Fukudome takes advantage of shift
Elbow problem sidelines Theriot
Wells boosted by jog, talk with Lilly
Minors matters
CHICAGO — Lou Piniella is one win shy of 1,800 in his Major League career and it's a milestone that's been a struggle to reach.
Piniella's Cubs entered Sunday's game having lost nine of their past 11 games and in fifth place in the National League Central. This month, they're batting 16 points higher than they did in April at .282, but the May ERA is 5.54, which is more than one and a half runs higher than April's 3.88 mark.
"We've struggled in areas," Piniella said Sunday. "We've given up a lot of runs late, we haven't hit really well with men in scoring position. Don't let names fool you — production wins. I'm confident that we'll get it going. You've got to score more runs consistently and they've got to keep the team from scoring, especially late. You can't come back from those things."
Two of the Cubs' big-name players — Aramis Ramirez and Derrek Lee — have not been consistent and were batting .170 and .230, respectively. Piniella said the problem isn't the players' contracts.
"We have good veteran players who have put up great numbers and we have to get back to that," Piniella said.
Piniella was asked about trying to get rookie outfielder Tyler Colvin more playing time. Colvin has been subbing for regulars Alfonso Soriano, Marlon Byrd and Kosuke Fukudome.
"He needs to play? What we need to do is win," Piniella said. "We keep talking about at-bats for people, we talk about people need to play. We talk about everything but winning baseball games. That's what … I want to talk about is winning baseball games. Period.
"I think [winning] is what's really important," he said. "Outside of that, I'd like to see people get hot, stay hot and win games and everything would take care of itself. I wouldn't be getting these questions day-in and day-out and having to make excuses and everything else."
It isn't for lack of effort, Piniella said.
"It's just a question of being more consistent with what we're doing, and once we do that, we'll win more baseball games," he said. "Then, everybody will be happy — the media will be happy, the manager will be happy, the players will be happy, the fans will happy, everybody will be happy. That's as simple as I can put it."
Then he paused.
"And if not," Piniella said, "we'll continue to be unhappy."
– Carrie Muskat
Fukudome takes advantage of shift
CHICAGO — The Pirates used an interesting defensive alignment for Kosuke Fukudome, which the Cubs outfielder wasn't expecting.
In the ninth inning on Saturday, the outfielders shifted to the left, leaving a lot of vacant space in right field. Fukudome is a left-handed hitter, so if he pulled the ball, he'd hit it to right. But the Pirates apparently didn't think he could turn on Octavio Dotel's fastball.
Well, Fukudome did, and even though he didn't hit the ball well, he dropped it into the right-field corner for a triple.
"I did notice [the alignment] looking at the center fielder," Fukudome said Sunday, "but I don't know what the purpose was. I put it where the Pirates weren't expecting."
It's the first time a team has used such a shift for Fukudome, who was batting .316.
"I don't know what they were thinking," he said through interpreter Hiro Aoyama.
The Pirates apparently looked at Fukudome's hit chart. He has hit the majority of his extra-base hits to left, while grounding out more often to right.– Carrie Muskat
Elbow problem sidelines Theriot
CHICAGO — Cubs second baseman Ryan Theriot was not in the starting lineup Sunday after being hit on the left elbow the day before by a fastball from Pirates reliever D.J. Carrasco in the seventh inning.
"He got hit with a pitch yesterday," manager Lou Piniella said Sunday morning. "He's got some loss of range of motion, so we've got [Mike] Fontenot in there at second base."
Piniella said he was not sure of Theriot's status moving forward.
Theriot went through normal pregame activities but wore a wrap on his left elbow.
Theriot said after Saturday's game that his elbow "swelled up pretty good," but also said he thought he would be fine for the finale of the three-game series against the Pirates. — Matt Forman
Wells boosted by jog, talk with Lilly
CHICAGO — Randy Wells' shortest start of his career was followed by his longest.
What helped Wells bounce back? A jog with Ted Lilly.
"We just went for a little run and talked it over and talked about ways to get past it and have a short memory and work hard and get ready for the next start," Wells said Sunday. "It was just a veteran guy — a friend, a mentor — just realizing that a young guy had a pretty tough game. It's not uncommon to have a game like that, but you never want to dwell on it."
On May 6 in Pittsburgh, Wells lasted just two innings and gave up five earned runs and walked three. He rebounded against Florida on Tuesday, surrendering just four hits in an eight-inning, eight-strikeout performance, even though he was on the wrong side of the decision in the Cubs' 3-2 loss.
"He just took it upon himself to give me a little friendly advice,"
Wells said. "He gave me a 'I've been there before' kind of bit. It was good. It was helpful. Even though I lost my next start, I felt like I threw the ball pretty well."
Wells said Lilly and fellow starter Ryan Dempster, who have 33 combined years of Major League experience, are his "go-to guys" on the team, and he admires them for their professionalism.
"When you have days like that, you try to buckle down and try to rattle off four or five or six or as many good outings as you can," Wells said. "The biggest thing you can't change is your mental approach and your work ethic when you get beat like that. You need to stay strong and stay mentally tough and prepare for your next one."
Wells starts Monday against Aaron Cook when Chicago opens a two-game set with Colorado.– Matt Forman
Minors matters
CHICAGO — Mike Parisi, whom the Cubs acquired in the Rule 5 Draft, underwent surgery Friday on his right elbow to repair an avulsion fracture. Parisi was pitching at Double-A Tennessee and had made one start May 10, lasting 2 2/3 innings. He began the season at Triple-A Iowa and was 0-3 with a 8.50 ERA in five starts. An avulsion fracture is an injury to the bone in a place where a tendon or ligament attaches to the bone. …
Brett Jackson, the Cubs' No. 1 Draft pick last year, has been sidelined since May 10 because of a sore foot. Jackson, who was batting .330 in 30 games, underwent an MRI. …
Cubs player development director Oneri Fleita said all reports have been good regarding Jeff Samardzija, who was pitching in relief at Iowa. Samardzija has been throwing a slider and cutter, and is 3-0 with a 2.00 ERA in seven games. The right-hander last pitched Friday, giving up one run on a solo homer in one inning. So far, he's struck out seven over nine innings.
"It's all about work and repetition," Fleita said of Samardzija, who opened the season with the big league team. "He just wants to get back here and contribute to winning."… Fleita also was encouraged by third baseman Josh Vitters' progress at Tennessee. Vitters was batting .333, but Fleita said the infielder will benefit by working with manager Bill Dancy, a former infielder. "He's at a level now where he's being challenged," Fleita said of Vitters. …
Pitcher Marcos Mateo, who injured his knee running the bases May 12, was to be examined Monday in Chicago. Mateo was winless in six games pitching in relief at Tennessee. Carrie Muskat