Soto says he will be ready before spring training

Catcher Geovany Soto rejoined the Cubs on Wednesday, two days after undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his right shoulder.

Soto said he's feeling fine. He also vowed to be 100 percent well before spring training begins.

"I feel right now no doubt I'm going to be 100 percent by spring training and before that, too," he said. "We're not going to pace ourselves 'til spring training. I'm going to try to get ready as soon as possible so it's not going to be a big deal for spring training."

Soto said he began feeling pain last month, when the Cubs were in San Francisco. He added the problem affected his hitting more than it did his throwing. Soto had surgery to clean up the area around the AC joint.

Colvin heads home: Outfielder Tyler Colvin was released from a Miami hospital Wednesday. He headed home to South Carolina by car with his grandfather.

It's unlikely Colvin will rejoin the Cubs this season. He suffered a puncture wound to the upper left chest Sunday when he was hit by a piece of a broken bat.

Rotation roulette: Carlos Zambrano will start Monday's series opener at San Diego, not Sunday's finale against the Cardinals as he had hoped.

Manager Mike Quade said he wanted to save his better pitchers for the contending Padres. Against St. Louis this weekend, the Cubs will go with Tom Gorzelanny, Casey Coleman and Jeff Samardzija.

"We had lined things up for San Diego, and we're going to stay that way," Quade said. "I have no doubt Z would love to pitch against St. Louis. I'd love to pitch against St. Louis."

For a good cause: Cubs wives will sell copies of the Chicago Cubs Cookbook on the concourse at Wrigley Field before Friday's game against the Cardinals. Proceeds from the sale benefit the Ryan Dempster foundation, and Dempster said he will be at the booth to sign copies.

• Go more in depth on Marlon Byrd's bid for a Gold Glove on the Daily Herald's baseball blog, Chicago's Inside Pitch, at dailyherald.com.