Rick Sutcliffe pitches Wednesday night for the Class A Peoria Chiefs in a Midwest League game at Kenosha, Wis.
This minor item of news from the lowest rung of the minor league ladder could provide a step toward strengthening the major problem of the Cubs in the second half of their up-to-now disappointing season.
Sutcliffe, 35, who won 16 games in the Cubs` East Division title seasons of 1984 and `89, is seeking to come off the disabled list for the second time this season. He recently threw 108 pitches under simulated conditions. If his arm holds up after 100 or more pitches in Kenosha, Sutcliffe will be closer to joining an injury-plagued staff that ranked 11th among 12 National League teams with a 4.08 ERA in the first half of the season.
At the All-Star break, the Cubs (38-44) ranked first in the league in home runs (89), first in total bases, second in runs scored, third in batting average (.260) and second in fielding (.983).
Cubs problems obviously have come in pitching, where projected starters Mike Harkey, Danny Jackson and Sutcliffe have spent most of the season on the disabled list.
Harkey, 12-6 last year, has pitched only 18 innings, had an 0-2 record and a 5.30 ERA and is likely to miss the rest of the season due to shoulder surgery.
Jackson, who was signed as a free agent with a $2.625 million salary, has pitched 33 innings and has a 1-2 record and 5.56 ERA. Sutcliffe, limited by injury to 21 innings last year, has pitched 38 innings and has a 2-4 record with a 6.75 ERA.
Starting with Thursday`s game against the Houston Astros at Wrigley Field, the Cubs open the second half with 18 straight games against three West Division opponents-Houston, Atlanta and Cincinnati.
In their first half, the Cubs fashioned a 9-9 record against those three: 4-1 vs. last-place Houston, 3-3 vs. Atlanta and 2-5 vs. Cincinnati. The Cubs compiled a 24-20 mark against members the East but fell 11 1/2 games out of first because they were cuffed 15 times in 20 games against the league`s three West Coast teams-Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Diego.
The Cubs played 82 games before the All-Star Game and have 80 remaining. Project batting stats of the three All-Stars and you get some impressive numbers: 36 homers, 100 RBIs and 300 total bases for George Bell; 30 homers and 104 RBIs for Andre Dawson, and 26 homers, 98 RBIs, 110 runs scored, 38 doubles and 306 total bases for Ryne Sandberg.
However, if selected half-season pitchers` stats are doubled, they produce losers` numbers. Examples: Greg Maddux would serve up 24 home runs. Paul Assenmacher would work in 90 games. Dave Smith would finish with an 0-8 record. Heath Slocumb would throw 14 wild pitches. And Jackson and Sutcliffe, whose salaries combine for $4,889,120, would win a grand total of six games.
