What in the world is going on with the Chicago Cubs and their personnel moves?

Lou Piniella said today that Xavier Nady - the Cubs 4th outfielder signed for $3.3 million - won't be able to fully play baseball until June. He can pinch hit. He can be pitchers helper. But he can't play the outfield because he's still recovering from Tommy John surgery.

So. The Chicago Cubs spent $3.3 million on a pinch hitter, right? Lou doesn't seem worried.

"Look, Nady can hit," Piniella said. "We've got to get him out on the field and get his at-bats. If we can get him on the field, Nady is going to do some damage with the bat."

But Nady is going to be a DH only for at least another week, before he gets some playing time in the outfield in the second half of the Cactus League games. Piniella was not concerned about Nady's arm in right or left.

"We don't care about throwing," he said. "He can throw the ball to the second baseman or throw the ball to the shortstop."

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Or he could roll it in. Or run it in. Or have Marlon Byrd come get it from him and have him throw it in.

The Nady signing comes on the heels of other curious personnel decisions, most notably not offering arbitration to Rich Harden after not trading him to the Twins at the waiver deadline last year. Put together, those two decisions ensured the Cubs got nothing in return for Harden when he signed with Texas.

We have been pretty consistent supporters of Hendry around here. Overall, he's done far more good than bad.

But these two decisions are curious, to put it charitably.