Quade may give Russell another shot
After a day to deliberate, Cubs manager Mike Quade said he’s “leaning toward” James Russell to start Tuesday night’s game against the Rockies at Wrigley Field.
Russell has come out of the bullpen to make 2 starts working a total of 5 innings and giving up 14 hits and 9 runs (8 earned).
After Friday’s game, Quade had talked of exploring other options for the start, presumably meaning a minor-league call-up.
“We looked at all the options,” Q said. “He’s (Russell) at 70 pitches. “I think the one thing we’re going to try doing... instead of pitching him an inning or giving him an inning or giving him a few hitters before a next start, we’re going to try like heck to stay away from him and let him prepare and maybe change his repertoire a little bit, particularly against right-handed hitters and let him do a little work on the side.”
Russell and right-hander Casey Coleman are filling in as starters Randy Wells and Andrew Cashner rehab injuries.
Talking strategy:Mike Quade said he wasn#146;t going to pinch hit for pitcher Ryan Dempster in the bottom of the fifth with the bases loaded and two outs Saturday. Dempster struck out to end the inning. In the top half, the Dodgers scored 3 runs on a pair of homers to cut a 5-1 Cubs lead to 5-4. Dempster gave up 3 runs in the sixth as L.A. took a 7-5 lead. #147;If you#146;ve got the wind blowing in, it#146;s a different deal, maybe,#148; Quade said. #147;It just looked like there was so much baseball left to play. He#146;s in the mid-80s pitch wise. I can#146;t be going to that bullpen in the sixth inning every day.#148;In the bottom of the eighth, the Dodgers brought in right-hander Blake Hawksworth to face Jeff Baker, who bats right-handed. Baker hit Hawksworth#146;s first pitch to the gap for a 2-run double to drive in the go-ahead runs. Against righties last year, Baker struggled, and he entered the game 2-for-7 against right-handers this year.#147;He#146;s been in the game,#148; Quade said of Baker, who started at first base. #147;He#146;s had some good at-bats against right-handers this year. He#146;s lined out a couple times. You#146;re tied at that point. The guy#146;s been doing a (heck) of a job for us. Let#146;s give him a shot to win this thing, and I#146;ll be (darned) if he didn#146;t.#148;Baker said he expected to hit.#147;Yes,#148; he said. #147;I don#146;t worry about that stuff. I don#146;t prepare to go up there and get taken out. I prepare to go up there and get the hit.#148;Roster move:The Cubs called up right-handed reliever Justin Berg from Class AAA Iowa and optioned reliever Jeff Stevens to Iowa. Stevens threw 89 pitches over 3 innings in Friday#146;s 12-2 loss to the Dodgers. He earned praise from Mike Quade for eating up innings in the blowout. #147;As tough as they always are, when a guys gives himself up like he did yesterday and gets us through a tough day, they become even tougher,#148; Quade said of sending Stevens out. #147;It#146;s a part of the business. Jeff understands that. But in his few outings here, he#146;s a much-improved guy from the guy I saw last year. I think he#146;s going to help us over the course of the year.#148;