Chicago Cubs' Maddon remembers Bunning, Allman
LOS ANGELES - As a baseball lifer and someone with eclectic tastes in life, Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon said Saturday he was saddened by the deaths this weekend of Hall of Fame pitcher Jim Bunning and Southern rock star Gregg Allman.
Bunning, also a former U.S. Senator, pitched for manager Gene Mauch in Philadelphia. Mauch was one of Maddon's mentors when Maddon was with the Angels organization.
"Jim Bunning I met," Maddon said. "A gentleman, man. I remember when he pitched the perfect game on Father's Day '64. Really a wonderful man. I know he played for Gene. When I hear his name, I think of a gentleman.
"Allman I saw down at UCLA a couple of years ago. I didn't see the Allman Brothers Band, which was one of my all-time favorites. I never got to see them in person but played them all the time at Lafayette - 'Eat a Peach' and all that stuff was the best, the absolute best.
"That's a tough one."
Happ gets chance at second:
Ian Happ started and saw his first game action at second base Saturday against the Dodgers. He came up from Class AAA Iowa on May 13.
Happ had played the outfield for the Cubs, but veteran Ben Zobrist has a sore left wrist, and Joe Maddon decided on Happ at second. At Iowa this season Happ started 16 games at second base.
"I've been taking groundballs," Happ said before the game. "I've been prepping for it since I got here. I've been ready for any position. I think that's part of it, just always mentally to be ready any scenario."
Happ got into the action right away, fielding Chris Taylor's chopper on the short hop and throwing him out to start the bottom of the first inning.
Must-see TV:
The marquee matchup of the series comes in Sunday's finale, with Cubs ace lefty Jon Lester taking on Dodgers left-handed ace Clayton Kershaw.
Now retired Dodgers broadcaster Vin Scully might have urged viewers to "pull up a chair and spend part of your Sunday with us."
Joe Maddon echoed those sentiments.
"Come on out," he said. "It should be rather interesting. You always anticipate low scoring with that. The Dodgers are pitching really, really well right now. The guy last night (Alex Wood) was good, too, but Kershaw's a different animal. So is Jonny. It should be interesting."
Lester is 3-2 with a 3.19 ERA and a WHIP of 1.26. He has struck out 64 in 62 innings. Kershaw is 7-2 with a 2.01 ERA and an 0.82 WHIP. He has 72 strikeouts in 71⅔ innings pitched.