Piniella: 26 players would be nice

TUCSON, Ariz. - Lou Piniella was only kidding, sort of.

The Cubs manager is famous for thinking he never has enough players.

"You know, it's amazing," Piniella said Sunday. "I was telling our general manager the other day we need a 26-man roster, and then we'd be covered in all areas. He started to laugh."

GM Jim Hendry is well aware that Piniella is always looking for another "left-hand" bat or, these days, another infielder. That's part of the reason the Cubs have signed Corey Koskie and Esteban German to minor-league contracts.

"You always like to have one extra position player, if you can," Piniella said. "Then you talk to the pitching coach, and the pitching coach always wants that extra pitcher."

The Cubs again figure to carry 12 pitchers and 13 position players. Joey Gathright will be an extra outfielder, and Micah Hoffpauir will back up Derrek Lee at first base. If there's anywhere the Cubs need help, it's probably to back up Aramis Ramirez at third base. As of now, Aaron Miles will do that job in addition to backing up at second base and shortstop.

"The only thing that I can say is that whoever our extra infielder sitting on the bench is, it would be hard to pinch hit that person early in the game because we don't have any more infielders," Piniella said. "Truthfully, with the travel, with the extended schedule, the fact that top-notch players are making a ton of money, it makes sense to carry a 26th player so that you can rest people a little more, you've got a little more versatility. I don't know why it would hurt."

Harden OK: Rich Harden made his second spring start Sunday. After breezing through the first 2 innings, he threw 26 of his 48 total pitches in the third, as the Diamondbacks scored 3 runs, with Harden failing to get out of the inning.

"I feel like I'm making some progress," said Harden, who has battled shoulder woes. "In spring, I don't look too much at runs. I got a little wild that last inning. It happens. Overall, I felt really strong. It's probably the best I've felt in a long time. I felt like I could have thrown 100 pitches today. With the conditioning of my shoulder and the strength right now, I feel really good."

Workout days: Aaron Miles (sore right shoulder) will work today in Mesa, and the Cubs hope he can play Tuesday. Lou Piniella said it's likely the Cubs will keep Miles at second base "for a while" so that he doesn't have to make long throws. Piniella may alternate Miles and Mike Fontenot at second, but it's becoming clear Fontenot will be the starter.

Third baseman Corey Koskie, a nonroster man, worked out at minor-league camp Sunday and will work out today in Mesa. The Cubs hope Koskie can play Tuesday. Koskie is coming off 2½ years of recovering from post-concussion syndrome.

"It's been awhile," acknowledged Lou Piniella.

"Josh Hamilton didn't play for a few years. So we'll see. It's worth a shot, looking at him. We'll give him an opportunity here in camp. He's certainly a guy who's had success, and obviously, he wants another crack at it. So we'll give him that opportunity and see where it leads."