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HOUSTON – And not only can Tony Campana leap over tags like he did in Tuesday’s game against the Astros, he can also dunk a basketball.

That’s what he says anyway, although he’s never been able to prove it. Campana told his teammates as much, but the 5-foot-8 speedster has only received scoffs.

Bryan LaHair, sitting at a nearby locker shook his head in disagreement. Bench coach Jamie Quirk gave a quick “No,” when asked if Campana could throw one down on a baseball court.

Before Tuesday, though, they probably would have said he couldn’t dive over the glove of somebody standing right in front of him. It happened in the eighth inning when Campana tried to go from first to third on an errant pickoff throw.

Astros first baseman Carlos Lee got a good bounce off the railing in front of the field-level seats and threw to Astros third baseman Matt Downs. The ball beat Campana by at least 35 feet but he took to the air to avoid the tag. It didn’t hurt that Downs appeared to flinch when Campana’s body went flying past his head.

He actually had to dive twice, once to avoid Downs’ glove and again when he found himself in foul territory and had to beat Downs to the third-base bag.

Campana never did score the tying run as Starlin Castro and Alfonso Soriano both struck out, but his play still got plenty of attention on television Wednesday.

Maybe that slam dunk would get similar attention, although Campana admitted that because he can’t palm a basketball it might take him a few tries to do it.

“I’d have to see it,” Quirk said, thinking about his ‘No’ answer, “but I wouldn’t put it past him.”

CHICAGO -- A sixth consecutive defeat, a sweep by the cross-town Chicago White Sox and the first shutout of the season all have Chicago Cubs manager Dale Sveum working on the details of a lineup change for his last-place club.

Sveum didn’t reveal too much after Sunday’s 6-0 defeat other than saying that changes are expected to happen to the top three spots in the order. That’s where David DeJesus, Tony Campana and Starlin Castro have resided most of the season, in that order.

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CHICAGO -- The fact that the Chicago Cubs have yet to be shut out this season could be a statistical oddity, or it could actually be a sign of something much different.

The Cubs might have been 11th in both runs scored (134) and on-base percentage (.309) heading into play Wednesday, but they still have managed to avoid getting blanked. They scored their first runs of Wednesday’s game in the fourth inning on a two-run home run from Alfonso Soriano.

The Los Angeles Angels lead baseball by getting shut out eight times, while the Cubs are one of four National League teams yet to go scoreless.

Whether it’s a run early, or even one late in a runaway game, the Cubs have still scored and the streak is somewhat a matter of pride now.

“We want to be a team that never gives up; we want to be a team that comes together and never shows that we’re down,” said leadoff man David DeJesus, who leads the team in runs scored with 22. “I feel that we’ve done that this year, and we have to stay mentally strong this season.”

Heart and guts are fine and dandy, but it doesn’t always push across a run with two outs and runners on the corners. Is there anything more tangible than that?

“I think one thing it shows is that there is a lot of ways we can score,” said Tony Campana, who has scored 12 runs and has stolen nine bases since being recalled April 21. “We have guys that can get on a run, and we have guys that can hit homers. I think that helps.”

Whatever it is, the Cubs have shown that every day that are good for at least one run, although their eight games of just a single run doesn’t necessarily show a monster offense at work.

It hasn’t hurt that Starlin Castro has a hit in 31 of the 36 games he’s played as the No. 3 hitter, and that cleanup man Bryan LaHair has reached base safely in his last 32 games, while leading the club with 10 home runs.

“We have Bryan LaHair. Yes, he’s hitting his homers and stuff like that, but we’re a scrappy team,” DeJesus said. “We don’t ever feel that we’re out of the game. We feel like we have a good offense. When it starts clicking we have guys who can roll and do different types of things, hit for power, hit for average, steal bases. We have a good mixture in our lineup.”

MILWAUKEE -- Tony Campana was quick to pick up on the news that Major League Baseball is considering doing away with a particular pickoff move.

While many people basically yawned over the idea that the fake-to-third, throw-to-first pickoff move could be considered a balk as early as next season, Campana grinned from ear to ear when talking about it Friday.

“That would be awesome,” Campana said, debunking the theory held by many that the move is useless. “Any way that gives a base runner an advantage is good for us. That’s a move that you always have to watch out for, and I have been caught with it before. It’s just one less thing you have to worry about when you’re on the bases and that always helps.”

Campana deduced that he would gain about a half step if the move was outlawed during first-and-third situations. He would then be able to break for second base on a steal attempt with the pitcher’s first move instead of waiting to see if that move was a step toward third.

So what could that potentially translate to in additional stolen bases per season?

“It depends on how many times you get in that situation,” he said. “It could be five more [steals] per year, it could be 10 more, it could be two more.”

