Cub Tracks homes in

Here at CUB TRACKS NEWS AND NOTES™, we have news for you. The Cubs found their bats, and they had hits in them. Hooray for the return of the offense! Maybe it was home cooking, maybe it was the worst team in the majors, but whatever it was, it worked. Let’s do it again today, eh? Click the link for the recap.

Highlights:

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• Jordan Bastian (MLB.com*): Cubs stars put on a show for fans. “I’m OK with all the guys staying on the team,” Ross quipped with a laugh before the game. “I’m really OK with that, to be honest with you.”

• Brendan Miller (Cubs Insider*): Adbert Alzolay threw 6 pitch types in Thursday’s start. “... he’s not just a heavy sinker and slider pitcher.”
• Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation*): Brad Wieck to undergo second cardiac ablation procedure. “... it’s unclear how long he’ll be out.”
• Sahadev Sharma (The Athletic {$}): How Craig Kimbrel became one of the greatest closers of all time: ‘The hitters never stood a chance’. “That guy’s a Hall of Famer, one of the best to ever do it,” Ian Happ said.
• Zack Buchanan (The Athletic {$}): Well, that’s humiliating: With universal DH looming, pitchers dish on what it’s like to face their counterparts. “For the guy on the mound, it should be the easiest at-bat of every game.”
• Phil Rogers (Forbes* {$}): Chicago Cubs’ Jed Hoyer at crossroad with Bryant, Baez, Rizzo. “Ricketts can change this narrative any time he wants...”
• Russell Dorsey (Chicago Sun-Times* {$}): Anthony Rizzo searching for answers as midseason funk rolls on. “Since June 16, Rizzo is slashing .191/.300/.348 with three homers.”
• Paul Sullivan (Chicago Tribune* {$}): Wearing Kris Bryant jerseys, Chicago Cubs fans send ownership a message as the final homestand before the trade deadline begins. “... a few dozen fans sitting in the same section as Chairman Tom Ricketts decided to let him know what they thought about the possibility of Bryant no longer wearing a Cubs uniform.”
• Evan Altman (Cubs Insider*): Report suggests Mets trying to downplay interest in Kris Bryant, Javier Báez. Joel Sherman and Buster Olney play Charlie McCarthy.
• Zach Crizer (Yahoo Sports*): Bryant’s Cubs career tells the story of how MLB put the squeeze on its stars. “At one point, it would have been impossible to imagine a player of Bryant’s stature in his team’s lore ever leaving. Now, it’s a given.”
• Meghan Montemurro (Chicago Tribune* {$}): Rafael Ortega took a long road to the Chicago Cubs. The journeyman outfielder is making the most of his opportunity. “At this time last year, Ortega’s big-league future was uncertain.”
• Bryan Smith (Bleacher Nation*): Cubs sign second-round pick James Triantos, putting a bow on their 2021 draft class. “The Cubs have now signed all 10 of their picks from the first ten rounds and 15 players overall.”

Food for Thought:

Don’t Panic! Thanks for reading.