– Frey`s looking, but . . . Jim Frey continues to talk almost daily with other general managers about player moves. The chances of anything major happening before December are slim, mainly because of the still-unsettled physical condition of Damon Berryhill.
If Berryhill recovers, catching would be the one area, at the major-league level, where the Cubs have an excess of quality talent.
Beyond that . . .
”We`ve got some minor-league players that have some value,” Frey said.
”I`m not going to name them, but in the last few days I`ve talked to several clubs, and we`ve got some young players that other clubs are interested in. Sure.
”And at the end of this year, we`ll have more. Because in our recent draft, we`ve got several players that are playing well.”
Frey`s priority: as always, pitching.
”We`re still continuing to look for a third baseman for the future, somebody we could put in the lineup and figure he`s going to be there regularly and stay for awhile,” Frey said. ”Other than that, pretty much pitching is the thing.”
– Just wondering: ”Hitters are born,” said Don Zimmer. ”I don`t mean they can`t be helped. But I think hitters are born. I was born to hit .238. Ted Williams was born to hit .325 or .330.
”If there`s such a thing as a hitting coach that excels, and he is the best-then how come everybody doesn`t hit .300 if he`s so good?”
– Catching on: Why the sudden turnaround by Cub starters? ”I don`t think they`re doing anything differently,” said Joe Girardi, who has caught them through times good and bad. ”I don`t think the coaches have changed anything. ”I just think they`re making the pitches.”
Why didn`t that happen a month ago, two months ago?
”Why do people go into slumps?” answered Girardi. ”There`s usually no answer.”
– Speaking of catchers: Guess Berryhill isn`t box-office magic.
The Peoria Chiefs were averaging 2,833 before Berryhill`s assignment there. In his first two games, they averaged 2,283.
– Ethnic question . . . and not a new one: Why is it that ballpark organists always salute all Latin players-Luis Salazar, for example-with Mexican songs? Do Venezuelan organists salute Canadian baseball players with ”Waltzing Matilda”?
– Musical question: Didn`t the noisy crowd at the White Sox ”Turn Back the Clock” promotion prove that people can cheer, clap, chant, etc., without incessant cues from ballpark organists?
– Last question: Does the Cub organist ever shut up?
– A heavy burden: There are good things about being a first-round draft choice in baseball. Upfront cash is one. Another: No chance you`ll get lost in the shuffle.
The price for that is in your first year, you`re ”first-round draft pick. ” From your second year on, you`re ”former first-round draft pick.”
And after a few years in the minors, that starts to sound like ”failed former first-round draft pick.”
It`s too soon for Ty Griffin to be a failed former first-round draft pick. This is only his second full season of pro ball.
But he`s also on his third position. Drafted as a second-baseman, the organization-which already has a pretty good second baseman at the major-league level-moved him to third base, where there`s a need.
Now, he`s in the outfield.
In his first 19 games in the Charlotte (Double-A) outfield, he hit .288 after hitting less than .220 as an infielder.
”It seems to be more relaxing,” said Griffin of this move. ”I`m not worrying about my fielding when I hit.”
Griffin still hasn`t entirely given up on playing second base in the big leagues. ”With the Cubs, I don`t think there`s a chance,” he said.
But would he have liked more time at third?
”I don`t know if it would`ve worked out or not,” Griffin said. ”I`m not sure what the front office was thinking. But I think I can adjust to this new position.”
The front office would like that.
– On second thought: It really was funny . . . but, in retrospect-coming as it did few days before a Cub wives` charity event-the $7,000 spent on the Rick Sutcliffe prank billboard seems sad. That occurred to Sutcliffe, too. ”It would`ve been a lot better,” said Sutcliffe, ”to throw a pie in my face and donate the money to Family Rescue.”
– Around the league: Chances of Orel Hershiser ever pitching again are slim, but he remains with the Dodgers, going through a daily 90-minute routine to rehab his surgically repaired shoulder. ”I`m an optimist, but I`m a realist,” said Hershiser. ”The optimistic part is that I`m going to pitch again. The realistic part? If I didn`t, I`d be OK.” . . . Before Thursday, Dale Murphy was batting .184 vs. right-handers, .313 vs. lefties. . . . The Astros would love to unload Glenn Wilson, for the same reasons the Tigers, Phillies, Mariners and Pirates unloaded him. Also available: Glenn Davis, for a catcher and at least one quality young arm. . . . Saturday was the 20th anniversary of the day then-San Diego manager Preston Gomez lifted Clay Kirby for a pinch-hitter with two out and nobody on after Kirby had thrown eight no- hit innings. The pinch-hitter: Cito Gaston, who struck out. Said Gaston, now the Blue Jays` boss: ”I would`ve done the same thing.” The Padres still haven`t had a no-hitter.
Speaking of the Padres: New manager Greg Riddoch lost six of his first seven games. Before that, they had gone 3-12 under Jack McKeon. Riddoch benched All-Star Roberto Alomar (”I haven`t liked what I`ve seen-not at all”) and pretty much conceded any championships this year. ”We have to find out about our players for the future of the organization,” Riddoch said. Through Wednesday, no other team in the majors had three players in double-digits in errors (Alomar 14, Gary Templeton 16, Mike Pagliarulo 10). . . . The Pirates` Jay Bell leads both leagues in sacrifice bunts with 23. They`ve scored after 16 of them. . . . And remember when Pittsburgh`s Barry Bonds was a joke in the clutch? Last year, he hit .211 with runners in scoring position. Through Wednesday, he was batting an even .500 (32 for 64).
