Notebook: Mauer’s return on hold

Minnesota Twins catcher Joe Mauer’s return from the disabled list has been delayed.

The reigning American League batting champion, who was hitting .353 when he strained his left quadriceps earlier this month, showed up sore on Wednesday for the second straight day.

“I’m pretty frustrated with the whole thing,” Mauer said. “I want to be back out there as soon as I can. It obviously helps that we’re winning, but I want to make sure it’s right before I get back out there. I don’t want to get back out there and do it all over again.”

The team still hopes to activate Mauer for Friday’s game at Oakland.

Sloppy Cubs meet

The Chicago Cubs held a lengthy players-only meeting, one day after a mistake-filled loss to Florida that manager Lou Piniella said “might be our worst game of the year.”

Piniella and team executives held a long meeting of their own.

“Everybody’s on the same page,” Piniella said. “It has been a little bit frustrating. But everybody’s on the same page and we just go forward.”

The Cubs had lost seven of nine and were third in the National League Central after Tuesday’s 9-4 defeat – certainly not the start they expected after hiring Piniella and committing about $300 million to players in the off-season.

Clearing the bases

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Jason Schmidt worked six shutout innings in a rehabilitation assignment for the Inland Empire 66ers of the California League. Schmidt has been sidelined since the middle of April with shoulder inflammation. … Guillermo Mota received plenty of support from his teammates when he joined the New York Mets after serving a 50-game suspension for testing positive for a performance-enhancing substance. Mota responded by pitching two scoreless innings against San Francisco. … Baltimore pitcher Jamie Walker is celebrating the birth of a child whose name is certain to get attention in Detroit. Walker, who spent the past five years playing for the Tigers, christened son James Leyland. But, no, it’s not in honor of Tigers manager Jim Leyland. The lad is actually named after Jamie’s dad, James Walker, and his wife Natalie’s grandfather, Leyland Estes. … Barry Bonds is 10 home runs away from breaking Hank Aaron’s career record – and insists it’s still too early to talk about the record. “We’re not there yet,” he said. “We’re not even close enough to even discuss it.”