Cubs manager Don Baylor could have given up on Todd Hundley.
He could have looked at Hundley’s .173 batting average, could have paid attention to the boos raining down from the Wrigley Field rafters, could have stuck with his catching tandem of Robert Machado and Joe Girardi.
But Baylor met with Hundley on Aug. 20, the first day of the Cubs’ 10-game homestand. The manager proposed that Hundley take part in a series of “pepper” drills designed to help him see the ball better and stay back on it.
Hundley accepted the challenge and took a 5-for-10 streak into Sunday’s game at Atlanta. Baylor even batted him fifth, his highest spot in the order since May 24.
“When he puts you in the lineup, that’s showing support,” Hundley said. “And [he has shown it] by putting time in on the field. He says he’s going to be there and he’s there. That’s all you can ask of a manager. I know he has a ton of things going on and a million things running through his head, but he’s there and supporting me.”
Baylor has been rewarded for having faith in Hundley. The veteran catcher slugged two homers Sunday, giving him five extra-base hits in his recent 7-for-14 streak.
He raised his average to .196 after clearing the fences for the first time since Aug. 1.
“I was trying to get him to put the [bad] months behind him and find a swing that he likes,” Baylor said. “This is the one I know he’s encouraged by. He looks like a different hitter.”
Hundley knows he also owes an assist to teammate and fellow cut-up Matt Stairs, whose own playing time has dropped recently.
“We [mess] with each other all the time,” Hundley said. “He helps me. I help him. We just try to break up the boredom of sitting around and watching a baseball game. We’ve watched a few in our careers and, yeah, when you’re sitting around and you haven’t played in three or four days, you need someone to keep the sanity.”
Stairs said Hundley got a boost of confidence last weekend when he switched to batting right-handed and doubled off Cardinals lefty Mike Matthews.
“Once you have confidence, it’s hard to get him out,” Stairs said. “I want to see Todd do well. He’s my bobo.”
His bobo?
“He’s my psychiatrist,” Hundley said in response. “See what I’m dealing with? See what I have to work with every day?”
Full speed ahead: Baylor could hardly contain his excitement after observing Kerry Wood’s workout Sunday morning. Wood threw about 70 pitches in preparation for his return to the mound Friday.
“He looked the best I’ve seen him,” Baylor said. “He threw some real good curveballs and his fastball was explosive. I would say 95 or 96 [m.p.h.] with no pain.”
“I had control of all four pitches,” Wood said. “I was throwing everything at full speed.”
Wood said he felt a little discomfort in his right shoulder when he threw off flat ground.
“But as soon I got on the mound and cranked it up, it was fine,” he said.
Minor news: Infielder Chad Meyers and outfielder Roosevelt Brown were named to the Pacific Coast League all-star team. Brown leads the league with a .344 batting average.
