Cub Tracks’ sometimes I just sits

Welcome to your Tuesday, and today’s episode of Cub Tracks news and notes™, featuring material from current beat writers, bloggers, and the occasional in-house habitué, moonlighting. These pieces center around #Cubs, #MiLB, and #MLB baseball.

I find it hard to understand that Alfonso Rivas rode the pine against a righty hurler, David Ross. Granted, I have well-documented pro-Rivas bias, but even so, it’s a questionable decision given Rivas’ approach and skillset. Bear down, Alfonso. You’re not alone.

That and other matters are discussed below by our regulars, who variously blow smoke and cut reality checks.

Oh and there was a game Wednesday. Mark Leiter Jr., started for the Cubs and Charlie Morton for the Braves. Leiter had some trouble but had some wiggle as well. The relief pitching was up to the task until Mychal Givens gave up the tying runs in the bottom of the eighth. What happened after that, in the battle of the bullpens, when everyone was blinded by the light of the Manfred Man? Al has details in his recap, but here are some highlights:

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• Meghan Montemurro (Chicago Tribune* {$}): 3 observations from the Chicago Cubs’ 3-1 loss to the Atlanta Braves, including Marcus Stroman’s slider-sinker combination. “Stroman’s rhythm still isn’t where he wants it.” Maddie Lee has more Stroman content.
• Gordon Wittenmyer (NBC Sports Chicago*): Time is now for Keegan Thompson to start. “Best Cubs pitcher? This guy’s the best pitcher in the majors.” Also, he yogas, Yogi. Brian Sandalow has more Thompson.
• Tony Andracki (Marquee Sports Network*): Cubs rookie Ethan Roberts emphatically reminds baseball world what he’s capable of. “Just getting back to being me again,” Roberts told Marquee Sports Network’s Taylor McGregor.
• Maddie Lee (Chicago Sun-Times* {$}): How Braves’ Jesse Chavez impacted Ethan Roberts in brief Cubs reunion. “If you think you’ve got a big pitch to make, you’ve got to breathe deeper than you think you need to breathe,” Roberts recounted.
• Gordon Wittenmyer (NBC Sports Chicago*): Willson Contreras: Cubs’ PitchCom ‘OK’ but system can be improved. “They need to make adjustments on it,” he added. “Other than that, we just need to learn how to use it better.”
• Patrick Mooney and Sahadev Sharma (The Athletic {$}): Cubs mailbag, part 1: What’s next for Jason Heyward and Willson Contreras? “Ultimately, I think we could see a move by late May/early June, assuming Heyward starts to really struggle and the results aren’t there.”
• Sahadev Sharma (The Athletic {$}): Cubs notes: Alfonso Rivas reminds of a former Cub, easing in Sean Newcomb, and Sad Sundays with Ian Happ. “In three seasons at the University of Arizona, Rivas hit .323 with a .417 on-base percentage, and over four minor-league seasons, he’s not too far off from those strong numbers, batting .292 with a .396 OBP.”
• Meghan Montemurro (Chicago Tribune* {$}): A minor setback to Andrelton Simmons’ right shoulder continues to test the Chicago Cubs infield depth. “I don’t think it’s a humongous setback,” manager David Ross said Tuesday. “But it is a little bit like, let’s pause and still build.” More Simmons from Evan Altman.
• Jake Misener (Cubbies Crib*): Cubs cannot rely on Jonathan Villar defensively – period. “Just how bad has Villar been defensively? Like, worst in all of baseball bad.”
• Ryan Sikes (Da Windy City*): At what point should the Chicago Cubs move on from Jason Heyward? “... he’s had a long enough track record to know what you will get from him.”
• Mia Perlman (Cubbies Crib*): Cubs legend Ron Santo featured in MLB The Show: 22. “The Flawless pack contains former MLB stars that return to the digital platform to compete with today’s players.”

Food for Thought:

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