6/17 DeJesus update
An MRI on Monday of outfielder David DeJesus’ shoulder confirmed a sprain. DeJesus, who was injured crashing into the wall in Citi Field on Friday, still has a lot of swelling in his shoulder. There’s no timetable for his return.
– Carrie Muskat
6/17 Concert Friday at Metro
Looking for something to do Friday night in Chicago? Don’t forget the Hot Stove Cool Music benefit at Metro, 3730 N. Clark Street, Chicago, which will feature Poi Dog Pondering. Cubs broadcaster Len Kasper will perform, along with the Parkington Sisters, Brede Baldwin, Kay Hanley, Joel Murray, and Peter Gammons and Hot Stove All-Stars. The event is sponsored by Theo Epstein’s The Foundation to Be Named Later, and a portion of the proceeds will go to One Fund Boston 2013 to support the victims of the Boston Marathon. General admission tickets are $50.
6/17 Cubs lineup
Travis Wood takes the mound Monday as the Cubs open a four-game series against the Cardinals, who have the best record in the Major Leagues. Here’s the lineup:
Valbuena 3B
Castro SS
Schierholtz RF
Soriano LF
Rizzo 1B
Sweeney CF
Castillo C
Barney 2B
T. Wood P
6/17 Some Marmol numbers
With Kevin Gregg unavailable Sunday after pitching four days in a row, Dale Sveum turned to Carlos Marmol in the ninth with a 3-0 lead against the Mets.
Sveum felt the Cubs’ 3-0 lead was enough cushion for Marmol, who entered in the ninth. But Marmol gave up a solo home run to Marlon Byrd, then walked Lucas Duda and served up a single to John Buck. Kirk Nieuwenhuis, who was batting .103, then hit a three-run homer for the walkoff win.
“All the other innings, he’s done a pretty good job,” Sveum said. “He’s having trouble with those last three outs.”
Marmol said: “You blow the save and lose the game. It’s tough. I left the pitch up, and it was right down the middle.”
One thing to keep in mind, Marmol has not been horrible every time he’s pitched, but when he doesn’t have success, it usually is late in games, and dramatic. In the month of May, Marmol compiled a 3.48 ERA over 11 games, giving up four earned runs — and three of those came in one game, May 4 vs. the Reds — on eight hits and four walks over 10 1/3 innings. Prior to Sunday’s game, he had appeared in six games, including an outing June 1 against the Diamondbacks when he was charged with four runs in one-third of an inning. Since that outing, he appeared in five games, had given up two hits and one run while striking out three.
Since April 8, which was his first outing after having the closer job taken away, Marmol has appeared in 27 games, and has not given up a run in 25 of those outings. Eleven of the 13 earned runs off Marmol since April 8 have come in three appearances (May 4, June 1, Sunday).
Teams were hitting .229 against him going into Sunday’s game.
This season, Marmol has thrown 58 percent sliders, 42 percent fastballs. When he’s ahead in the count, he throws 72 percent sliders, and when he’s behind, he’ll throw 52 percent sliders. With two strikes, he throws his slider 87 percent of the time.
Another stat to consider: Batters are making contact on 47 percent of his fastballs, compared to 39 percent of his offspeed pitches.
For those who want the Cubs to trade Marmol, remember they need to find another team who feels the right-hander can help them. We’ll find out more about what Sveum and the Cubs do now with the right-hander later today in St. Louis.
– Carrie Muskat
6/17 Turn back the clock
The Cubs and Mariners will wear these uniforms when they play Interleague game in Seattle June 29.
(photo courtesy of Chicago Cubs)
6/17 Minor matters
Sunday’s games
Edwin Maysonet hit his sixth home run but it wasn’t enough as Iowa lost, 3-1, to Omaha. Junior Lake extended his hitting streak to nine games, and was batting .383 overall. On Monday, Maysonet went on the DL after he re-aggravated his right hamstring strain.
Rubi Silva had three hits, including a double, in Tennessee’s 4-1 loss to Mississippi. A.J. Morris gave up one hit over four scoreless innings, striking out five.
