Piniella settles pitching rotation

Cubs manager Lou Piniella has settled on his pitching rotation for the next three series and it includes aces Carlos Zambrano and Ted Lilly starting on three days rest after working in this weekend's key four-game set in St. Louis.

Zambrano has been pushed back to start Friday's series opener against the Cardinals at Busch Stadium. He'll then start again on Tuesday, Sept. 18, against Cincinnati at Wrigley Field.

Lilly, who started today's makeup game against St. Louis, will pitch one of the games of Saturday's double-header at Busch Stadium, then return to go against the Reds on Wednesday, Sept. 19.

That would take the Cubs to their next scheduled off day on Thursday, Sept. 20.

"We got caught in all these games, and at the end of the year we've got days off," Piniella said. "So to get everything back on track we're going to have to bring (Zambrano and Lilly) back both on three days rest.

"There's no problems. Both have done it before, and we're only asking them to do it once."

With Zambrano being held until Friday, Steve Trachsel will start Thursday's game in Houston on three days rest. Trachsel didn't make it out of the second inning in Sunday's 10-5 loss at Pittsburgh.

"He didn't throw many pitches (Sunday) in Pittsburgh so it's not like he pitched six or seven innings," Piniella said.

After pitching in Houston, Trachsel will have his next scheduled start skipped in favor of Zambrano.