Jim Edmonds introduced himself to Cubs fans Monday night with his over-the-shoulder, running catch up Tal’s Hill, showing he’s still a defensive presence in center field. Now the Cubs are looking for Edmonds to prove he hasn’t lost it offensively.
Edmonds is 2-for-12 in three games as a Cub, with no extra-base hits and one walk. He went 0-for-3 Tuesday night, grounding into a double play in the seventh inning after Geovany Soto’s leadoff single. For the season Edmonds is hitting .176 (18-for-102) with three extra-base hits in 102 at-bats.
“We have to get him some at-bats,” manager Lou Piniella said. “He’ll be a big help to us when and if he starts swinging the bat.”
If Edmonds doesn’t, what do the Cubs do next?
Ascanio makes Cubs debut
Jose Ascanio, who came to the Cubs in the Will Ohman deal, made his Cubs debut Tuesday after coming up from Triple-A Iowa to replace the injured Chad Fox (elbow).
“We were going to bring up either Ascanio or [Kevin] Hart,” Piniella said. “But Hart was starting, and they didn’t really want to disturb that. And our minor-league people felt Ascanio was really, really throwing the ball well.”
Ascanio relieved Ryan Dempster in the seventh and pitched two scoreless innings.
Samardzija watch
The Cubs were hoping Jeff Samardzija would be ready to come up to the majors sometime in the second half of the season, but the former Notre Dame football star appears to be a long way from figuring things out in the minors.
Samardzija, who signed a five-year, $10 million deal in ’07, got off to a hot start at Double-A Tennessee this year. Tuesday, however, he gave up six runs in five innings to Mississippi in his third consecutive start of allowing six or more runs. Over his last six starts, Samardzija has allowed 27 runs in 25 1/3 innings for a 9.59 earned-run average, with 26 walks and 17 strikeouts.
Extra innings
Carlos Zambrano told Cubs trainers he had a stiff neck while pitching in Saturday’s game. Zambrano said he slept the wrong way. … Cubs prospect Tyler Colvin is being considered for a spot on the U.S. Olympic baseball team at this summer’s Games in Beijing, Piniella said. The Cubs are likely to grant permission to allow Colvin to play if asked. … Baseball America is projecting the Cubs to select Sarasota (Fla.) High School shortstop/pitcher Casey Kelly in the first round of next month’s amateur draft. Casey is also a top quarterback prospect who may go to the University of Tennessee to play football.
