Cub Tracks’ OMG the feels

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.

Matt Shaw is still raking. Pete Crow-Armstrong is in the conversation. The Cubs are going to have to jimmy their rotation — as we’ve seen, it’s bad news about Marcus Stroman.

Javier Assad went Wednesday night. He’s been very good lately. Mike Clevenger provided opposition. Assad pitched well enough to win, had the bats been more cooperative early.

Michael Fulmer had an impressive stint on the hill. Nicky Two Strikes with a basket job to get the Cubs on the board.

And a scoreless ninth for the Sox, thanks to Drew Smyly. Two Cubs get on against Santos, and the Morel equivalent is brought to bear! Yeah, I hollered and jumped up and down. Didn’t you?

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• Ryan Taylor (NBC Sports Chicago*): Here’s why David Ross was ejected from Tuesday’s Crosstown game. “We had a disagreement. Me and the umpire. A battle I didn’t win,” Ross said after the game. Where the Cubs stand.
• Ricky O’Donnell (SB Nation*): Luis Robert shushing Cubs fans would be iconic if the White Sox weren’t trash. “In an alternate universe, this could have been an incredible moment.”
• Ryan Taylor (NBC Sports Chicago*): Pedro Grifol calls loss to Cubs ‘toughest loss of the year’. “... Morel sent that ball into the right-center field bleachers.”
• Brian O’Neill (South Side Sox*): On not hating the Cubs. “There’s no broad lesson here.”
• Maddie Lee (Chicago Sun-Times*): Cubs rotation holding firm, but challenges are mounting. “We have a chance to make some noise, and it kind of starts and ends with the starting pitching,” Jameson Taillon said Sunday after allowing eight runs in three innings.
• 670 The Score*: Cubs are confident Justin Steele’s strong form will hold up as his career-high workload continues to pile up. “It’s not a concern because the fact that he’s pitching really well is why he’s where he is,” Carter Hawkins said on the Parkins & Spiegel Show on Tuesday afternoon.
• Patrick Mooney (The Athletic {$}): After Marcus Stroman’s latest setback, how concerned are the Cubs? “Hopefully, this Stro thing is not crazy serious and he’s just pushed back,” David Ross said. Meghan Montemurro has some Stroman, too. Now we know why. Patrick Mooney has thoughts {$}. Matt Trueblood has ideas. They’re going to Smyly, says Ryan Taylor.

• Paul Sullivan (Chicago Tribune*{$}): Chicago Cubs can survive even if Marcus Stroman doesn’t return from his mysterious rib injury. “Hoyer said he felt “comfortable in house,” meaning he didn’t plan to bring anyone up to audition in a pennant race.”
• Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation*): Nico Hoerner’s latest feat is an excuse to remember Tony Campana. “... Campana stole exactly 30 bases in 2012...”
• Meghan Montemurro (Chicago Tribune* {$}): For Chicago Cubs to get to the next level offensively, power production from Ian Happ and Seiya Suzuki must continue. Hitting is contagious.
• Tony Andracki (Marquee Sports Network*): Cubs prospect Pete Crow-Armstrong continues to make all the right moves. “Crow-Armstrong hasn’t even made it to the big leagues yet but he has certainly helped his case in adding to the hype train.” Ryan Taylor has more.

Carter Hawkins talks about PCA.

• John Grochowski (Chicago Sun-Times*): Why OPS isn’t perfect indicator when calculating OPS+. “Differences in ballparks and opposition explain why adjustments have to be made.”
• CBS News*: White Sox concession workers to join Cubs counterparts in protest at Wrigley Field ahead of Crosstown Classic. That was Tuesday night. “Bartenders, cooks, dishwashers, and cashiers employed by Levy Restaurants at Wrigley Field have gone without a contract for two years.”
• Shakeia Taylor (Chicago Tribune* {$}): Laura Ricketts leads local group of women to buy Chicago Red Stars: ‘Unprecedented fan growth in women’s soccer globally’. “We wholeheartedly believe in and are excited about the future of the Red Stars and the NWSL,” Ricketts said in a news release.

Song(s) of the day:

Food For Thought:

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