Cub Tracks Zach attack?

Here at CUB TRACKS NEWS AND NOTES™, we have news for you. Paul Sullivan says the Cubs are in free fall. This is cheerful. Enjoy.

Now let’s talk about the Cubs. Zach Davies got involved in a pitchers’ duel? Weird. Gosh, Pat Hughes has some pipes. He and Dempster sounded good. The whole game was decent, a good way to spend a wet Saturday when there weren’t enough people around for a seance.

Yeah, an error led to a long ball. That stuff happens. But the full-on embarrassment, that didn’t happen. Pyrrhus would recognize it. He might even recognize Frank Schwindel, who has been clutch often enough in this decidedly odd half-season.

Sergio Alcántara, though. Ouch. Codi Heuer deserved a better fate. So did the team. 10 down, 46 to go.

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.

The family of a two-year-old girl struck by a foul ball 5/28/19 at Minute Maid Park has reached a settlement with the Astros over her injuries, the law firm representing the family told ESPN Friday. Terms are confidential and the court must approve the settlement. The foul off the bat of then-Cub Albert Almora Jr. in a game on ESPN resulted in the toddler’s skull fracture, brain and other injuries and sparked renewed safety concerns and attention to extending netting at all MLB parks. — ESPN

• Paul Sullivan (Chicago Tribune* {$}): The Chicago Cubs haven’t clarified their plan to move forward — so why not go with an old-fashioned youth movement? “Whether Hoyer spends a wheelbarrow full of cash on free agents or makes more one-year offers to get through 2022 remains to be seen.”
• Mark Gonzales (Daily Herald* {$}): While Cubs play out the string, accountability starts now. “The red carpet should be rolled up, even if the Cubs add more newcomers to their rebuilt roster in the final 7½ weeks.”
• Meghan Montemurro (Chicago Tribune* {$}): Chicago Cubs’ painful play is unlikely to dissipate down the stretch as their ugly record ‘shouldn’t be at all’ what 2022 will be like. “As far as the wins and losses from it, it shouldn’t be at all,” Kyle Hendricks said.
• Evan Altman (Cubs Insider*): 5 (not entirely serious) reasons to keep watching Cubs games this season. “Watching the Cubs right now feels like clogging up traffic because you’re rubbernecking to check out a wreck in the opposite lanes.”
• Patrick Mooney (The Athletic {$}): How Kyle Hendricks is processing the shake-up that made the Cubs almost unrecognizable. “You got to focus on the process right now,” Hendricks said.
• Evan Altman (Cubs Insider*): Adbert Alzolay to 10-Day IL with hamstring strain. “Though it could just be precautionary, hamstring issues can be very tricky.”
• Glenn Sattell (MLB.com*): Cubs show heart, but fall after Alzolay’s exit. “The last time Alzolay recorded a victory was June 2 against the Padres.”
• Russell Dorsey (Chicago Sun-Times* {$}): Frank Schwindel becomes latest Cubs’ unknown to have big impact. “Schwindel has been having success at the plate since becoming regular in Cubs’ lineup.”

Food for Thought:

Thanks for reading.