Cubs' Piniella expounds on positive changes

The word "change" has been thrown around enough this primary season that I'm already looking for a change of pace from all the change.

So let's talk about the baseball kind of changeup.

The Cubs have made just a few changes this winter, and general manager Jim Hendry and field boss Lou Piniella most certainly will be asked about the possibility of more changes when whey face the fans Saturday morning on Day 2 of the annual Cubs convention.

But we'll see. Every year, I head to the big ballroom at the Chicago Hilton and expect to see the manager and GM grilled like a couple of smoked salmon only to find out nobody brought the matches.

So we'll see if we can stoke the fires by relaying some of Sweet Lou's ideas of change. He articulated some of those earlier this week at the kickoff of the Cubs' winter caravan.

Here was Lou on:

• The Cubs being the favorites in the National League Central: "One thing, we got a chance to familiarize ourselves with our players a lot last summer. In turn, they familiarized themselves with a new staff. I think that's important.

"When we go to spring training, we know specifics to work on with a lot of players to help them get better. At the same time, we don't have to experiment nearly as much. I think that'll help them, in turn, get off to a better start.

"I think that's very important for us. You look at our schedule in September. We're away a lot, so we're going to have to make hay earlier."

Piniella was aghast at some of the things he saw in Mesa last February and March. Now, he'll have a catcher who won't balk at defensive instruction. And whether you like Ryan Theriot as your everyday shortstop, Piniella seemed glad to see that the smallish Theriot looks to be in great physical shape and perhaps better able to deal with the grind of a 162-game season.

Last year, Cesar Izturis came to camp a little too fat and too happy, and he was out of a job before the ivy bloomed. The Cubs as a team found themselves well behind the Milwaukee Brewers by that time, as well.

"Last year, we had to come from behind," Piniella said. "We had to step on that gas pedal so much that I think it took its toll on us late in the year. Spring training is going to be springboard for us to get off to a good start."

• The Kosuke Fukudome factor: "First of all, he's left-handed. He's got some speed. He's got a good combination of speed and power. We've got to figure out where we hit him in the lineup. We'll take a look at that in spring training.

"No. 2 comes to mind. No. 5 comes to mind. He's an athlete. What we're trying to do here in Chicago is get a little more athletic, and he certainly has all the athletic skills."

Fukudome also has something the statistically inclined Cubs fans will like: an ability to get on base.

"That's the type of player we're looking for also," Piniella said. "He works the count. I'm anxious to see him on the field."

Actually, you can give credit to Piniella for being the agent for change in pushing the Cubs to look at high-on-base guys. This organization, as chronicled here for years, has been slow to embrace OBP as being vital to offensive success, but Piniella and others within have been pushing for change.

With the 100th anniversary of the Cubs' last world championship looming, it remains to be seen whether all this "change" will be for the good or whether it's another case of things remaining the same as they "change."