No rest for Theriot, and he's happy about it

HOUSTON -- Ryan Theriot didn't get a night off after all.

That's just fine with the Cubs' shortstop, who on Wednesday insisted he doesn't need one.

"Man, I feel good," Theriot said. "I just need a couple balls to drop. I don't feel tired physically. Mentally, as you guys know, the game gets a little taxing as the season goes on, but it's at a point now that it's crunch time, and you want to be in there making a difference.

"In the big leagues, it's unfamiliar ground for me, but I've been involved in championship races before, playoff races."

Manager Lou Piniella spoke Tuesday of getting Theriot a day off, and that was the plan for Wednesday until the Astros scratched left-handed starting pitcher Troy Patton in favor of righty Matt Albers. But Piniella did drop Theriot from second to eighth in Wednesday's batting order.

Theriot entered Wednesday with no hits in his previous 13 at-bats. Over his most recent 10 games entering Tuesday, Theriot was 7-for-38 (.184).

Theriot showed some frustration Tuesday when his liner to left-center in the eighth inning was speared by Astros left fielder Carlos Lee. Before that, Theriot had walked twice, hit into a double play on a ball up the middle and struck out.

"I know it's part of the game, and that's the way it goes," he said.

At 5-feet-11 and 175 pounds, Theriot isn't the biggest player, but he disputed the notion that "smaller" players wear down more easily than their bigger colleagues.

"I think, if anything, the little guys would be able to stay in there longer," he said, laughing. "We don't exert as much energy. We don't have as much mass. I don't know."