Buss' workout program put Colvin over the top

MESA, Ariz. - If there's an unsung hero in Tyler Colvin making the Cubs' opening-day roster, general manager Jim Hendry said to look no further than Tim Buss, the team's strength and conditioning coordinator.

Working with Buss, Colvin put on 25 pounds of good weight over the winter and came to camp hitting the ball hard.

"It was a really good plan, and it was executed to the max," Hendry said in praising Buss.

Colvin, whom scouting director Tim Wilken took with the Cubs' first-round draft pick in 2006, was told Monday morning that he'd be on the plane to Atlanta on Saturday.

In Monday's 8-1 victory over the Cincinnati Reds, Colvin went 1-for-4 with an RBI double to the gap in right-center and later drove in a run on a forceout. He's batting .455 (30-for-66).

Although Piniella has said that Colvin is playing like he's looking to take a starting position and not just a job, Colvin continues to play it low key.

In fact, when word started coming out Sunday that Colvin was a virtual lock, the texting started.

"A lot," he said. "Right after the game, I got a lot of texts. I didn't know where it was coming from. If I can get two or three starts (a week) and give everyone a day off, that's all I could ask for right now. They've got four great outfielders here. They've proven themselves in the major leagues. Hopefully, when I get in there, I can contribute in some way."

All's Wells: Randy Wells started and pitched 52/3 innings, giving up 7 hits and 1 run. His only complaint was that he threw 90 pitches.

"That's about the only negative, I guess, for me," said Wells, who hadn't worked in a major-league game since March 19. He pitched in a minor-league game last week. "I made some pitches in some situations."

Wells will break with the Cubs for the first time. Last season, he opened at Class AAA Iowa before coming up in May and going 12-10 with a 3.05 ERA. He likes what he sees from this year's club.

"This is a better ballclub last year, there's no doubt about it," he said. "Greater versatility and just camaraderie. Call it whatever you want. Everybody likes each other. Everybody's having fun with each other. Guys like Kevin Millar and Marlon Byrd make all the difference in the world livening up the clubhouse. When you come in having fun, it's a lot easier to go out and have fun on the field than it is to sit in a quiet clubhouse and try to go out and rally around each other."

Lilly's plan: Lefty Ted Lilly will pitch 3 innings today in a minor-league game, throwing 45 pitches. From there, he'll work every fifth day, upping the pitch count, respectively, to 60, 75 and 90.

Lilly is on a mend from arthroscopic surgery on his pitching shoulder. If the schedule holds and Lilly's shoulder is OK, he could be in line to start his first regular-season game April 19 at New York.