June 03--It wouldn't be that surprising if the Cubs don't take any chances with Arizona Diamondbacks slugger Paul Goldschmidt as they did three weeks ago against Washington Nationals slugger Bryce Harper.
Goldschmidt is a lifetime .365 hitter with eight home runs and 27 RBIs against the Cubs, and his game-tying single in the eighth inning of the Diamondbacks' 3-2 win at Chase Field on April 8 irritated Cubs fans for several days in what has turned out to be an otherwise pleasant start.
There was plenty of head-scratching, from manager Joe Maddon's decision to pitch to Goldschmidt with first base open and reliever Pedro Strop throwing Goldschmidt a fastball that Goldschmidt smacked for a single on a 2-2 count.
After the game, Maddon stressed to reporters that hot-hitting David Peralta was on deck and that he emphasized that he wanted a slider thrown to Goldschmidt in that situation.
But Strop, who was unaware of the social media backlash, reinforced his support for the game-calling of the Cubs' catchers and David Ross, who was the catcher at the time of the Goldschmidt single.
"Every time we go out there, we know the catcher has a pretty good idea on the hitters, especially when they've been catching for eight innings," Strop said Thursday. "They know what they're doing back there. Sometimes we have different stuff than the starters, but starters have different command.
"I wanted a slider. That's my putaway pitch. But I totally trust him (Ross) because he wanted a fastball down and away. (Goldschmidt's) numbers with two strikes and a fastball down and away wasn't as good with the other numbers."
Strop said he and Ross thought that Goldschmidt might be looking for a slider, so agreed on a fastball down and away.
"It's nothing to be that upset. Joe gave me the opportunity to pitch against him. That's means he thinks I could get him out. That's why we didn't walk him. I didn't do my job to get him out."
