Cubs pitcher Carlos Silva is looking forward to Tuesday's start, his first since Aug. 1. "I feel very good, I feel great," Silva said Sunday. "My arm, my velocity, I feel really good."

Carlos Zambrano has been reborn. Big Z, who moved into third on the Cubs' all-time K's list, won for the fourth time since rejoining the rotation in Saturday's 5-3 win over the Mets.

Carlos Zambrano passed Kerry Wood and moved into sole possession of third place on the Cubs' all-time strikeout list Saturday when he fanned the Mets' Angel Pagan in the fifth inning.

The Cubs have tweaked their rotation, and rookie Casey Coleman will start Monday in the series opener against the Astros and be followed by Carlos Silva.

Cubs shortstop Starlin Castro is ranked in the top three in the National League in batting average at .321, has 36 multihit games and has played more games in the Major Leagues than at Class A.

The Cubs know Alfonso Soriano can hit home runs. Blake DeWitt is surprising them. Soriano and DeWitt each belted three-run homers to lift the Cubs to a 7-6 victory Friday over the New York Mets.

Geovany Soto, sidelined because of some fluid and swelling in his right knee, was back in the Cubs' lineup Friday, as was center fielder Marlon Byrd.

With Tom Gorzelanny unavailable, the Cubs have tweaked their rotation and will have Carlos Zambrano (6-6, 4.36 ERA) start Saturday and Ryan Dempster (12-9, 3.71 ERA) on Sunday in the series against the New York Mets. Carlos Silva could return Monday.

Cubs general manager Jim Hendry, who met this past week with managerial candidate Ryne Sandberg, said there is no front-runner for the Cubs' job and he is still in the early stages of the interview process.

Cubs pitcher Tom Gorzelanny's has a small incomplete hairline fracture underneath the fingernail of his left pinky finger, which is stable. However, the left-hander will miss his next start.

Reliever Scott Maine nearly died five years ago in a car accident. Today, the rookie hurler is realizing his dream of playing in the big leagues.

Why did the Cubs deal Ted Lilly and Derrek Lee? That's one of the questions in this week's Cubs Inbox.

The Cubs improved to 6-3 under Quade with a 5-3 win Wednesday over the pesky Pirates. Koyie Hill, Kosuke Fukudome and Tyler Colvin each hit RBI doubles as Chicago won the series.

X-rays of Tom Gorzelanny's left hand were inconclusive Wednesday but did show there was no displacement, and the Cubs pitcher will have a CT scan on Thursday.

Cubs owner Tom Ricketts said Wednesday he's leaving the managerial search to general manager Jim Hendry, and will become more active in the process once the list of candidates is whittled down.

Tyler Colvin isn't ready to play first base. Yet. But the Cubs still want Colvin to work out there, and infield coach Alan Trammell is pleased with the rookie's progress, Cubs manager Mike Quade said Wednesday.

Dutchie Caray, Cubs owner Tom Ricketts and Hall of Famer Ernie Banks raised a bottle of beer in a toast to legendary broadcaster Harry Caray, whose statue was moved near the Wrigley Field bleachers and rededicated on Wednesday.

The Cubs did not call anyone up on Wednesday when Major League rosters could expand but will be adding a starting pitcher soon, when Carlos Silva finishes his rehab work.

Cubs infielder Jeff Baker was scratched from Wednesday's lineup because of a sore left Achilles' tendon, while outfielder Marlon Byrd was given a day off to rest a sore right leg.