(Courtesy of The Sports Xchange) Rain, anyone?

Three games into a 17-day stretch in which the Cubs play without a day off, the bullpen is all out of sorts after Glendon Rusch lasted just 2 2/3 innings against Milwaukee on Saturday and Carlos Zambrano lasted just four innings on Sunday.

With rookies Sean Marshall and Angel Guzman set to pitch on Monday and Tuesday, respectively, against Pittsburgh, there is no guarantee either will go deep into their games.

There is rain in the forecast for Monday night, and the Cubs probably wouldn't be all that disappointed if their game is postponed.

But since they can't depend on that, it's possible they may do some shuffling and move Rusch to the bullpen as a long man and bring up Rich Hill from Triple-A Iowa.

REPLAY: The Cubs still have a decent record at 13-10 after Sunday's 9-0 loss to Milwaukee. But the way the National League Central is going, the Cubs have to step it up or they could find themselves having to make up a lot of ground.

The Cubs and Brewers enter this week's action tied for fourth place, looking up at Cincinnati, St. Louis and Houston, which are all off to red-hot starts.

Despite injuries to pitcher Kerry Wood, Mark Prior, first baseman Derrek Lee and outfielder Angel Pagan, the Cubs have been crossing their fingers that no one in the division runs away early as St. Louis has done the past two years. They have been holding serve, but in the last two games, they have been outscored 25-2.

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NOTES

  --RHP Carlos Zambrano, who was considered the staff's ace before the season opened, went 0-for-April, finishing 0-2 in six starts the first month of the season with an ERA of 5.35. It's no secret what led to his downfall. He walked 25 batters in 33 2/3 innings.

--C Michael Barrett returned to the lineup Sunday. Barrett sprained his left middle finger sliding headfirst into second base against Florida on Wednesday, and he was able to pinch-hit Saturday.

--LHP Glendon Rusch put the bullpen in a bind when he lasted just 2 2/3 innings Saturday when the Cubs were in just the second day of a 17-day stretch without a day off. The Cubs may consider shaking up the rotation and putting Rusch back into the bullpen since LHP Rich Hill has been effective for Triple-A Iowa.

--RHP Kerry Wood (shoulder and knee surgery) is on pace for a minor league rehab assignment on May 7 if all goes well in a Rookie League game in Arizona this week.

--RHP Jerome Williams, who was demoted to Triple-A Iowa on April 23, gave up three runs on six hits in seven innings in his first game for the I-Cubs on Thursday.

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