WASHINGTON, D.C. -- Gorkys Hernandez will be remaining in the organization after all. So will Zack Cox and Scott Maine.

After clearing waivers on Wednesday, Hernandez and Maine were outrighted to Triple-A New Orleans, with Cox outrighted to Double-A Jacksonville.

But Miami did lose the services of right-handed reliever Evan Reed, who was claimed by the Tigers.

The Marlins designated all four for assignment on Sunday to free up space on the 40-man roster.

Hernandez, a terrific defensive outfielder, will play center field at New Orleans. The native of Venezuela was acquired last July for Gaby Sanchez.
Maine is a left-handed reliever, and Cox will mix in at third base in Jacksonville.


(flamarlins.com)

Marlins optioned LHP Scott Maine to Triple-A New Orleans and RHP Arquimedes Caminero and 3B Zack Cox to Double-A Jacksonville.
They also reassigned RHP Michael Brady, LHPs Adam Conley, Brian Flynn and Raudel Lazo, INFs Danny Black and Derek Dietrich and OF Kevin Mattison to minor league camp. Maine and Mattison probably had the best shots at earning an Opening Day roster spot, but none of the cuts are a surprise.


(rotoworld.com)

Scott Maine opened his eyes on Aug. 17, 2005, fought through his hazy double vision to glance at his mother, and offered the first thing that came to his shell-shocked mind.

"It feels like I got shot in the head," Maine, now a reliever for the Miami Marlins, told his mom, Patricia.

Maine has graced the earth for more than 27 years, but he's fortunate to have seen his 21st birthday.

At 1 p.m. on Aug. 9, 2005, a prototypically sweltering summer afternoon in South Florida, Maine was cruising on the Florida Turnpike back to Miami from a dentist appointment in Jupiter, Fla., when he lost control of his 2003 Dodge Dakota RT.

That's all he remembers.

Maine can't recall his vehicle swiping another car, racing down a hill and smashing into a cluster of trees. He has no recollection of his head meeting his windshield. Maine can't summon any memories of his stout black truck morphing into a useless heap of metal in the matter of an instant.

"It's probably a good thing I don't remember," Maine said.

Maine certainly doesn't recall the restoration project executed by his doctors, who performed surgery and induced a coma to relieve the swelling in his brain, injected titanium rivets to piece together his fractured skull and basically recreated the upper half of his head.

Maine spent more than three weeks in a hospital bed, and for nearly nine days, he fluctuated in and out of consciousness.

"I didn't think he was ever going to be out of that hospital room," said Indians closer Chris Perez, Maine's former teammate in Cleveland and roommate at the University of Miami.

The accident occurred during the offseason, so Maine's collegiate cohorts were spread throughout the country. Perez first received the alert from his mother. A handful of Maine's fellow Hurricanes wasted little time in reuniting at North Broward Medical Center to visit their traumatized teammate.

"I didn't really think it was that serious until I got there and saw, 'Wow, this is pretty [messed] up,'" Perez said. "He was out of it, wasn't able to talk very loudly or in long sentences or anything. He had bandages on his head. You couldn't see his scars."

Maine doesn't remember his teammates visiting him, and therefore he has no recollection of promising them that he would be ready to pitch at the start of the season, five months later.

"It drove me to get healthy and get back on the field," Maine said. "Baseball is what I live for. This is why I'm here. I wanted to show people that I could still do it and overcome things."

Maine used to sport long hair that sprouted out the sides of his baseball cap. The look accommodated his persona on the mound: a hard-throwing, sometimes-erratic southpaw who imposed his will on the rubber with a deceptive arm angle. Now, he dons a shaved head, boring a scar that spans the width of his skull. Maine tells people he has a hard head or that he suffered a shark bite. When speaking about his near-fatal car accident, he boasts a nonchalance that greatly understates the severity of the entire episode.

"It is what it is," Maine said. "I have a big scar on my head for a reason. I can't hide it."

And so, he embraces the opportunity to teach.

At the time of the crash, Maine's seatbelt wasn't strapped over his shoulder, in position to protect his body. Who knows how much trauma he could have saved himself had he buckled up.

Since the accident, Maine has returned every so often to his old stomping grounds in South Florida and preached about the importance of driving safety and maximizing every opportunity in life, a pair of lessons he learned the hard way.

"They look at it like, 'It's a car accident. You're still alive. That's crazy, man. Wow,'" Maine said. "I just try to tell them to wear their seatbelt, because I wasn't wearing my seatbelt, and [I tell them] how important that is. [I talk about] how fast things can change to being on top of the world to be fighting for your life."
It's uncanny how things tend to come full circle in life.

Maine has bounced around four Major League organizations in the past few months. The Indians claimed his off waivers from the Cubs in late August. The Blue Jays poached him from Cleveland at the end of October. The Marlins added him two weeks later.

Now, he's home. Maine lives just five minutes from the Marlins' Spring Training complex in Jupiter, Fla.

Many people are fortunate to receive second chances. Maine underwent Tommy John surgery in 2004. He took a redshirt his first year at Miami while he recovered from the procedure. A year later, working his elbow back toward full strength, Maine pitched only nine innings.

