednesday) and it just set in with the heavy legs and the fatigue,” said Ross.
• Russell Dorsey (Chicago Sun-Times* {$}): Kris Bryant doing fine after leaving game with “heavy legs” against the Cardinals. “Bryant was not in the starting lineup for Wednesday’s game against the Cardinals.”
• Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation*): Hey, the Cubs have a Top 20 prospect in all of baseball. “... Brennen Davis flies all the way up to number 17, just behind guys like Vidal Brujan and Grayson Rodriguez, and just ahead of guys like Nate Pearson and Luis Campusano.”
• Todd Johnson (Cubs Insider*): Ranking Top 5 power hitters in Cubs farm system. “... a handful of prospects are showing off the strength to drive the ball over the fence.”

Food for thought:

Thanks for reading.