The Cubs in the next week will open negotiations to keep Rick Sutcliffe in Chicago.
”I think we`re going to talk with him soon,” General Manager Jim Frey said. ”I`m not sure how we`ll do it, but we`ll probably do it before the end of the year.”
Sutcliffe, who will make about $2.175 million this year, is eligible to become a free agent in October. He has said he would like to finish his career with the Cubs, the team he joined in 1984.
The Cubs had hesitated to discuss Sutcliffe`s status, but he has changed their minds in his nine starts since returning from the disabled list Aug. 6. He`s 3-1 with a 2.21 earned-run average.
”The answer is that we were very doubtful about whether he could (pitch) or not,” Frey said. ”He had gotten to the point where he was starting to wonder.”
Winter ball: The Cubs will send at least a dozen players on their 40-man roster to winter ball.
Shawn Boskie, Jose Vizcaino and Alex Arias will play in the Dominican Republic; Lance Dickson, Rick Wilkins, Hector Villanueva and Rey Sanchez will play in Puerto Rico; and Jim Bullinger, Steve Carter, Cedric Landrum, Gary Scott and Luis Salazar will play in Venezuela.
Rivals to the end: It might appear to be a meaningless series between two also-rans, but manager Jim Essian said he still expects a little excitement when the Cubs collide with the rival Cardinals in St. Louis this weekend.
”I believe that we`ll all consider that to be an important series, as well as the final series with St. Louis,” next weekend in Wrigley Field, Essian said. ”There will be some big crowds.”