The Cubs haven’t taken an official position against the realignment plan that is being mulled by the major league owners’ realignment committee.
But with a 121-year association with the National League, it may take a lot of convincing for team President Andy MacPhail to support a plan that would tear up both leagues and start over with four divisions that are geographically correct.
“I would say that it’s something we are in the process of trying to evaluate,” MacPhail said. “I have some issues, some concerns with it that revolve around our history, and the idea of bringing the same teams over and over again into Chicago. I also have concerns about the designated hitter. Some other issues give me cause for concern. It’s something that will take some considerable study on our part before we categorically embrace it.”
White Sox Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf has already said he’s in favor of a plan that would put the Cubs and Sox in the same division, which makes sense for the Sox because of their recent attendance problems. But the Cubs would have nothing to gain from it financially since Minnesota and Kansas City, two clubs that also would be placed in their division, aren’t likely to bring fans rushing to Wrigley Field. Nevertheless, MacPhail is reserving judgment on the proposed plan while it’s still in the discussion stage.
Tape-measure shot: Sammy Sosa’s 472-foot center-field home run in the second inning was the third longest in the three-year history of Coors Field. Ray Lankford hit a 483-foot homer on May 19, 1996, and Larry Walker hit a 475-foot homer on May 18, 1996.
Final payoff: Brian McRae presented Frank Castillo with the keys to a new Mercedes-Benz convertible that McRae promised if Castillo ever hit a batting practice home run. The value of the car is estimated at $40,000. “It was worth it,” McRae said. “I got to make fun of him for three years.”
Something new: Reliever Terry Adams is trying to develop a changeup to go along with his fastball and slider.
“They approached me and asked if I’d do it, and I said I’d try it,” Adams said. “It can’t hurt. I’ll work on it, and if it develops, I’ll start throwing it (in games).”
“We talked about getting him the split-fingered, but he just couldn’t get the feel of it,” pitching coach Phil Regan said. “So now we’re going to have him working on a circle changeup. He needs an off-speed pitch because everything (he throws) is so hard.”
Adams couldn’t say how long it would take for him to learn to throw a changeup, but Regan said he could do it in only two weeks time.
“Some guys pick it up right away,” Regan said. “He’s such a power pitcher that his mentality probably is that he doesn’t trust that. When you’ve got a guy that throws 95-97 miles an hour, that’s what he trusts, and a hard slider. So it’s a matter of him getting confidence in it. But in the next couple weeks, he should have a pretty good changeup.”
Adams has had an up-and-down year. In his first 21 appearances this year, he had an 0.66 earned-run average. In his last 24 appearances, however, he has a 7.59 ERA.
