Cubs-Diamondbacks Preview

The Arizona Diamondbacks look to continue their dominance of the Chicago Cubs at Chase Field when the teams close out a two-game series on Thursday.
The Diamondbacks (15-13) try for their 21st win in 27 games at home against the Cubs after defeating them 5-1 on Wednesday. They've outscored Chicago 168-88 in that span.
Arizona's victory in the series opener halted Greg Maddux's five-game winning streak to start the season.
''You have to consider yourself lucky every time you beat that guy,'' Arizona manager Bob Melvin said.
Chad Tracy went 1-for-3 with a three-run homer on Wednesday, one night after hitting his first career grand slam in a 10-8 win over the Los Angeles Dodgers. Tracy is 8-for-21 (.381) with 10 RBIs in the last five games following an 0-for-15 slump, and leads the team with 21 RBIs.
Juan Cruz (0-0, 2.65 ERA) will get his second consecutive start after seven relief appearances for Arizona, which has won a season-high four straight and seven of nine overall.
The right-hander yielded one run and two hits with three strikeouts in five innings, while throwing only 67 pitches in Arizona's 3-2 win over San Francisco on Saturday.
''Cruz threw great, but five innings was all you can expect,'' Melvin said.
This will be Cruz's first start against his former club. He was a member of the Cubs from 2001-2003 before getting traded to Atlanta in a four-player deal before the 2004 season.
The Cubs (14-12) are riddled with injuries to key players, including first baseman Derrek Lee (fractured right wrist) and pitchers Mark Prior (right rotator cuff strain), Kerry Wood (right shoulder surgery) and Wade Miller (right shoulder surgery).
They've remained above .500, but are hitting .219 and have been outscored 39-5 in losing four of their last five contests.
''I would consider us somewhat fortunate,'' Cubs manager Dusty Baker said. ''We don't want anyone running off with the division. We need to do more of the little things and make teams adjust to us more.''
Rich Hill, who was called up from Triple-A Iowa on Monday, will make his first appearance of the season for Chicago. The left-hander, who went 0-2 with a 9.13 ERA in 10 games for the Cubs last season, joins fellow rookies Sean Marshall and Angel Guzman in Chicago's rotation.
''Everybody was a rookie at some time,'' Baker said. ''They've all had starts now; they all know what it's about.''
This is the first time the Cubs have used three rookies in the rotation since Steve Smyth, Carlos Zambrano and Prior started in August 2002.
Hill was 1-0 with a 1.44 ERA and 33 strikeouts in 25 innings over four starts at Iowa.

Cubs call up lefty Hill, move Rusch to bullpen

The Chicago Cubs recalled left-hander Rich Hill from Iowa on Monday and sent right-hander David Aardsma to the Triple-A team.
Cubs manager Dusty Baker said Hill will likely start Thursday at Arizona in place of Glendon Rusch, who will pitch out of the bullpen after a string of bad starts.
Hill, 1-0 with a 1.44 ERA in four starts with Iowa, has struck out 33 in 25 innings, while giving up 13 hits and seven walks. The 26-year-old Hill made his major league debut last season, going 0-2 with a 9.13 ERA in 10 games, including four starts.
The 24-year-old Aardsma was 1-0 with a 10.50 ERA in four games with the Cubs after being recalled from Iowa on April 16.

Chicago Cubs

The Chicago Cubs announced Thursday that they have agreed to terms with center fielder Juan Pierre on a one-year contract.
The Cubs acquired Pierre from the Marlins on December 7 for pitchers Sergio Mitre, Ricky Nolasco and Renyel Pinto. The 28-year-old Pierre is replacing Corey Patterson in the outfield and at the top of the order in Chicago.
The Cubs also agreed to terms on a one-year deal with pitcher Will Ohman.
Terms of the deals were not disclosed but ESPN 1000 in Chicago is reporting Pierre will be paid $5.75 million and Ohman $610,000.
Pierre, who made $3.7 million last season, batted .276 with 13 triples, two home runs, 47 RBI and 57 steals for the Marlins in 2005, but his average and .326 on-base percentage were career lows. The lefthanded hitter has a .305 average with a .355 on-base percentage over his six-year career.
Patterson hit just .215 with a .254 on-base percentage in 126 games in 2005. Ohman was 2-2 with a 2.91 ERA in 69 games last season. The lefthander did not allow a run in 58 of his appearances and stranded 35 of 47 inherited runners.

Chicago Cubs

Chicago Cubs righthander Mark Prior could be pitching off a mound by the end of the week, and rehabbing righthanders Kerry Wood and Wade Miller threw well Wednesday in their comebacks from shoulder problems.
Prior has had elbow problems during the past two spring trainings.
"I think we're going to a pretty extensive throwing program Friday and see how he reacts on Saturday, and go from there," pitching coach Larry Rothschild said. "There's a good chance he'll get on the mound Sunday, but if he feels real good, we might venture that on Friday. But we'll see."
Miller and Wood each played catch Wednesday, throwing about 120 feet.

"It's been impressive to where they are up to now," Rothschild said. "They're throwing the ball with pretty good force behind it. It's not so much what they can do today, but can they feel like they can do it again tomorrow? That s the basis we pretty much use to go forward."
Chicago is optimistic Prior can start in one of the first exhibition games in early March. The Cubs hope Wood can be ready to pitch in big league games in April and that Miller can be available in May.
Rothschild said Wood would take Thursday off and resume throwing Friday and that Miller would throw again Thursday.
Wood was on the disabled list from May 3 to June 28 last year because of shoulder problems and again from July 21 to Aug. 5. He ended the season in the bullpen, but the club plans on having him start this year.
Miller's season with Boston last year was cut short by shoulder pain.

Cubs

RHP Kerry Wood may be 100 percent healthy by opening day but because the Cubs don't need a full five-man rotation, he could open the season on the disabled list. Wood, coming back from arthroscopic surgery on his right shoulder, has been able to do limited fielding drills. As to when he'll be throwing off the mound, Cubs pitching coach Larry Rothschild is not setting a timetable. They'll go day by day with Wood to avoid any setbacks. . . .
RHP Jerome Williams reported 10-15 pounds lighter than one year ago, and credited a diet of all chicken. . . .
RF Jacque Jones downplayed his offseason sessions with hitting guru Tony Gwynn. Jones has spent every winter working with Gwynn in San Diego. His goal is to get back to batting .300.
WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC REPORT: RHP Carlos Zambrano, who will start for Venezuela, prepped for the WBC by working out at the Cubs academy in Venezuela. When spotted, Zambrano was rumored to be pitching in winter ball or the Caribbean World Series. He stuck to his workouts. Now, if he can stick to the Cubs' game plan, he'll be fine. The early sessions helped Zambrano drop 15 pounds, which he says will help his back. The Cubs are concerned the emotional Zambrano will be too excited and may overextend himself, which is why pitching coach Larry Rothschild wanted him to get a head start on his prep work. C Henry Blanco also will be on the Venezuelan team to monitor Big Z, who was the opening day starter last year.