Marquis' comments draw Piniella's ire

TEMPE, Ariz. -- Jason Marquis didn't come out and say he wanted to be traded.

After pitching 2 innings Saturday against the Los Angeles Angels, Marquis said he wanted to remain a Cub -- but as a starting pitcher.

Later, manager Lou Piniella said Marquis' stance "galls me" and that he "could go somewhere else right now if he wants."

Marquis is battling for one of the five spots in the starting rotation, but don't tell him that.

"I don't look at it that way," the 29-year-old right-hander said after giving up 3 hits and 2 runs in the Cubs' 6-2 loss. "Like I've said all along, I'm out there battling the hitters and trying to get better day by day. If they don't want me in the rotation here in Chicago, we'll go from there. We'll see what happens."

So would he ask for a trade if he's left out of the rotation?

"We'll cross that path when it comes, obviously," he said.

Marquis was 12-9 with a 4.60 ERA last year for the Cubs in the first season of a three-year, $21 million contract. His ERA was 6.21 in September, and Piniella ignored him in the playoffs.

Interestingly, former Cubs scout Keith Champion, now with the Red Sox, was at Saturday's game, but Champion is assigned to the Cubs. Rumors abound that the Cubs wouldn't mind sending Marquis to Boston if they could land Coco Crisp as a backup center fielder.

"I love Chicago; I definitely want to say here," Marquis said. "This is the place I want to be. I signed here for a reason. But I also signed to be a starter, exactly. I think that's where I help the team the most. We'll see what happens when it's time for them to make their decision.

"As much as I want to be here in Chicago -- I love it; I love the fans; I love the stadium -- I still have a family to worry about, too. I can take my services elsewhere, if that's the case. I can help another team in that capacity as a starter. My value doesn't lie in the bullpen, in my mind."

Here's what Piniella had to say: "Well, if that's the case, he can go somewhere else. How's that? Win a spot in rotation; you don't have to worry about it. I said we had seven starters here for five spots. It's a little bit too early to start talking about what he wants to do or not do."

A minute or so later, Piniella didn't need to be prompted.

"That galls me about Marquis; it really does," he said. "I'm not pleased with that comment at all. We've got a good camp over here. Everybody's getting an opportunity. Go out and win a spot in the rotation. Nobody's going to stand in your way if you do it. That's the easy way out … He can go somewhere else right now if he wants. How's that?"

Piniella pointed out that pitching coach Larry Rothschild talked to Marquis during the off-season and this spring about making adjustments. The biggest, according to Marquis, was holding runners on base better.

"Obviously, I take the criticism from the people who, obviously, have been through it and feel like they know what I need to work on," Marquis said. "I take it in stride. I feel if I need to get better at it, I'll work at it. Yeah, we've had some good conversations."

Closer talk: After Carlos Marmol went 1-2-3 Friday, Kerry Wood and Bob Howry pitched Saturday. Wood gave up 4 hits and 3 runs in the third inning, including a 3-run homer to Torii Hunter. Howry worked 1 inning, giving up 2 hits and 1 run.

"Obviously, the outcome isn't what I wanted, but I thought I threw the ball well," Wood said. "I think we'll start worrying about end results as we get closer."

DeRosa update: Second baseman Mark DeRosa is scheduled to fly into Phoenix today and be ready to work out Monday.

DeRosa underwent a surgical procedure last week in Chicago to correct an irregular heartbeat.