Cub Tracks is a little short

Welcome to 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.

Remember, if you read an opinion, it is only that. Bolstered by ‘data’, it is at best an informed guess. Thanks for coming to my TED talk.

The Cubs tried to extend their winning streak on Wednesday night, with Drew Smyly on the hill, opposing the Pittsburgh Pirates and Wil Crowe. The game was streamed on YouTube, which I think is kind of cool (understating things a fair bit) and has lots of implications and possibilities, most of which project as positive. A userbase in the billions, who wouldn’t want access to that with a product that already has proven value? It’s potentially revolutionary. I don’t think MLB understands what they have here.

“It’s a small world, but I wouldn’t want to paint it.” — Stephen Wright.

I’ll be back to radio days for the next series and will have to imagine my own pictures. Maybe I can channel Jeffty and get the old commercials, too.

Anyway, crafty veteran Smyly lobbed his knuckle-curve, cutter-ish four-seamer and dinky sinker mostly for low-in-the-zone strikes early. The announcing duo (Scott Braun and Yonder Alonso) was not embarrassing, but the interviews dragged a tad and were more than a little obtrusive.

The picture was beautiful, in HD on both YouTube and YouTube TV, with 5.1 surround operating (I did see people complaining on Twitter that it was dark). I felt like I was in the ballpark when Pittsburgh-area native Ian Happ broke the ice with a long drive to left-center on a pitch up and on the outer third. The Cubs weren’t exactly fooled by Crowe’s offerings, even if they didn’t leave the yard with regularity, and I voted for John Candelaria, too.

A bad pitch choice to Daniel (trade me for Mike Trout) Vogelbach opened the gates for a two-run uprising, but the Cubs were able to pull even. Smyly tired early. Local product Jack Suwinski homered for a Pirate lead. Good game. Not a bad broadcast. I’d do it again. Hell, I wish the next four games were on YouTube, then I could see ‘em.

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• Tommy Birch (Des Moines Register* {$}): The Chicago Cubs’ general manager was in Iowa — and he’s keeping tabs on some players. “Carter Hawkins said he’s pleased with how things are going in Des Moines and throughout the minor leagues for the Cubs.”
• Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation*): Marcus Stroman will return to the Cubs rotation tomorrow! Which is today, and that’s more good news.
• Jake Misener (Cubbies Crib*): Let’s not overlook Keegan Thompson’s start on Tuesday night. “... Thompson struck out five, did not walk a batter and allowed just four hits...” More Thompson from Yahoo sports. Gordon Wittenmyer has even more Thompson.
• Sahadev Sharma (The Athletic {$}): Chicago Cubs’ Scott Effross puts in the work and pays it forward. “Effross is proving to be so much more than just a funky arm slot and a GIFable reliever with one standout pitch.”
• Tim Stebbins (NBC Sports Chicago*): How one career-altering move led Cubs’ Brandon Hughes to MLB. “It was either get released or become a pitcher for them,” Hughes said.
• Gordon Wittenmyer (NBC Sports Chicago*): How Christopher Morel’s career almost ended before it began. “It’s a blessing that he’s still playing baseball,” Willson Contreras said Tuesday night. The Sporting News has more Morel.
• Gordon Wittenmyer (NBC Sports Chicago*): Cubs prospect Ed Howard to miss season with hip injury. “We expect him to make a full recovery,” Jared Banner said.
• Tommy Birch (Des Moines Register* {$}): Cubs outfielder Clint Frazier eager to return to Chicago after appendectomy. “I just want to get on the field and not be hampered by these injuries that are pretty hard to get over.”
• Jake Wittich (Block Club Chicago*): Foxtrot giving away Cubs tickets to celebrate opening of Wrigleyville store. Ticket giveaway was Wednesday but there are more goodies.

Food for Thought:

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