Daytona had Sunday off as part of the All-Star break, and opens the second half Monday night at Clearwater.
Pierce Johnson threw seven shutout innings in Kane County’s 4-2 win over Wisconsin. Rock Shoulders and Reggie Golden both homered. Shoulders extended his hitting streak to five games. Golden had two hits, including a triple, and two RBIs.
Yasiel Balaguert had two hits and four RBIs in Boise’s 8-2 win over Eugene. Kevin Encarnacion had two hits and stole a base.
Mesa opens its season Thursday against the Angels.
6/16 Cubs lineup
Even though Welington Castillo had caught all of Matt Garza’s previous starts, the Cubs pitcher said he wasn’t comfortable with the catcher in his last outing. No excuses Sunday. Dioner Navarro is behind the plate for Garza’s start vs. the Mets in the series finale. Here’s the lineup:
Valbuena 3B
Castro SS
Schierholtz RF
Soriano LF
Rizzo 1B
Navarro C
Sweeney CF
Barney 2B
Garza P
6/16 Cubs vs. Cardinals
After the Cubs’ weekend series against the Mets, they open a four-game set in St. Louis against the Cardinals. Here are the pitching matchups:
Monday: LHP Travis Wood (5-5, 2.65) vs. RHP Shelby Miller (7-4, 2.21)
Tuesday: RHP Jeff Samardzija (3-7, 3.46) vs. RHP Adam Wainwright (10-3, 2.18)
Wednesday: RHP Edwin Jackson (3-8, 5.40) vs. RHP Jake Westbrook (2-2, 2.05)
Thursday: RHP Scott Feldman (6-5, 3.05) vs. RHP Lance Lynn (9-1, 3.56)
6/16 Minor matters
Saturday’s games
Steve Clevenger went 3-for-3 with two RBIs to help Iowa beat Omaha, 9-5, in the completion of Friday’s suspended game. Brooks Raley started but did not get a decision, giving up five runs over five innings. Brad Nelson drove in two runs.
Clevenger went 2-for-3 with two home runs and three RBIs in the regular game Saturday, helping Iowa beat Omaha, 8-7. Clevenger now is batting .417, and has hit safely in nine of his 10 games. Donnie Murphy also hit a two-out grand slam in the sixth. Junior Lake had two hits and two stolen bases. Barret Loux picked up the win, throwing three innings in relief.
Kyle Hendricks gave up one run on eight hits over seven innings in Tennessee’s 5-2 win over Mississippi. Jonathan Mota hit his fifth home run and drove in two runs. Arismendy Alcantara had two hits, both doubles, and two RBIs.
The Florida State League South All-Star team defeated the North, 8-1. Javier Baez was 2-for-4 with two doubles for the North team. John Andreoli had an RBIs. Daytona returns to action Monday against Clearwater.
Bijan Rademacher had three hits, including his second home run, in Kane County’s 11-5 loss to Wisconsin. Albert Almora had two hits to extend his hitting streak to 13 games. He’s batting .411 in the streak.
Paul Blackburn threw five shutout innings but Henry Charles hit a pinch-hit walkoff homer in the ninth to lead Eugene to a 1-0 win over Boise. Blackburn struck out eight, retiring the last 13 batters he faced. Shawn Dunston, Kevin Encarnacion and Jose Dore each had a hit.
6/15 DeJesus to DL; Camp added
The Cubs placed David DeJesus on the 15-day DL with a sprained right shoulder and activated right-handed pitcher Shawn Camp from the 15-day DL. DeJesus, 33, injured his shoulder when he crashed into the center field wall during the third inning of Friday’s game against the Mets at Citi Field. He was hitting .260 (52-for-200) with 15 doubles, two triples, six home runs and 21 RBI in 59 games with the Cubs this season.
Camp, 37, was placed on the DL May 22 with a right big toe sprain. He made two Minor League relief appearances with Class A Kane County, tossing three scoreless innings, including two innings Friday night.
– Carrie Muskat
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