Lilly still has some work ahead of him

TUCSON, Ariz. -- New Cubs left-hander Ted Lilly has produced just about as advertised for the Cubs this spring. Unfortunately for the Cubs on Tuesday, that meant deep counts, a walk to the pitcher, a four-run inning and 83 pitches to get through five innings of work.

''We're going to see if we can get him a little more aggressive,'' manager Lou Piniella said after Lilly's so-so start against the Colorado Rockies in a 4-2 loss at Hi Corbett Field. ''When men are on base, he throws it a little better. I don't know if he coasts a little bit to start the inning and then turns it on a little bit, but from a starting pitcher, what you'd like to see is go at it as hard as you can as long as you can, and then we'll go get you.''

Lilly, who signed a four-year, $40million free-agent deal with the Cubs during the winter, has a track record of using a lot of pitches -- averaging 5 2/3 innings per start in his career and never pitching 200 innings in a season -- as well as giving up the big inning.

''I'm not happy about it,'' he said of his outing Thursday. ''I know it's just spring training, but you still want to win, you still want to be effective, and make quality pitches.

''I think there's a little lack of concentration at times. For the most part I was pretty focused, but it's easy to second-guess yourself when things don't go well.''

Lilly did have quick innings in the first, third and fifth, and he got out of a bases-loaded, none-out jam in the second.

''He didn't pitch poorly,'' Piniella said. ''He gave up some base hits there in the fourth, and they got him for four runs, but the other innings he threw the ball fine. He's ready to go. He's stretched out. Now I think it's about getting him to go a little harder right from the start of the inning.''

Lilly has two more exhibition starts before making his season debut in the Cubs' second game, April 4 in Cincinnati.

''I don't feel real far off,'' he said. ''I'm definitely eager to get out there again, that's for sure.''

TOGETHER AGAIN: After hearing that Kerry Wood (triceps strain) looked strong in a pain-free bullpen session Tuesday morning in Mesa, Piniella scheduled Wood to pitch in an inning in the same game Mark Prior is scheduled to start, Thursday against the San Diego Padres in Peoria, Ariz.

Wood, who has pitched only three innings this spring, hasn't pitched in more than a week and still is expected to remain behind in Arizona, with Prior, to work in extended spring training when the club breaks camp. Wood is making the move from starter to reliever this season.

''We don't really know -- and he doesn't know -- how his arm bounces back,'' Piniella said. ''These are things when you're in the bullpen that you've got to have an idea about.

''But firstng's first. Let's hope he feels good [today] and he has a nice day on Thursday, and then we can go from there.''

SAMMY BACK IN THE HOUSE: The Texas Rangers confirmed Tuesday that former Cubs slugger Sammy Sosa is scheduled to be on the traveling squad for the game today against the Cubs at HoHoKam Park. It would be the first time he plays at the Cubs' spring home since the addition-by-subtraction trade of the disgruntled star to the Baltimore Orioles two years ago.

BIG RELIEF FOR CLOSER: Closer Ryan Dempster needed 21 pitches to get through a scoreless sixth inning Tuesday, including a nine-pitch walk to Omar Quintanilla, in his first appearance since a knot near his shoulder blade sidelined him a week earlier, but he said he felt strong and sharp.

''We can start Opening Day tomorrow. I'm ready,'' he said afterward. ''I was surprised. I hadn't pitched in a week, and I had relatively decent command, other than a walk, and the guy earned that by fouling off some tough pitches.''

Not so fast, said Piniella, who still wants to see Dempster pitch in back-to-back games and get a two-inning outing in before the season starts.

''He still needs a little more work,'' Piniella said.

gwittenmyer@suntimes.com