Lilly, Hill need to get healthy for first starts of season
Ted Lilly, scheduled to start the second game Wednesday, is battling the flu and has been on medication since missing a workout Sunday. The only reason he stayed at the ballpark Monday, he said, was he didn't want to miss Opening Day with his new team. Manager Lou Piniella offered to send the $40 million left-hander back to the team hotel before the game.
''I feel a lot better,'' Lilly said after the game and suggested he might benefit from an emotional lift come Wednesday. ''I'm a little more gung-ho. I've been looking forward to this opportunity for a while. Especially coming off a loss on Opening Day, there will be a little more emphasis.''
Meanwhile, fourth starter Rich Hill, who's scheduled to pitch the series opener Friday in Milwaukee, continued to have problems Sunday with a blister on his finger that he developed late in camp. He was able to last only one inning of a simulated game in Arizona before traveling to Cincinnati to rejoin the team.
''It'll be fine, though,'' Hill said. ''I'm not concerned about it. I've had this before and generally just take a day off from throwing. It just needs a day to heal and callous over.''
PRIOR DELAYED: Former pitching ace Mark Prior, who was optioned to Class AAA Iowa last week, is not on the team's opening roster because he has been held back in extended spring training in Arizona to get his pitch count high enough to allow him to start games for Iowa.
''I want to make sure he's up to at least five innings,'' said farm director Oneri Fleita, pointing out that Prior threw only three innings in his most recent start. ''We just want to make sure he's ready to go, 100 percent. If it's one start or two starts, it doesn't matter.''
Prior was scheduled to throw a bullpen session Monday.
UP IN THE AIR: Backup catcher Henry Blanco left the ballpark after the game unsure whether he will have to travel today to Florida to testify in a federal trial involving one of his agents. He had hoped to delay his testimony, but another of his agents, Steve Schneider, said Monday night that he did not know whether the efforts were successful.
If Blanco leaves today, he is expected to miss at least one game because Wednesday is the first scheduled day of the trial. Agent Gus Dominguez is accused of conspiring to smuggle Cuban ballplayers into the United States.
The Cubs do not have a third catcher. Left fielder Matt Murton is considered the emergency catcher in Blanco's absence.
SHORT HOPS: Piniella and general manager Jim Hendry talked to the team before the game to address the sale of the Cubs' parent company. ''We told them not to let the sale affect them either way -- just go out and play, take care of what you can handle,'' Piniella said. ''And as far as the sale, that'll take care of itself.''
• • Fifth starter Wade Miller is scheduled to throw a simulated game today in anticipation of his first start Sunday in Milwaukee.