Jim Bullinger knows Colorado is beatable–the atmosphere as well as the team.
He knows because in 1994 when the Rockies were still at Mile High Stadium, the Cubs pitcher turned in a complete game. “And I got 19 groundball outs,” Bullinger said.
The team leader last season in groundball-to-flyball outs ratio, he is still second to reliever Terry Adams in that statistic despite his problems this season locating his fastball and getting it to sink as well as it has in the past.
However, Sunday, a competitive Bullinger gave up five runs on seven hits in six innings and the bullpen helped him improve to 4-8 with a 7-5 victory.
“I figured out what I was doing wrong,” he said. “My balance had been off. I was leaning my head toward first on the delivery. Today I controlled all pitches.”
Manager Jim Riggleman has heard the whispered talk that Bullinger just won’t challenge hitters. He refuses to believe that.
“Part of that’s his philosophy to throw the fastball fewer times in his pitching sequence than other pitchers,” Riggleman said.
Mr. Defensive: Shortstop Rey Sanchez insists that how he is seen by other baseball people makes no difference. He made some sensational plays on this trip, including a fancy putout in the seventh Sunday against Colorado that protected a one-run lead.
“I don’t care about my reputation,” he said. “If others want it (acclaim), they can have it.”
If he continues to play as he did on this trip, his reputation will rise in spite of his defensive personality.
Been a while: When he started the ninth Sunday, Kent Bottenfield hadn’t had a save since May 1994, when he was a Colorado Rockie. He erased that by setting down the Rockies in order for his first save with the Cubs.
“There was no revenge factor, but what’s sweet is getting out a club that’s known for coming back and has lots of good hitting,” he said.
Good medicine: Dave Magadan returned to the Cubs lineup Saturday night and his two singles, two walks, RBI and run scored were probably the best medicine his father could have while recuperating in his Tampa-St. Petersburg hospital from last week’s quadruple heart-bypass surgery.
“He watches all the games on WGN,” said Magadan, who left the club briefly last week to be with his father for the surgery.
Still hurting: Catcher Scott Servais was scratched from the starting lineup Sunday for a second straight game because of a bruised knee that won’t let him squat comfortably. But first baseman Mark Grace returned after missing Saturday’s start, though he did enter in the eighth and bat in the ninth.
