Montgomery could become the sixth man
LOS ANGELES— With John Lackey on track to return from the disabled list within a week and Mike Montgomery pitching well enough to intrigue, manager Joe Maddon hasn’t ruled out using a sixth man in the rotation down the stretch to conserve strength into the playoffs.
“We haven’t planned that specifically yet,” he said. “I’mnot opposed. We’ll see how it plays out withmike coming the next time through.”
Lackey, who has been sidelined the last two weeks because of a sore shoulder, is scheduled to throw a bullpen session Monday. Barring a setback, he would throw one more, then join the rotation over the weekend against the Giants or early next week in Milwaukee.
Montgomery, who allowed four runs in 9„ innings in his first two starts, is assured one more, Wednesday against the Pirates.
“Anything we can possibly do to preserve our arms for the end of the year is important,” Maddon said “I think it’s being proven throughout the industry right now. The biggest trick is to get the sixth guy that you like. Most teams are clamoring to get four and five. We’ve got five that we like; now we’re working on six, and hopefully it works that way that you can do something.”
Lessons learned
Young infielder Javy Baez had two mental lapses in the 1- 0 loss Sunday to the Dodgers, one harmless, one that proved costly.
“He made a mistake,” Maddon said. “I made mistakes at his age, too.”
Maddon said he talked to Baez after he failed to run out a popup to third, believing it was foul.
But on Baez’s brain- cramp throw to second with two outs and the bases loaded in the eighth, all involved chalked it up to miscommunication and a lesson learned.
Baez said he “completely forgot” it was slow- footed Adrian Gonzalez who had hit the routine grounder, and he instinctively threw to second, where Ben Zobrist was playing on a shift, too far from the bag to get there in time for the out as the run scored.
Zobrist took responsibility, saying as the veteran player he should’ve made a point to communicate before the play.
Maddon on Baez: “This kid has as much instinct for the game as any player I’ve been around. He just misread the moment.”
Said Baez: “You can’t do anything about it [ afterward]. You just learn from it, and the next time just communicate better.”
This and that
From Saturday against the Dodgers through Tuesday against the Pirates, the Cubs will have faced four consecutive rookies as opposing starters, all of whom began the year in the minors. Sunday’s opponent, Brock Stewart, started the season in advanced Class A. The four combined for 23 career starts before facing the Cubs in this stretch.
Maddon said Hector Rondon ( triceps) is progressing well, without pain when playing catch, but “we’re going to play that one slow.”