If Floyd returns, roster will require shuffling

ATLANTA -- Outfielder Cliff Floyd, who has been on bereavement leave since Friday to help care for his ailing father in Chicago, could rejoin the Cubs tonight at home against the Houston Astros, manager Lou Piniella said.

That's not a certainty, but if Floyd does return to the roster, the Cubs will have to send somebody out, possibly one of their six outfielders. Infielder Mike Fontenot joined the team from Class AAA Iowa on Saturday to take Floyd's roster spot.

Piniella said Sunday he didn't know which way the team would go with the roster and planned to meet with general manager Jim Hendry today.

The Cubs have had a glut of outfielders since the season opened, and their infield depth took an additional hit when third baseman Aramis Ramirez was sidelined Wednesday with a strained knee.

The team hopes Ramirez, who has not gone on the disabled list, will return to the lineup by midweek.

CUBS IN BRIEF

Sunday's game was the 3,000th managed by Piniella in a 20-season managerial career.

''Feels like four [thousand],'' he cracked.

Piniella is the 17th to reach that mark, with four active managers among them. He joined his opposing manager Sunday, the Atlanta Braves' Bobby Cox (3,924 games), along with the St.Louis Cardinals' Tony La Russa (4,346) and the New York Yankees' Joe Torre (3,742).

''I'm proud of that,'' said Piniella, who sought win No.1,547 on Sunday night. ''I had the good fortune of managing a lot of good teams and a lot of great players.''

Right-hander Wade Miller, who has struggled to regain velocity since shoulder surgery in 2005, has almost completed a long-toss program with his therapist back home near Philadelphia, and the Cubs expect him to rejoin the team next week when they travel to Texas.

The plan calls for Miller to start working from a mound at that point and then start another minor-league rehab program.

Backup catcher Henry Blanco, on the DL with a neck injury, is expected to resume baseball activity when the team returns home today. It originally was feared he might need surgery to fix a herniated disc, but the team says he has responded well to therapy.

•   •   Pinch hitter/outfielder Daryle Ward, on the DL with a hip strain, is ready for a brief minor-league rehab assignment, possibly by the weekend.