With the crosstown White Sox off to the hottest start in their history, the Cubs marked Saturday with LaTroy Hawkins’ 2nd blown save of the year. The Chicago Tribune’s Dave Van Dyck isn’t promising that he won’t blow a third, but claims it won’t come as Dusty’s closer.
If you think the weather was cold Saturday, you should have seen the icy treatment the Wrigley Field crowd gave LaTroy Hawkins.
He lost the save, lost the game and apparently lost his job as the Cubs’ closer during a brutally cold and bitterly disappointing 4-3 loss to Pittsburgh.
About the only thing Hawkins didn’t lose was his cool as he answered questions afterward.
“It’s frustrating,” he said. “But you have to get back out there and right the ship.”
It may to be too late for him to do that because manager Dusty Baker appears to be taking applications for his role.
“We have go back to the drawing board on something else, that’s what we have to do,” a subdued Baker said. “It seems like he hasn’t been good with one-run leads. I can’t figure it out. He has the stuff. I can’t figure it out right now.”
In his two seasons as a Cub, Hawkins has blown 10 of 16 one-run leads, including 2 of 4 this season. Saturday’s came on a home run against the wind and a walk.
Why?
“Oh, boy,” Baker said, “at this point I’m lost for words.”
The options?
“Oh, boy,” Baker said, “I’ll think about it tonight.”
The logical options right now are Chad Fox, who has had the job with two other teams; Mike Remlinger, who saved 12 games for the Braves in 2000; or Michael Wuertz, who saved 19 games at Triple-A Iowa last season.