Cubs' Lilly ready to make first start of season

MILWAUKEE - Ted Lilly sounds ready to go.

"It's fun," Lilly said Friday. "I missed being in the clubhouse with the guys. I'm excited about just getting to play."

After making a successful rehab start Monday at Class A Peoria, Lilly rejoined the Cubs on Friday at Miller Park. He will make his first start of the season Saturday night after rehabbing from November's arthroscopic surgery on his pitching shoulder.

"I feel great now," he said. "I definitely wouldn't have been doing that now, sliding and pitching and all that if I wasn't healthy.

"The real test is going to come tomorrow. Obviously, we're going to get some questions answered. I feel good. I don't have any reservations as to why I should be going out there. I'm healthy, and I'm ready to contribute."

The "sliding" Lilly was talking about came Monday, when he attempted to steal a base for Peoria.

"They teach you when you're going into the base to slide instead of stand up," he said, tongue in cheek. "I was trying to steal a base, trying to get a run for the team so the team can score more runs and our team can score more runs than the other team. If we do that, then we win.

"I'm not going out there trying not to get hurt. That's not how I play."

Manager Lou Piniella said Lilly should be fine to throw "75-80 pitches" in his first start.

Roster move coming: The Cubs will have to send a pitcher to the minor leagues when Ted Lilly comes off the disabled list. Lou Piniella said he and pitching coach Larry Rothschild would talk about it after Friday's game.

"See how many lefties we want to keep in the bullpen," Piniella said. "Also take a look at our young right-handers."

The Cubs have lefties Sean Marshall, John Grabow and James Russell in the bullpen. Russell is a rookie, so he'd be the easiest choice even though he has pitched better than the veteran Grabow. If the Cubs send a right-hander out, the choice figures to come down to either Jeff Samardzija or Justin Berg.

Sitting again: Aramis Ramirez did not start for a second straight game, with Chad Tracy playing third base. Ramirez was supposed to have Thursday off in New York, but he got into the game late and went 0-for-2. He entered Friday batting .127 with 22 strikeouts in 63 at-bats, and Lou Piniella said he has been working with hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo.