Piniella creating a sense of urgency

MESA, Ariz. -- Those weren't alarm bells going off Friday. It only sounded that way.

Cubs manager Lou Piniella said he wasn't overly concerned about the team's collective hitting funk. But he's taking some steps to correct them.

Those players who won't be on the bus to Tucson today to play the White Sox will stay back at HoHoKam Park to get in some extra work with hitting coach Gerald Perry.

"It's my job to ensure as much as possible to do everything that I can to create a little urgency so we can play well, and that's all I'm doing," Piniella said before the Cubs fell 6-5 to the Angels. "Nothing more. Nothing less. I'm not concerned. I know the guys here who are supposed to pitch will pitch, and the guys who are supposed to hit will hit.

"But at the same time, you just can't say to yourself, 'I'll get them next week,' or 'I'll get them 10 days from now.' And I'm not saying that's the case, but all I'm doing is sounding a little alarmed."

First baseman Derrek Lee is among those who's happy to stay back rather than make the trip through road construction to Tucson.

He doubled in Friday's first inning and tripled off the wall in center in the fifth.

"I got a windblown knock," Lee said of the double. "For me, the results are nice, but whether I get a hit or not, I feel like I'm getting closer, and I'll be ready."

Lee was made aware of Piniella's alarm bells.

"I don't know about alarms," said Lee, who is batting .156 (5-for-32). "Yes, you want results. We're up there trying to get hits. But at the same time, for me, it's more important, to know what you need to do when the season starts. I'm getting better."

On the pitching front, Piniella said he'd know by the end of next week how his starting rotation and the back of his bullpen would look.

Ryan Dempster had a rough outing Friday, giving up 6 runs (5 earned) in the second inning and failing to finish the inning. Dempster threw only 6 pitches in the first inning.

"I was telling (pitcher Carlos) Zambrano when the second inning started, 'Boy, Dempster's really throwing it well,' " Piniella said. "I think I jinxed the heck out of him. … He's entitled to a bad start down here. He's been working hard. This is a little dead area in the middle of spring for a pitcher."

Kerry Wood, who's in the running to become closer, worked a quick 1-2-3 fourth, throwing all 6 pitches for strikes.

Jon Lieber followed Wood with 4 shutout innings as he looks to have wrapped up a rotation spot. Lieber has a 1.80 ERA and has walked one in 10 innings.

"I have no clue; I'm just going out there trying to be consistent," Lieber said. "I'm going to say it again. Wherever they need me is where I'll go."