"Randy Wells peered into the empty locker next to his and looked back up in surprise.

''Man, I didn't even notice anything,'' said the Cubs pitcher who had a locker next to Carlos Zambrano's on this trip. ''I was pitching today, and nobody told me anything.''

Potential Emmy nominations aside, Wells' continued efforts to regain form — and status in the Cubs' starting rotation — gained significance with the events Zambrano set in motion Friday night.

Wells pitched five good-enough innings before stumbling in the sixth to earn his third win in five starts Saturday, beating the Atlanta Braves 8-4.

And with the Cubs potentially down to only Matt Garza and Ryan Dempster locked into next year's rotation, how Wells does in his last eight starts could go a long way toward determining how much pitching the Cubs feel they need to add over the winter."