[bears9]

TUCSON, Ariz. -- The Cubs' ideal lineup is expected to go on display today against the White Sox, when manager Lou Piniella puts Kosuke Fukudome back in the No. 2 spot and drops Alfonso Soriano, Derrek Lee and Aramis Ramirez to 3-4-5.

The only potentially better Cubs lineup for Opening Day would involve a trade for the Baltimore Orioles' Brian Roberts to bat leadoff, or even a trade for Boston Red Sox outfielder Coco Crisp to bat somewhere near the top of the order.

Short of that -- and barring Piniella acting on his musing about leading off Fukudome -- Piniella likely has settled on his opening lineup, though he left open the possibility he might tweak it again.

For now, a stronger, hot-hitting Ryan Theriot is the leadoff man many fans and media clamored for last season. Soriano finally goes to a middle-order spot that seems more suited to his free-swinging, power-hitting style while still batting high enough to make use of his speed. When he moved from leadoff to second, Soriano said it would be no problem to move down another spot in the order, especially with Lee still behind him

Lineup shaping up with Kosuke 2nd, Soriano 3rd :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: Cubs