Soto may be close to return
Geovany Soto caught three innings of an extended-spring training game Wednesday, getting 5 at-bats. He’ll head to Class AA Tennessee on Thursday to finish his stint on the disabled list.
Soto will catch 5-6 innings Thursday, according to general manager Jim Hendry. On Friday, he’ll go most of the game. If that goes well, he’ll be in Chicago and presumably ready for Saturday’s game against the Pirates.
Soto has been on the DL since May 11 with a left-groin strain. Backup catcher Koyie Hill has seen most of the action in Soto’s absence. Welington Castillo started Wednesday night against the Mets, and he figures to go back to Class AAA Iowa when Soto returns.
Castillo battled a finger injury in spring training and into the regular season in the minor leagues. What has manager Mike Quade seen in Castillo in limited playing time?
“Controls the running game,” Quade said. “Still does the things defensively you like. He hasn’t swung the bat. He had a really a really good B.P. (batting practice) two days ago. I happened to be throwing it. That’s one of the benefits of throwing B.P., especially to the kids. I get a chance to see a little bit.
“I had thrown to him when he first got here a couple times, and I actually thought his swing looked a lot better and his approach to batting practice was a lot better. He’s going to hit, and he’s going to hit for power. But given the injury and the down time, I didn’t think he was near as sharp offensively when he got here this year as he was last year when he arrived. So there’s still some work to do.”
What about Campana?Reed Johnson started in center field and had a two-out, 2-run double in the first inning. Johnson figures to get a lot of playing time with Marlon Byrd on the DL. Mike Quade was asked if rookie outfielder Tony Campana would get a start. #147;Somewhere along the line,#148; Quade said. #147;I think Reed#146;s playing too well. It#146;s not out of the question that against a knuckleballer (R.A. Dickey) tomorrow we#146;ll have some fun with Campy. But right now, the guys in place are doing well.#148;Long time coming:Outfielder Lou Montanez made his Cubs debut Tuesday. It came almost 11 years after he was drafted in the first round by the Cubs as a shortstop. Montanez ended up with Baltimore, where he played parts of the last three seasons in the big leagues. The longest wait by a Cubs draft choice to make his big-league debut with the team is almost 15 years. The Cubs drafted pitcher Chuck Crim in 1979. He pitched in his first game for the Cubs in 1994 after big-league stops with the Brewers and Angels.