Hard not to start the sizzling Soto

How do the Cubs keep catcher Geovany Soto out of the lineup?

Manager Lou Piniella admitted Friday it won't be easy.

"This kid here has played awfully well, both behind the plate and with the bat," Piniella said after Soto hit a 2-run homer and a single in Friday's 13-8 victory over the Pirates at Wrigley Field. "It's hard. It's hard to come to the ballpark and not put his name in the lineup."

Soto, a September call-up, has hit safely in his last seven starts as a Cub, going 13-for-25. He was the Pacific Coast League player of the year at Class AAA Iowa, and he's making a bid to be the Cubs' No. 1 catcher the rest of this year and into next. In 12 games with the Cubs, he's 14-for-35 (.400) with 3 homers.

"I come here, whenever I get a chance, to help the team," Soto said. "It's every player's normal way, where you want to be playing, and you want to help the team. As long as we win, that's all that matters."

But a chance to break through is appealing to Soto, a 24-year-old native of San Juan, Puerto Rico.

"I'm real happy with the way my season's been going," he said. "I'm really happy about coming up here and trying to prove to these guys that you can help the team out. It feels pretty good. It's more of getting a chance and taking advantage of what they give you."

Another one: Rookie Kevin Hart may be another pitcher to watch. He worked 2 scoreless innings Friday and has an 0.93 ERA (1 earned run in 9¿ innings) in six games.

"Not only is he helping us win some baseball games now, but really what he's doing is cementing a spot for himself on next year's pitching staff," Piniella said.

Back on Trax: Lou Piniella said right-hander Steve Trachsel will start Thursday's series finale at Florida. Trachsel is 1-2 with a 7.62 ERA in 3 starts for the Cubs since his trade last month from Baltimore.

He last started Sept. 13, winning 6-2 at Houston.

Lefty Rich Hill, who starts today, will get an extra day of rest as he starts Friday at Cincinnati.

"We've been tossing it around whether to have him (Trachsel) pitch a little simulated game or not," Piniella said. "The answer to that will probably be yes. It hasn't been 100 percent assured yet."

Prior visits: Right-hander Mark Prior, who has been on the disabled list all year, visited Wrigley Field on Friday and played catch as part of his rehab from shoulder surgery.

"It's like playing catch with like a 2-year-old's space," Prior said. "Nice and easy throws. Do that for a few weeks and start progressing back."

Prior arrived from Birmingham, Ala., where Dr. James Andrews resides. The former co-ace of the staff enjoyed his third session of light throwing this week. He'll head to San Diego today and then go to Arizona when he gets ready to throw more vigorously.

Last month, Prior visited his teammates at Chase Field in Phoenix.

"It's fun," he said. "I've been watching the guys all year. It's tough being away and watching it. It's, like, giving me an ulcer. Some of these games are getting interesting. The guys are playing good, and they're in a very good position."

Prior underwent surgery in April and figures he's a month ahead of schedule as far as throwing goes. He hopes to be ready by Opening Day 2008.

This and that: Lou Piniella notched his 1,600th victory as a manager Friday. That moved him past Tommy Lasorda into 16th place all time. Fred Clarke is 15th with 1,602. … Reliever Carlos Marmol extended his career-best scoreless-innings streak to 21½ innings over 17 outings. He has 17 strikeouts and 12 walks in that stretch.