Cub Tracks still has some fight left

Here at CUB TRACKS NEWS AND NOTES™, we have news for you. That was an exciting game and great comeback, but Brian Goodwin administered a birthday spanking to Manny Rodriguez and that was all she wrote. The White Sox kept right on hitting after that, and the Cubs took it on the chin, but not without a fight. What’s the old saying? “You might make steak out of me but I’ll make hamburger out of you?” Well, meatloaf is made of hamburger.

Meatloafing is still possible but this was the most likely win due to Kyle Hendricks’ presence. Still... the NooCubs looked okay. Some of those guys are major-leaguers and all of them seemingly are ballers. I like that. #CubTogether, guys.

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• Dan Szymborski (Fangraphs*): When will the Cubs roar again? “The dizzying heights of 2016 faded quickly...”
• Rick Morrissey (Chicago Sun-Times* {$}): Who’s up and who’s down in Chicago sports? Somehow, some way, Tom Ricketts does the impossible. “Five years after winning the World Series, the Cubs chairman has become an antihero.”
• Russell Dorsey (Chicago Sun-Times* {$}): As youth pushes through, Cubs preparing to get creative with rotation plans. “Left-hander Justin Steele has done everything the Cubs have asked, now it’s time to make room for him.” Tony Andracki considers this.
• Sahadev Sharma (The Athletic {$}): What’s wrong with new Cubs reliever Codi Heuer’s sinker? For one, it’s not actually a sinker. “When we acquire guys like this, it’s not about getting him and overhauling all he does,” Tommy Hottovy said.
• Russell Dorsey (Chicago Sun-Times* {$}): Nico Hoerner (right oblique strain) beginning baseball activities. “Hoerner has been on the 10-day injured list since July 29 with a right oblique strain.”
• Maddie Lee (NBC Sports Chicago*): Hoerner: Madrigal ‘person you want’ as new Cubs set culture. “Obviously wish we were both healthy and playing up the middle together right now,” Hoerner said of Madrigal. “But just a great competitor.”
• Meghan Montemurro (Chicago Tribune* {$}): For well-traveled Andrew Romine and Frank Schwindel, the final 2 months of the Chicago Cubs season is a chance to get the big-league at-bats that have eluded them. “You can never explain the roller coaster you go on emotionally, but you can’t beat this,” Schwindel said.
• Tim Stebbins (NBC Sports Chicago*): Breaking down Cubs’ trade returns for Bryzzo, Báez, Kimbrel. “ ...who are these guys?”
• Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation*): Baseball America’s updated midseason Cubs Top 30 prospects list is out. “... you’ll immediately notice is how far ahead Pete Crow-Armstrong is in the rankings than any other prospect the Cubs received at the deadline.”

Food for Thought:

Thanks for reading.