Then, the near-fatal wreck.

So now Maine is on his third chance, and despite occupying the uncertain role of a journeyman reliever, he has at least realized his dream of pitching in the Majors. And, as fate would have it, he'll have a chance to do so right back where it started, and nearly ended.

"It goes along with the saying, 'Throw every pitch like it's your last,'" Maine said. "That made it more of a reality. It's not just a saying; it actually occurred in my life. It helped me in that aspect to where, when I go on the field, I don't do anything half. I go 100 percent.

"You never know when you'll not be able to play the game of baseball."


(mlb.com)

The Marlins claimed left-handed relief pitcher Scott Maine off waivers.

For Maine, it’s sort of a homecoming. He’s a native of Palm Beach Gardens and a graduate of Dwyer High School.

Maine was nearly killed in an accident on Florida’s Turnpike in 2005. But he came back and made his debut for the Chicago Cubs in 2010.

Maine, 27, posted a 1-2 record with a 10.50 ERA in nine appearances for the Cleveland Indians in 2012.

He will compete for a bullpen spot with the Marlins this spring.


(palmbeachpost.com)

The Toronto Blue Jays designated P Scott Maine for assignment Thursday, Nov. 8.





(kffl.com)

TORONTO -- The Blue Jays continued their busy month of October on the waiver wire by claiming left-hander Scott Maine from Cleveland on Wednesday afternoon.

Maine appeared in 30 games for the Cubs and Indians last season, while posting a 6.07 ERA. The 27-year-old also pitched in 30 games at the Triple-A level, and went 4-2 with a 2.72 ERA.

The Blue Jays have now made six claims this month, with the main goal of acquiring some players through waivers in order to build depth at the Minor League level.

Toronto also announced on Wednesday that Kyle Drabek, Drew Hutchison, Dustin McGowan, Sergio Santos, J.A. Happ and Luis Perez were all activated from the 60-day disabled list. Santos and Happ are the only pitchers from that group that are expected to be ready for the start of Spring Training.

In order to make room on the 40-man roster, outfielder Scott Cousins and right-hander David Herndon were designated for assignment by the club. Toronto currently doesn't have any openings on its 40-man roster, but that is expected to change in the near future.

Cousins was claimed off waivers from the Marlins earlier this month, and has batted .183 with nine RBIs in 175 career at-bats at the big league level. If no team puts in a claim, the Blue Jays would be able to outright Cousins to Triple-A Buffalo.

Herndon was also claimed earlier this month, after allowing four earned runs in 7 2/3 innings in Philadelphia last season. The 27-year-old is coming off Tommy John surgery and is not expected to be available until at least June.

(mlb.com)

LHP Scott Maine pitched two-thirds of an inning and took the loss Tuesday as the Indians fell 6-5 to Minnesota. Maine was the club-record 10th pitcher used by Cleveland in the game. That's one shy of the major league record for an extra-inning game.




(chicagotribune.com)

Ezequiel Carrera and Jason Kipnis both homered in the top of the ninth inning to lift the Cleveland Indians over the Texas Rangers, 5-4, and salvage the finale of a three-game set on Thursday.

Matt LaPorta also hit a home run, as Cleveland snapped a five-game slide.

"We don't really have much to lose," said Kipnis. "We're not gonna just waste at-bats and put our tail between our legs and just accept the loss. Why not just go out there and see what we can get and see what kind of rally we can put together?"

Joe Smith allowed two unearned runs in the bottom of the eighth before Scott Maine (1-0) entered and left the bases loaded to earn the win.

Chris Perez worked around a two-out triple in the bottom of the ninth to secure his 36th save of the season.

Joe Nathan (2-4) allowed the homers by Carrera and Kipnis to snap a single- season and club record streak of 31 straight converted saves.

"It was more location today ... falling behind in the count and throwing balls in the middle of the plate," said Nathan. "You can't do that."

Michael Young had three hits and two RBI in defeat for the Rangers, whose lead atop the AL West fell to three games over the Oakland Athletics.

The game entered the bottom of the eighth inning tied at 2-2 after the Indians failed to push a run across with the bases loaded in the top of the frame, and Texas used a couple of defensive gaffes by Cleveland to go on top.

Nathan started the inning and induced a grounder to short by Elvis Andrus that Brent Lillibridge fielded cleanly, but his throw to first skipped short and deflected off the arm of LaPorta and into the stands, allowing Andrus to move to second.

After Andrus advanced to third on a David Murphy fly ball to center field, Cruz hit a bouncer towards third that Hannahan could not field cleanly to bring home Andrus and move Adrian Beltre, who reached base on an intentional walk, to second.

Young's base hit to center field brought home Beltre for a 4-2 advantage.

Maine then came into the game and allowed a Mitch Moreland single to load the bases, but got Geovany Soto to ground into an inning-ending double play.
Nathan entered for the ninth and quickly allowed a leadoff home run to right field by Carrera to make it a one-run game.

