Manager Lou Piniella recently has complained that his starting rotation is "thin," but Piniella enters the week with options. Bad weather on Sunday forced Piniella to push back ace Carlos Zambrano's start one day to today. Right-hander Jason Marquis was supposed to pitch Monday, but he'll go Tuesday.
Now, if Piniella chooses, he can skip right-hander Jon Lieber and go with left-hander Ted Lilly, who seems to have recovered his form of 2007.
Lieber got lit up to the tune of four home runs last Thursday at Cincinnati. That was Lieber's first start of the season after some effective work out of the bullpen in April.
If Piniella chooses to bypass Lieber, he can again put Lieber in the pen for long-relief work, especially with right-hander Sean Gallagher getting the emergency start Sunday in place of Zambrano.
CUBS 6, DIAMONDBACKS 4: Daryle Ward's two-run, pinch-hit double in the eighth inning lifted the Cubs to a come-from-behind victory. Reed Johnson's two-run homer, his first home run as a Cub, tied the game in the seventh inning. RHP Sean Gallagher started in place of RHP Carlos Zambrano, who was scratched because of cold, wet weather. Gallagher lasted 4 1/3 innings, giving up five hits and four runs. He struck out six. Carlos Marmol (1-0) earned the victory, with Kerry Wood picking up his seventh save.
