Soriano back in Cubs lineup, hopes to avoid off-season surgery

Left fielder Alfonso Soriano was back in the starting lineup for the Cubs Wednesday night after he didn't start three games because of a sore left knee.

He talked Tuesday of having an MRI, but he said that won't happen until at least the Cubs' next off-day, which isn't until Sept. 10. Soriano also said that he hopes to avoid off-season surgery on the knee.

"I want to play because the team needs me," he said. "I want to play for my fans, for my teammates, my manager. I've been playing with that pain for like four months."

He added that the knee bothers him more running than it does while he's at the plate. He entered Wednesday batting .240, and he was without a home run since July 29.

Hill catches again: Manager Lou Piniella continued his rotation of catchers, starting backup Koyie Hill against the Nationals.

It's been a disappointing season for No. 1 catcher Geovany Soto, who entered Wednesday batting .219 with 9 homers, 31 RBI and a .323 on-base percentage. Soto hit 23 homers and drove home 86 last year.

"He came into the season with a lot of expectations, too, after winning a Rookie of the Year award," said manager Lou Piniella. "We thought that the numbers he put up last year were repeatable. He's had his share of adversity. I think he's handled it as well as possible. I'm sure that he would like to be swinging the bat better. But he works. He works with our hitting coach.

"Hopefully here in the last four or five weeks of the season, he can go on a really, really good spurt, because he's better than a .220 or so hitter. He's better than that."

Tough crowd: Lou Piniella was asked about the "gloom and doom" that has surrounded the Cubs lately as they've fallen almost completely out of the playoff race.

"It's a challenge every day, it really is," Piniella said. "It's a daunting challenge. But we came into the season with a lot of expectations, and they haven't materialized. I can see where the people get inquisitive and a little disturbed by it. We're doing the best we can. That's all we can do.

"Remember, these other teams are getting paid to play, too. We're not playing a beer-league team from across town."