Cardidad may rejoin Cubs in Cincinnati

In his pregame media session, Cubs manager Lou Piniella noted that Esmailin Caridad, working his way back from injury, has been throwing well in Arizona, where he's rehabbing. If he keeps that up, expect to see him at AAA Iowa, and then, says Piniella, "he could be joining us by next week in Cincinnati. According to our people in Arizona, he's pitching very well."

If he returns on the aforementioned scheduled, though, what happens to the Cubs pitching staff?

Apparently, not much of significance. Any subsequent roster move would undoubtedly involve "one of the younger pitchers he'll be displacing," according to Piniella.

That means, yes, Carlos Zambrano continues indefinitely for now as the late-inning set-up man for closer Carlos Marmol. That will reinforce another Piniella maxim.

"Giving up runs in late innings ... it's hard to win," he noted of a Cubs bullpen problem which Zambrano's move appears to address.

With that in mind, expect to see the Sean Marshall/Zambrano/Marmol progression for quite a while out of the Cubs pen.

Follow the money: Cubs third baseman Aramis Ramirez continues to have a slow spring. After an 0-for-4 Friday and a 1-for-5 in the Cubs' 7-5 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday, he's hitting .155.

Ramirez has 3 homers and 13 RBI. But with an OBP of .216, he's not helping the offense. Yet he's right behind Carlos Zambrano and suddenly lively left fielder Alfonso Soriano on the payroll.

Soriano is at .303 and climbing after his home run and 2 RBI Saturday.

Zambrano has made three appearances out of the bullpen so far since being shifted back there. Fans are wondering when he'll get back in the rotation, but with Cubs starters logging a National League second-best 16 quality starts, that question remains unanswered. For now, management appears content to pay their set-up man $18 million this season.

Hitting their stride: Friday's 11-run outburst, aided by a windblown, misplayed infield popup by the D'backs, gave Cubs manager Lou Piniella a chance to reflect on just how important it is not only to hit, but to hit early and often.

"You need to swing the bat, you need to score runs, to win," he said. "You need to put 5 or 6 runs on the board real quick. You need to score 5 or 6 runs consistently."

Hi-ho Silva: Carlos Silva, Saturday's starting pitcher who may be the most pleasant surprise to Cubs fans so far this spring considering his numbers of a year ago, will get an extra day's rest for relief of a sore wrist. He'll be pushed back a day in the rotation and won't start again until next Saturday in Cincinnati.

"His wrist's been bothering him," said Piniella. "He'll get seven days rest."

That will move Tom Gorzelanny up a day and into a Friday start at Cincinnati.

Vince of the vines: Vince Vaughn, a Chicago area native and star of several hit movies, threw out the ceremonial pitch Saturday to the delight of a sellout crowd, and led the fans through the seventh-inning stretch.