Tug McGraw was the closer on the 1980 Phillies team that last brought a world championship to Philadelphia.
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That team, with Mike Schmidt, Greg Luzinski, Steve Carlton, Larry Bowa and McGraw, was a little different, too. But those Phillies and the current ones-and so many winning clubs-have something in common, McGraw said.
“The ’70s Oakland teams, (Sal) Bando, Reggie (Jackson) and all those guys, they got written up a lot as fighting all the time,” said McGraw, now a Philadelphia broadcaster. “They were always grumbling, but they all knew where they stood with each other. If a player didn’t like you, he’d let you know. That’s honesty.
“This team, not only do they like each other, but they’re honest. If they’re honest, they don’t compete with each other, they trust each other. That’s the way we were in ’80, too.”
He’s the one: Jose Bautista, 1-1 with a 2.84 ERA in three June starts, will get a fourth start Thursday against the Phillies. Which is fine with Bautista, even though he hasn’t had a start since June 27. “I’ll try to throw six or seven innings and get out of there,” he said. In 51 appearances as a reliever, Bautista is 6-1 with two saves and a 2.22 ERA.
What was it? Kevin Roberson said he has no idea what caused an allergic reaction that took him out of Tuesday’s starting lineup. “I’m fine now,” said Roberson, who was tested, with inconclusive results, after an earlier serious reaction and faces more tests.
Left power: No left-handed Cub since Leon Durham, who had 27 homers in 1987, hit more than Rick Wilkins’ 26.
Looking ahead: Brooks Kieschnick, the Cubs’ No. 1 choice as an outfielder in the June draft, will get work at third base during the Arizona Winter League, says scouting chief Al Goldis. Kieschnick, who started slowly at lower levels, hit .341 with two homers in 25 games after being promoted to Double-A Orlando.