Chicago Cubs

CHICAGO -- The Chicago Cubs want Carlos Zambrano to limit his time on the computer and in batting practice. Getting the right-hander to do what, they say, is another story.

Zambrano's elbow problem, which wasn't a problem on Saturday when he threw seven scoreless innings for the Cubs against the Chicago White Sox, is believed to be a non-throwing injury. It knocked him out of his previous start after 3 1/3 innings and was described as tennis elbow. At last check, Zambrano isn't playing tennis. Zambrano admitted he spends four to five hours a day on the computer sending messages to his brother and others in Venezuela.

"I've been on the computer a lot," Zambrano said Sunday. "They say that's the cause of the soreness in my elbow." Not exactly. "It's not carpal tunnel [syndrome]," Cubs athletic trainer Mark O'Neal said. "To sit there and say it's a computer issue, that's not 100 percent true. It's tennis elbow. It could be from batting. There's no telling where it came from." If Zambrano is supposed to cut back on BP, he isn't listening to the doctor's advice. He was taking his hacks on Sunday. He does plan to cut back on the computer time. "I'll be in control," Zambrano said. "I spent four hours. Now, I'll have to spend one hour and take it easy." "The thing I've seen about people on the computer and the Internet is that it's addicting," Cubs manager Dusty Baker said. "We told him not to get on it, and you turn around and he's on the computer." Baker's wife, Melissa, took charge. A former accountant for the Gap, she had a similar problem with her forearm and elbow. "My wife took it upon herself, being the team player that she is, she went and bought -- on my credit card -- a whole bunch of ergonomics stuff," Baker said. "She got wrist guards, elbow guards, a wireless mouse, different pads." Baker had carpal tunnel syndrome himself, brought on by too much writing. The Cubs think Zambrano's cramps last season and early this year may have been caused by this and not dehydration, which the team originally thought was the problem. "We're searching for clues," Baker said. "We were alarmed when the doctor said it was a non-throwing injury." After Saturday's game, when Zambrano threw 108 pitches, he said he knew it was time to come out of the game to avoid Baker getting criticized for letting the right-hander throw too many pitches. "That's noble and bold," Baker said, "but I can take care of myself." *Gamesmanship:* The Cubs wanted Minor League baserunning instructor Vince Coleman on the bench during this series to get a better look at the Cubs players. But the White Sox denied the request to have an extra coach on the Cubs bench. After all, city bragging rights are on the line. "They can allow a guy to be on the bench if you get permission, which we tried to get [Saturday] and it was denied by Kenny," Baker said of White Sox general manager Kenny Williams. Was Baker surprised the White Sox said no? "Not really," Baker said. "[Coleman] wasn't here to analyze their guys, as stated. He was here to help and analyze our guys." And if the White Sox asked for an extra coach? "I don't care," Baker said. "I told them they can have Casey Stengel over there if they want to. It doesn't matter. A lot of times you can tell guys things. It doesn't mean you're going to get it. Quite often, guys don't get it until later." Coleman and Williams reportedly had a heated discussion behind the batting cage prior to Saturday's game.