Concepcion makes strong 1st impression as Cubs depth on display

SHARE Concepcion makes strong 1st impression as Cubs depth on display
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Gerardo Concepcion retired all four batters he faced in Tuesday’s major-league debut.

With less than six weeks before the trading deadline, the Cubs are about to get an up-close look at how much bullpen depth they have in their farm system – and how much they’ll need to add to finish off their big plans for this season.

“No doubt,” manager Joe Maddon said.

One day after calling up right-hander Carl Edwards Jr. when center fielder Dexter Fowler was placed on the disabled list (hamstring), the Cubs recalled right-hander Spencer Patton and selected left-hander Gerardo Concepcion from Class AAA Iowa.

Concepcion, who offers a second lefty matchup arm in Maddon’s pen, retired all four batters he faced Tuesday night in his major-league debut during the Cubs’ 4-3 loss to the Cardinals.

He struck out two, including his first batter, hot-hitting lefty Brandon Moss, to end the sixth..

“I felt a little anxious in the bullpen, but after that I came in and settled down a little bit,” said Concepcion, with coach Henry Blanco translating from Spanish.

Concepcion, 24, was considered a disappointment since signing a five-year, $6 million big-league deal in 2012 with a 5.57 career ERA in the minors (8.24 last year) — before transforming himself into a shutdown reliever at two levels (1.29 ERA in 35 IP) this season.

He said he worked hard during the offseason to “dominate the strike zone.”

Patton, who made one big-league appearance for the Cubs in May, was Iowa’s closer (1.04 ERA, eight saves).

The corresponding moves:

  • Struggling lefty Clayton Richard was placed on the DL because of a blister and nail problem on his left middle finger (“pretty nasty,” said Maddon).
  • And right-hander Adam Warren was optioned to Iowa so he can make two minor-league starts to prepare for at least one spot start before the All-Star break, during a stretch of 24 games in 24 days.

“A lot of teams have gotten off to really good starts and haven’t been able to maintain it,” general manager Jed Hoyer said, “and if we can do small things that help that, I think that’s an important thing to do.”

That includes tightening the bullpen for a team that is just .500 (10-10) after losing back-to-back games for the first time in a month.

‘Body’ by Jake

Cubs ace Jake Arrieta, known almost as much for his Pilates-and-kale health regimen as his Cy Young-caliber pitching, is one of 19 athletes appearing in next month’s ESPN “body issue,” which features strategically posed nude photos.

“We suggested Bussy,” Maddon said of gelatinous strength and conditioning coach Tim Buss. “We thought he would be perfect, body beautiful and all that. But they chose Jake. I have no idea why.”

ESPN did not ask Cubs strength coach Tim Buss (cowboy hat) to pose nude.

ESPN did not ask Cubs strength coach Tim Buss (cowboy hat) to pose nude.

Contreras will play

Touted catching prospect Willson Contreras made a second consecutive start Tuesday, and Maddon said he can expect to get regular time as part of a three-man rotation.

“I’ve got to attempt to be creative with getting him time and keeping the other guys playing,” said Maddon, who said Miguel Montero and David Ross will catch the Cubs’ next two games. “He looked good [Monday]. He looked comfortable. He swung the bat well, caught well, blocked well, threw well.”

Contreras, who walked and singled in his first two trips to the plate Tuesday, also is the hot hand (.350, nine homers, 1.030 OPS at AAA before Friday’s debut).

“He’s been playing well, he’s been hitting well,” Maddon said. “It’s important to keep that thing kind of going. We’ll keep trying to figure it out as we advance it forward.”

Notes: Get used to seeing Chris Coghlan (two walks and a single Tuesday) batting leadoff against right-handers and Ben Zobrist against lefties while Fowler is on the DL, Maddon said. …Maddon said the team has a date in mind for Warren’s spot start before the All-Star break but wants to see how he fares in the next week or so before revealing it. …Warren has been struggling the last month or so, and the ability to let him build up as a starter also allows him work on “some specifics that we’ve unearthed,” Maddon said.


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