Closer by situation

[aTrUeCUBsFaN]

05/13/2005 7:14 PM ET
Notes: Baker to use closer by situation
Dempster unable to pitch due to bruised right forearm
By Carrie Muskat / MLB.com

WASHINGTON -- Ryan Dempster was able to play catch on Friday, but he wasn't available to be the closer for the Chicago Cubs.

Dempster suffered a deep bruise on his right forearm when he was hit by a line drive by New York's Mike Piazza to end the 10th inning on Wednesday. X-rays were negative, but Dempster thought the worst.

"When Derrek [Lee] and I were walking off the field, he said, 'Are you all right?' and I said, 'I think I broke my arm, dude,'" Dempster said. "It hit me right in the fleshy part of my forearm."

Cubs manager Dusty Baker said he's named a substitute closer, but didn't want to reveal who it was.

"I'll tell them, so they'll be prepared for the situation on that particular day," Baker said. "I'll go by situation, and who's left, and who I've used, and who's available, and who I think is the best guy for the job.

"I'd like to wait until Sunday [to use Dempster]. It depends on how he feels and how the games are going. We need these games to get back to .500. We're just glad it wasn't broken. I hope we don't need him until Sunday."

Dempster said he was starting to think the job was jinxed. On Chad Fox's first day as the closer, he felt something pop in his right elbow, was placed on the disabled list and has been shut down ever since.

"If it was broken, I was going to say something," Dempster said.

"Golly, I'm thinking I blow my save and it cost me a broken arm," Dempster added. "I would've taken the save and no line drive. It was tough.

"Now I know what everyone else feels like when they blow one. It was my first blown save ever. I haven't had very many opportunities, but it wasn't very much fun. It's nice when you come back and win the game, for sure."

Dempster joked that he now had muscular forearms like outfielder Todd Hollandsworth.

"I look like Popeye a little bit," Dempster said.

Step by step: Joe Borowski was scheduled to pitch for Triple-A Iowa on Saturday, which will be his sixth outing. Borowski has given up two earned runs on three hits over five innings and struck out three so far for Iowa. The right-hander, rehabbing from a fractured wrist, is getting a little antsy.

"Joe's not happy about [still being in the Minors]," Baker said. "He wants to come back now. I talked to [Iowa pitching coach Rick Kranitz] and he said the last time or two, the ball isn't coming out of his hand the way it did the first couple times. That's what happens sometimes in Spring Training when a guy goes through a dead arm period."

Baker would like Borowski to take another week.

"We've got to do what's best for Joe and what's best for us," Baker said.

Todd Walker played in Mesa, Ariz., on Friday, his second day of rehab, and was then expected to join the Iowa team in Salt Lake for a four-game series.

"There are a lot of things he has to do," Baker said of Walker, who needs to prove he can slide, get back on popups and move side to side. "You also have to get your confidence back without calculating your moves."


Roster move: Sergio Mitre didn't stay long with the big league team. The right-handed pitcher was optioned to Iowa and infielder Mike Fontenot was recalled. The move reduces the number of Cubs pitchers to 11.

"We wanted the extra bat," Baker said. "It ties your hands sometimes with the 12 pitchers, plus we had a couple guys ailing like Aramis [Ramirez]."

Ramirez did not play Wednesday because of back spasms, which forced him out of Tuesday's game. The Cubs third baseman said it was the first time he's experienced that.

"I'm getting old, man," Ramirez said, joking.

Jose Macias also has been bothered by a knee injury.

New look: Friday was the Cubs' first look at RFK Stadium, and the players' first chance to test the field and the mound.

"It is a football stadium," Baker said. "They have a new grounds crew, and they're addressing it. I'm hoping it doesn't rain. I've heard this infield doesn't drain too good."

The players tested the way the ball bounced in the outfield during Friday's batting practice.

"You come to a new park and they've played a number of games here," Baker said of the Nationals. "They have the home-field advantage."

RFK Stadium is the 110th different Major League ballpark the Cubs have played in, dating back to 1876.

Walk this way: With two walk-off homers at Wrigley Field so far, the Cubs have hit 144 walk-off homers since moving to the ballpark in 1916. Of those, 77 -- or 53 percent -- have been hit in extra innings. Last year, Corey Patterson, Moises Alou and Sammy Sosa all hit extra-inning walk-off homers.

The latest walk-off home runs by inning were hit in the 15th inning by Gene Baker against Brooklyn on June 1, 1956, and Sosa against St. Louis on Sept. 2, 2003.

Ron Santo and Sosa both hit five extra-inning walk-off homers. Bill Nicholson and Billy Williams have each hit four.

Five of the extra-inning walk-off homers also were pinch-hit homers, with the most recent being Willie Smith's on Opening Day in 1969.

Minor matters: Raul Valdez gave up one run on three hits and three walks and struck out four over seven innings for Iowa in a 3-1 win Thursday over Colorado Springs. Trenidad Hubbard went 3-for-4 with a pair of stolen bases. ... Carmen Pignatiello gave up five runs, four earned, on 10 hits and one walk over six innings in Double-A West Tenn's 5-0 loss to Tennessee on Thursday. ... Scott Moore was 2-for-4 with a double and run scored in Class A Daytona's 5-4 loss to Lakeland on Thursday. ... Jesus Estrada gave up two runs on five hits and two walks over six innings in Class A Peoria's 5-3 win over Beloit on Thursday.

Family matters: Cubs television analyst Bob Brenly will miss this weekend's series to attend his daughter's graduation ceremonies at Arizona State. Former Cubs pitcher Dan Plesac filled in for Brenly in Washington.

On deck: Carlos Zambrano will face Livan Hernandez on Saturday in Game 2 of this three-game series.

Carrie Muskat is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

[rockin500]

wellemeyer got the shaky save tonight.