Piniella unhappy with how Lee, Ramirez, Fukudome are performing

MESA, Ariz. -- The Cubs featured a lineup stacked with regulars Tuesday.

It was no coincidence.

And it made little difference as they lost 6-4 to the Oakland Athletics, prompting some anxious words from manager Lou Piniella.

"I'm getting a little concerned about a couple of our guys," said Piniella, whose team fell to 5-9 in Cactus League play. "Look, we don't have much longer. I'm going to have to start getting them in there a little more often. Forget these days off. Get them more at-bats. It's my responsibility to get them ready. If it means playing every day for a while, that's what we'll have to do."

One player struggling is first baseman Derrek Lee, who went 0-for-3 and is now hitting .125 (3-for-24) for the spring.

"Terrible," Lee said when asked how he's feeling at the plate. "Actually, I don't feel that bad, but the results aren't there. I've work to do, that's for sure."

A day earlier, Piniella said some of his regulars needed to start hitting. One way to do that is to get players such as Lee, Aramis Ramirez, Kosuke Fukudome and Mark DeRosa a lot of at-bats to get them into a groove.

"I was looking at the at-bats today, and over these next 2½-3 weeks of camp, we need to get a lot of at-bats for these guys," Piniella said before Tuesday's game. "We're way behind schedule. I like 60-70 at-bats for everyday players, and we're not going to be able to do that, so we better get 50-60."

Most of those players went deep into Tuesday's game, with Fukudome moving down from the second spot to third in the batting order. Piniella said he will bat Fukudome fifth before spring training is over and then settle on a spot for him.

"We're not going to be moving around too much unless we're losing baseball games," Piniella said. "And if we do, then we've got to do something, but I don't anticipate that. We'll see how it works. Before it's over with, you'll see him in the 5-hole, too."

Time will tell if that's the only lineup change.

"I've got some ideas on that, too, some 'different' ideas," Piniella said cryptically.

The only other major change Piniella could make would be to move Alfonso Soriano out of the leadoff spot. Soriano was 2-for-4 Tuesday and is 5-for-14 this spring as he comes back from a broken right middle finger. He admitted he's still running at 85 percent as he tries to get over the leg injuries that hampered him last year.

Soriano attempted his first stolen base of spring Tuesday but was gunned down in the first inning.

"I have to play every day," he said. "That'll make me a lot more comfortable."

To hear Piniella talk, Soriano is going to get his wish.

Things could get interesting.

Panic time?

Lou Piniella says he's getting worried about some of his hitters. Here's a look at those who are either struggling or have seen limited duty:

1. A. Soriano 5-for-14, .357

2. A. Ramirez 3-for-9, .333

3. K. Fukudome 6-for-23, .261

4. R. Cedeno 4-for-21, .190

5. M. DeRosa 1-for-6, .167

6. S. Fuld 3-for-19, .158

7. D. Lee 3-for-24, .125