Pie odd man out for Chicago Cubs

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Pie odd man out for Chicago Cubs
05/14/2008 11:59 PM ET
By Carrie Muskat / MLB.com

CHICAGO -- Felix Pie was trying. He hit early every day with Cubs hitting coach Gerald Perry. He watched video. He knew what he had to do. But the young outfielder now is headed to Triple-A Iowa to play every day.
The Cubs announced late Wednesday they had signed veteran outfielder Jim Edmonds, 37, and Pie was optioned to the Minor League team to make room.
"I'm working hard every day and I feel good, I'm swinging good," Pie said Wednesday before he got the news. "The game I had the other day [Sunday vs. Arizona], I was 1-for-3 and had very good at-bats."
Overall, Pie, 23, was batting .222 and struck out 23 times in 63 at-bats. He's walked four times. After hitting .154 in his first 11 games, Cubs manager Lou Piniella decided to help Pie personally, and went to the batting cages for a couple of sessions. The team brought in roving Minor League instructor Dave Keller for extra hitting in late April. Pie was given extra exercises to do to strengthen his forearms.
Keller now will be assigned to Pie full-time. It's been difficult to apply all the adjustments and suggestions at the big league level.
"It's a little tough," Pie said. "I like to work. I'm very tough. I'm working hard every day with Gerald, so I think I'll get it. I've been a little more aggressive and feel comfortable.
"I feel close," Pie said. "Every baseball player has a moment like this, when they're struggling. Every baseball player has this moment. When you have this moment, you have to play, to see the ball.
Pie was projected as the Cubs starting center fielder, but didn't hit that well in spring, and the team added Reed Johnson after he was released by the Toronto Blue Jays. Johnson has shined, although he will be sharing center with Edmonds as well. Pie is the odd man out.
"I understand the situation now," Pie said. "Johnson is doing a very good job. I can help my team and do whatever they need, pinch-hit, pinch-run, I'll be ready on the bench."
A career .301 hitter in the Minors, including a .362 average last season at Iowa, Pie simply hasn't been able to handle big league pitching and not playing every day has hurt. He can play center field here, and flashed his glove last week in Cincinnati when he made a leaping catch to rob Ken Griffey Jr. of career homer No. 598.
But Edmonds' arrival now bumps Pie down to Iowa.
"I can't control that," Pie said. Cubs general manager "Jim Hendry makes the decision. If they decide to send me down, I have to go."
"We're not down on Felix," Hendry said. "Right now, Reed is getting about two-thirds to three-quarters of the time, and at the age of 23 and with the things that Lou and Gerald implemented a few weeks ago, it's virtually impossible to make some of those adjustments on a consistent basis when you're getting five to eight at-bats a week. It's a good thing to do. It's a good gamble at the time."
Hendry said the organization had considered doing something to get Pie consistent at-bats before Edmonds became available.
This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.