Youth will not be served on mound
MESA, Ariz. -- Lou Piniella was just being honest Monday when he said young starting pitchers in camp will have a tough time making the club.
"We're going to pitch them here in spring training, but this is not a year for this," Piniella said when asked specifically about right-hander Sean Gallagher and, by extension, other young starters in camp. "I hate to say that, but we've got veteran pitchers here to consider; they're going to get every chance, first and foremost.
"We like Gallagher. I like (Jeff) Samardzija. Good young starters with good young arms, but truthfully not coming out of camp. I'd be lying if I said that something like that would happen.
"We've got seven veteran starters. They're all healthy. They're all throwing the ball well, and they're all going to compete. Unless we have a streak of bad luck where we have some injuries, this is not the spring for (young pitchers)."
Piniella has bumped right-hander Ryan Dempster up to the No. 3 spot in the rotation behind Carlos Zambrano and left-hander Ted Lilly.
Lefty Rich Hill will get the No. 4 spot, with veteran righties Jon Lieber and Jason Marquis battling for No. 5 with young lefty Sean Marshall, who has 45 games of big-league experience.
It is possible a young pitcher such as Billy Petrick or Kevin Hart could grab a bullpen job.
The next problem will be what to do with the loser in the battle for the fifth spot.
"I don't think any of these guys want to go to the bullpen that don't start," Piniella said. "Let's let them compete, and we can start exploring that a little later on in the spring. I would think the guys we have here all want to start, and rightfully so."
It is possible the Cubs could make a trade, and Marquis' name has been mentioned often. He struggled late last year and wasn't in the postseason plans.
Second thoughts: With second baseman Mark DeRosa off the field until at least next week as he tends to a heart problem, the Cubs will give more playing time to Mike Fontenot, Alex Cintron, Ronny Cedeno and Eric Patterson in the early Cactus League games, which begin Thursday.
Cintron, who recently signed a minor-league deal as a nonroster man, stands a good chance of making the club as a utility infielder. He can play second and shortstop and may get the edge over Fontenot, who is limited to second base. Patterson and Cedeno also have taken flyballs in the outfield.
Getting set: Lou Piniella said Monday that Ted Lilly and Jon Lieber will start the fourth and fifth games of the exhibition season, respectively.
Ryan Dempster opens Thursday against San Francisco. Carlos Zambrano and Jason Marquis will start the next two games. Rich Hill will work in one of the first games, but he will come in out of the bullpen. Early in the spring, it's more about getting an inning or 2 and not when a starter pitches.
Piniella said his closer candidates may see action early in games so they can face the other teams' major-league hitters.
Sick bay: Infielder Daryle Ward rested a sore back Monday. Lou Piniella said he hopes Ward can work out today.
Reliever Jose Ascanio, who was accosted outside a convenience store over the weekend, did not throw Monday on doctor's orders. He's nursing facial injuries.