– Lou Piniella had a new theory on how to keep his baserunners from getting picked off, doubled up and thrown out in situations that don’t call for a steal attempt. “We’ll have to give our coaches a lasso,” he said. They needed one Tuesday as Mark DeRosa and Michael Barrett both had major gaffes in the second inning. After doubling, DeRosa was out easily at third on a grounder to short by Barrett, who later was picked off second by catcher Miguel Olivo. “You look at our team, and, boy, we do some things that make you shake your head,” he said. “Running the bases at times that gets you out of innings.”
– Former Cubs right-hander Sergio Mitre is turning into the pitcher the Cubs had hoped to see before they traded him to Florida after 2005 in the Juan Pierre deal. Mitre, who opposes Ted Lilly on Wednesday night, has a 1.24 earned-run average in five May starts and a streak of 11 consecutive scoreless innings.
