Cubs' changes likely to come from within

CINCINNATI -- If the Cubs make any of the "changes" manager Lou Piniella hinted at Tuesday, they'll come from within, at least in the short term.

General manager Jim Hendry clarified things a bit Wednesday by saying there's enough flexibility on the roster for Piniella to "mix and match," a term Hendry used about three times.

"We try to win every ballgame every day, but we felt like all along we had the kind of guys on the bench who could play," Hendry said. "Lou's doing what he always does and what he continues to do, and that's use the people who are playing well.

"That's part of it, mix and match. The guys that are getting some playing time deserve it. Ronny's playing probably more than he expected out of camp, and deservedly so."

Hendry was talking about infielder Ronny Cedeno, who started for the second straight game Wednesday.

Mark DeRosa got his second straight start off Wednesday, something that would have happened sooner if third baseman Aramis Ramirez had not gotten hurt last Friday and missed three games.

"Things are going to happen," Hendry said. "People are going to get hurt. People are going to need days off. Obviously, the Ramirez thing hurt us for a couple days because DeRo was really on fumes and needed a day. Unfortunately, we got it to him a day later than we would have liked because he was out of gas, really."

Cubs chairman Crane Kenney has said the Cubs will have the money to add a player or players before the season is over if they're in contention.

"It depends not only on the standings," Hendry said. "It depends on how certain people are holding up health-wise or how certain people are playing. It's always the nature of it. You've got your feet on the ground now. You've played enough games now that things are starting to take shape a little bit.

"As the next 30-60 games go by, you start seeing if some of the things that have been a little bit not perfect, are they going to get better? Is this guy going to pick it up a little bit? It's an on-the-job thing. It's just like calling guys up and sending them down when somebody gets hurt."