News
Twin bill could see Fox behind plate
Chicago (42-42) vs. St. Louis (48-41), 12:05 & 7:05 p.m. CT
By Carrie Muskat / MLB.com
07/11/09 7:46 PM ET
CHICAGO -- Jake Fox is ready. The Cubs will close the first half of the season with a long day of baseball, playing a day-night doubleheader at Wrigley Field on Sunday against the St. Louis Cardinals. The Cubs had to place regular catcher Geovany Soto on the 15-day disabled list because of a mild left oblique strain, but rather than call up another backstop, they added outfielder Sam Fuld. That means either Koyie Hill handles both games Sunday or Fox, who has been catching since he was 8 years old, is behind the plate for one of the games. "He's basically our backup catcher, and he's caught a lot," Cubs manager Lou Piniella said of Fox. "I'm not scared to use him. I have confidence in him." Confident? That could be Fox's middle name. This is the youngster who walked into Piniella's office in Spring Training a year ago and asked for more playing time. "I can do it -- I can do anything for a game or two or three," Fox said. "I look forward to it." On Friday, he was in the bullpen to warm up Jeff Samardzija and get familiar with the gear and the job again. "Hopefully, it's like riding a bike, but we'll see," Fox said. "All I can do is go out there and have a good time doing it." He used to joke that once a catcher, always a catcher. "I'm always a catcher at heart, no matter what position I attack, or what position I go to next, I'll always have a catcher mentality of being hard-nosed and going after it," Fox said. He did catch a couple games this winter playing in the Dominican Republic and also at Triple-A Iowa before he was then assigned to left field and first base. The 2007 season was the first in which he didn't catch at all. Piniella was the one who told him to change. The Cubs were playing a Spring Training game in Scottsdale against the Giants, and Fox was called in from the bullpen. He had all his catcher's gear and was ready to go. "[Piniella] says, 'Hey, can you play left field?'" Fox said. "I go, 'Sure.' He said, 'I'm not asking if you want to, I'm asking, can you play left?'" Naturally, someone hit a rocket to left field, but Fox caught it. The Cubs switched their starters for Sunday, and Carlos Zambrano will start the first game and rookie Randy Wells will go in the second game. Fox has worked with Wells in the Minor Leagues but admits that was a long time ago. "I know what he throws," Fox said. "The hard part about Randy is the fact that he's come so far with his pitch selection, pitch execution, that it would take me some time to pick up his rhythm again. I know what pitches he throws, but I don't know how he likes to use them or the sequence he likes to use them. If I do catch, I always tell the pitcher, I'll try to find the rhythm as soon as possible. There will be a few shakeoffs early." And who is the Cubs' emergency catcher in case something happens to Hill or Fox? It's Wells, who was converted from catcher to pitcher in 2003. Pitching matchupGame 1
CHC: RHP Carlos Zambrano (4-4, 3.47 ERA)
Zambrano pitched on short rest in his last start on Tuesday, filling in for Ryan Dempster, who had to go on the DL with a fractured right big toe. Big Z pitched well enough to win, giving up two runs on five hits over six innings, but took the loss in a 2-1 decision to the Braves. Zambrano was limited to 91 pitches in the outing. He has faced the Cardinals once this year, on April 17, and did not get a decision. In that game, he gave up seven runs on nine hits over seven innings and struck out seven. STL: RHP Kyle Lohse (4-4, 3.99)
Lohse pitched six scoreless innings in Triple-A Memphis on Tuesday. He went on the disabled in June with a right forearm strain. He first sustained the injury on May 23, skipped a start and aggravated it in his next start on June 3.
Game 2
CHC: RHP Randy Wells (4-3, 2.48 ERA)
Wells is the first Cubs rookie pitcher to win four straight starts since Kerry Wood did so in 1998. The right-hander picked up win No. 4 in his last start against the Braves, giving up two runs on seven hits over six innings while striking out four. It was his ninth quality start this year. Not bad for a kid who was being considered as an extra arm in the bullpen. Wells now is 4-2 with a 2.24 ERA when he goes at least six innings.
Wainwright picked up his ninth win of the season in his last start, pitching 8 1/3 scoreless innings against the Brewers. He held Milwaukee to seven hits, striking out nine and walking two on 121 pitches. Wainwright is 3-3 with a 4.86 ERA against the Cubs in his career but has dominated them this year, with three career wins coming in 2009. In his last start, Wainwright pitched 8 2/3 innings, allowing one run on three hits in a 3-1 St. Louis win. Tidbits
Kevin Hart will start on Monday for Class A Peoria. Hart was optioned to Triple-A Iowa after Wednesday's game, his first Major League start, and the Cubs want to keep him on track for the second half. He has been working out with the big league team this weekend. Hart will be eligible to come back with the big league team on July 19. ... Starlin Castro will play for the World Team in the Futures Game on Sunday and Josh Vitters will play for the U.S. Team. ... Mitch Atkins gave up five runs on 11 hits over six innings in Iowa's 11-5 win over Oklahoma City on Friday. John-Ford Griffin had two hits, including a homer, and three RBIs. ... Casey Coleman gave up seven runs, five earned, on seven hits over 3 1/3 innings in Double-A Tennessee's 15-1 loss to Montgomery. Ty Wright hit a solo homer. ... Class A Daytona split a doubleheader against Tampa, winning the first game, 2-0, and losing the second, 2-1. James Leverton threw 5 2/3 scoreless innings in the first game for the win. ... David Macias and Kyler Burke each hit home runs in Peoria's 7-6 loss to Great Lakes. Tickets
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• Monday-Wednesday: All-Star break
Carrie Muskat is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