Russ Canzler followed with a pinch-hit single before Kipnis belted the second pitch of his at-bat into the seats in right field for the game-deciding runs.

Perez retired the first two batters he faced in the bottom of the ninth before Andrus lifted a triple off the wall in right field, but Murphy fanned on three pitches to leave him there.

Texas broke a scoreless tie in the fourth inning when Beltre hit a one- out single and rounded the bases on Nelson Cruz's double to right field.

Young followed with a base hit to plate Beltre and give the Rangers a 2-0 lead.

But the Indians answered with LaPorta's two-run blast to right-center field in the sixth inning to make it a 2-2 game.

Vinny Rottino hit a leadoff single prior to LaPorta's first homer of the season.


(kansascity.com)

MINNEAPOLIS -- The Indians finally got a look at reliever Scott Maine on Saturday, as he made his first appearance with the club.

Maine's outing was a mixed bag. The left-hander entered in the fifth inning against the Twins, who had loaded the bases with one out. Maine issued an eight-pitch walk to Justin Morneau to bring in a run. But he did strike out Ryan Doumit and induce a groundout from Chris Parmelee to finish the inning with limited damage.

Obviously, Indians manager Manny Acta will need to see more than 2/3 of an inning to evaluate Maine further, but he liked what he saw on Saturday.

"He's got some deception with the angle where he throws the ball from," Acta said. "Pretty firm -- he was throwing the ball 93 miles per hour. Sharp slider. I could see how he could be pretty effective against left-handed hitters. It's only been one inning. He's going to get more chances for us to take a look at him."
Cleveland claimed Maine off outright waivers from the Cubs on Aug. 29. He pitched two scoreless innings in two appearances for Triple-A Columbus before being recalled on Sept. 4.

Maine recorded a 4.79 ERA in 20 2/3 innings for Chicago earlier this season. But with his self-described "funky" delivery, he specialized against left-handed hitters, holding them to a .130 average (3-for-23).

The 27-year-old said he has thrown the same way ever since he first picked up a baseball. Coaches tried to make him adjust when he was younger, but he never obliged.

"They tried to change me," Maine said. "You throw one way naturally, and that's the way I throw. Every other way is just uncomfortable. So I had to refine the way I throw and make it work."


(mlb.com)

The Indians have announced they will recall four players from Columbus on Tuesday: left-handed pitchers David Huff and Scott Maine, infielder Cord Phelps and infielder/outfielder Vinny Rottino.

Maine was recently claimed off waivers from the Cubs and made two scoreless relief appearances for the Clippers. In 21 relief appearances over three different stints with the Cubs’ major league team this season he was 1-1 with a 4.79 ERA.


(morningjournal.com)

The Cleveland Indians claimed left-handed relief pitcher Scott Maine off outright waivers today from the Chicago Cubs and optioned him to the Clippers.

Maine, 27, pitched in 21 games for the Cubs this season while posting a 1-1 record with a 4.79 earned run average. In 28 games for triple-A Iowa, Maine was 4-2 with a 2.88 ERA and five saves.  He puts the Cleveland Indians 40-man roster at 40.

He has a career Major League record of 19-15 with a 3.28 ERA in 199 games.

The Indians also announced today that they have Columbus left-hander Matt Packer will pitch for the Scottsdale Scorpions in the Arizona Fall League in October.


(dispatch.com)

The Chicago Cubs have designated relief pitcher Scott Maine for assignment on Monday, as the team announced. The move frees up a spot on the 40-man roster for catcher Anthony Recker, who was acquired from the Oakland Athletics earlier in the day.

Maine, 27, appeared in 41 games with the Cubs over the past three years. This season, he's split time between Chicago and Triple-A Iowa with mixed results. In the big leagues, he has a 4.79 ERA with big strikeout numbers in 20.2 innings, while he's got a 2.88 ERA and middling strikeout numbers in 34.1 minor league innings.

The Cubs originally acquired Maine in 2009 as part of the deal that sent Aaron Heilman to the Arizona Diamondbacks. If he goes unclaimed on waivers, the Cubs can either trade him, release him or option him to the minors.


(sbnation.com)

CHICAGO – The Cubs made it official before Saturday’s game, activating Lendy Castillo from the disabled list and optioning left-hander Scott Maine to Triple-A Iowa.Castillo has been out since May 11 with a left groin strain and just completed a lengthy minor-league rehab assignment.In seven outings earlier this season, the right-handed Castillo had a 7.40 ERA. Maine is 1-1 with a 4.79 ERA over three separate stints with the Cubs this season.


(fantasysp.com)

Cubs starter Ryan Dempster is going to the 15-day disabled list with right lat muscle tightness, the Cubs announced Monday.

Dempster has been pitching through the soreness, with 22 consecutive scoreless innings over his last three starts. It's his second DL stint of the season, after he missed two starts in April with a quad injury.

The Cubs are calling it a precautionary move and said the injury is not serious. Dempster is expected to be dealt before the July 31 trade deadline. This will at least delay the inevitable.

