Cub Tracks earns it

Welcome to your Thursday off-day, 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 can’t live-watch the games from whatever the D-Backs call their concrete arena these days, either. I can’t even listen to the Score as I’m not in Chicago area. That’s some cow patties. I use the Tune-In app for out-of-town radio, and that costs a few shekels. So I kvetch, figuring that at least a few other cord-cutters have the same issues. Below are some of the things I didn’t get to see:

Alfonso Rivas is going to be hard to move from first. The editorial we are pleased. Maybe the Cubs have broken out of the funk they were in. Maybe one day I’ll be full of chic instead of cheek. What are the odds?

Frank is trying not to be replaced.

Willy brought his bat. And his legs.

Double Vision?

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• Gordon Wittenmyer (NBC Sports Chicago*): Cubs earn rare series win even as injury losses pile up. “The Cubs have literally half their projected 26-man roster on the injured list...”
• Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation*): The Cubs have been one of the shiftiest teams this year. “The Cubs shift a lot.”
• Jake Misener (Cubbies Crib*): Ranking the 3 most valuable Cubs trade candidates. “... it’s hardly too soon to be thinking about this summer’s trade deadline...”
• Maddie Lee (Chicago Sun-Times* {$}): ‘The world we’re living in’: MLB, Cubs still navigating COVID-19 challenges. “Outbreaks have become less common, but as the White Sox and Guardians’ postponement reminded baseball, not eradicated.”
• Tony Andracki (Marquee Sports Network*): This has been a crazy week for the Cubs roster. “The roster moves have been coming fast and furious for the Cubs lately.”
• Richard Johnson (Cubbies Crib*): Calendar turning to May is good news for Kyle Hendricks. “... Hendricks, who historically has gone from Awful April to Magnificent May.”
• Tim Stebbins (NBC Sports Chicago*): Why Wade Miley’s Cubs debut something to build off. “He’s still building up his workload and has only faced live batters a handful of times since spring training opened...”
• Shaun O’Neill (MLB.com*): Rivas rises to occasion, delivers series win in homecoming. “It’s just a calm approach. He’s just handling the moment well,” Cubs manager David Ross said.
• Shaun O’Neill (MLB.com*): Nico Hoerner sprains ankle after running into ump. Hoerner might miss “a couple days,” manager Ross said. Tony Andracki has more.
• Jon Ferlise (Cubs Insider*): Report: Ed Howard heading to IL after colliding with first baseman, slamming to ground (Video). “There’s no word yet on the severity of the injury...”
• Tim Stebbins (NBC Sports Chicago*): What Cubs, Patrick Wisdom say about MLB’s new dead ball era. “It’s noticeable in the sense that you see the exit velos and launch angles, but then the ball doesn’t go as far,” said Wisdom.
• Maddie Lee (Chicago Sun-Times* {$}): Cubs’ Seiya Suzuki: Padres’ Yu Darvish ‘good influence’ and ‘superstar’. “It’s been a while since I’ve been able to hear Japanese,” Suzuki said with a smile, through interpreter Toy Matsushita, “so it was relieving.” Meghan Montemurro has more.
• Tommy Birch (Des Moines Register* {$}): How baseball may have saved Iowa Cubs outfielder Narciso Crook’s life. “The 26-year-old didn’t start playing baseball until he was 11.”
• Jayson Stark (The Athletic {$}): Former Cubs stars ponder 2 life-changing journeys — with Chicago and their new teams. “We enjoyed our time,” said Anthony Rizzo.

Food for Thought:

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