Whatever the number is, Campana’s point is that the base stealer won’t be hurt by such a rule change.

“If that’s something you don’t have to think about anymore you can get a lot better jump when there’s a guy on third base,” Campana said. “Anything that gives you the extra step would help.”

CHICAGO -- The Cubs won Sunday’s rain-delayed 11-inning marathon just in the nick of time with a roster that was getting thinner by the second.

Already without Blake DeWitt, who was designated for assignment when the game began, the Cubs were getting short on bodies. Jeff Baker could barely stand because of a recent bout with a flu virus, but he was on deck at one point and nearly entered the game.

Ian Stewart, who was considered to be down for the count with the same illness, got off the clubhouse couch to actually deliver a ninth-inning rally-starting single and score the game-tying run.

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CINCINNATI -- The Reds couldn’t be too displeased over getting a respite from Chicago Cubs speedster Tony Campana, who was not in the starting lineup Thursday.

Soon enough, the Reds will have their own base-running menace, as Single-A prospect Billy Hamilton continues to stir up a ton of attention down at Single-A Bakersfield of the California League.

Hamilton has stolen 30 bases in 25 minor-league games, while batting .381 with a 1.027 OPS. He has more stolen bases than any major league team as he comes off a season when he had 103 steals at Single-A Dayton in 2011.

When he arrives, Hamilton will certainly help a Reds club that was 14th in steals in the National League heading into play Thursday. The Cubs were fourth in steals, helped in that category by Starlin Castro, whose 10 steals were tied for the NL lead, and Campana, who has seven steals in just 10 games.

Steals aren’t easy for Castro now, though, as he seems to have opened the eyes of NL pitchers, who are paying much more attention to him.

Castro has been caught stealing four times this season, with three of those coming over the last five games. All four times he has been caught have come in the last eight games.

CINCINNATI -- The Chicago Cubs might be third in stolen bases in the National League and dead last in home runs, but that doesn’t mean there is a correlation in the numbers.

Manager Dale Sveum shot down a theory that the Cubs are running more to compensate for the fact that they don’t have much power.

“I think it’s very important to put pressure on the other team when you can and take advantage of situations to stay out of double plays,” Sveum said. “Slugging percentage does you no good if the guy ahead of the guy who hits the double just hit into a double play. Then you hit the double with two outs and nobody on.

“It doesn’t make any sense when you can take advantage of a situation to just sit there and say ‘I don’t want to run into an out.’”

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PHILADELPHIA -- The Chicago Cubs went into an early hole, then dug themselves out only to watch the Philadelphia Phillies pull out a 6-4 win in the late innings Monday as the clubs split the four-game series.

How it happened: The Cubs came to life in the eighth inning to tie the game 4-4, but the Phillies grabbed the lead right back again in the bottom of the inning on a two-run double from Placido Polanco. Chris Volstad gave up four runs in the first inning but settled down the rest of the way. Rafael Dolis, who the Cubs are trying to ease into setup duties, gave up the go-ahead double. Bryan LaHair tied the game in the eighth in a two-run home run, his fifth, and went 7-for-15 in the series.

What it means: The Cubs continue to be suspect out of the bullpen and any tight game is an edge-of-your-seat ride. The Cubs outfield was shaded toward right with two runners on base in the bottom of the ninth inning but Polanco ripped his hit to the area of straight-up left field that Alfonso Soriano had vacated, suggesting that Dolis missed his spot by a large margin. Kerry Wood returns from the disabled list later this week but isn’t expected to return to his setup role right away.

Outside the box: Starlin Castro entered play Monday tied for the National League lead in steals at 10. But teammate Tony Campana, who has only been on the roster for 11 days, moved closer to catching him. Campana stole his seventh base in the eighth inning and was on his way to another at third base when Castro singled on the pitch. Campana scored easily on the hit.

Off beat: Soriano finally hit one over the wall. Yes, it was only a ground-rule double in the seventh inning, but for the first time all season Soriano got one to clear the fences in some capacity. He still has no home runs, obviously, and the double was just his second extra-base hit of the season. He did end up scoring after his double and the Cubs tied it an inning later.

Up next: The Cubs will send right-hander Jeff Samardzija (2-1, 4.13 ERA) to the mound in the opener of a three-game series at Cincinnati on Tuesday. The Reds will counter with right-hander Bronson Arroyo (1-0, 2.70) in the 6:10 p.m. start from Great American Ball Park.

PHILADELPHIA -- As a guy that relies on speed and quickness, Chicago Cubs center fielder Tony Campana said it pained him to see Chicago Bulls star Derrick Rose suffer an ACL injury.

