Bad overall team also bad for players, says Soriano

ST. LOUIS - Can a better team make for better performance? Cubs left fielder Alfonso Soriano seems to think so.

Soriano sat for a second straight game Sunday, with manager Lou Piniella saying he was just giving his high-priced slugger a rest. Unless hurt, Soriano always had resisted days off.

However, it's been a struggle for Soriano since May. He was 4-for-18 on the road trip. He has 1 home run in August. He hit .225 in July, .234 in June and .308 in May.

"Players, to have a good year, have to have a good team," Soriano said. "It's very hard to have a good year when you don't have a good team.

"You see the Cincinnati Reds. Everybody's doing good because they are in first place. If you see us, nobody's doing good because we are in fifth place. St. Louis has guys who are having a very good year because they are in first place, too.

"I think that's the key. If we have a very good team, everybody can have a good year."

Soriano had off-season knee surgery and has managed to stay off the disabled list this season.

"I'm fine," he said. "He (Piniella) wanted to give me an extra day. I'll start tomorrow in Chicago. My body feels 100 percent.

"So far, my knee is 100 percent, very different from last year. I hope next year it feels much better than this year. I've been working very hard with my knee to feel that way.

"I'm very happy with myself because I said to myself in spring training that I don't want to go back to the DL this year, and so far I feel 100 percent. There are 40-something games left, and I hope to play at 100 percent."

Piniella said he hoped the days off would rejuvenate Soriano, much the same as the four days off last week seemed to have helped first baseman Derrek Lee, who left the club to tend to his ailing grandfather.

"You saw what a few days did for Derrek," Piniella said. "A couple days off, I think, will help Sori. It's hot here. We traveled cross-country the last two trips. We'll get him back there tomorrow night against San Diego.

"We're hoping for a little resurgence. That's why we've gotten him out of there a few days in a row. Hopefully, he'll come back. The weather should turn a little cooler. Hopefully, that'll get him going."

Lee wasn't quite sure the rest helped his swing.

"Who knows?" he said. "It wasn't really a relaxing four days. I don't know about that. It just turned out to be a good series."

Rotation roulette: The Cubs will replace rookie right-hander Thomas Diamond in their rotation with another rookie right-hander, Casey Coleman.

Coleman will start Wednesday against the Padres at Wrigley Field. It will be his first major-league start. Diamond is 0-3 with an 8.31 ERA in 3 starts. He'll head to the bullpen and work in long relief. Coleman has appeared in four games in relief, going 0-0 with an 8.64 ERA.

Castro to rest: Lou Piniella said shortstop Starlin Castro would get a rest in Monday night's series opener at Wrigley Field against San Diego. Rookie Darwin Barney is scheduled to start at shortstop.

Castro was 0-for-5 Sunday, but he's batting .314. He has played in 87 of the Cubs' 88 games since his May 7 call-up from the minor leagues.