For now, Lou has 1 spot for Soriano

Manager Lou Piniella did as promised Tuesday, putting AlfonsoSoriano back in the leadoff spot and moving Ryan Theriot from No.1to 2 in the order. With five weeks left and the Cubs clinging to aslim lead in their division, there seemed little choice but to stickwith Soriano's comfort level through the end of the season.

But don't be surprised if the roles get revisited after thisseason, maybe next spring. Piniella seemed to leave the possibilityopen.

"That's where [Soriano] likes to hit," Piniella said. "Why try toinvent the wheel in August?"

But here's why they might try to reinvent it in February: Theriotdemonstrated over the last three weeks that he can be a prototype,reach-base, see-pitches, run-well leadoff man. He has a .314 averageand .358 on-base percentage in the leadoff spot this season,including a .321 average with six walks in 19 games while Sorianowas on the disabled list.

The more powerful, aggressive-swinging Soriano doesn't see nearlyas many pitches, strikes out a lot and doesn't walk nearly as muchas an ideal leadoff man. And 14 of his 18 home runs are solo shots.

But while that suggests an eventual move toward the middle of theorder for Soriano -- who's locked up for seven more years -- he's 0-for-8 in two starts in the No. 5 spot and 5-for-28 (.179) with oneRBI while filling in for injured Derrek Lee in the No. 3 spot inMay.

"I thought about where to put him in the lineup, and it alwayscame back to the No.1 hole," Piniella said.

Soriano has said repeatedly he's willing to bat wherever Piniellawants him to bat.

And Theriot, while coveting the leadoff role, also is willing tobat and play anywhere -- regardless of what he might have provedover the last three weeks.

"As long as I'm in it," Theriot said. "It's always been that way.The most potent and dangerous leadoff hitter in the game is on ourteam. Why would I want to mess with that?

"To be honest, it really doesn't matter where I hit or where Iplay as long as at the end of the day, our flag's flying ahead ofeverybody else's and our 'W' flag is up there."

SHORT HOPS

Soriano said he was at about 90 percent strength after beingactivated from the disabled list (torn right quadriceps) about aweek earlier than initially anticipated.

"I have to play smart and not try to do too much," said Soriano,who had an MRI exam Monday as part of the process of clearing him toplay. "The team needs me, and I need the team, too."

- Piniella on whether the Cubs were bringing Soriano back toosoon: "In Arizona and San Francisco [last week], we asked Alfonso todo everything that a baseball player needs to on a field -- fromhitting to running, fielding, stopping, throwing -- and he's readyto go. By us holding him back a week or 10 days, it's not going tomake it any safer for his return."

- To make room on the roster for Soriano, the Cubs optionedrookie pitcher Carmen Pignatiello to Class AAA Iowa with theintention of recalling him after rosters expand in three days.

- Catcher Koyie Hill cleared waivers, and the Cubs outrighted himto Iowa.

gwittenmyer@suntimes.com