The Cubs sent Damon Berryhill and Hector Villanueva to Triple-A Iowa Monday night to make room on the roster for Joe Girardi and Rick Sutcliffe, who pitches Tuesday in Philadelphia.
The official version was the two catchers needed more at-bats. Neither Berryhill nor Villanueva bought the official version.
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Berryhill`s last hit came June 22. He is batting .176.
”What can I say?” Berryhill said. ”It`s a (expletive) joke. They want me to play? They could have sent me down two months ago to play.”
Berryhill, whose last hit came June 22, is batting .176. Villanueva`s average is .240.
”(Manager Jim Essian) just told me I`m going down to get some at-bats and some playing time,” Villanueva said. ”He said he`d bring me back as soon as he can, whatever that means.”
Essian said he decided to go with 11 pitchers because he`s not sure how many innings Sutcliffe and Danny Jackson can give him after long layoffs. And he thinks two catchers will be enough.
”The play of (Rick) Wilkins-he`s been very impressive,” Essian said.
”I feel like we need another arm in the bullpen with Sutcliffe and Jackson in the rotation. It`s probably best for Hector and Damon to go down and get some playing time.”
Girardi has been out since April 17 with a strained lower back. In 12 games for Iowa, Girardi hit .222 with four runs batted in and one extra-base hit. He committed two errors and threw out four of 10 basestealers.
Return of the Baron: Tuesday also marks the return to the rotation of Sutcliffe, out since June 9 with weakness in his shoulder. Sutcliffe`s last start was May 26, when he allowed Montreal six runs in 3 2/3 innings.