If the Cubs, in their negotiations with Greg Maddux, want their star pitcher to do more work for his money, they might assign him extra duty as bunting instructor.
The Cubs have blown games this season for want of sacrifice bunts. In the second, fourth and sixth innings in Sunday`s 1-0 victory over the Astros, Maddux placed down successful sacrifice bunts, each on his first attempt.
Crowded house: The 11-game homestand, longest of the season for the Cubs, was a business success, even though the won-lost record was just 6-5. Sunday`s crowd of 33,455 fans boosted the 11-game total to 366,042, an average of 33,277 per date.
Smith update: Reliever Dave Smith`s elbow surgery, originally scheduled for Monday, has been postponed indefinitely to allow time for his system to cleanse itself of an anti-inflammatory drug he had been taking recently. The anti-inflammatory drug tends to thin blood, which would be dangerous in surgery.
Smith will have a ligament tightened, and, perhaps replaced in a full surgical procedure at a date to be decided later. The procedure can`t be done arthroscopically.
Doctors say it will take at least two weeks to cleanse Smith`s system of the anti-inflammatory drug. Meanwhile, Smith said he planned to take a few days off and rejoin the team in San Diego Aug. 24 on the last stop of the upcoming West Coast trip, which begins Tuesday night in San Francisco.
Another chance: Rookie Jim Bullinger, losing pitcher in his first start of the season Saturday, will start at least once more, said manager Jim Lefebvre. Bullinger gave up three runs, all of them unearned, in his 3 2/3 innings against the Astros.
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Accepting the award: Mike Morgan accepted the Schick ”Tracer” award for fellow pitcher Greg Maddux in a pre-game ceremony. Maddux was warming up in the Cubs` bullpen.
Down on the farm: Right-fielder John Jensen hit his 14th home run as Class AA Charlotte lost 7-6 to Chattanooga. Charles Daniel (4-4) was the winner and Collin Kerley earned his fourth save as Class A Geneva beat Jamestown 5-4. Lefty Orlando Lopez won his first decision, and Dan Smith hit his first home run as Huntington in the Rookie League beat Elizabethton 7-6.