General Manager Larry Himes assembled all the Cubs coaches on the field before Monday`s game for a private session to let them all know they are appreciated and their jobs are secure.
The highly unusual three-minute pow-wow was prompted by a published report that indicated Himes might want to get rid of pitching coach Billy Connors at the end of the season.
Connors has the Cubs leading the majors in pitching with a 3.03 earned-run average. But he is a carryover from the previous regime, as were two top front-office officials who were fired last week.
Those dismissals might have prompted the speculation about Connors, which Himes said is ”absolutely unfounded.”
”As soon as you fire someone, you get a lot of nonsense and speculation,” said Himes. ”As far as anything about our coaching staff, that stuff is absolute nonsense. There`s no truth to it whatsoever. None.”
E-free: First baseman Mark Grace played in his career-high 71st consecutive errorless game, but put an asterisk behind the record. Grace failed to hold on to a pickoff throw from pitcher Jeff Robinson in the third. Marquis Grissom started the inning with a single and Robinson had him picked off cleanly, but Grace was unable to hold onto the ball as Grissom slid back into the bag. Umpire Charlie Williams first called Grissom out, then saw the ball on the ground and ruled him safe. That play turned out to be a sign of things to come in the third when Montreal scored six runs with the help of two Cubs errors and other miscues.
Help from Heath: If there were any good news in Monday`s loss, it was the performance of reliever Heathcliff Slocumb. Well, that and the fact anyone under the age of 14 got a free autographed baseball. Slocumb was charged with three runs on six hits, but he was forced to work 4 1/3 innings. Slocumb is more suited to the one-inning stopper role. By going so long, he saved manager Jim Lefebvre from having to use up his bullpen. Slocumb allowed only one hit in his first 3 1/3 innings and finished with seven strikeouts.
Needed rest: The blowout enabled Lefebvre to give some much-needed rest to three of his starters who are nursing minor injuries. Ryne Sandberg has a tender heel. Grace has a tight hamstring. And shortstop Rey Sanchez has tightness in his rib cage. Lefebvre gave all three of them a rest after six innings. ”After the sixth, it got to the point where we were looking pretty flat as a team and it was just a good opportunity for us to give our guys some rest,” said Lefebvre.