"Oh, then I should've pitched through it," Dempster cracked. "I'm not really worried about that. I'm more worried about trying to get healthy."

Dempster said he felt the muscle pull in a start against Milwaukee on June 5 and "it got harder and harder to get loose and maintain. I felt I was going south in the way I was feeling."

"I was little shocked because I didn't feel very good," he said. "I was able to get the outs."

Dempster joked he would have to "stay off the skates" while he recovers.  

Scott Maine has been called up from Triple-A Iowa to take Dempster's roster spot, and Randy Wells moves into the rotation, pitching Wednesday against the White Sox.


(chicagotribune.com)

CHICAGO – The Chicago Cubs today selected the contract of right-handed pitcher Blake Parker from Triple-A Iowa and optioned left-handed pitcher Scott Maine to Triple-A.

Parker, who joins the first major league roster of his professional career, will wear uniform number 55 and be available for the Cubs tonight against the Philadelphia Phillies at Wrigley Field.

Chicago’s 40-man roster now stands at 39 players.

Maine is 0-1 with a 6.35 ERA (4 ER/5.2 IP) in six major league relief appearances this season and is 2-1 with two saves and a 5.25 ERA (7 ER/12.0 IP) in 10 relief outings with Triple-A Iowa.


(mlb.com)

The Cubs got what amounted to another arm in their bullpen when little-used Rule 5 pick Lendy Castillo (groin) went on the disabled list Wednesday.

But the bullpen gave up seven runs in the last two innings of a 9-2 loss to Philadelphia.

‘‘We had all the matchups, whatever kind of matchup you want,’’ manager Dale Sveum said. ‘‘But [ Scott ] Maine just couldn’t throw a strike.’’

Maine, the left-hander called up from Class AAA Iowa, gave up a double, hit a guy and walked another without getting an out in the ninth. He was replaced by Michael Bowden, who immediately gave up a two-run single and later in the inning a grand slam to Hector Luna .Early bullpen MVP
Shawn Camp already had given up the go-ahead homer in the eighth.

The pen has a 5-11 record and ranks 13th in the National League with a 4.76 ERA. Bright side? They didn’t add to their eight blown saves — one shy of the league lead.

‘‘They’re trying [hard],’’ starter

Matt Garza said. ‘‘They’re young. We knew we were going to take some lumps. … But there’s no easier way to pop up than after somebody kicks you in the teeth. You get [ticked] off, and you get back up, and you make sure it doesn’t happen again. That’s the kind of guys we’ve got.’’


(suntimes.com)

CINCINNATI -- The Chicago Cubs activated Ryan Dempster and Kerry Wood from the disabled list Thursday and optioned Randy Wells and Scott Maine to Triple-A Iowa.

Dempster starts against the Reds on his birthday, facing another birthday boy in Homer Bailey. 

Manager Dale Sveum said he would use Wood "in less stressful situations, a sixth or seventh inning type of thing" for the time being.

Maine had a 1.59 earned-run average in five appearances, but was the victim of a numbers game. The Cubs must keep Rule 5 pick Lendy Castillo, who hasn't pitched since April 20, and newly acquired Michael Bowden is out of options.

"Those are the unfortunate things in this game that happen, because he did a really good job while he was here," Sveum said of Maine. "It's very nice to have those two lefties in the bullpen."

Wells gave up nine hits and nine walks in two starts covering 8 2/3 innings. Asked if Wells had a future with the Cubs, Sveum replied: "He's got a future. We can't sit here and promise anything. Right now that's the role he (has) -- the swingman coming up when we need starts."

Sveum said there was nowhere in the bullpen to put Wells, and they aren't in need of a long man.

"There's just no options, no spots to do that," he said. "We're pretty fortunate to have everybody in the bullpen, besides Wood, be able to throw two innings."

Wells seemed to know his demotion was coming after a poor start in Philadelphia last weekend.

"I'm not happy," he said. "I didn't pitch well. There's no one really to blame but yourself. It still sucks. You obviously want to pitch well and put you in position, but the numbers just don't stack up. it is what it is."

Wells said he didn't know if he was going to start in Iowa, though Sveum said that's obviously what will happen. Asked if he felt like he fit in with the Cubs, Wells said: "I don't know. We'll see. I don't think it's that at all. I just think there's no room."


(chicagotribune.com)

Shoulder fatigue has caused Chicago Cubs setup man Kerry Wood to hit their 15-day disabled list.  To replace Wood on their roster, the Cubs recalled left-handed reliever Scott Maine.

Wood, who hasn’t pitched since April 13, recently received a cortisone shot in his shoulder to help ease the discomfort.  While Cubs manager Dale Sveum said that Wood felt better following the injection, Chicago ultimately decided to play it safe with the veteran right-hander.

Wood didn’t seem to be right as he started the season off allowing three hits, three walks and three earned runs over his first four appearances spanning only 2 1/3 innings.  Chicago is hoping a short period of rest does Wood well, as the veteran is eligible to come off the Cubs DL as soon as April 28.

