Clevenger apologizes for Thursday ejection
Cubs catcher Steve Clevenger said he apologized to manager Dale Sveum after getting ejected from Thursday night’s game by home-plate umpire Jeff Nelson.
Interestingly, Clevenger was tossed out after complaining about a pitch called a ball while he was at-bat in the fifth inning. He had been upset by previous calls by Nelson. But Sveum said he was not happy with Clevenger for getting tossed.
“Dale is right,” Clevenger said. “I can’t get ejected in that situation. I went up and apologized to Dale last night for getting ejected and said it won’t happen again, can’t happen.
“I thought the ball was outside, and the next pitch was the same exact pitch, I thought. He called it a ball. I said, ‘You can’t hit like that.’ You don’t know when he’s going to call a strike and when he’s going to call a ball. You can’t hit like that. Yesterday was yesterday, and today’s a new day.”
Tough day to pitch:Starting pitcher Justin Germano suffered the defeat in Friday#146;s 10-8 loss to the Reds. Germano (1-2) worked 5 innings and gave up 7 hits and 6 runs, 4 earned. The Cubs made 5 errors while Germano was in the game. #147;It was a tough game all-around for everybody,#148; Germano said. #147;The offense really stepped it up and kept us in that ballgame. New man on board:The Cubs#146; front office got another key new person Friday when the organization announced the hiring of Jaron Madison as director of amateur scouting. Madison has held that job with the San Diego Padres. Cubs general manager Jed Hoyer previously served as GM of the Padres. Jason McLeod came in with Hoyer and new team president Theo Epstein last fall to serve as senior vice president of scouting and player development. Tim Wilken, the director of amateur and professional scouting, will see his duties expanded as a special assistant to Epstein and Hoyer. Wilken ran the Cubs#146; 2006-11 drafts under former GM Jim Hendry. He is highly valued by the new management team.A Cubs news release says Wilken #147;will continue to scout players for the amateur draft while adding major league, international and professional scouting responsibilities. Wilken will also now contribute player evaluations throughout the club#146;s entire major-league and minor-league system.#148;The quote: Former Cubs manager Dusty Baker, now skipper of the Reds, had the best line about the 24-mph wind. On an infield popup by the Cubs#146; Welington Castillo, Reds infielders moved toward the middle of the diamond, but the ball blew into the stands behind the first-base dugout. #147;There was a popup to second base, and it ended up 30 rows in the stands, then that ball that Castillo hit ... ball was doing the Salsa, Merengue, La Cucaracha out there ... everything,#148; Baker said.BBN23472541Cincinnati Reds Ryan Ludwick, right, is congratulated by Brandon Phillips, left, after hitting a 2-run home run as Chicago Cubs catcher Welington Castillo, center, reacts as he looks down during the third inning of a baseball game in Chicago, Friday, Aug. 10, 2012. Associated PressBBN