Randy Wells has been through enough of these prove-em-wrong auditions with the Cubs. He didnt need to be reminded of what it meant.
Wells didnt take advantage of the opportunity on Wednesday night at U.S. Cellular Field, and he wasnt guaranteed another spot start after a 7-0 loss to the White Sox in front of 32,311 fans.
Filling in while Ryan Dempster rests his lat muscle before the July 31 trade deadline, Wells gave up three runs on five hits and four walks and didnt finish the fourth inning.
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Four walks is just unacceptable, Wells said. I wont accept it. They shouldnt accept it. I dont know whats going to come after that.
Manager Dale Sveum wouldnt commit to Wells (1-2, 4.91 ERA) either.
We got other people, Sveum said. The Volstads and the Rusins are down there. So well weigh our options probably here in the next day to see where were at, what we want to do.
Chris Volstad, the guy traded for Carlos Zambrano, went 0-6 with a 7.46 ERA in eight starts before being demoted to Triple-A Iowa, where he has a 4.78 ERA through six starts.
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Chris Rusina fourth-round pick out of the University of Kentucky in 2009is 5-5 with a 4.56 ERA in 14 starts at Iowa.
The Cubs (24-45) may have to prepare for life after Dempster, their Opening Day starter and clubhouse leader, and Wells had a nice major-league resume (27-30, 4.01 ERA) heading into 2012.
But Wells didnt have much of a chance to make the rotation out of spring training, because Volstad and Jeff Samardzija were viewed as having more upside and took the inside track. Wells was blindsided when he had to begin the year at Iowa.
The day before his showcase start, Wells reflected on his time with the Cubs, the organization that drafted him as a catcher in the 38th round of the 2002 draft.
I used to worry a lot about where I fit in, Wells said, and what I can do for this team having good seasons as a starter and all this stuff. And then you realize that you just got to shore up every day. Whatever they ask you to do, you try to do it to the best of your ability.
I know theres pressure here to win and when you perform subpar youre going to take heat for it. I know that firsthand. Theres so much pressure to win that you cant put added pressure on yourself to do stuff that youre not capable of doing. If Im starting, then all I can do is try to give quality innings to the best of my ability.