Hendry defends Dempster
Cubs general manager Jim Hendry came to the defense of closer Ryan Dempster before Monday night's game against the Cincinnati Reds.
"Ryan's history here is, when he's had a tough one, he comes right back and gives you another stretch of real good ones," Hendry said. "I find it really unfair every time Dempster has a bad inning or a bad half-an-inning that, 'He shouldn't do this,' or, 'He shouldn't be the closer.'
"He's 28 out of 31 (in save opportunities) in a very tough environment, and not many guys are 28 out of 31 in this business. I have nothing but great things to say about Dempster. He's a total, total team-oriented guy. He's a great teammate. He's a winner. I'll take 28 out of 31 from a closer that has to tee it up here 162 games with what goes with it.
"He's done a great job. To criticize him is really unfair."
Friday in St. Louis, Dempster entered the ninth inning with the Cubs ahead 5-1. He gave up 2 home runs and a single and had to be relieved by Bob Howry, who earned the save.
The next day, Dempster rebounded to earn the save in the first game of a day-night doubleheader. Dempster recorded another save Sunday.
No Soto: One day after saying the performance of catcher Geovany Soto provided "food for thought," manager Lou Piniella started veteran Jason Kendall.
When asked how he might use Soto in the final two weeks, Piniella hesitated when answering.
"Let's see what the next few days bring," he said. "We're playing teams that score a few more runs. So we've got to score a few runs ourselves.
"I don't know. I don't know how to answer that right now at this moment. I wish I had a definitive answer for you. I don't. We just have to watch and see. We'll make the right decisions."
Soto gave the Cubs some pretty good offense in Sunday's 4-2 victory at St. Louis, going 4-for-5 with 2 doubles. In his last 5 starts, Soto is 10-for-18 (.566).
Kendall entered Monday batting .282 since coming to the Cubs in a July 16 trade with Oakland. His on-base percentage was a solid .374, but Kendall has had trouble throwing out runners.
Reds protest: The Reds protested Monday night's game. Cubs manager Lou Piniella made a double switch in the top of the sixth, replacing pitcher Michael Wuertz with Scott Eyre and catcher Jason Kendall with Geovany Soto.
Piniella already had gone toward the mound and did not first inform the umpires, something Reds manager Pete Mackanin said is against the rules even though Piniella shrugged off the protest.
"I think they're wrong," Mackanin told reporters. "As far as I understand the rule, the manager must go directly to the home plate umpire to make a double switch. If he does not, and he goes toward the mound and crosses the line, he cannot double switch. He has to go directly to the umpire.
"I told him I disagreed with his decision, and I was going to protest the game."
Ready to go: Ace pitcher Carlos Zambrano said his sore foot is OK and that he's ready to start tonight on three days' rest. A cut on Zambrano's left foot became a small issue before his last start, but he was able to handle the Cardinals well Friday.
Even though he limped around Sunday, he threw a strong bullpen session and said his arm feels strong.
"All the time, in six years in the big leagues, every time that I play catch on my third or fourth day, I feel good," he said. "This is my first time doing this, and somebody said there's always a first time. If I feel good, I might put it in my contract to do this all the time."