DeRosa, Floyd focused on playoff chase

They are about to finish their first seasons as Cubs, but that's not all Mark DeRosa and Cliff Floyd have in common.

Both would love the chance to find out what Wrigley Field is like for the playoffs.

Floyd thinks it's pretty special now.

"It's electric," Floyd said. "Everybody's focused, everybody's into the game. You hear the aahs and oohs every time a pitch is made or a play is made. People aren't coming to the game just to say they went to a Cubs game. They're coming to see us win a ballgame."

DeRosa experienced playoff baseball at Wrigley Field in 2003 while with the Atlanta Braves. He admits to thinking what it would be like to go through it again this time in Cubs pinstripes, then catches himself.

"You can't allow anything to creep into your mind right now," DeRosa said prior to Tuesday's game against the Cincinnati Reds. "There's too much on the line, too much at stake. One misstep could cost us everything."

These aren't ordinary games the Cubs are playing. They never are when a division title is being chased.

"They're really different," said DeRosa, who sees the players changing their game preparation.

"I think guys come in initially and they start their day exhausted from just the grind mentally and physically, and they kind of save all their energy," DeRosa said. "You kind of go through batting practice, I don't want to say lackadaisically, but just kind of go through and get the work in and get ready for the game and save everything for that three-hour window."

Floyd has been experiencing almost a nervous energy for games.

"Everything is different," he said. "You might leave a little earlier for the park instead of taking care of some business. There's more anxiety, but after the first pitch you settle down. It's the anticipation that gets you."

Floyd sees the same kind of anxiety in the fans.

"Everybody is anticipating us winning this thing and they probably have more anxiety than probably us as the players," Floyd said. "Hopefully we can eliminate some of that, maybe by playing some games where we have a cushion at the end and everybody can relax, have a beer and chill out."

Ryan Theriot has never been through a pennant race before and says it is everything he thought it would be.

"This is why we play," Theriot said. "You go to spring training every year hoping to be in this situation. You set a goal for yourself or your team to win a division and win the World Series. We're knocking on the doorstep of that goal. We've taken care of business so far and we've got a couple more weeks to go."

The last thing the Cubs are is tight, no doubt a reflection of their loose-as-a-goose manager.

Lou Piniella wanted nothing to do Tuesday with pregame questions about the Cubs' poor fundamentals in Monday's win, Alfonso Soriano's still gimpy leg or the risks of pitching Carlos Zambrano on three days' rest.

"You guys have all these concerns," Piniella said. "I don't have any concerns, I just don't have any. We've just got to go out and play and win baseball games. There are no concerns about anything."