DeRosa should return to field Monday
MESA, Ariz. -- Mark DeRosa was in Chicago on Tuesday to meet with a cardiologist to evaluate his irregular heartbeat condition.
DeRosa has experienced an irregular heartbeat, or atrial dysrhythmia, since he was a teenager, he told writers earlier this week, but he doesn't consider the situation life-threatening at all and was considering an outpatient procedure to correct the problem.
Cubs manager Lou Piniella isn't worried.
"We'll know more tomorrow," Piniella said on Tuesday. "We think from every indication we've gotten on DeRosa is that he'll be back on the field by Monday."
Until then, Alex Cintron, Ronny Cedeno, Mike Fontenot and Eric Patterson will get in some work along with some minor-league free agents.
Lou's lineup: Here's the card that Lou Piniella plans to turn in for the first game of the Cactus League season today against the San Francisco Giants:
1. Ryan Theriot SS
2. Ronny Cedeno 3B
3. Kosuke Fukudome RF
4. Derrek Lee 1B
5. Matt Murton LF
6. Giovany Soto C
7. Alex Cintron 2B
8. Felix Pie CF
Ryan Dempster and Sean Gallagher will each pitch 2 innings, with Neal Cotts and Jose Ceda getting in some work as well.
That means left fielder Alfonso Soriano and third baseman Aramis Ramirez will be watching.
"We're going to give Soriano and Ramirez a couple extra days," Piniella said. "We'll get everybody in there Friday. On Saturday, the guys who didn't play Thursday will make the trip. We'll play our regulars a couple days, then a day off.
What will it take to get Soriano and Ramirez ready for the season?
"We want to get them ready, whatever that entails. To me, in the spring, 70 at-bats is a pretty good number. We'll figure out how we get them 70 at-bats," Piniella said.
"Pitching-wise for starters, we'll try to get them at least 25, 27, 28 (innings). The routine with the relievers is that they work every other day for a while and then we start building them up where they work back-to-back days. We're not going to do things much differently than last year."
Pitching progress: It's early, but Lou Piniella likes what he sees from his pitching staff.
Ace Carlos Zambrano and reliever Kerry Wood threw live batting practice (two sessions of 20 pitches each) Tuesday and came away in good shape.
"We haven't had one sore arm or one tight shoulder in camp," Piniella said, adding that Jason Marquis is also throwing the ball well.
"Today I was watching our pitchers, and for instance, I made a comment that Wood threw just about every pitch for a strike. That's pretty impressive. Your arm has to be feeling pretty good to have that good of mechanics and throwing the ball for strikes.
"Zambrano, Marquis, they all threw the ball well. Just let them compete and see what happens."
Backing Bonds: With all the talk about Barry Bonds coming back for another season, count Lou Piniella among those who want to see it.
"I don't know anything about chemistry, but I know when the Giants had Barry on the field last year he was very productive," Piniella said. "At his stage in his career, in the American League with a DH involved, it would be a better situation. Let's hope he gets back in baseball."
Why say that?
"He's had a great career, obviously. He's the all-time home run champion," Piniella explained. "I'm sure he's still got gas in his tank, and at the same time, if he would want, he'd have a lot to impart on the young kids in the game. I'm sure that with the bat he can still help some teams."