The education of center fielder Felix Pie continues. And to hear manager Lou Piniella tell it, he's willing to give that education a little time. Pie was supposed to start all three games against the Reds this week but he started only the first, when he struck out three times.
Not only did Pie go back to the bench, he went back to the drawing board, too. Piniella said the 23-year-old Pie is taking extra batting practice and that "we're filming everything so he can see it."
Piniella added Pie also is working with the Cubs' strength coach.
The Cubs want Pie to "shorten up his swing" and "hit more front-sided than back-sided."
It might take a week of batting practice and extra work for things to begin kicking in, Piniella said.
REDS 9, CUBS 2: Ted Lilly fell to 0-3 with an ERA of 9.16, but he did have his longest outing of the season. Lilly worked six innings, giving up six hits and five runs. He gave up a three-run double to Joey Votto in the fourth and a two-run homer to Votto in the sixth. The Cubs couldn't put away Reds starter Edinson Volquez when they had him on the ropes in the fourth down 3-1. Henry Blanco missed a sign and bunted foul with two strikes and men on first and second and none out, and the Cubs failed to score. The Cubs were 2-for-11 with men in scoring position.