“Just thinking about something like that, especially for him, he’s so explosive, his first step and the way he jumps, yeah, I can definitely understand how he’s feeling,” Campana said. “That would be pretty rough.”

Campana has never dealt with a knee injury himself and said he works diligently to make sure his legs are in ideal shape.

“My legs are my career pretty much, so yeah, I try to keep them as healthy as possible,” he said. “When you see something like that you have to cringe. You have to feel for him because he’s a guy that really relies on his legs.”

PHILADELPHIA -- If Tony Campana is hitting baseballs into the air, like he did in his first at-bat Sunday, when he flew out to left field, nothing good will come of it.

Line drives and ground balls are his saving grace and the Chicago Cubs centerfielder showed it when he singled to left field in his second at-bat Sunday against Philadelphia Phillies starter Kyle Kendrick.

With Campana on first base let the fun begin.

The Cubs’ speedster had Kendrick all worked up to the point where the right-hander fired an errant pickoff throw to first base allowing Campana to advance to second base. He then moved to third on a Darwin Barney ground out.

He finished his trip around the bases after tagging up and scoring on Starlin Castro's fly ball to shallow right field. Campana slid just under the glove of Phillies catcher Brian Schneider.

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PHILADELPHIA -- Just because Roy Halladay had retired the first 10 batters he faced Friday didn’t mean Tony Campana was going to go away from what he does best.

Campana bunted for a hit in the fourth inning, becoming the first Cubs base runner off the Philadelphia Phillies ace, and later scored to give the Cubs a lead they would not relinquish in a 5-1 victory Friday in the opener of a four-game series and seven-game road trip.

It was typical Campana, doing whatever he can to disrupt the flow and give his team an edge. He’s been doing it for a week now ever since he was promoted from Triple-A Iowa last weekend.

Afterward manager Dale Sveum confirmed that Campana will be the Cubs starting center fielder about 80 percent of the time. What he didn’t say was what would happen if and when highly-touted center field prospect Brett Jackson is recalled from Iowa at some point this season.

Campana probably won't start Saturday, though, against Phillies right-hander Joe Blanton. Sveum didn't say who might start in center instead, but Reed Johnson is batting .417 (5-for-12) in his career against Blanton.

By Sunday, though, Campana figures to be back in the lineup and running all over the place.

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CHICAGO -- Chicago Cubs manager Dale Sveum might not bat his pitcher eighth like former Cardinals manager Tony La Russa used to do, but he's leaving his own mark by batting his fastest player second.

A speedster like Tony Campana usually is ideal for the leadoff spot because he can get on base to start the game and there is no traffic in front of him to start stealing bags.

But Sveum has a leadoff man he likes in David DeJesus so Campana has been batting second in the few starting chances he's received since being recalled this past weekend. Sveum's spin is that he can tap into other qualities Campana offers.

“DeJesus' on-base percentage has been good; he can drive the ball and hit doubles," Sveum said. “Campana then can bunt him over as well as get a hit when he's bunting him over. It's kind of one of those things that I like DeJesus there and Campana being able to bunt. When he's putting a sacrifice bunt down or bunting for a base hit the odds are pretty good in our favor that he's getting him over and possibly getting on base with a hit."

Asked if he could see moving Campana to the leadoff spot eventually Sveum chuckled and reminded everybody that it's only been a couple of days. But he didn't say he wouldn't do that down the line if DeJesus was struggling or needed a day off.

What has become clear is that Sveum has a traditional National League manager's style, using the sacrifice bunt liberally. He has no qualms about using the first-inning sacrifice bunt.

“I think you have to do it because you're putting pressure on the defense to throw a ball away," Sveum said. “(With Campana bunting) it's going to be bang-bang [at first base] whether it's at somebody or not. And if he pulls off a good bunt he's going to be safe."

It might not hurt that by being in the second hole, Campana isn't thinking about the pressures of setting the table as a leadoff guy and can just do what the situation dictates.

“Campy brings a lot the team," DeJesus said. “He's a special type of player. My job is to get on base for him and make his life easier, bunting the ball and putting pressure on the other teams. If I can do that and have him batting second, the way he's swinging it right now, it's definitely going to help [Starlin Castro, [Bryan LaHair and [Alfonso Soriano with some RBIs."

CHICAGO – Tony Campana’s ability to wreak havoc on the bases is well known. His ability to show some good at-bats since being recalled this weekend is getting him some playing time.

Campana got the start in center field Tuesday and batted out of the No. 2 spot in the lineup as manager Dale Sveum hopes to get even more from his sparkplug.

