Hendry insists Cubs not standing pat

For those who got the impression earlier this week that Cubs GM Jim Hendry intends to sit on his hands this July, he said Friday at Wrigley Field that it's simply not true.

“I'm not opposed to making moves either way,'' Hendry said. “I'm just not going to be trading away young guys, or guys we have under control, just for the sake of getting more young kids.

“We might be buyers and we might be sellers, or we might be both.''

Out of context, it sounds like Hendry thinks he might be adding players to try to win this season.

But he didn't say that to me. He also didn't admit the Cubs are done, because he can't.

Between the lines, Hendry is saying the Cubs will subtract those who have market value and won't be with the team next year, but he's also interested in finding players who can help them next season.

Not exactly the classic definition of “buyer vs. seller,” but it sounds more plausible than the Cubs beefing up for the stretch run.

“I didn't mean at all that we're standing pat, but we're not going to trade away our best young players,” Hendry said. “I was just trying to dispel the notion and the rumors that we would trade any of our gems.”

Apparently, there has been speculation about the likes of Carlos Marmol, Sean Marshall, Matt Garza, Darwin Barney and even Starlin Castro, not to mention starters like Ryan Dempster and Carlos Zambrano — and Hendry threw cold water on any moves like that.

He did, however, admit that he might have to deal some assets if the Cubs find themselves hopelessly out of it by the end of July, something Cubs fans would tell him has been true for a month already.

So players like Kosuke Fukudome, Carlos Pena and John Grabow, to name just a few, could certainly be elsewhere in a few weeks.

“I'm under no orders to dump salary,'' Hendry said. “But if in your heart you believe you're out of it, and you can save some salary by moving guys, out of respect for ownership you have to do that.”

With the Cubs double digits out of first, trailing four teams and 15 under .500, it's only a matter of time now.

The non-story

While there continue to be attempts to pit Ozzie Guillen vs. Ken Williams in regards to Dayan Viciedo and roster decisions on players like Juan Pierre, Guillen says there's no story here at all.

“We're on the same page,” Guillen said. “If Kenny gives me a player, I'll play him, but he's not going to give me a player if I have no place to play him.”

Pierre, the subject of so much conversation, has game-winning hits the last two days.

“Now everyone loves Juan Pierre,'' Guillen said. “What a bunch of (bleep).”

Colvin's future

Jim Hendry said Tyler Colvin is absolutely part of the Cubs' plans.

“I expect him to be an everyday player here next year,” Hendry said. “He's got that ability. He didn't do what he did last year without that ability.”

Colvin hit 20 home runs in 358 at-bats last season, but has only 95 major league at-bats this season (.105) while traveling back and forth to Iowa (AAA).

“He will be back here, and he will do well,” Hendry said. “I believe in him.”

Colvin has started hitting again and is up to .289 in Des Moines with 5 homers and 23 RBI in 38 games.

Riggs returns

It was odd seeing Jim Riggleman at Wrigley Field in coat and tie and doing pregame TV instead of a baseball uniform and managing the game.

But that was the choice he made when he resigned as boss of the Washington Nationals, a decision he was forced to explain about 100 more times Friday.

“After this, I'm not doing anything for a while,” Riggleman said. “I'm going home to take it easy. If the phone rings, I'll answer it, but I won't be out there calling friends, looking for a job and putting them in an uncomfortable position.”

Riggleman doesn't regret his decision, but admits it's been a tough week.

“I'm a little down. I miss managing,” he said. “I just felt like I didn't have any choice.”

Just forecasting

While the call was for a heat index near 100 degrees and a clear sky with a ferocious sun, the on-field temperature about an hour before the game was 63 degrees with a cold wind off the lake at 24 mph.

The sky in the hours before game time looked like something out of “Transformers,” and the whitecaps on the lake looked good enough to surf.

The supposed “hottest day of the summer” caught about 41,000 fans off guard and sent them scrambling to buy sweaters and jackets — until the wind switched southerly right as the game started and many were left with clothing they didn't need.

The quote

Ozzie Guillen: “I wish I had 25 Juan Pierres.”

Best play

Starlin Castro's diving stop in the third inning of a Brent Morel groundball deep in the hole, followed by a long and perfect throw to first that may have been his best defensive effort of the season.

And finally ...

Ozzie Guillen on the never-ending questions about Adam Dunn and Juan Pierre: “Pierre and Dunn. Pierre and Dunn. That's all you got for me? (Bleep) this. I'm done. You guys are boring the (bleep) out of me.”

brozner@dailyherald.com

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