Greg Maddux was seen as a six- or seven-inning pitcher when he left Atlanta, and it appears Cubs manager Dusty Baker will use him in the same fashion.
“I’ve really noticed, even in games when he was winning 2-1, 2-0, and dealing, Bobby Cox still took him out,” Baker said.
Maddux has no problem with how a manager handles him and isn’t concerned with statistics.
“If you’re done, you should let the manager know,” Maddux said. “It’s not about me. It’s about the other 24 guys behind me just as much. It’s about winning.” . . .
Maddux had only one start throwing more than 106 pitches with Atlanta in 2003 and averaged 81.53 pitches per start, lowest in the National League. Mark Prior led the NL with 113.4 pitches per start, followed by Kerry Wood at 110.78. Carlos Zambrano ranked seventh at 106.66 pitches. . . .
Neither Baker nor general manager Jim Hendry were aware the QuesTec system for evaluating umpires’ strike zones will be installed at Wrigley Field. “I don’t care, as long as the umpires call it like they see it,” Baker said. Do the pitchers care? “I never gave up a hit to QuesTec,” Maddux said. “I honestly don’t even know what parks they’re in and what parks they’re not. I saw no difference in the strike zone in QuesTec parks and non-QuesTec parks. I think umpires have enough respect for themselves to call a strike a strike and a ball a ball.”
