Cub Tracks’ eight is more than enough

Here at CUB TRACKS NEWS AND NOTES™, we have news for you. Not good news, I’m afraid. The third-place Cubs dropped their eighth game in a row Saturday afternoon and must now enjoy Skyline meatloaf for their supper.

This is just sad. The Diamondbacks could probably defeat the beloved right now. Hell, they’d drop two of three to Iowa. Therer were some highlights. Adbert Alzolay pitched well enough to win, and Kris Bryant blasted one early.

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• Mike Petraglia (MLB.com*): Cubs compete, but drop eighth in a row. “When opportunity has been knocking lately, the Cubs have had trouble getting to the door.”
• Meghan Montemurro (Chicago Tribune* {$}): ‘We knew it was going to be a slog’: As the Chicago Cubs try to recapture their May magic, Jed Hoyer must assess the big picture as the July 30 trade deadline looms. “At some point, Hoyer and the Cubs front office must commit to being buyers or sellers before the trade deadline.” Tony Andracki addresses this. Maddie Lee has words too.
• Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation*): Cubs players know their new reality – “From now on, trade rumors are going to be flying.” “We are on a skid, and it’s not fun,” Anthony Rizzo said.
• Russell Dorsey (Chicago Sun-Times* {$}): Adbert Alzolay continues growth, maturation as a starter as Cubs fall to the Reds. “Alzolay bounced back from his last start, tossing seven innings and earned a quality start in the Cubs’ 3-2 loss to the Reds on Saturday.”
• Russell Dorsey (Chicago Sun-Times* {$}): Nico Hoerner (left hamstring) takes BP in Cincy, likely activated on Sunday. “Hoerner has a .338/.405/.432 slash line in 21 games.”
• Tommy Birch (Des Moines Register* {$}): Meet Craig McFarling, the Iowa Cubs batboy with a lifetime contract: ‘That’s where I belong’. “You constantly have to pay attention,” McFarling says.
• Greg Zumach (Cubs Insider*): Chicago Cubs Draft Preview: What data says about 5 high school hitters who could be Cubs targets. “...teams have placed greater reliance on incorporating data in various calculations called draft models.”
• Marquee Sports Network: Braden Beats Cancer: Young Cubs fan rings the bell to a surprise from Anthony Rizzo, Boog Sciambi and Jim DeShaies. “Although the real reward is knowing the disease and pain is behind him, Braden received a surprise to help jumpstart creating a few new positive memories.”
• Jake Wittich (Block Club Chicago*): Chicago Cubs release Pride-themed clothing collection designed By local queer artist Sam Kirk. “Kirk designed the shirts and bucket hats by imagining what a Pride-themed evening at Wrigley Field would look like.”

Food for Thought:

Thanks for reading.