Mike Harkey is still the starting pitcher for the third game of the season-but only tentatively.
Officially, the Cubs say Harkey will start April 11 against St. Louis, following Danny Jackson and Greg Maddux in the rotation. But they`re waiting to see how he pitches against Milwaukee Saturday in Wrigley Field.
”It`s still Harkey, for now,” pitching coach Dick Pole said.
Alarms went off when Seattle pounded Harkey for 10 runs and 10 hits Tuesday, but the Cubs have not expressed concern publicly. The outing immediately raised questions about whether tendinitis in Harkey`s shoulder had returned. But he has told management and the trainers his arm feels ”great.” Harkey goes into his last exhibition start with an 0-2 record and a 10.13 ERA. He has allowed 22 hits and 10 walks in 16 innings and struck out only four.
Out at home: For most of the Cubs, leaving Arizona means the end of a six-week trip. For Ryne Sandberg, it means leaving home.
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Sandberg lives in Tempe, next door to Mesa, and the end of spring training brings a lengthy separation from his wife Cindy and their children, Lindsey and Justin, after six months together.
”It`s a hard time of year,” he said. ”The good thing is that they know our house in Chicago, so they know the surroundings I`ll be in. But they miss me, and I miss them.”
Cindy and the kids visit occasionally and then come north for the summer after school lets out.
Sox memories: The news clips of the wrecking ball taking its first shots at Comiskey Park brought back a flood of memories for Chico Walker, a native South Sider who played a handful of Little League and high school games in the historic ballpark and attended countless others involving the regular tenants. ”There were a lot of memories there,” he said. ”I remember Bat Days most. You always wanted to know whose bat you`d get. I always wanted Dick Allen. That`s how we got the bats we played with.”
Walker still cherishes pictures of himself playing shortstop for Tilden High in the Public League playoffs in 1975. He thinks those games, which drew flocks of major league scouts, led to him being drafted by Boston the following summer.
Rocky finish: Jackson had been the Cubs` most effective starter all spring, but he finished the exhibition season on an off note Thursday. Seattle raked him for seven earned runs on nine hits and five walks in four innings. The Mariners won 7-2 to drop the Cubs to 14-16 with a 5.51 ERA.
The pitching news wasn`t all bad. Heathcliff Slocumb fanned five in three scoreless innings, and Dave Smith and Mitch Williams each pitched a scoreless inning.
The Cubs had only four hits, including Andre Dawson`s triple and Sandberg`s third spring homer.
Jerome Walton (sore toe) and Mark Grace (groin) missed the game but were expected to play Opening Day.
Record draw: Thursday`s crowd of 8,973 gave the Cubs a spring total of 131,841, a major league record.
On and off: The Cubs flew to Chicago Thursday night. They`ll bus to Milwaukee for Friday night`s game with the Brewers, then return to Chicago for a rematch. Sunday they rest. ”We haven`t had a day off since we opened camp,” manager Don Zimmer said. ”I think a day off will do us good.”
The Cubs` last tuneup will be a Monday afternoon workout at Wrigley. It`ll be closed to the public.