Entering 2012, Maine had spent parts of two seasons with the Cubs.  Most of Maine’s work has come at the minor league level where the left-hander maintained an ERA and WHIP of 3.29 and 1.339 with 10.4 SO/9 and 4.1 BB/9 over his six seasons.


(calltothepen.com)

MESA, Ariz. -- The Cubs on Monday released left-hander Trever Miller, who had a 5.40 ERA in eight Cactus League games.

Miller, 38, had signed as a free agent in January. He has pitched for eight different teams, including the Cardinals, Blue Jays and Red Sox last year. This spring, he gave up five earned runs on seven hits over 8 1/3 innings, and all of those runs came in one outing, March 17, against the Rangers.

With the move, Scott Maine and James Russell are the only left-handed relievers still in camp. The Cubs' spring roster is at 40.


(mlb.com)

SURPRISE, Ariz. -- One matter still to be resolved in the final two weeks of spring camp is finalizing the Cubs' bullpen. Scott Maine is eager to see what happens.

Maine is one of three left-handed relievers in camp along with James Russell and Trever Miller. So far, it's been a good spring for Maine.

"Numbers-wise, yes," Maine said. "If you look beyond the numbers, no, but it's Spring Training. I'm not going to come in here and hit my spots. It takes some time for me to do that. As far as throwing strikes and getting outs early in the counts, I'm doing that well. I just need to get my feel for my offspeed stuff better and I'll be fine."

Is the problem Arizona? A lot of pitchers say the dry air makes it tough for them to get breaking pitches to break.

"I don't make excuses," Maine said. "I've played all over the country. I can throw my same curve that I throw in Florida. You have to concentrate more on what you're doing. You really have to get on top of the curve here for it to work. If you're somewhere else, you can be on the side of it, and it'll still curve."

Cubs manager Dale Sveum has said he wants a left-hander who can get right-handers out. So far, Maine has done that. In six Cactus League games, he's held right-handed hitters to a .182 average while lefties are batting .429. But that's not really enough of a sample size. Maine has faced seven or eight lefties.

"They say lefties would have trouble against me, but they focus on that first- or second-pitch fastball and let it rip," Maine said. "I've just got to figure out a different game plan for a lefty. A righty, I have three pitches to work with and with a lefty, I only have two. And if I can't throw my curve over the plate, what do you think they look for? In the Dominican this year, I didn't give up a hit to a lefty."

Maine appeared in seven games for the Cubs last season, and held lefties to one hit in eight at-bats, while right-handers were 10-for-24. He spent most of the year at Triple-A Iowa, and there, held right-handers to a .197 average (23-for-117) and lefties to .214 (15-for-70).

He'll throw a fastball, slider and change to right-handers and just his fastball and slider to left-handers.

"When I throw the change to lefties, it gets hit pretty hard," he said.


(mlb.com)

Chicago Cub Scott Maine also had a much needed 1-2-3 inning to lower his spring ERA to 1.59.  He has been out pitching veteran Trever Miller of late.




(chicagonow.com)

Scott Maine gave up his first run of the spring.  He walked a batter but did not give up a hit.  He's the last challenger to Trever Miller for the second lefty spot, and he does have the advantage of holding a roster spot, but he won't make the team if he walks hitters.



(chicagonow.com)

MESA, Ariz. -- The Cubs have agreed to 2012 contract terms with all 24 players on their 40-man roster with zero to three years of Major League service, including Jeff Samardzija, who signed for $2.64 million, and Starlin Castro, who will receive $567,000.

James Russell signed for $512,000, Travis Wood will receive $505,000 and Darwin Barney $500,000.

None of the other players signed for more than $500,000. Other players to agree to 2012 contract terms include right-handed pitchers Alberto Cabrera, Lendy Castillo, Casey Coleman, Rafael Dolis, Marcos Mateo and Casey Weathers; and left-handers Jeff Beliveau, John Gaub and Scott Maine.

Also agreeing to terms were catchers Welington Castillo and Steve Clevenger; infielders Adrian Cardenas, Bryan LaHair, Junior Lake, Anthony Rizzo and Josh Vitters; and outfielders Tony Campana, Dave Sappelt and Matt Szczur.


(mlb.com)

Scott Maine and John Gaub would appear to be contenders as well but have longer odds for the role, but the Cubs will take a long look all spring at 38-year-old veteran Trever Miller, who pitched last season with St. Louis, Toronto and Boston.

Miller was traded in July by the Cardinals to Toronto. The Blue Jays released him before the Red Sox picked him up. Miller said he would have made the Red Sox' postseason roster, but Boston collapsed down the stretch. However, he will get a World Series ring from the world-champion Cardinals.

“I was pulling for those guys, especially when I'm sitting at home,” Miller said. “Three years with a team is a long time, especially in my role. I usually don't get to stick around that long. I loved all those guys there.”


(espn.com)

The Cubs have been interested in Ian Stewart for about a week now, though the level of interest has varied depending on the Rockies' asking price.

Colorado initially asked for Blake DeWitt (allegedly), then changed their minds and felt the Cubs' utility infielder was not enough of a return for their young third baseman.

