By The Associated Press

MESA, Ariz. - Chicago Cubs manager Dusty Baker is withholding judgment about how his new team looks this spring.

"I'm not disappointed at all," Baker said Sunday. "I expect a lot. I'm not overly pleased, and I'm not disappointed. I tend to be a perfectionist, but I realize you're going to make mistakes."

Baker admitted that he's still trying to learn names. He signed with the Cubs last November after 10 years as manager of the San Francisco Giants. The Cubs will face Baker's former team Thursday in their spring training opener.

Baker is not in any big hurry to get going with the games.

"I don't like getting anxious when you're not ready," he said. "We're not ready physically. We're not ready fundamentally yet for games. I disagree with some guys who say spring training is too long. If anything, you might play too many games."

From the beginning, Baker has stressed quality of work rather than quantity. Drills have been efficient - coaches sound air horns to signal when it's time to move from field to field - but the atmosphere is loose.

That comes as no surprise to veteran relief pitcher Rod Beck, who played for Baker in San Francisco from 1993-97.

"It's pretty much the same thing," Beck said. "Kind of laid-back, have fun, get your work in. Do it right. It's no nonsense as far as the work goes, but you're allowed to have fun, too. If you're on the side watching everybody else do drills and you laugh, you're not going to get in trouble."

The Cubs ranked near the bottom in team defense last year. All managers say they stress the fundamentals in spring training, but the term has taken on new meaning for the Cubs, even if the club has a large amount of veterans.

"Over the winter, four or five months, you need a refresher course," Baker said. "How you practice is how you play. Don't think you can turn it on and all of a sudden, 'I'm going to do good today.' When you're running after fly balls, the same guys who drop them in practice are the same guys who drop them in the games."

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Rangers

SURPRISE, Ariz. - Closer Ugueth Urbina has finally arrived at the Texas Rangers spring training camp.

Urbina had been expected Saturday, but changes in his flight plans from Venezuela delayed his arrival.

Urbina is fresh off a 40-save season with the Boston Red Sox and his second All-Star appearance.

He's being counted on to help shore up a bullpen that lost a major league record 38 games in 2002. The Rangers also set a club record with a combined 33 blown saves in 66 opportunities. Urbina has 174 career saves in 205 tries.

Teammates greeted a smiling Urbina with chants of "Ugue, Ugue," as they gathered for morning drills.

"I expect him to be as dominant as he has been," catcher Todd Greene said. "We have a lot of new veterans in camp with proven track records. We just need to put it all together."

Urbina said it won't take him long to get in pitching shape.

"I'll be ready in two weeks," the 29-year-old said. "My elbow is good. Everything is fine. I feel like a baby."

Also, two-time AL MVP Juan Gonzalez was held out of practice Sunday and is day-to-day after feeling spasms in his lower back.

"There's nothing structurally wrong," manager Buck Showalter said. "He told me he was ready to go, but it seemed better to keep him out."

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Cardinals

JUPITER, Fla. - The St. Louis Cardinals head into the final handful of workouts this week knowing that five of their players won't be ready when spring training games begin Thursday.

Outfielder J.D. Drew and pitchers Jason Isringhausen, Chris Carpenter, Gene Stechschulte and Scotty Layfield are all nursing injuries.

The Cardinals knew Drew, Isringhausen and Carpenter would be behind the rest of the squad, but Stechschulte and Layfield are a different matter.

The two right-handers each felt some shoulder stiffness when they began workouts and have been held back from regularly scheduled drills.

"They've had some discomfort and we've had to shut them down," manager Tony La Russa said.

Drew had not swung a bat in four months when he arrived here a week ago because he had a portion of his right patellar tendon removed in October. Drew is taking his regular turn in the batting cage but cannot run. It is possible he will play only part-time, if at all, until June.

"He's where our doctors said he would be," La Russa said. "I just have my doubts he will be ready for opening day because he won't be able to play enough to get ready."

Isringhausen, the Cardinals' closer last season, is recovering from right shoulder surgery which was described as a cleanup procedure. While it was initially thought he might not be ready for the season opener March 31, Isringhausen's timetable has been moved up and he should be able to begin pitching here before the Cardinals break camp.

Carpenter had offseason surgery after suffering elbow tendinitis.