“You get him in with the right pitchers so you probably need to stay maybe away from velocity guys or whatever,” Sveum said. “Guys that are going to keep the ball on the ground, the guys that are a little slower to the plate, you have to find ways to get that kind of speed in there, things that disrupt pitchers.”

Campana started the season at Triple-A Iowa, so he hasn’t been here for most of the time the major league offense has been stagnant. But his three hits in five at-bats and steals of second and third base after getting aboard Monday night have provided an electric element not present over the first two weeks.

“I know what my job is and it’s to get on base whether that’s starting or coming off the bench,” Campana said. “My job is to have that spark and to get on base where those guys behind me can drive me in so we can score some runs. Hopefully I can steal a bag or two to get in position where I can do that.”

The speed element has definitely been missing from the offense in the early going, but it isn’t as if Campana’s presence will suddenly change the club’s fortunes. As dynamic as his game can be, he still needs help from others in order to score runs.

So even though the offense has looked a little better in recent days, Campana wasn’t about to take the credit.

“I think park of it is guys have started to swing the bat and started missing the gloves of everybody else [on defense], he said. “That’s definitely part of it that has nothing to do with me. It’s just guys hitting the ball a little better. I’m just going about doing my job and getting on base.”

The reality is that the two go hand in hand which is where Campana’s ability to cause nightmares for the opposing pitcher comes into play.

“I like to get reactions out of the pitcher,” he said. “I like to see how many reactions I can get out of people whether I’m on first or third or wherever. I like to get reactions out of pitchers because I think if they’re thinking about me maybe they’ll leave a fastball over the middle plate for the guy hitting.”

CHICAGO -- The offense rallied to tie it in the middle innings Saturday, but the Chicago Cubs bullpen let it get away in a 4-3 defeat to the Cincinnati Reds.

How it happened: Making his first start of the season, Randy Wells worked his way in and out of trouble, managing to give up just two runs over five innings. The offense couldn’t build on its momentum from Saturday, though, and scored just twice, with one of the runs coming after an errant wild pickoff throw. Alfonso Soriano twice made outs with the bases loaded. Starlin Castro was hit in the elbow by a pitch but remained in the game after a visit from the medical staff and later hit a triple in the ninth inning.

What it means: Wells’ five innings means the bullpen worked another four innings on Sunday as it awaits some reinforcement. The fact that Scott Maine pitched 1 2/3 innings Sunday, two days after throwing an inning makes it likely that he is guy on his way back to Iowa as right-hander Michael Bowden gets ready to join the roster Monday. When it comes to innings pitched, though, the Cubs entered Sunday with 42 2/3 innings from its relievers, still in the bottom third among teams in all of baseball.

Outside the box: Manager Dale Sveum made a curious double-switch to start the sixth inning. Joe Mather remained in the game after batting for Wells. But instead of taking the spot of Soriano, who made the last out in the bottom of the fifth, Sveum had Mather replace Bryan LaHair at first base. Mather can play both positions. LaHair had just driven a run in the fifth with a single and improved his batting average to .361. Soriano, who is barely batting over .200, struck out with one out and the bases loaded in the seventh inning.

Off beat: Speed can be a menace on the baseball field and Tony Campana proved to be a particular issue for Reds pitcher Johnny Cueto. After an infield single in the first inning, Campana coaxed Cueto into a balk. In the third inning Cueto rushed on Campana’s sacrifice bunt back up the box, fumbled the ball and couldn’t get the throw to first base in time. Campana nearly reached base a third consecutive time when Cueto bobbled a comebacker, but his throw to first base was just in time. The call still drew an argument from Sveum with first-base umpire Jerry Meals.

Up next: Cubs right-hander Matt Garza (1-1, 3.66 ERA) will take the mound Monday in the opener of a three-game series against the St. Louis Cardinals. St. Louis will counter with left-hander Jamie Garcia in the 7 p.m. start from Wrigley Field.

CHICAGO -- With Darwin Barney getting a day off, Tony Campana found himself in the No. 2 spot of the lineup in his first start this season with the Cubs.

Campana, playing in center field a day after Marlon Byrd was dealt to the Boston Red Sox, was slotted in behind leadoff man David DeJesus. With a .400 on-base percentage that is a whole 133 points better than his batting average, DeJesus has managed to get things going atop the order.

Bryan LaHair continues to occupy the cleanup spot, a position he inherited after the club returned home from its recent road trip to St. Louis and Miami.

The Cubs’ complete lineup for Sunday’s game at Wrigley Field against Reds right-hander Johnny Cueto:

DeJesus, RF
Campana, CF
Starlin Castro, SS
LaHair, 1B
Alfonso Soriano, LF
Ian Stewart, 3B
Geovany Soto, C
Blake DeWitt, 2B
Randy Wells, P