The Rockies were believed to be interested in Tyler Colvin instead of DeWitt (or along with DeWitt), but now are asking for Cubs infield prospect D.J. LeMahieu and left-handed reliever Scott Maine, according to Troy Renck of the Denver Post, who has been all over this story from Day One.

Maine will turn 27 during the first week of February and has excelled at Triple-A Iowa over the past two seasons with solid ERA (3.51, 3.68) and WHIP (1.32, 1.23) numbers while posting 119 strikeouts in just 92 innings.

He struggled with the big-league club last season to the tune of a 10.29 ERA, but it was a small sample size (just seven innings) and he posted a 2.08 ERA and 1.08 WHIP in 13 games with the 2010 Cubs.

If Theo Epstein and Co. do wind up dealing Sean Marshall for prospects, Maine becomes a vital piece to the Cubs' future, as left-handed relievers are hard to come by and the Cubs would not want to rely on just James Russell.

Renck said the Rockies and Cubs talks for Stewart have lost momentum, so that's the saving grace here. Hopefully it doesn't pick up momentum if that's what the Cubs would have to give up for a guy that hit .156 last season.



(csnchicago.com)

Scott Maine – Maine might be one of the best lefthanded reliever prospects in all of baseball. His numbers for Iowa were spectacular, and there is no reason to think he won’t be a big part of the competition in the spring.



(cubbiescrib.com)

Iowa Cubs relief pitcher Scott Maine had an active streak of eight straight strikeouts when he sprained his left ankle and went on the disabled list Aug. 22.

Activated on Friday, the lefty saw his first action Sunday against Omaha. The curveball master entered the game in the ninth with his team leading 2-1.

A single and a walk later, Maine was in a jam. But he pitched out of it for his 12th save of the season before an announced crowd of 12,369 at Principal Park.

“The first couple of guys, I was just missing,” Maine said. “With my ankle and everything, I couldn’t get full extension.”

But Maine struck out Manny Pina and Kurt Mertins, then got Jarrod Dyson to ground into a force play to end the game.

Maine’s left ankle is his pushoff point, so he was a little tentative. “I’ve been throwing off the mound, but nothing simulates the game,” Maine said. “I didn’t have my velocity. But we made it work.”

Iowa also drove a Mercedes to victory. Catcher Mario Mercedes, called up to Iowa Aug. 30, tripled home Marquez Smith with the winning run in the sixth. Mercedes had struck out in his previous plate appearance.

“I don’t know what happened,” Mercedes said. “I couldn’t hit the ball. The next at-bat, I made a better adjustment and made a better swing.”

After Mercedes gave Iowa the lead, he returned behind the plate to catch Andrew Cashner in the seventh. Likely completing his rehab journey with one inning of work Sunday, Cashner retired the Storm Chasers in order in 12 pitches. He mowed down all six batters he faced in two one-inning appearances in an Iowa uniform, needing just 22 pitches.

Chris Carpenter, who also came off the disabled list this week, then came in and retired Omaha in order with a 10-pitch eighth inning, setting the table for Maine’s save.

Cashner is expected to return to Chicago as soon as Monday for the start of a series with Cincinnati at Wrigley Field. Carpenter and Maine have been with Chicago for part of this season, and could also get called up to the parent club after Iowa ends the season with a 1:05 p.m. game against Omaha Monday.


(desmoinesregister.com)

The Chicago Cubs recalled pitcher Casey Coleman from Triple-A Iowa and optioned reliever Scott Maine.

Coleman, who rejoins the Cubs for the fourth time this season, is scheduled to start on Wednesday against the Houston Astros.

Coleman, 24, is 2-4 with a 7.23 ERA in 11 games, including nine starts. He is 5-2 with a 3.65 ERA at Iowa this season.

Maine was recalled from Iowa on Monday but did not appear in a game.



(espn.com)

HOUSTON — The Chicago Cubs recalled left-hander Scott Maine from Triple-A Iowa on Monday to fill the empty roster spot after starting pitcher Carlos Zambrano was placed on the disqualified list.

Maine is 0-0 with a 10.29 ERA in seven games this season. He last pitched for the Cubs on May 30 against Houston, allowing three runs in an inning. For his career, Maine is 0-0 with a 4.95 ERA in 20 games.

The Cubs were left with an open roster spot when they placed Zambrano on the disqualified list Saturday. He cleaned out his locker and left the team after giving up five home runs and being ejected Friday in Atlanta. He did not return to the team Saturday.

The Cubs said Zambrano would not receive pay or be allowed to participate in team activities during the 30-day suspension.



(washingtonpost.com)

Lou Montanez's two-run double in the second inning provided all the offense Iowa needed in a 2-1 Pacific Coast League win at New Orleans on Tuesday night.

Casey Coleman took care of the rest. He worked seven solid innings, giving up one run on six hits while striking out four as the Cubs improved to 8-19 in the first game of a series.

Scott Maine struck out the side in the ninth for his 10th save this season.


(desmoinesregister.com)

The eighth-largest crowd in triple-A Iowa franchise history witnessed a lot of everything Friday night at Principal Park — including a first for Cubs pitcher Scott Maine.

