Sore shoulder sidelines Cubs' Ramirez

MESA, Ariz. - Cubs third baseman Aramis Ramirez was held out of the lineup for a second straight day Friday because of what manager Lou Piniella described as a "tight" right shoulder.

"We've got plenty of games," Piniella said before the Cubs took on the San Francisco Giants in Friday's HoHoKam Park opener. "When he's ready to go, we'll put him out there to play."

Piniella described Ramirez's problem only as "things that happen in spring training.

Before batting practice Friday morning, Ramirez took groundballs at third base but did not throw to first. Instead, he underhanded the ball off to the side.

Before this year, Ramirez had been bothered off and on by leg problems.

Piniella also said infielder-outfielder Daryle Ward has a sore glute muscle that likely would keep him out Friday and also Saturday, when he could have been the designated hitter for the Cubs' game against the Angels in Tempe.

Shortstop-outfielder Ronny Cedeno is nursing a sore forearm. Cedeno has been taking grounders in the infield and flyballs in center field, from where he has done a lot of throwing this spring.