Cub Tracks’ oblique strains

Here at CUB TRACKS NEWS AND NOTES™, we have news for you, which we look at in sidelong fashion. And music. This one is for Josh:

and for everyone:

Get your thrills where and when you can. I’m trying to stay on a positive angle by rooting for some NooCubs. I am not exactly jazzed but I have interest. Hey, it’s tough right now, but at least we aren’t Mets fans.

Wednesday night the Cubs played the Twins in the second of a two-game series, having won the first game via the long ball. Justin Steele started against Joe Ryan in a matchup of young players. Ryan’s got some good hair and reportedly no real secondary pitches.

Both started out well, though Steele had a little location trouble that didn’t matter in the end as he allowed but one hit. Frank hit a tank.

Dang, I agree with Boog. Coffee is my favorite ice cream, too. Boog gets a lot of crap here, and rightfully so, I think, but if he and Dempster stick to baseball, they make a value-shelf vanilla broadcast. Vanilla has long been MLB’s preference, as we know. And they love to shop the value shelf.

As discussed below, Adbert Alzolay came on in relief of Steele. He looked pretty damn good. Everyone gets barreled when they get it over the middle. But I wouldn’t look sideways at the NooCubs’ bullpen right now.

It’d be nice to see this team play like this the rest of the year.

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.

“Justin looked really good. I thought the fastball was electric, to be honest with you.” — David Ross.

• Patrick Mooney and Sahadev Sharma (The Athletic {$}): No reason to go halfway: Behind the scenes of the Cubs trade deadline that turned the organization upside down. “Everybody was distracted.”
• Paul Sullivan (Chicago Tribune* {$}): Is this the worst team in Chicago Cubs history? Not yet — but there’s still time. “Here are the six teams worse than the 2021 Cubs (so far)...”
• Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation*): Free Agents and the qualifying offer problem for the Cubs. “... there’s a not-so-insignificant factor that we haven’t discussed yet...”
• Mike McGraw (Daily Herald* {$}): Do Báez, other ex-Cubs long for friendlier confines? “This is a good time to update the ex-Cubs and look at the chances if any will consider returning to the North Side.”
• Michael Brakebill (Fansided*): 5 underperforming Chicago Cubs who need to improve to stick around. “There are certainly more underperformers than overperformers on this roster.”
• Russell Dorsey (Chicago Sun-Times* {$}): Growth is key for Cubs’ Justin Steele, Keegan Thompson in September. “... Steele and Thompson have gotten their first tastes of pitching in the rotation — and the results have left a lot to be desired.”
• Ryan Herrera (MLB.com*): Steele changes gears as Cubs sweep Twins. “Steele appeared to take less of a swing-and-miss approach than in previous starts...”
• Tim Stebbins (NBC Sports Chicago*): Steele’s start something to build off, if not rebuild on. “It was an encouraging outing from Steele after his last couple.”
• Sahadev Sharma (The Athletic {$}): He’s on the team for next year: A look at the relievers fighting for a spot in the 2022 Cubs bullpen. “...a trio of relievers who should at least get a shot to start the season in next year’s bullpen....”
• Tim Stebbins (NBC Sports Chicago*): Cubs bullpen offers potential glance into future vs. Twins. “The bullpen came in and picked each other up,” Cubs manager David Ross said.
• Evan Altman (Cubs Insider*): Led by Rowan Wick as closer, Cubs may have found new high-leverage relief triumvirate. “... it looks as though David Ross might have a new three-headed monster.”
• Tim Stebbins (NBC Sports Chicago*): Adbert Alzolay to finish season in bullpen. “Alzolay will pitch out of the bullpen upon returning from the injured list (left hamstring strain), Cubs manager Ross told Marquee’s Taylor McGregor Tuesday.” Russell Dorsey has a take. Gordon Wittenmyer tops it off.
• Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation*): Frank Schwindel keeps on raking, and has passed that 100 PA mark – so what are we thinking? “How is he hitting .340/.390/.629 with the Cubs and posting a 169 wRC+?”
• Russell Dorsey (Chicago Sun-Times* {$}): Nico Hoerner (oblique) not ready for rehab assignment. “Hoerner has been on the 10-day injured list with a strained right oblique since July 29.”
• Meghan Montemurro (Chicago Tribune* {$}): ‘I love what the Cubs see in me:’ Meet the 5 prospects at High-A South Bend who were acquired in trade-deadline deals — and how they are working toward the majors. “That’s a lot of value that they gave up for us to hopefully be up there soon and producing for that team.”
• Elena Ferrarin (Daily Herald* {$}): Former Inverness pastor, Cubs great Andre Dawson teaming up for Haiti fundraiser. “The virtual fundraiser will pay for the construction of a new school.”

Food for thought:

Thanks for reading.