The lefty reliever recorded his longest stint in four-plus years as a professional while getting the save in the Cubs’ 5-3 win against Memphis before a crowd of 13,549.

He pitched the final three innings and struck out six, including three in the seventh.

“I don’t think I’ve ever gone three innings in pro ball,” Maine said. “I’ve gone 2 1/3 and 2 2/3, but I can’t ever remember finishing a third inning.”

How Friday’s victory happened was just as entertaining as the postgame fireworks, and it started by disproving the notion that pitchers can’t hit.

Manager Bill Dancy made a creative substitution in the fifth inning, summoning pitcher Jay Jackson from the bench to pinch hit for starting pitcher Alberto Cabrera with one out and runners at first and second, the Cubs trailing 3-0.

Jackson responded with a double that scored Jonathan Mota and Augie Ojeda, and then Jackson later scored the third run of the inning on a fly out to deep center by Tyler Colvin.

Using Jackson was a solid choice, given that he came into the game with six hits in 17 at-bats.

An inning later, the big and boisterous crowd saw that deadlock broken on consecutive homers by Bryan LaHair and Welington Castillo.

LaHair and Castillo enter Saturday’s 7 p.m. game against Albuquerque with a combined 30 homers, including 20 by LaHair. He’s 18 shy of breaking the franchise record of 37, set by Joe Hicks in 1984, with 68 games remaining.

“I can’t tell you anything about that,” LaHair said of the record. “If I hit the ball hard — some go out of the park and some don’t.”


(desmoinesregister.com)

Chicago Cubs reliever Scott Maine will be sent to Iowa on Monday to make room for Matt Garza, who returns from the disabled list to start the series opener in Cincinnati.




(redeyechicago.com)

The Chicago Cubs today selected the contract of outfielder Tony Campana and recalled left-handed pitcher Scott Maine from Triple-A Iowa. In corresponding roster moves, the club optioned outfielder Tyler Colvin and right-handed pitcher Marcos Mateo to Triple-A.

Campana joins the first major league roster of his career and will wear uniform number 41. Maine will wear uniform number 57. Both players will be available for tonight's game in Cincinnati.

Maine, 26, made his big league debut with the Cubs last season and posted no record and a 2.08 ERA (3 ER/13.0 IP) in 13 major league relief outings. He held the opponent scoreless in nine of his 13 outings, stranded all seven inherited runners and held the opponent hitless with runners in scoring position (0-for-9). Overall, Maine limited opponents to a .188 batting average (9-for-48).

The southpaw is 2-1 with seven saves and a 2.84 ERA (6 ER/19.0 IP) in 14 relief outings with Iowa this season. He has struck out 21 batters and walked only eight in 19.0 innings pitched, limiting foes to a .229 batting average. Maine was acquired by the Cubs on November 19, 2009 for right-handed pitcher Aaron Heilman.



(mlb.com)

Scott Maine collected his sixth save, but it was an ugly one. Maine pitched one inning and allowed two runs on three hits and a walk. He struck out one.





(bleedcubbieblue.com)

Class AAA Iowa got 4 runs in the seventh to beat Memphis 5-2. Thomas Diamond worked 6 innings, giving up 6 hits and 2 runs while walking two and striking out seven. Scott Moore was 2-for-3 with a walk. Lou Montanez was 1-for-2 with 2 RBI, giving him 14. Lefty John Gaub (1-) earned the win in relief, working 2 innings and striking out three. We may see him this year. Scott Maine earned his third save.



(blogs.dailyherald.com)

The Iowa Cubs duked it out with the Albuquerque Isotopes, but fell in ten innings, 6-5.

Scott Maine was in trouble both innings he pitched. He got out of a bases-loaded one out jam in the ninth to send the game into extra innings, but after the I-Cubs took the lead in the top of the tenth, he allowed two runs in the bottom of the inning to take the loss. Maine's final line was 1.1 innings, allowing two runs on three hits and four walks. Maine struck out one Isotope.



(bleedcubbieblue.com)

Scott Maine pitched the ninth inning for the Iowa Cubs in their 6-4 win over the Round ROck Express and got his second save in two days. He gave up a lead-off single, but then got the final three batters in order. He had one strikeout.




(bleedcubbieblue.com)

MESA, Ariz. — While the fifth-starter drama continues to play out this spring, the makeup of the rest of the Cubs’ Opening Day pitching staff took shape with a small round of cuts Wednesday.

Among the cuts was left-hander Scott Maine. The move eliminated the option of carrying four lefty relievers and seemed to assure three in the bullpen.

Manager Mike Quade, however, suddenly suggested that he might choose to carry only two (apparently not wanting to tell second-year pitcher James Russell just yet that he’s on the roster).

Maine, in his first big-league camp after debuting last summer, was optioned to Class AAA Iowa along with right-hander Justin Berg. Non-roster righties Angel Guzman and Todd Wellemeyer, both battling back from injuries, were reassigned to minor-league camp, leaving four pitchers over the opening limit in camp.



