The Cubs reduced their roster to 29 players Saturday when manager Jim Frey announced that pitchers Jon Perlman and Reggie Patterson had been optioned out.
”I gave it a hell of a try, but they told me they had made up their minds a couple of days ago,” said Perlman, who was raked for five runs on six hits in one inning Friday against Seattle.
”Both Perlman and Patterson took it pretty hard,” said Frey.
”Patterson, in particular, thought he had a real legitimate chance to make our ballclub.”
Patterson was 2-0 with a 1.38 earned-run average, best on the staff, in four spring games. He gave up two earned runs. Perlman was 2-2 with a 5.73 ERA. He gave up 19 hits in 11 innings.
— Jack Perconte singled with the bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth off reliever George Frazier to give the Seattle Mariners a 4-3 victory over the Cubs Saturday. Davey Lopes, who went 3-for-4 to raise his average from .151 to .205, had put the Cubs ahead 3-2 with an RBI single in the eighth.
— Rick Sutcliffe allowed two runs on three hits in seven innings. He walked five and struck out five. Ryne Sandberg and Gary Matthews each had two hits.
— Cy Young Award winner Sutcliffe says he is enjoying all the attention he`s receiving this year. ”Hey, I went through a lot of years when nobody noticed me. I`m not complaining. I consider it an honor. I spent so much time in the shadows of Steve Garvey and Ron Cey (in Los Angeles).”
Looking over at Frazier, who admitted he throws a spitter on occasion, Sutcliffe said: ”At Cleveland, they all wanted George`s autograph. But they couldn`t read his name on the baseballs because they were all wet.”
