Pirates manager Jim Leyland took a sentimental journey Tuesday before going to Wrigley Field for the final time this season. ”I took a cab to Comiskey Park,” the former White Sox coach said. ”The new park is absolutely gorgeous.”
Then he bid farewell to the remains of the old park. ”I looked at the scoreboard, and had a lot of memories flash back when I saw that. I can still see (Julio) Cruz tag up on (Harold) Baines` fly ball to win the division that year (1983).”
Leyland has a more permanent memory jogger coming to him. ”They said they saved me a seat from the old park,” he said.
Help wanted: Third baseman. Experience preferred, but not absolutely necessary. Cubs manager Jim Essian wasn`t quite ready to post that want ad Tuesday, but only because ”I`ve got Chico (Walker), which is what makes Chico so valuable.”
What he hasn`t got is any of the other three third basemen on the roster. Rookie Doug Strange, who went 4 for 9 in his first three games with the Cubs, is out at least until the end of the week with a sublexation of his right shoulder, suffered in a tag play at third during Monday`s 12-10 loss to the Pirates.
”It pops out of the joint, and then pops right back in,” Essian explained. Strange`s arm is in a sling, and it will be immobilized at least until Sunday. ”Then they`ll evaluate it again,” Essian said.
Strange was playing third in place of Luis Salazar, who still has not recovered from a groin pull. ”He`s available to pinch-hit, but that`s all,” Essian said. The only other third baseman, Jose Vizcaino, ”has got a bad wrist. He hasn`t hit in three days.”
The Hit Collector: Hector Villanueva was behind the plate again Tuesday night, and Essian explained: ”He`s got a lot of base hits since he came back (from Iowa). We`re going with the hot bat. He`s also catching very well. Sure, the day (Greg) Maddux pitched, the ball got by him, but that was because Maddux threw a changeup on his own. I don`t think Maddux will do that again.”