Cubs off to slow start

When the Chicago Cubs hired manager Lou Piniella in the off-season and went on a $300 million spending spree that landed prized free agent Alfonso Soriano, they were hoping their fortunes would change.

So far, it’s been more of the same.

At 3-5, the Cubs are in a familiar spot – less than .500 – and they have a few days to fix what’s wrong after Wednesday’s game against the Houston Astros was postponed because of rain. It was rescheduled for July 12.

“It’s not bad to have one off day to organize yourself a little bit and acclimate yourself, relax a little bit,” said Cubs manager Lou Piniella, whose team is off today. “Two – there’s nothing you can do about it, especially when you’re smarting from a couple losses.”

A mix of rain and snow fell in the morning, and by noon, the field was white.

Soriano is batting .200, and there hasn’t been much production from Jacque Jones, Matt Murton, Cesar Izturis or Ryan Theriot in the No. 2 spot.

Is Soriano pressing?

“I don’t think so,” Piniella said. “I could be wrong. What we really need to get our offense going is for our first two hitters to get on because we’ve been hitting the ball three, four, five. He’s a professional kid. I think he’s just gotten off to a slow start.

“He’s going to get hot, believe me.”

Wright ails again

Jaret Wright isn’t out of the Baltimore Orioles starting rotation yet, although the right-hander didn’t sound optimistic when asked to report on the condition of his ailing shoulder.

“It only hurts when I throw,” Wright said.

Wright left Tuesday’s game against the Detroit Tigers with stiffness in his right shoulder.

It was not a good sign, given that he missed more than half the 2005 season with a right shoulder strain and was sidelined for parts of the 2000, 2001 and 2002 seasons with shoulder problems.

Clearing the bases

New York Yankees starter Mike Mussina left the game at Minnesota three batters into the third inning because of a strained left hamstring. … St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Scott Rolen remained out of the starting lineup because of back spasms.