And they hired Piniella in October 2006. From the day Piniella took the job, he talked about changing the Cubs' culture, which meant making it more serious. If a base had to be thrown to get the team's attention, he was the man to throw it.

"He doesn't even have to say anything to get you going," said Mark DeRosa, an infielder. "He just gives you a look. It's the same look your dad gives you."

For the first two months of this season, Piniella's look was usually blank. He criticized players and grumbled about the makeup of the roster, sounding more like a curmudgeon than a motivational guru.

The Cubs waited for Piniella to release his frustrations on an umpire, the way he used to do in New York, Cincinnati, Seattle and Tampa Bay. But his signature outburst never came. Piniella stewed on the bench through April and May.

On June 1, before the Cubs started a three-game series against Atlanta, Piniella told reporters that he could not spark his team simply by screaming at an umpire. But on June 2, he charged onto the field anyway, protesting a call he had no reason to argue.

"When I think about our turnaround, I think first about Lou's blowup," said Will Ohman, a relief pitcher. "It felt like all 25 players, the whole coaching staff and every Cub fan on the planet was erupting at exactly the same moment."

Piniella, who has been ejected 60 times in his major league managing career, has heard this theory and is not buying it. He believes that his tirade simply coincided with less sensational and more substantive developments.

"There were a lot of things," he said.

Alfonso Soriano found his hitting stroke. Zambrano started pitching like an ace. The Cubs traded Barrett to San Diego. And they called up a 5-foot-8 second baseman named Mike Fontenot, who led the National League in hitting in June.

With Fontenot at second base and Ryan Theriot at shortstop, the Cubs have a new double-play combination that goes a long way back. Fontenot and Theriot have been turning two together since they won the national championship at Louisiana State in 2000.

"I'm seeing more and more LSU shirts here," Fontenot said. "The other day, I even saw an LSU banner in the outfield."

Fontenot and Theriot do not hit for a lot of power or take up much space on the payroll. But they make contact, run the bases and field the grounders that are hit to them. They are, as baseball managers like to say, fighters.

So they fit perfectly with this year's Cubs. While Lee sat out Wednesday, serving the beginning of his five-game suspension for his fight with Young, Zambrano pitched five shutout innings and then gave credit to his catcher, Koyie Hill.

"I don't have a problem with catchers," said Zambrano, a humorous reference to Barrett, whose lip he split during the clubhouse fracas last month.

Zambrano and the Cubs have apparently reached the point where they can joke about their previous dysfunction. They are at peace with it.

Changing fortunes

A look at the Cubs' turnaround:

Chicago went from being nine games below .500 on June 2 to six games over .500 on July 19.

The Cubs have gone 8-3-1 in their past 12 series, including two series wins over division-leader Milwaukee.

Despite the Brewers' strong play in June, the Cubs have made up four games in the NL Central standings.