NewsJoshua preaching patience with Cubs
Cleveland (29-41) at Chicago (33-31), 1:20 p.m. CT
By Carrie Muskat / MLB.com
06/20/09 6:00 PM ET
CHICAGO -- Von Joshua has had no problem getting his message across to the Cubs in the short time he's been the hitting coach. One point is to not think about hitting home runs. |
"If you think about the things that it takes to be a good hitter," Joshua said, "you're still going to get your home runs."
Joshua took over one week ago after Gerald Perry was let go, and he's been spending a lot of time in the cages. One thing he wants the hitters to do is be more aware of the defense. "One thing we're stressing with the guys is if there's a hole over there, try to hit the ball to the hole," he said. "I'd rather see the guys go first to third, first to third all day long than a three-run homer. We're trying to get them a little more focused and not think of the home run so much." It is a problem at Wrigley Field, especially when the wind is blowing out. The Cubs hitters are listening, especially players like Ryan Theriot and Geovany Soto, who worked with Joshua in the Minor Leagues. "Here again, like I say, a lot of times once you get to the Major League levels, some of that thought process changes a little bit," Joshua said. "You see the wind blowing out to left field. I tell them, you can reach the fences in any part of the field here. You shouldn't be thinking just to pull. This is what we teach them in the Minor Leagues. It's nothing they're not used to hearing." A positive sign Friday was seeing leadoff batter Alfonso Soriano walk twice. His walk with two outs in the 10th set up the game-winning run against the Cleveland Indians, who finish their visit to Wrigley on Sunday, facing rookie Randy Wells. Being patient and more selective is key. "That's huge for a guy like [Soriano]," Joshua said. "What that does to the pitcher, I try to explain to the young guys like Geovany and Theriot, is if these pitchers see you're not going to swing at that stuff, they'll throw strikes. As long as you're swinging at all that stuff, they're not going to throw you a strike. That was huge to see Alfonso get a walk like that. A lot of times that could be a great factor as far as a guy getting confidence and turning himself around." Theriot's strikeouts/walks ratio is a little lopsided, and not in a positive way. Last year, Theriot had fanned 33 times before the All-Star break. This year, he's already struck out 41 times. Joshua has talked to the young shortstop. "Just watching the games I watched on TV when I was in Iowa [with the Triple-A team], I see him in too much of a pull mode," Joshua said. "We were watching the game when he hit the ball to right field the other day, and I said, 'That's you. You got here by doing that. We worked too hard in the Minor Leagues for you to develop that swing to get you here. You can't just forget about that swing. "Like I tell him, 'Ryno, this is what happens when you get in a pull mode,'" Joshua said of the high strikeout numbers. "[I tell him,] 'You're trying to hit home runs, so to speak, and you're still not going to have as many home runs and you're going to have more strikeouts than you normally have. You're quick enough so if you get that ball middle in, turn on it. Don't sit there and try to turn on everything.'" Theriot, who hit five home runs in May, apparently got a little caught up in hitting the ball into the seats. The shortstop called Joshua during that stretch, and Joshua said his message was not something for family ears. "I did say, 'Just because you hit a few home runs, don't think you're a home run hitter,'" Joshua said. "I think they misunderstand sometimes what Lou [Piniella] says -- he said you have to drive the ball. That doesn't mean you go up there swinging for a home run all the time. When you get your pitch, juice it. There will be certain counts and go ahead and do that. Geovany also. He's the same way." Joshua wants the hitters to work the count and make the pitcher work, but keep in mind, they only get three strikes. "It's a two-fold thing," Joshua said. "We'd like to see them work the count. If they throw that pitch in there and groove that fastball, square it up. A lot of guys will say it was on the outer third of the plate. Square it up to the opposite field and go the other way. It's still a fastball." What's been encouraging for Joshua is to have the veterans listen and respond. "It's a hard thing -- they know they're being paid to drive those runs in," he said. "I guess I say old school, but I was a baby watching Tony Perez and those guys hit, and Tony Perez would get 95, 100 RBIs every year, and the RBIs didn't come from home runs. Your RBIs come with men on second. Hit a gapper. Do the little things like that and that's how you get your 100 RBIs." Pitching matchupCHC: RHP Randy Wells (0-3, 2.55 ERA)
Wells was to have started Wednesday vs. the White Sox but was bumped because of the rainout on Tuesday. He's coming off his shortest outing of the year in his last start, but Lou Piniella figured the rookie was due. Against the Twins, Wells gave up four runs on seven hits over 3 2/3 innings. He had posted five straight quality starts prior to that game. Wells didn't make any excuses; he said he was only able to get two pitches over one side of the plate, and the Twins caught on real quick. CLE: LHP Jeremy Sowers (1-4, 5.14 ERA)
It was another effective but not efficient start for Sowers against the Brewers on Tuesday. He gave up just three runs on five hits with two walks and two strikeouts, but he lasted just five innings. He needed 99 pitches to get through those five innings. Sowers has begun to show more confidence in his stuff in recent outings, but he just needs to start putting batters away more quickly to avoid taxing the bullpen. This will be his first career appearance against the Cubs. Tidbits
WGN Radio broadcaster Ron Santo missed Saturday's game and was expected back Sunday. Santo is not going on the Cubs' one-day trip to Atlanta or three-game series to Detroit. Dave Otto filled in. ... WWE's John Cena was a pregame guest and had a chance to chat with Soriano. Soriano has borrowed Cena's trademark, "You can't see me" wave. That's OK with the wrestler. "As long as he keeps hitting home runs, it's OK," Cena said. ... No makeup date was set for Tuesday's Cubs-White Sox game, postponed by rain. ... J.R. Mathes gave up four runs, three earned, on seven hits over five innings in Iowa's 8-6 loss to Memphis. Neal Cotts has thrown 7 2/3 scoreless innings. ... Hung-Wen Chen gave up four runs, two earned, on five hits over five innings in Double-A Tennessee's 8-7 win over Carolina. Tyler Colvin hit a three-run homer in the first, and Ty Wright hit a home run as well. Darwin Barney was batting .357 in his last eight games. ... Marcus Hatley gave up eight runs, three earned, on six hits over three innings in Class A Peoria's 12-10 win over Burlington. Ryan Flaherty homered and Kyler Burke had three hits and four RBIs. Tickets
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• Monday: Cubs (Ryan Dempster, 4-4, 3.92) at Braves (Javier Vazquez, 4-6, 3.41), 6:10 p.m. CT
• Tuesday: Cubs (Carlos Zambrano, 4-2, 3.44) at Tigers (Edwin Jackson, 6-4, 2.39), 6:05 p.m. CT
• Wednesday: Cubs (Rich Harden, 4-3, 5.27) at Tigers (Rick Porcello, 8-4, 3.54), 6:05 p.m. CT
Carrie Muskat is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
