Cub Tracks’ that burning feeling

Welcome to your Sunday, 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.

The Cubs continued their lamentable recent trend of starting out badly as a miscue by Patrick became a crooked number. Yan Gomes did take Eric Lauer deep, but the Cubs are hard to watch right now. The Brewers are on fire.

We knew this was going to be a tough stretch. Let’s get all of the bad plays out of the way now. Maybe someone can sage Wrigley Field as a symbolic gesture. Or perhaps Spring Training should be on Summerisle, eh, Sgt. Howie?

Let’s hope the Cubs can salvage the finale.

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• Patrick Mooney (The Athletic {$}): The reality of the Cubs’ situation is starting to sink in: ‘We’ve got to clean up some things’. “I don’t think we’re the best version of ourselves yet, which is exciting to me,” said David Ross.
• Jordan Bastian (MLB.com*): Hendricks sees good moments, but can’t find rhythm. “It’s just locking in these things I’m working on and the consistency of it, so I can get it every pitch and am not coming in and out of it.”
• Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation*): Padres reportedly discussing trades for pitcher Dinelson Lamet, and I hope the Cubs are calling. “... this is a reclamation opportunity.”
• Michael Brakebill (Cubbies Crib*): Cubs head into Saturday ranked fifth in NL bullpen ERA. “If the Cubs will look to compete, they need starting pitching desperately or this bullpen performance is all for naught.”
• Tony Andracki (Marquee Sports Network*): Frank Schwindel, Alfonso Rivas and the Cubs’ lineup puzzle. “... there is still a world where Rivas and Schwindel co-exist in the lineup on a regular basis.”
• Steve Greenberg (Chicago Sun-Times* {$}): Is the Cubs’ Nick Madrigal ready to start hitting? It really would be a barrel of fun. “The hits are coming,” the second baseman said.
• Tommy Birch (Des Moines Register* {$}): Iowa Cubs infielder Dixon Machado is eying an MLB return after overcoming an injury in 2019. “I’m a big believer that everything happens for a reason,” Machado said.
• Tony Andracki (Marquee Sports Network*): Due Up: Inside Patrick Wisdom’s mind as he prepares for an at-bat. “I like to just be kind of in a flow state,” Wisdom said.
• Jordan Bastian (MLB.com*): Party at third! Willie Harris brings flair to Cubs HRs. “Those are just the ones you’ve seen,” Harris said.

Food for Thought:

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