ChicagoSports.com wrote:HOUSTON-- Will the third time be the charm for Felix Pie?
The Cubs have decided to recall Pie back from Triple-A Iowa once again, and he'll be available for Wednesday night's game against Houston ace Roy Oswalt.
Pie was hitting .360 at Iowa with nine home runs and 42 RBIs. In his two previous stints with the Cubs, he hit .216 with two home runs and 18 RBIs in 139 at-bats.
"We've been fortunate to date with a lot of our young kids," manager Lou Piniella said on Tuesday. "And we're getting a lot of them now."
Pie's presence will give Piniella a chance to move Jacque Jones back to a corner outfield spot, where he's best suited to play. With the huge outfield expanse at Coors Field, where the Cubs begin a four-game series on Thursday, a centerfielder with Pie's range and defense is more of a necessity than a luxury.
The Cubs will have to make a roster move before Wednesday's game. It could be either Ronny Cedeno, who is 3-for-15 since being recalled on July 24, or Eric Patterson, since the Cubs would have six outfielders with Pie up, including four left-handed hitters.
And the Iowa shuttle probably isn't slowing down any time soon. Left-hander Carmen Pignatiello (2.78 ERA) and catcher Geovany Soto (.348 average) could be next in line to get the call. The Cubs are down to one left-handed reliever now that Will Ohman has been demoted to Iowa, and back-up catcher Koyie Hill is hitting only .153.
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