Piniella effusive in praising Fukudome

So what does Cubs manager Lou Piniella think of Kosuke Fukudome?

"He's the best defensive outfielder in this league, right fielder, in this league," Piniella said Thursday. "He charges the ball well. Right field's a tough field to play here. It's not a picnic here. He goes to the line well. He gets a good jump on the ball."

The subject came up of Piniella resting some of his players. He indicated he may give first baseman Derrek Lee Sunday off and play Micah Hoffpauir at first.

"I think we need to give him a blow, I really do," Piniella said of Lee. "You know what? A good day would be this Sunday. It would be from Saturday to Monday night. Hoffpauir could play first base. Don't tell Lee. He likes to play. He's a trooper. He's a gamer."

That led into Piniella talking about Fukudome and his prowess in right with regard to playing him in center on occasion.

"Fukudome's playing so well in right field I'm thinking let's just not even mess with that unless you have to," he said. "I'm of the thought that the less you disturb that the better."

Here come the Hawks: Blackhawks greats Bobby Hull, Stan Mikita and Tony Esposito will sing "Take Me Out to the Ballgame" today, but the Cubs say no announcement is imminent on the Hawks playing an outdoor game at Wrigley Field this coming winter.

Sources say a deal is close, but that the NHL may not want to upstage the Stanley Cup Finals by having an announcement today.

The Buffalo Sabres and the Pittsburgh Penguins played an outdoor game on New Year's Day, and it was a box-office and TV smash. There's little doubt Wrigley Field would draw more than 40,000 to see the Hawks and, say, the Detroit Red Wings.

Stay tuned.

Ward update: Pinch hitter Daryle Ward may need another 10 days on the disabled list because of the bulging disc in his lower back, according to Lou Piniella.

Ward said he'd like to come back sooner, but he's still having some problems.

"I jogged today; I still have a little muscle weakness," said Ward, who went on the DL May 18. "It's not bad. It's just that my right leg fatigues faster than my left.

"I talked to (GM) Jim Hendry and told him the same thing, that once I get my leg back under me, I'll be able to take b.p. (batting practice) and be able to do more baseball activity. I gave it probably two more days I get strength in it."

Ward said he has to make sure he can hit and then field groundballs.

"It's frustrating because I was really treating myself well," he said. "I was taking care of my body good. I was running. It just kind of crept up on me. There was nothing I could do about it."