CHICAGO — LaTroy Hawkins only cares about the end result, not how pretty the process looks.
Hawkins, a former Salt Lake Buzz pitcher, regained his old job as a closer after the Chicago Cubs put Joe Borowski on the disabled list Sunday with shoulder problems. Asked if he felt any added pressure, Hawkins said he doesn't see his job as any differently.
"Getting three outs is not easy at any point in the ballgame, but people put the spotlight on the ninth," he said Monday. "It doesn't matter what happens in the ninth, as long as you don't give up the lead. I don't care who's sitting on the edge of your seats. I'm not going to sit here and apologize for putting you on the edge of your seats like (Billy) Koch did (Sunday). I'm not going to apologize for that. Because I can do what you guys can do. You guys can't do what I do."
Koch, the White Sox's closer, said he'd let down "the 24 guys in this room, the coaching staff and the fans of Chicago" after blowing his second save in four games Sunday night. Koch gave up three runs and three hits to Seattle, forcing home the winning run with a bases-loaded walk.
"I don't care if you guys bite your fingernails, or bite your hands and knuckles until they bleed, that's not my problem," Hawkins said. "As long as I get the job done. And Koch was getting the job done. I didn't think he had reason to be apologizing."
Hawkins was the Minnesota Twins' closer in 2000 and 2001. He converted his first 23 save chances, setting a major league record, and had a career-high 28 saves in 2001. But he lost his job to Eddie Guardado before the 2002 season.
Hawkins thrived as a setup man, going 15-3 with a 2.00 ERA in 2002 and 2003. He was 9-3 with a 1.86 ERA last year, had a 20-game stretch from July 31 to Sept. 14 where he didn't allow a run. He's 1-0 with a 1.42 ERA and four saves this year.
"My last two years, I worked with my old pitching coach in the minor leagues, Rick Anderson, and he got me to the point where I was comfortable and I threw more strikes," Hawkins said. "The last time I closed, my main problem was not throwing enough strikes. I'm to the point now where I know I can throw enough strikes. I don't worry about the hits. Hits come, but I can control the walks and things like that."
Hawkins signed with the Cubs as a free agent in December. Though the Cubs insisted Borowski was still their closer, and Hawkins said he would do whatever the Cubs wanted, many thought he eventually would move into his old role.
Though Borowski set a team record with 22 consecutive saves dating to last Aug. 5, he struggled this year. He was 2-4 with a 8.02 ERA and nine saves in 11 chances before going on the disabled list.
"I pat him on the back. He went out there without his best stuff every time, knowing something was wrong," Hawkins said. "That shows a lot about Joe's character right there. You guys didn't give him a break at all. And the man was going out there on pure will."
The Cubs aren't sure what's wrong with Borowski's arm. The right-hander went through a series of tests Monday and was to have more exams Tuesday.
"We don't have results of any of these tests yet, but hopefully we'll have a whole package by sometime tomorrow afternoon," trainer Dave Groeschner said. "We want to get all the information so we can provide it for Joe and set a good plan up to get him back."