| PITTSBURGH -- They say that timing in life is everything, and the Chicago Cubs are a prime example. During the first part of this 2003 season, the Cubs have been extremely fortunate. They have avoided some of their opponent's big hitters. As they open their series with the Pirates on Friday night at PNC Park, one of the most dangerous Pirates, Brian Giles, will once again be out of the lineup. "This guy's one of the premier players in the game," Cubs manager Dusty Baker said. "I think he's one of the most unheralded players around. I don't think many people know exactly how he's done since he's been here and what he means to that lineup and what a danger he poses to the pitchers and to the opposing manager. "I'm looking through our stats here on how every player has done against every pitcher on our staff and I only have one or two guys that I feel have a pretty good chance of getting him out. I had no idea how well he's hit the Cubs. He really hit the Giants well, but he's killed the Cubs. We'll see him before it's over, but I don't miss seeing him in the lineup." ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- "Timing is everything all the time. You are going to face these guys sooner or later during the year, but in the meantime nobody's going to feel sorry for you when you're missing your guys, so you have to capitalize any way you can in every situation." -- Dusty Baker ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ When the Cubs opened the season in New York, the Mets were without the services of catcher Mike Piazza, who was serving a suspension for his actions in a fight during in a Spring Training game, for two of the three games. During the Cubs' second series of the season in Cincinnati, the Reds lost outfielder Ken Griffey Jr. with a dislocated right shoulder April 5, 2003. When Pittsburgh came to Wrigley Field for a three-game series April 11-13, Brian Giles was placed on Pittsburgh's 15-day disabled list with a strained right knee, an injury he suffered on April 10, 2003 against Milwaukee. The Cubs tangled with the Reds in a series at Wrigley Field before coming to PNC Park, and the Cincinnati club was still without Griffey, who will be sidelined for two months. "Timing is everything all the time," Baker explained. "You are going to face these guys sooner or later during the year, but in the meantime nobody's going to feel sorry for you when you're missing your guys, so you have to capitalize any way you can in every situation." Sosa on fire: Cubs outfielder Sammy Sosa homered in each of his last three games against Cincinnati, hitting a solo home run off Danny Graves on April 15, a three-run shot off Paul Wilson on April 16, and rounded out the series with a three-run blast off Josias Manzanillo. It was the 21st three-game streak of his career. He also has three four-game streaks and one five-game streak. With Sosa's home run Thursday, he stands just one homer shy of Eddie Murray for 17th place on the all-time home run list. Sosa doesn't concern himself with records and milestones. "No not right now, I really don't have the time right now to think about it," Sosa observed. "I'm still playing baseball and I still have a way to go, I still have a lot of years left in my body, so I believe that right now there's no time for me to stop and think about it. The day that I do that is the day that I'm going to retire." Minor matters: Despite holding Omaha to just five hits, the Triple-A Iowa Cubs stumbled to their 11th loss of their first 14 games Thursday. Omaha beat the Cubs, 5-1, to take two of the first three games of the four-game series. Lefty Nate Teut gave up all five runs -- though only three of the runs were earned -- in his 3.1 innings. The former Florida Marlin was hurt by several defensive mistakes, including one error, behind him. The Chattannoga Lookouts downed the Cubs Double-A West Tenn Diamond Jaxx, 10-2, Thursday. Jaisen Randolph collected three hits and Mike Amrhein hit a run-scoring double for West Tenn, which has dropped three of its last four contests. Jeff Yoder (0-2) surrendered nine hits and five runs in five innings to take the loss. The Single-A Daytona Cubs shut out the Lakeland Tigers, 2-0, Thursday. B.J. Benik (1-0) got the victory, pitching six innings and allowing three hits and striking out four. The Single-A Lansing Lugnuts lost a 2-0 lead in Burlington, dropping Game 1 of their doubleheader, 3-2. Lansing bounced back to win the second game, 2-0. Lugnut ace Andrew Sisco was outstanding. The lefty departed after 5 2/3 innings, allowing just the one hit and no runs. He walked three and struck out five, earning his first win of the season. In his three starts, Sisco has pitched a total of 11 1/3 innings, allowing two hits and no runs, striking out 11. Jason Wylie came on to pitch a perfect 1 1/3 innings to earn his third save. |