Don’t tell Frank Castillo September doesn’t matter. The Cubs’ right-hander looks at the last month as a way to end a rocky season on an upbeat note.
“I’m going to try to finish up strong in my last five starts,” said Castillo, who faces the Mets Saturday. “I want to have a good base for next year.”
Castillo (5-8, 4.66 ERA) seemed to iron out his problems in August, allowing only six earned runs over four starts. But in his last three outings, he yielded 15 earned runs and 21 hits in only 10 innings. “Physically, I feel good,” he said. “Upstairs (in his mind), it’s a little different.”
More Top Picks Best Neck And Shoulder Massagers
– Greg Hibbard shook his head when asked about the Sox decision to dump pitcher Donn Pall, his former teammate. “That’s really hard to swallow,” said Hibbard.”He’s done so much for that club on and off the field.”
– Shawon Dunston thinks he’ll have no trouble finding tickets if the Sox and Giants meet in the World Series. “You tell Ozzie (Guillen) I’ll be calling him,” said Dunston, whose lives in the Bay Area. “George Bell will take care of me, too.”
Dunston said his back felt fine on the morning after his first major-league appearance in 16 months. He took grounders before Friday’s game but didn’t play.
– Glenallen Hill has three homers in 22 at-bats as a Cub after hitting five in 174 at-bats with Cleveland. The difference? He knows he’s going to be in the lineup against a lefty. “It gives me a chance to mentally prepare the day before the game,” he said. “In Cleveland, I never knew when I was going to be in there.”
– Ryne Sandberg extended his hitting streak to 15 games with a seventh-inning double off Mets reliever Jeff Innis. Mark Grace stretched his to 10 games.
– The Cubs expect to make their minor-league call-ups Sept. 13, after Triple-A Iowa finishes with the American Association playoffs. Iowa clinched the Western Division title Thursday, its first title since becoming a Cubs affiliate in 1981. Iowa’s opponent in the best-of-seven playoff will be the Sox’s Nashville club.