Jim Essian on Tuesday night annointed Rick Wilkins as his starting catcher by starting him against lefty Randy Myers. Wilkins, who bats left-handed, is also expected to be in the lineup Wednesday afternoon against lefty Tom Browning.
Essian didn`t name Wilkins his starter for the rest of the year. Just for now.
”We think it`s time for him to begin catching every day,” Essian said before the Cubs met the Reds in Wrigley Field. ”Wilkins is such a good catcher, and we believe he`ll be able to hit left-handed pitching. We think he`s doing a great job and deserves some extended play.”
Until now, the Cubs had used Hector Villanueva against lefties. But Villanueva`s hitting only .235, though he has six homers and 15 runs batted in in 98 at-bats. Wilkins went into Tuesday night hitting .258 with five homers and 14 RBIs in 97 at-bats.
”It`s nice to have that kind of support coming from the manager,”
Wilkins said.
In a catching-related move, Joe Girardi on Tuesday night began to rehabilitate his sore back at Triple-A Iowa. Girardi, gone since April 17, is allowed to play in the minors for three weeks; Essian said he doesn`t expect him to rejoin the Cubs until then.
Mr. Wilson: The Cubs recalled Steve Wilson to fill the roster spot of closer Dave Smith, who will undergo exploratory arthroscopic surgery on his right knee Thursday. Wilson will serve as a long and middle reliever in his second stint here.
Wilson had started the season in Iowa`s rotation because then-manager Don Zimmer thought he was better suited to start.
Wilson was 3-7 with a 3.82 earned-run average in 21 games at Iowa, 15 of them starts. He allowed three runs in three innings with the Cubs in his first trip this year.
In other injury news, Danny Jackson will pitch batting practice Wednesday morning and might be back in the rotation in another week.
Jackson has been out since June 20 with a strained abdomen. He`s made two trips to the DL and six starts.
Altobelli ill: Dugout coach Joe Altobelli was admitted to Northwestern Memorial Hospital Tuesday with a bulging disc in his lower back. He`s expected to be hospitalized for four days.