[bears9]

PHILADELPHIA -- Cubs manager Lou Piniella held a lengthy meeting before Sunday's game with pitching coach Larry Rothschild and trainer Mark O'Neal to discuss, among other things, why a guy who spent the last three seasons as a relief pitcher is suddenly the ace of the starting rotation.

That's the unexpected state of a starting staff that was supposed to be the strength of the team going into the season. Even after Jason Marquis rebounded from battling strep throat to pitch five decent innings Sunday, the Cubs' rotation had a 2-3 record and 4.59 ERA. Only Washington, Colorado and Florida are worse in the National League.


''We're just trying to formulate a couple of ideas to see how we can get better quickly,'' Piniella said, ''but there's no deep concerns.''

Beyond specific work and/or short leashes with struggling starters such as Rich Hill, the Cubs will keep their top four starters on fifth-day cycles and skip the fifth guy as days off dictate.

Piniella not panicky over starters' woes :: CHICAGO SUN-TIMES :: Cubs