(Courtesy of The Sports Xchange)  --LHP Will Ohman headed into Friday's action striking out six of the last six batters he faced. Ohman, who was a setup man last year, could be in line in some instances to face a single batter in pressure situations during games. Cubs manager Dusty Baker said anyone who could assume that role needed good command and he has seen that in Ohman this spring.

--2B Todd Walker, whose defense has been criticized throughout his career, has no errors through the Cubs' first Cactus League games. Walker, who hit .305 last year, is hoping to get a majority of the starts at second base this year and battled Jerry Hairston Jr. and Neifi Perez for the starting spot.

--CF Juan Pierre said he is not feeling the pressure of playing in a major market but agrees he needs to get his batting average up during the regular season after hitting .212 and stealing just one base through 29 games in spring training.

--3B Aramis Ramirez is having a red-hot spring (.538 through 29 games plus a 13-game hitting streak) and traditionally struggles during April. But he is hitting .463 in his last three Opening Day starts. The Cubs open the season on Monday against Cincinnati.

--RHP Kerry Wood, who was set to face batters for the first time all spring when he was scheduled to throw batting practice on Friday night, will return to Arizona on Sunday and work in extended spring training. Wood is coming off Aug. 31 shoulder surgery.

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BY THE NUMBERS: 14 -- Errors the Cubs had in their first 29 Cactus League games, which was the lowest among all major league teams in the exhibition season.

QUOTE TO NOTE: "Did that sneak up on somebody?" -- Cubs manager Dusty Baker, joking after ESPN and other national outlets made a major story out of Kerry Wood and Mark Prior going on the disabled list. Neither pitched during the Cactus League season and it was inevitable both would land on the DL.

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