Cub Tracks’ secrets in the stars

Welcome to today’s episode of Cub Tracks news and notes™, a greatest-hits collection of Chicago-style beat writers and bloggers, ground from #Cubs, #MiLB, and #MLB baseball, overheated, steeped in writers’ tears, and then cold-brewed overnight for maximum flavor.

No Cubs baseball Monday as the team gets ready for their double date with their crosstown ‘rivals’, the Chicago White Sox.

The Pale Hose are currently 41-60, 4th in the AL Central, and on paper shouldn’t be much of an obstacle. But, as we have frequently observed, the games aren’t played on paper. It’d be great to put both in the Cubs’ pocket, though. And at 48-51, and in third place, they’re still said to ‘maybe’ be in the hunt.

I said in the BCB roundtable that I’d start believing for real when they got to .500. Let’s give it a shot. I want to believe.

Photo by Paul Morigi/WireImage

Some updates: Brad Boxberger is cleared for action and will begin rehab soon. Adrian Sampson is off the 60-day IL and has been outrighted to Iowa.

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• John Grochowski (Chicago Sun-Times*): Baseball by the Numbers: A look at crosstown crossovers. “Only three men in the interleague era have played at least two seasons for the Cubs and White Sox.”
• Scot Gregor (Daily Herald* {$}): Five things to watch in the first round of the White Sox-Cubs city series. “Trades are often made before the Aug. 1 deadline, and the Sox are definitely going to be selling.”
• Levi Weaver and Ken Rosenthal (The Athletic {$}): This isn’t your normal MLB trade deadline. Keep an eye on Angels, Cubs, Mariners. “... can they shame their front office into keeping Marcus Stroman, Cody Bellinger and Co.?”
• Tim Stebbins (MLB.com*): Cubs show ‘the best version of us’ in romp over Cards. “I think you’re just starting to see the best version of us, to some extent,” manager David Ross said before Sunday’s game.
• Paul Sullivan (Chicago Tribune* {$}): City Series arrives with both the underachieving Cubs and White Sox at a crossroads. “This year every team plays at least one series against every other team...”
• Andy Koval (WGN9): Free Red Line rides offered Tuesday after Cubs-Sox game. “Rides will be free at the 35th Street station for two hours after the game.”
• Jay Cohen (AP*): Friendship between Marcus Stroman and former Duke teammate-turned-rapper mike. grows over the years. “Really he was the first person who ever heard it and just was like ‘Dude, you’re pretty good at this,’” Seander said. “I remember him being a fan. ... I think in hindsight he kind of instilled a confidence in me when I didn’t know what the hell I was doing at all.”
• James Fegan (Chicago Sun-Times*): Cubs unsure about how to use struggling left-hander Drew Smyly. ‘‘He wants to start, I promise you that,’’ Ross said.
• Tony Andracki (Marquee Sports Network*): ‘Undervalued’ Javier Assad showing Cubs he can handle whatever is thrown his way. “It has been an up-and-down year for Assad, who will turn 26 next week.”
• Tim Stebbins (MLB.com*): Does this Cub have a future as a coach? “I felt like I was everybody’s honorable assistant,” Swanson said, “hitting coaches, pitching coaches, everybody. I felt like I was essentially an assistant coach for the last two weeks.”
• Patrick Macavoy (Fan Nation*): MLB Insider reportedly links Yankees to top slugger on trade block. MLB Insider Jim Bowden. Pass the salt. More trade talk from Michael Cerami, Patrick Mooney {$}, Meghan Montemurro and LaMond Pope, Steve Greenberg, Aldo Soto.
• Jeff Agrest (Chicago Sun-Times*): Hall of Famer Fred McGriff recalls Cubs stint fondly but with tinge of regret. “I was always a little disappointed because I was supposed to help the Cubbies win that first World Series, and it didn’t quite happen,” McGriff said. “So that one stings a little bit.”
• Dudley E. Dawson (Pig Trail Nation*): Arkansas’ Wiggins remains unsigned by Cubs with Tuesday deadline looming. “The Cubs have signed 19 of their 20 selections with only Wiggins left after 13th-round pick and Old Dominion pitcher Sam Amstrong came to terms on Sunday.”

Song of the Day:

Food For Thought:

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