ATLANTA -- The Cubs might be a week away from bringing backinfielder-outfielder Jose Macias and reducing their 12-man pitchingstaff to make room for him.
Macias will start playing this week in extended spring-traininggames in Arizona. Later in the week, the Cubs will send him on aminor-league rehab assignment. He is on target to return as early asApril 18 or 19, during the last two games of a series against theCincinnati Reds. It's possible he'll be activated when the Cubsreturn to the road April 20-22 in Pittsburgh.
As it stands, the Cubs would have a tough choice in shipping oneof their 12 pitchers to Class AAA Iowa. Left-hander Andy Pratt, whowas acquired last month in the trade that sent Juan Cruz to theAtlanta Braves, is the likely choice, even though he had pitched wellin the majors until Saturday.
YOUNG GUNS: General manager Jim Hendry is happy to see how wellyoung pitchers such as Pratt, Todd Wellemeyer and Michael Wuertz havedone with the Cubs. He wasn't even displeased to see Cruz pitch wellFriday for the Braves against the Cubs.
"I'd much rather have a trade with [Braves general manager] JohnSchuerholz where he is happy in the end and I'm happy because itmakes the next deal between us a lot easier," Hendry said."Schuerholz is as good as it gets, maybe as good as there has everbeen as a GM. We get right to the point [in trade talks]. There isnever any deception.
"It is really a trade that should work well for both of us. I takeno satisfaction in making a trade that looks one-sided in the end.That does no one any good."
SECOND DECK: There is a dusty cliche in baseball about someprospects becoming suspects when they pitch in stadiums with seconddecks rather than the less ornate minor-league and spring-trainingfacilities. Hendry used it when praising Wuertz, Wellemeyer and Prattfor living up to expectations so far.
"Sometimes when you think you have prospects and that second deckgoes on, they can't handle it," Hendry said. "All three of those guyshave proven that part of the issue isn't a problem. What Wuertz hasdone in three appearances [this season] after being a guy that'skicked around for six years in our system, it's really hard tobelieve.
"He hasn't had a bad inning since we started camp. Here is a guythat when he knew he had to show it because it may be his lastchance, he did it and showed no nervousness. This guy never threw 94miles an hour before now. To reach down and get something he neverhad before is impressive.
"He used to be 88 to 91, maybe 92 tops. He has hit 94 three, fourtimes this year and is working at 92 [regularly] when he used to workat 90. He weighs the same. He can't even figure out how he got theextra stuff."
SMART MANAGING: After Corey Patterson played 15 innings Friday,manager Dusty Baker knew that Saturday was a perfect game to give thecenter fielder a break. He was thinking of Patterson's comeback fromleft-knee surgery in July.
"This is when you reinjure something that's barely healed," Bakersaid of not taxing Patterson's anterior cruciate ligament after thestrain of extra innings.
CATCHING A BREAK: The Cubs were still feeling good about beatingthe Braves in 15 innings Friday night
They know if that decision had gone against them, it was the kindof game that could crawl into the team's psyche and gnaw at it for awhile.
"You can lose pennants in April, but you can't win them in April,"Baker said. "There is also a difference psychologically between being2-2 and 1-3."
GETTING UP: If Mark Prior feels good today after playing lightcatch Saturday, trainer Dave Groeschner said the plan is for somemore flat-ground throwing today.
But Prior also might take the mound in this workout, Groeschnersaid, although he would be flinging a towel instead of a baseball ashe comes down the incline and simulates his delivery.
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