Cub Tracks’ high steaks

Here at CUB TRACKS NEWS AND NOTES™, we have news for you. No game Monday. Tuesday the Cubs visit Philadelphia for the first of three. Adrian Sampson (0-2, 2.20) is due to face Kyle Gibson (10-6, 3.38).

As always, * means autoplay on, or annoying ads, or both (directions to remove for Firefox and Chrome). {$} means paywall. {$} means limited views. Italics are often used on this page as sarcasm font. (In the comments section, use @ before and after your remarks @ to produce sarcasm font. In the text body. It doesn’t work in the headlines.)

• Jordan Bastian (MLB.com*): David Ross thankful to be healthy, back with Cubs. “The manager said watching the games on TV gave him a temporary perspective that he appreciated.” Meghan Montemurro moves them over. Sahadev Sharma loads them up {$}.
• Jared Wyllys (Chicago Sun-Times* {$}): Cubs look to retool, not rebuild. “We also want to stay true to the things that we have been a part of here and recognize in winning and make sure we do things the way the Cubs do,” Ross said.
• Paul Sullivan (Chicago Tribune* {$}): Predicting where some of the big names from the 2016 Chicago Cubs will wind up next year — including a return to the city by Kyle Schwarber. Not to the Cubs, though.
• Bill Quinn (Cubbies Crib*): Will the Chicago Cubs trade Kyle Hendricks, Willson Contreras and Ian Happ? “... it’s very likely that some of what’s left of your favorite Cubs will not be with the team through this next window of contention.”
• Jordan Bastian (MLB.com*): Happ, Steele, Heuer stand out in tight finale. “Steele said his biggest takeaway from this start was the importance of getting ahead quickly.”
• Brett Taylor (Bleacher Nation*): Updating Nick Madrigal’s health status and timeline. “... November is when I’ll start feeling like a normal person.”
• Tommy Birch (Des Moines Register* {$}): Chicago Cubs infielder Nico Hoerner hoping to salvage some of the season while in Iowa. “I think any chance you get to be on the field, whether it’s here or here in the big leagues or spring training — whatever it is — there’s things to learn,” Hoerner said.
• John Grochowski (Chicago Sun-Times* {$}): Frank Schwindel, Patrick Wisdom have made names for themselves. “Older rookies have provided a bit of interest in Cubs’ down season.”
• Evan Altman (Cubs Insider*): Top prospect Brennen Davis promoted to AAA Iowa. “It’s not at all unreasonable to believe Davis will be fighting for a roster spot in Chicago during spring training...”
• Gordon Wittenmyer (NBC Sports Chicago*): Top prospect Davis on leading next core: ‘I’m ready’. “Brennen is definitely going to be the next big thing,” Tennessee Smokies pitcher Ryan Jensen said.
• Bryan Smith (Bleacher Nation*): Updating the progress of the Cubs’ nine midseason prospect acquisitions. “The results are generally not what you want to see on the numbers side of things...”
• Duane Pesice (Cubbies Crib*): Chicago Cubs History: 1969 team falls out of first, beginning a tough era. “They were 8-17 down the stretch. So much for our gonfalon bubble.”

Food for thought:

IFL Science*: The largest and most realistic simulated universe yet is free to download.

Futurism*: Scientists debut magnet powerful enough to lift an aircraft carrier.

Popular Science*: This CRISPR startup thinks that mammoths can save the Arctic. Is it right?