Lou Piniella: "I'm happy he's here because this young man has endured a long time in the minors. It's a real nice story. He deserves it. He was a lot better this spring than last spring. Let's hope he does well."
Jim Hendry: "A lot of options can happen before Friday. I'm really happy for Bobby. He's a unique story."
Bobby Scales: "It's everything you hope for when you play professional baseball. Some of us late bloomers have to wait longer than others, but I made it. I just felt comfortable with everything throughout the organization here. Everyone was welcoming and wanted you to do well. I know nothing is promised. If I go back, I go back. If I stay, I stay."
Scales is 31 -- he'll turn 32 in October. The last Cub who made his major league debut (not just Cub debut) at an age older than 31 was a right-handed relief pitcher named Freddy Rodriguez, who spent 13 years in the minor leagues before his first major league game at age 34 on April 18, 1958. Despite a decent debut, his eight-appearance Cub career resulted in a 8.68 ERA. Let's hope for better results from Bobby Scales.
No matter what happens with Scales, Bruce Miles says, Randy Wells will be recalled to take Z's turn in the rotation, starting on Friday. Wells has a 2.77 ERA in five starts (26 innings) so far this year at Iowa. He has allowed only one home run and walked just seven, so control will be the key to his success. Wells is 26 -- he'll be 27 in August -- and this is his seventh minor league season, all in the Cubs organization (with a brief detour to Toronto in 2008 as a Rule 5 draftee -- he was eventually returned after making one relief appearance for the Blue Jays last year).
MLB note, if you missed it late last night: the Dodgers set a modern NL record by winning their first 11 home games (the MLB record is 12, set by the 1911 Detroit Tigers). They did this even while hitting into a triple play. The Dodgers have the best record in baseball and I'm glad the Cubs don't have to play in LA until late August.
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Tim Lincecum might look like a grownup in 10 years or so, but that childlike face hides a tremendous fastball. He is 2-1, 2.54 lifetime vs. the Cubs, but 1-0, 1.26 in 14.1 career innings at Wrigley Field. Players currently on the Cubs roster have 72 career AB against Lincecum, with 24 strikeouts and one (1) walk. The only one to homer off him: Koyie Hill, of all people.
Sean Marshall has an unsightly 7.79 career ERA vs. the Giants in four appearances (three starts). However, no one currently on their roster has homered off him. His last appearance against them was in relief in extra innings last July 12 at Wrigley Field, where, in addition to throwing two perfect innings of relief, he also started the winning 12th inning rally with a single.
It's a CSN extravaganza today: CSN Chicago and CSN Bay Area. If you are outside Chicago and have both feeds on EI, check out, at least for an inning or two, the Giants feed. As Josh said in his minor league recap today, their announcers, ex-Cub Mike Krukow and Duane Kuiper, are entertaining and call a good game. For more games today see the MLB.com Mediacenter.
Baseball-reference.com game preview
Overflow comment threads will post today at 2:15 pm, 3:15 pm and 4 pm CDT.
Discuss amongst yourselves.