Sodfather headed to Wrigley?
The Cubs are looking to tear up the playing field at Wrigley Field and start all over again, team sources said, but the project has been put on hold until the team is sold. The Sox have already granted groundskeeper Roger Bossard permission to oversee the project, if it ever gets off the ground. Bossard, considered the pre-eminent authority on playing fields, recently oversaw the field renovation at Fenway Park. Wrigley is considered one of the worst playing fields in the majors, as evidenced by the number of bad-hop ground balls on the infield. If the project gets the green light in ’08, the Cubs would likely have to lower the field by at least a foot to ensure an even surface all the way around.
— Paul Sullivan
Podsednik’s return imminent
Left fielder Scott Podsednik, who has been sidelined since straining his right adductor muscle on April 16, could rejoin the Sox as soon as Saturday. And given center fielder Darin Erstad’s injury Friday in his first inning back from an ankle injury, that would be a good thing. Podsednik is batting .288 with two stolen bases in 15 games while on a minor-league rehabilitation assignment for Triple-A Charlotte, and he was pulled after going 1-for-2 Friday night at Rochester. Several Knights officials told Sox general manager Ken Williams that Podsednik’s health was at about 95 percent.
— Mark Gonzales
Power reliever on Cubs’ radar
The Cubs will go back to 12 pitchers by Monday at the latest, meaning someone will have to be sent down, unless someone is released or traded. Cubs GM Jim Hendry is not looking to make a big splash but is looking for a power-pitching reliever like Texas’ Eric Gagne. “We’re always open for business,” Hendry said. “We’ll continue to try and make upgrades if we can. … We still haven’t clicked for [several] days at a time on all cylinders. We’ve shown the ability to do that, but we have a big couple weeks coming — a big series here for us, and we’ve got an extremely hot Colorado team coming, and then the Brewers. Hopefully we can look up in two weeks and put a dent in it.”
— Paul Sullivan
