With rookies leading off, Cubs finding some success

It may not be the "Daily Double" of Bob Dernier and Ryne Sandberg, but the Cubs are managing fine for the time being with rookies Tyler Colvin and Starlin Castro at the top of their lineup.

Colvin hit a first-inning homer and drew a walk in the second inning to help spark the Cubs to a 5-0 victory Friday over the St. Louis Cardinals at Wrigley Field.

With nothing else having worked, manager Lou Piniella has gone to the kids in the Nos. 1 and 2 spots. It's not a perfect arrangement. Colvin's on-base percentage is only .318, and he has drawn 16 walks.

But his first 2 plate appearances Friday were good ones, with the homer on a 2-0 pitch and the walk.

"That's what we need to do with Tyler," Piniella said. "Usually, young hitters are very aggressive, but you know, a few things: The more pitches that you can look at, the better you can decipher between balls and strikes. Also, the more prone the pitcher's going to be to making a mistake. So, it's a big benefit.

"He's got 14 home runs now. He's done a really, really fine job for us."

No. 2 man Castro was 2-for-4, raising his batting average to .300. The duo has combined for 48 extra-basehits, tying them for the league lead with Florida's Gaby Sanchez and Mike Stanton among rookies heading into Friday night's action.

Colvin had a big spring training to make the club, and he said he's relishing the leadoff spot and the challenges that go with it: making adjustments and seeing pitches.

"I just want to keep doing that, and go up there and have good at-bats and hopefully get on base," said Colvin, whose slugging percentage is .526. "I'm not going to change the type of hitter I am. It's a lot different than spring training. They've got different approaches up there. A lot of guys that don't want to pitch to me are starting to throw pitches out of the zone. Those are the adjustments you have to make coming out of spring training,"

Without a "true" leadoff man, Piniella will try to get the most out of this daily double as he finishes his managerial career.

"That's something that over the course of time that's got to be addressed," Piniella said. "The leadoff hitter sets the tone of the ballgame. If you have somebody that first of all that can get on with a good on-base percentage and at the same time can manufacture a run by stealing and so forth, it's a nice little weapon to have."