If a link isn't about Javy, it's pretty much about the pitching. There's all sorts of comings and goings in today's edition.
Lots of yard work this weekend. I think the sun fried the witty right out of me.
From Comcast SportsNet
- Patrick Mooney thought Jorge Soler might be the next man up with Junior Lake being demoted, though that turned out not to be the case.
- While some are projecting and proposing a trade to the New York Mets, Starlin Castro sees a bright future with the Cubs.
- The recently-traded Brett Jackson knows the pressures of being the next big thing for the Cubs.
- Cal Ripken, Jr., says there's something magical about Wrigley Field.
- And Joe Posnanski names Wrigley as the number one park in baseball.
- The Cubs may be running out of patience with Edwin Jackson.
- Ryan Dempster is happy the Cubs got a potential building block in return - in the form of Kyle Hendricks - when Dempster was dealt to the Texas Rangers.
- VIDEO: Theo Epstein and the Cubs joined in on the Ice Bucket Challenge.
From Cubs Den
- Starlin Castro and Anthony Rizzo have readjusted to take big steps forward this season.
- John Arguello takes a look at the sometimes conflicting goals of minor league stats and player development.
From Cubs.com
- The Cubs are giving Edwin Jackson the chance to right the ship. I think the ship has a giant hole in the bottom.
- Amid trade rumors, Starlin Castro says he wants to stay with the Cubs.
- Dan Straily feels solid again thanks to mechanical tweaks (written before the start).
- Huge tip of the hat to Wesley Wright. He lent a helping hand to families and friends of the team of Chicago little leaguers who are participating in the Little League World Series.
From ESPNChicago.com
- Tsuyoshi Wada is making a pitch to be in the Cubs' 2015 rotation.
- On the other end, Edwin Jackson'sjob could be in jeopardy.
- Chris Coghlan is proving he belongs with the Cubs.
- Cub call-ups are being affected by the playoff races.
- Jed Hoyer says Javier Baez' first week went about as expected.
From the Chicago Tribune
- Albert Almora is adjusting step-by-step.
- VIDEO: Rick Renteria talks about Junior Lake and Mike Olt.
- VIDEO: Jed Hoyer talks about the Cubs' pitching options.
From the Chicago Sun-Times
- The Cubs are content to keep their coveted middle infielders.
- The team's recent homestand was truly a fanfest.
- A recent comment by Jon Lester is being viewed as a positive for the Cubs.
From the Daily Herald
- The thinking on Kyle Hendricks' thinking is that it's all good.
Miscellaneous
- Fangraphs thinks Jorge Soler is part of the Cubs' embarrassment of riches.
- A writer for the New York Times thinks the Cubs' best shortstop is playing second base.
Today's food for thought
- Unraveling billions of years of history hidden in a rock.
- This worm is truly, deeply terrifying.