Punishment comes in many forms. For Starlin Castro, there was a different form of suffering awaiting him on Saturday than the ordeal that would have been nine innings on the Wrigley Field bench.
Castro, whose careless baserunning contributed to an unusually ugly loss on Friday, was kept in the lineup by manager Dale Sveum. That meant he would be one of three Cubs to face Cy Young Award contender Aroldis Chapman in the ninth inning.
Facing a 103-mph fastball coming out of late-afternoon shadows could be considered cruel and unusual punishment. Castro saw two of those in a row en route to a foul pop as Chapman nailed down a 4-2 victory for the first-place Reds.
"Shadows or not, to catch up to 102 miles per hour, that's probably the hardest thing to do in sports," Sveum said. "It's hard enough to hit a baseball. When it's coming 102, it's close to impossible."
After Chapman struck out Alfonso Soriano on three pitches, the last of which was a 102-mph fastball, Castro stood in against the left-handed Cuban for six pitches. The fourth and fifth fastballs that clocked 103, and the sixth, which he popped to third baseman Wilson Valdez, was a slider clocked at 90.
"Nasty," Castro said. "Unbelievable. That guy is awesome."
Chapman's save was his 27th in 31 chances, and his 19th successful conversion in a run that began on June 26, when he supplanted Sean Marshall as closer. This one came on a day when Cubs lefty Travis Wood, who was traded for Marshall, turned a 2-1 lead over to the bullpen after seven innings.
Wood was pumped up facing his former team with 40,602 in the Wrigley Field seats, and it showed. His fastball peaked at 94, 4 mph more than normal, as he matched his career high with eight strikeouts.
"It was a great outing," Sveum said. "To step up like that against that right-handed lineup, his former team, was great. He pitched as good as you could … as impressive an outing as he's had all year."
Sveum turned to lefty James Russell after seven innings, figuring 99 pitches were enough for Wood. The Reds struck quickly, with doubles by Drew Stubbs and Ryan Ludwick fueling a three-run inning that made Bronson Arroyo (8-7)the winning pitcher.
Sveum summoned Castro into his office before the game for a closed-door meeting about the play in Friday's 10-8 loss in which Castro was doubled off first base with the Cubs down five runs. Castro also committed his 17th error in that game.
While Sveum and Theo Epstein remain believers in Castro's defense, a scout suggested Saturday that Castro is better-suited for center field. He could eventually wind up there, as 2011 first-round pick Javier Baez has begun his advance toward Wrigley Field.
He may get his chance against Chapman in due time. He should be in no hurry, however.
Castro, whose careless baserunning contributed to an unusually ugly loss on Friday, was kept in the lineup by manager Dale Sveum. That meant he would be one of three Cubs to face Cy Young Award contender Aroldis Chapman in the ninth inning.
"Shadows or not, to catch up to 102 miles per hour, that's probably the hardest thing to do in sports," Sveum said. "It's hard enough to hit a baseball. When it's coming 102, it's close to impossible."
After Chapman struck out Alfonso Soriano on three pitches, the last of which was a 102-mph fastball, Castro stood in against the left-handed Cuban for six pitches. The fourth and fifth fastballs that clocked 103, and the sixth, which he popped to third baseman Wilson Valdez, was a slider clocked at 90.
"Nasty," Castro said. "Unbelievable. That guy is awesome."
Chapman's save was his 27th in 31 chances, and his 19th successful conversion in a run that began on June 26, when he supplanted Sean Marshall as closer. This one came on a day when Cubs lefty Travis Wood, who was traded for Marshall, turned a 2-1 lead over to the bullpen after seven innings.
Wood was pumped up facing his former team with 40,602 in the Wrigley Field seats, and it showed. His fastball peaked at 94, 4 mph more than normal, as he matched his career high with eight strikeouts.
"It was a great outing," Sveum said. "To step up like that against that right-handed lineup, his former team, was great. He pitched as good as you could … as impressive an outing as he's had all year."
Sveum turned to lefty James Russell after seven innings, figuring 99 pitches were enough for Wood. The Reds struck quickly, with doubles by Drew Stubbs and Ryan Ludwick fueling a three-run inning that made Bronson Arroyo (8-7)the winning pitcher.
Sveum summoned Castro into his office before the game for a closed-door meeting about the play in Friday's 10-8 loss in which Castro was doubled off first base with the Cubs down five runs. Castro also committed his 17th error in that game.
While Sveum and Theo Epstein remain believers in Castro's defense, a scout suggested Saturday that Castro is better-suited for center field. He could eventually wind up there, as 2011 first-round pick Javier Baez has begun his advance toward Wrigley Field.
He may get his chance against Chapman in due time. He should be in no hurry, however.
