Cubs put Dolis on disabled list
The Cubs made a couple more adjustments to their pitching staff Saturday.
They placed reliever Rafael Dolis on the 15-day disabled list with what they termed a mild strain of the right forearm. To replace Dolis, the Cubs selected the contract of right-handed reliever Blake Parker from Class AAA Iowa. They also designated reliever Alex Burnett for assignment to make room for Parker on the 40-man roster. Burnett pitched in one game last week after being claimed off waivers from Baltimore.
The Cubs also tweaked their starting rotation for the upcoming week to give lefty Travis Wood a break.
After Monday’s off-day, the Cubs will go with Scott Feldman and Matt Garza in the two-game interleague series at Anaheim.
Wood will come back after Thursday’s off-day and open the home series against the Pirates on Friday. He pitched this past Thursday’s series finale against the White Sox.
“He’s pitched, obviously, a lot of innings already and a lot of pitches in those games and a lot of stressful innings,” said manager Dale Sveum.
It also doesn’t hurt that the Angels have some good right-handed hitters.
“They’re predominantly a right-handed club,” Sveum said. “So it works out that way. You’re always going to try, when everything works out, to get somebody some extra time. This is a good time, two months into the season, to give him a little breather.”
As for the bullpen, Parker, 27, was 0-1 with a 2.04 ERA, a WHIP of 1.02 and 7 saves in 16 games for Iowa.
Earlier this season, he became Iowa’s all-time saves leader, a mark that currently stands at 41. He made his major-league debut with the Cubs last season, posting no record and a 6.00 ERA in 7 relief appearances. Elbow problems cut his 2012 season short.
A loose ship:Matt Garza, Friday#146;s winning pitcher, noted it#146;s important for teams to stay loose, whether they#146;re winning or losing. Dale Sveum seemed to agree. #147;Winning cures all kinds of things,#148; he said. #147;The one thing you try to create whether you#146;re winning or losing is always to keep the same clubhouse and the same atmosphere. Don#146;t try to push panic buttons. That clubhouse is their clubhouse. It#146;s not my clubhouse, just like my office isn#146;t their office.#147;I#146;ll let them police that and whatever they want to do with the music, that#146;s their clubhouse. It#146;s home away from home for those guys. It#146;s good that you#146;re always loose. If you#146;re struggling and you lose the game the day before, you need people to understand that day is over and that this is a whole other day. Don#146;t fall into that, #145;OK, we#146;re not playing well, turn the music down.#146; That kind of stuff to me doesn#146;t affect winning or losing baseball games.#148;