Houston Astros

Still unable to completely shake the tightness in his left forearm, Andy Pettitte is going to skip his next start, which was scheduled for Monday against the Cubs at Wrigley Field.

This move appears to be precautionary. Because the discomfort Pettitte is experiencing is tightness, and not pain, the alarm bells didn't seem to be ringing when the Astros made this announcement following their 18-3 loss to the Rangers on Saturday.

"It's better to address it now and try to get him through this one," manager Phil Garner said. "We could have skipped him the next go around, but I thought it would be better to skip him this time, and hopefully it'll feel good for him and he won't have any problems."

Pettitte threw his normal bullpen session on Friday, when he felt the forearm muscle tighten in the same manner it did in his start on May 12 after throwing a fastball to Marquis Grissom in the sixth inning. He feels most of the discomfort when he attempts to put the finish on his cutters, which involve snapping the ball off his fingers.

Pettitte made his next start six days later, but he allowed seven runs over five frames. With the pain still prevalent after his bullpen session, all parties involved felt it was best to err on the side of caution and rest him this week.

"It didn't make sense to send him out there less than close to 100 percent," general manager Tim Purpura said. "From what Andy's told me, the [athletic] trainers told me and [team medical director] Dr. [David] Lintner told me, I don't see why he wouldn't [make his next start], unless he doesn't progress. But I expect he will."

Asked to compare his level of concern at this point compared to how worried he was at this time last year, Pettitte said his ordeal in 2004 was far worse.

"Anytime anything now for me goes on, it's going to alarm me no matter what," Pettitte said. "But last year I was hurt; I couldn't do anything. I feel totally fine right now."

The Astros will make a roster move and announce a Monday starter following Sunday's finale in Arlington. The callup will likely be a pitcher, which would keep the staff at 12. Travis Driskill and Wandy Rodriguez are candidates, as is Dave Burba. Driskill and Burba are not on the 40-man roster, but the Astros could easily make room for one of them by moving Jeff Bagwell from the 15-day to the 60-day disabled list.

*Self making most of playing time:* Todd Self made his first Major League start on Saturday at Ameriquest Field, starting in left field and batting second.

Self had appeared in seven games prior to Saturday's contest with the Rangers, mainly as a pinch-hitter or pinch-runner. On May 18, the left-handed hitter recorded his first Major League hit -- a three-run pinch-hit homer off Russ Ortiz in the sixth inning -- that narrowed a large 7-2 gap.

Garner doesn't like to let young callups sit on the bench for too long after they join the team, but in this case, Garner is just looking for any formula that can translate into wins. Heading into Saturday's game, the Astros were 2-17 on the road and had lost 13 of their previous 17 games overall.

"I'm more concerned with winning," Garner said. "Under different circumstances, I'd love to see what he can do; let him play and see what he can do. But the priority is to do what I think we need to do to win. We haven't exactly been on a roll. Maybe this will get us going."

Self, a 15th-round pick in the 2000 draft, played mostly in the outfield from 2000-02 until he started playing first base in 2003. He was leading the Pacific Coast League with a .391 average when he was called up. He had two homers and 15 RBIs over 28 games for Triple-A Round Rock this year, and he drew 18 walks while striking out 16 times.

*Bruntlett ends streak:* Prior to Friday's game, Eric Bruntlett held the dubious distinction of having the most at-bats of any position player without any hits in the Majors this season. He was 0-for-14, but that streak ended in his first at-bat on Friday when he doubled down the left-field line with two outs in the second inning.

"I was happy for him, because Bruntlett is a good worker and a good guy on the team," Garner said. "I think he could be a good addition."

Bruntlett has the fewest appearances of any Astros position player who has been on the active roster all season, meaning he has the additional task of staying sharp despite receiving little playing time. His versatility helps justify his role on the club; he's a natural infielder, but he can also play the outfield, as he did on Friday when he started in left.

"He can play probably all positions," Garner said. "But the important thing is he can play shortstop. Our first line of defense obviously is [Jose] Vizcaino, but if we need something else, he might have to play there. Every once in a while, he can spell [starting shortstop Adam] Everett."

*Minor Leagues:* The Triple-A Round Rock Express scored four runs in the eighth inning on Friday to beat the Tucson Toros, 8-6. Round Rock scored the deciding runs on two-run homers by Danny Klassen and Charles Gipson. Second baseman Chris Burke went 3-for-4 with a double, triple, two RBIs and two stolen bases.

Double-A Corpus Christi was shut out by San Antonio, 4-0. The Hooks are winless in seven games against San Antonio this year. Right-hander Jason Hirsh allowed four runs -- two earned -- on four hits over six frames, walking one and striking out seven in a losing effort.

Class A Lexington beat Hickory, 5-4, in 10 innings, in a completion of Thursday's suspended game. Second baseman Jonathan Ash went 3-for-6 and drove in the game-winning run with a one-out single in the 10th. Right-hander Chad Reineke tossed two perfect innings in relief and improved to 5-1 with the win. Center fielder Hunter Pence was 3-for-4, including his 13th home run.

The Legends completed a sweep by taking the second game over the Crawdads, 6-2. Right-hander Juan Gutierrez allowed two runs -- one earned -- on four hits over seven frames to earn the win.

*Here and there:* Craig Biggio will serve as the Astros' designated hitter on Sunday, instead of Lance Berkman, who was the DH in the first two games of the Lone Star Series. ... Jeff Bagwell is aiming for June 3 to have surgery on his right shoulder, but that date is still tentative. ... The Cubs adjusted their rotation for the three-game series with the Astros, May 23-25. Left-hander Glendon Rusch will start on Monday and Greg Maddux will start on Wednesday. Tuesday's starter has not been announced.

*Coming up:* The series against the Rangers will conclude on Sunday at 1:05 p.m. CT, with right-hander Roy Oswalt taking the mound against Texas right-hander Chan Ho Park.

The Astros' nine-game, three-city road trip will continue on Monday with the first of three at Wrigley Field against the Cubs.