By Dave Van Dyck, Chicago Tribune –
CHICAGO — Even though they tried to lower expectations heading into the season, it became clear the Cubs’ new front office had no desire to tolerate their team losing six straight games and starting the season with a .214 winning percentage.
So on Saturday, Theo Epstein and Jed Hoyer finalized a deal with their old buddies in Boston for Marlon Byrd. And the Red Sox — desperate for healthy outfielders — took him despite a .070 batting average.
(PHOTO: The Chicago Cubs’ Darwin Barney, right, safely reaches second base, as the Cincinnait Reds’ Wilson Valdez rushes after an overthrown ball in the seventh inning at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Illinois, Saturday, April 21, 2012. The Cubs defeated the Reds, 6-1.)
They even sent back relief pitcher Michael Bowden, a former star at Waubonsie Valley High School, and a minor league pitcher to be named.
Of course, the Cubs made it easier by offering to pay most of Byrd’s $6.5 million salary for this season after giving Miami $15.5 million to take Carlos Zambrano off their hands.
And so the cleansing of the Jim Hendry regime continues.
Byrd, a non-starter Saturday, was in the dugout as the Cubs beat the Reds 6-1. It marked Paul Maholm’s first victory since July 10 — against the Cubs while he was pitching for the Pirates.
But Byrd was on his way to Boston later and Bowden — a supplemental No. 1 pick by then Boston execs Epstein and Hoyer in 2005 — was headed back. The Red Sox had designated him for assignment after two relief appearances this season and 14 last season. He saved 16 games with a 2.73 ERA at Triple-A Pawtucket a year ago.
Cubs GM Hoyer claimed Byrd’s “slow start didn’t play any part at all” in the trade, which has been talked about for months, although the timing couldn’t have hurt.
“We just felt like we had some guys that will be a big part of our future, and Marlon was in last year of a deal and we wanted to give plate appearances (to kids),” Hoyer said.
Bowden is expected to join the Cubs’ bullpen on Monday, when the Cubs will have to make another roster move.
“He’s got tremendous makeup, he’s a very hard worker,” Hoyer said. “He’s also a local kid and excited being with the Cubs.”
The promotion of Tony Campana from Triple-A Iowa means Epstein and Hoyer will stick to their route of patience with former No. 1 pick Brett Jackson, who was hitting .242 at Iowa.
“Brett is a big part of our future, but I wouldn’t read anything into the deal on when we bring Brett up,” Hoyer said.
It also means they will continue to make personnel changes if their first Chicago production continues to be a flop, especially if a veteran like Byrd would be unhappy with being benched.
Things looked much better Saturday, as Maholm (1-2) lowered his ERA by about five runs to 8.36 and Byrd’s replacement, Joe Mather, produced two hits and an RBI.
Maholm finished six innings before turning the game over to the bullpen.
The offense, which produced season highs in hits (14) and extra-base hits (5), scored once in the first on a sacrifice fly by Bryan LaHair and four times in the second.
