Have the Cubs conceded the season by going with so many young players?
”No way,” said manager Gene Michael. ”Rafael Palmeiro can help us right now. He can hit as well as anyone here. I`m not dumb enough to do that. Not at this time of the season.”
In spring training, then-coach Lee Elia said Ryne Sandberg was a better second baseman than Juan Samuel of his own Phillies. Now the manager, he`s changed his evaluation. ”Sammy is down the road,” Elia said. ”He`s arrived.” Would he take Samuel over Sandberg? ”Yes, no doubt about it,” Would Samuel take Samuel over Sandberg? ”There is still too much baseball to play,” he said.
”Too many things can happen.”
Rick Sutcliffe (14-4) became the first NL pitcher to reach the 14-victory mark with Wednesday night`s 6-3 triumph over San Diego, which snapped a four-game Cub losing streak..
”I think we have really turned him around and gotten him straightened away,” said Michael.
Reliever Dickie Noles, who suffered a broken wrist during a brawl in Montreal June 30, threw on the side Tuesday and Wednesday.
Leon Durham had a double in four at-bats Wednesday after being benched the previous two games. ”I thought I had some good swings,” he said. ”I`d just like to stay in there, but I don`t know what the deal is going to be. I talked to Gene on Wednesday, and he just said I wasn`t producing. I think I`m on my way, seriously. Just leave me alone and let me do what I`m going to do.”
Probables for the Los Angeles series: Friday, Greg Maddux (5-7) vs. Rick Honeycutt (2-10); Saturday, Bob Tewksbury (0-1) vs. undecided; Sunday, Jamie Moyer (9-7) vs. Fernando Valenzuela (8-8).
Ken Sumner, 64, a longtime member of the HoHoKams men`s service organization in Mesa, Ariz., where the Cubs train, died of an apparent heart attack Wednesday at the San Diego hotel where the Cubs were staying.
