Joe Borowski let it loose Thursday while facing live hitting for the first time since shoulder and knee injuries disabled him last June.
Manager Dusty Baker said Borowski’s velocity is “a lot better than it was” this time last year, when a noticeable drop-off led to one of the most difficult springs of Borowski’s career.
“Joe’s slider looked sharper than before,” Baker said. “I haven’t seen his split-fingered fastball yet, and that’s a very important pitch for him. The main thing is for Joe to be healthy.”
Borowski said he could feel the improvement in his velocity while pitching batting practice at Fitch Park.
“Oh, yeah,” he said. “The ball is coming out freer and easier. I’m not trying to generate anything, but I threw with the rest of my body. At this point in spring, I’m very happy with where I’m at. It’s just good to go out there and face hitters again and feel like yourself.”
Baker doesn’t want Borowski to rush himself trying to win back his closer’s role. Building arm strength gradually is a rite of spring for every pitcher, but those coming off injuries sometimes unintentionally accelerate the program.
“He’s worked real hard to get back to this point,” Baker said. “We have to take care of not only his arm, but make sure his knee stays sound because it affects your arm.”
Trading spaces
Jerry Hairston Jr. is taking fielding practice at both second base and in the outfield, trying to become the Cubs’ version of Tony Phillips, who had a lucrative career as a utilityman.
Baker has said Todd Hollandsworth will get the bulk of the playing time in left field and Hairston will be a backup. Hollandsworth proved last year he doesn’t need a defensive replacement for the late innings, but Baker likes to double-switch in late innings so Hairston figures to play a lot off the bench.
Hairston said he’ll spend the majority of his practice time on the infield, even though he’s more proficient at it.
“The outfield, you probably get away with a little more,” Hairston said. “They’re both difficult. I respect each position.”
Hairston’s speed is one of the reasons the Cubs obtained him from Baltimore for Sammy Sosa, rather than insisting on an outfielder like Jay Gibbons. But Hairston rarely had a chance to prove himself on the basepaths, playing in a powerball lineup like Baltimore’s.
“Last year, we didn’t really have the green light, but we had a different type of team,” Hairston said. “We have power here, too, but as a base stealer you want to have that green light. If I had a full season, I think I could steal 30 or 40 bases.”
Boom box watch
Baker had no comment on Baltimore’s ban of music in the clubhouse, and is unlikely to adopt the policy with his team. “That’s their clubhouse,” he said. “Different rules, different players.”
