Rotation hysteria turns from Harden to Zambrano
Maybe it was the heat, if not entirely the humidity.
Maybe it was Carlos Zambrano's entirely-too-tired arm, which is now a real concern.
Most likely, it was the largest media gathering of the year at Wrigley Field, packed into that tiny interview room, a room Piniella despises not just for its size but also for what it represents.
It's in that space each day at home that Piniella must answer questions about matters he has yet to ponder, and feign interest in notions he will never consider.
And that's when he's bothering to pay attention. It's likely he wasn't listening at all Tuesday when he was asked about Rich Harden getting 12 days between starts.
Piniella, caught off guard and ready to get up from his chair, said matter-of-factly, "If he could pitch, we would have kept him in the rotation.''
Bad answer, bordering on the foolish.
It caused a spit storm that led to inquisitions of a surprised Harden and GM Jim Hendry, but the Cubs were doing exactly what Hendry said they would do from the start, which was rest a guy with a history of innumerable arm problems, when they could or when Harden required it.
In this case, it's both.
The Cubs went home Tuesday night with a 9-game lead over the Phillies, who were second in the wild card, and the team that would have to catch the Cubs to knock them out of a postseason berth.
That means the Cubs could go 11-12 the rest of the way and the Phils would have to finish 20-3 to catch them.
Me and eight friends could protect that lead for a couple of weeks. OK, we all know I don't have eight friends, but that's really not the point.
"The luxury of playing well up until now is that we're able to get our guys some extra rest,'' Hendry said. "We got Harden some extra days, and it was obvious he needed it after his last outing. He wasn't throwing as hard or as well as he has.
"We knew this would happen when we got him. (Oakland GM) Billy Beane told us it would. His history said it would. We told you it would. This is no surprise. We've been upfront about this all along.''
If Harden didn't have arm problems, the Cubs never would been able to get such a talent, because Oakland never would have traded him - certainly not for three rosin bags and a minor-league prospect.
"We thought it would be sooner,'' Hendry said. "He's made 20 straight starts. He hasn't done that since '04. How hurt do you think he is if he did that?
"We'd be idiots not to give him time off. We'll do it again if we have a chance. If the rest of the month goes well, we might give him 12 days again.''
The panic in the streets, and in the press box, not to mention the swollen media throng, was a clear indication the postseason run has begun at Wrigley Field.
Some certainly came to see Zambrano, who produced a 7.43 ERA in August, and was mediocre Tuesday before leaving after 5 innings complaining of arm trouble.
Zambrano, scratched Sunday with a "tired arm,'' and having suffered a shoulder strain earlier this summer, was hoping for a repeat of last season, when he followed a disastrous August (0-4, 7.06 ERA) with a solid September (4-2, 3.44 ERA).
"He told our pitching coach (Larry Rothschild) he wasn't feeling good,'' Piniella said Tuesday night, after the Cubs lost 9-7 to Houston in 11 innings. "He'll see the doctor (Wednesday). If he can pitch, he'll pitch. If he can't, we'll put someone else in the rotation.''
With or without Zambrano, the Cubs are headed to October, having given themselves a nice cushion for the toughest month of the year.
And as for me being unable to field a team of chums capable of protecting that lead, well, I believe it was Clarence in "It's a Wonderful Life'' who said, "No man is a failure who has Facebook.''
Better hurry and activate that account.
rozner@dailyherald.com