(suntimes.com)

Scott Maine:  The Cubs would like to have one more lefty.  Given his strong finish last season, the Cubs would like it to be Maine so they can try and stretch Jeff Russell out as a starter in AAA.  Maine has a 5.40 ERA this spring.




(chicagonow.com)

MESA, Ariz. — Cubs left-hander Scott Maine is a walking, talking public-service announcement, complete with scars and a metal-reinforced forehead he can use to emphasize a point.

‘‘My head right now is stronger than it was before,’’ Maine says. ‘‘I can head-butt that [locker wall] and put a hole in it.’’

No, that’s OK.

‘‘The doctor said, ‘Your head’s going to be stronger than it ever was,’ ’’ he says, ‘‘because when the bones fuse over the metal, it’s stronger than when it’s just bone.’’

PSA No. 1: Don’t speed on Florida’s Turnpike during rush hour, kids.

Maine, a favorite to open the ­season in the Cubs’ bullpen, possibly as the only rookie on the roster, speaks evenly and matter-of-factly about more events that reshaped — and in some cases nearly ended — his life in just 26 years than most people experience in a lifetime.

And he can provide the dates.

Aug. 9, 2005. That was the day the rescue workers found the University of Miami pitcher 50 feet from his SUV after he lost control while speeding near Fort Lauderdale to get to a round of golf with his buddies. Maine wasn’t wearing a seat belt. He went off the highway and directly into some trees, ­fracturing his skull in 24 places when he hit the windshield.

Somehow he retained enough consciousness to kick open the door and crawl from the vehicle before collapsing.

He was in the hospital for three weeks, including two days in an induced coma, and still has three plates and four screws in his skull, plus a scar that starts on one side of his head, runs over his hairline and down the other side.

‘‘But I’m pretty much the same as I was before,’’ he says. He got headaches regularly for about a year afterward, ‘‘but other than that, things are pretty normal.’’

PSA No. 2: Always wear your seat belt — even if your back-seat sound system is so big it pushes into the driver’s seat and makes the belt hang awkwardly over your pitching shoulder.

‘‘I always thought if I got in a little accident, it would hurt my shoulder, so I never wore it,’’ he says.

The car crash derailed much of his baseball season that year at Miami, like the Tommy John surgery the year before and the hand surgery that ate up part of another season.

It might have made him one of the longest shots to hit when he finally made his major-league debut last season with the Cubs, producing an impressive 2.08 ERA in 13 appearances down the stretch.

If there’s a major lingering effect from what he’s gone through, it may be the even-keeled approach he seems to have added to what already was a healthy level of fearlessness.

‘‘I’ve pretty much had it all ­happen to me,’’ says Maine, who also took a line drive off his ear ­during a high school all-star game. ‘‘I’ve been there, done that . . .’’

‘‘I don’t get worked up like some other people would. I’m pretty easy.’’

He even has started to slow down on the road — something that didn’t happen immediately after the accident for the former BMX and go-kart racer.

‘‘I’ve always kind of had a need for speed,’’ says Maine, who once got his new truck up to 185 mph on an open road while driving cross-country. ‘‘I haven’t gone that fast in a while. It wasn’t necessarily the accident that taught me a lesson. I just turned 26, and I find myself going under the speed limit now. I don’t know why. Where I used to be in a rush to get somewhere, now I’m not.’’

One theory: ‘‘I’ve been sober since 2008. That might have something to do with it.’’

Oct. 16, 2008. That was the last time Maine had a drink.

No drinking was involved in the accidents, and the speed and the booze were separate issues — albeit functions of the same active, thrill-seeking personality.

‘‘I didn’t drink all the time, but when I did, I never could control it,’’ he says. ‘‘If I went out, I would have one, and that would turn into 10.’’
PSA No. 3: Quit drinking and it will help you get to the majors.

Maine says no single event made him stop. He just started realizing the negative impact drinking was having on his life and career path.

‘‘Just as far as throwing — if you were to go out and drink the night you threw, the next day you’d feel a thousand times worse than you would if you didn’t drink,’’ he says.

‘‘I’m not saying that’s the reason [for getting to the big leagues], but I’m sure it helped.’



(suntimes.com)

Scott Maine. Other than Russell, he has the best shot of any lefty in camp of winning a job. He pitched well for the Cubs last year, and if he starts out in the minors it probably won’t be long before he comes back to Chicago.




(cubbiescrib.com)

If James Russell doesn't make the rotation, he and Scott Maine give the Cubs some good left-handed depth behind Marshall. Maine impressed the Cubs enough late last season that they feel he can handle the second or third lefty role if Russell is moved into the rotation. John Grabow, returning from knee surgery, hopes to be the quality left-hander that he was in Pittsburgh. Minor leaguers Chris Carpenter and Jay Jackson will get a long look, too. Both have strong arms and can either start or relieve.

As spring training begins, the Cubs have a lot of pitching depth. The question is how deep does the quality run and will the staff have what it takes to contend with the Reds, Brewers and Cardinals in 2011?



(espn.com)