DeRosa expects tough AL tests

Cubs second baseman Mark DeRosa says he hasn't heard much buzz around town yet about the Cubs-White Sox series.

Chicago's two first-place teams will face each other on back-to-back weekends beginning June 20.

One thing DeRosa has heard is that interleague play will be no picnic for the Cubs this year.

"All my buddies on American League teams say Tampa's the real deal," DeRosa said Wednesday. "They're a good team.

"Toronto's always scary, even when I was in the American League. You go in there and have to face (Roy) Halladay and (Dustin) McGowan and (A.J.) Burnett, those are guys who on any given night can completely shut you down. So that's tricky."

The Cubs play the Jays this weekend in Toronto. They'll face Burnett, Halladay and Jesse Litsch but will miss McGowan.

After that, they'll head to Tampa to play the surprising Rays.

Then the White Sox come to Wrigley Field. If DeRosa hasn't heard the hype yet, he will.

"I haven't," he said. "I understand the importance of it as far as bragging rights. As a kid growing up, Yankees and Mets, I was a Yankees fan and disliked every Met fan I came across.

"I think from the players' perspective, we have a lot of respect for each other. Spring training, just playing against them (the Sox), you could tell they were good."

You can count on one thing. The Cubs will not use pitcher Carlos Zambrano as the DH in any American League park.

"I don't think so," Cubs manager Lou Piniella said. "No, I wouldn't do that."