Dusty Baker lost Sammy Sosa for seven games when Sosa was suspended for using a corked bat, and he soon may lose Kyle Farnsworth.
Major League Baseball disciplinarian Bob Watson is expected to investigate the Thursday fight between Farnsworth and Cincinnati pitcher Paul Wilson to see if suspensions are merited.
But Baker is confident the videotape evidence will exonerate Farnsworth.
“I don’t expect [a suspension],” Baker said. “He wasn’t the aggressor in the situation. It looks bad because their guy got the worst of it. That’s what happens when you go after somebody. Kyle told him `I wasn’t trying to hit you,’ and the guy came out there anyway. It was self-defense.”
Cincinnati manager Bob Boone said it was obvious to him that Farnsworth threw at Wilson as the Reds’ pitcher squared off to bunt.
But Baker said, “I could say the same thing when [Wilson] hit Moises [Alou] in the knee. How can you tell? I went home last night and watched it, and that pitch wasn’t even close.
“No. 1, he bent over trying to bunt, so it looked closer than it was. And No. 2, that’s how you’re taught to throw the ball when a guy is trying to bunt–up and in. . . . I don’t know what Boone is talking about, really. And I really don’t care.”
Baker said he was sorry for shoving Reds coach Ray Knight.
“I was trying to get everybody off my guy,” he said. “Then by the time I saw Ray, it was too late. Because I like Ray; me and Ray have had a good relationship for years and years and years. That’s the only thing. Other than that, I’m not sorry for nothing.”
New regime
Baker is growing tired of hearing about the Cubs’ history of failure and every bad thing that’s happened to them since they last won a World Series in 1908.
“This is a new regime, starting over, and so far I’ve been on this job for what, 2 1/2 months?” he said. “You want me to erase 100 years in 2 1/2 months? I can’t do that. All we can do is what we’ve got here, and nobody thought we’d be where we are right now.
“I can’t do anything about the minds of people and how they think. All I can do is have my boys ready to play and play hard every day.
“If nothing else, you can’t say the Cubs are not playing hard, determined baseball. You can’t say that. Yeah, we have every intention of winning. I’m not going to say we’re going to win the World Series. This is June 20. Our goal? Yeah, that’s our goal. And if we happen to fall short of that in Year No. 1, that’s even more reason to believe we’re not that far away.”
Hernandez watch
Newly acquired Jose Hernandez will get his first start at third base Saturday, after being inserted at shortstop in the fifth inning of Friday’s game. Baker said Hernandez will play according to matchups.
“I don’t have him against [Bartolo] Colon because he hasn’t had a lot of success,” Baker said. “It’s not only about him starting, it’s about him giving us a lot of options. He can play third, first second, short, and play ’em all well. He’s an upgrade.”
