31-year-old Scales finally makes big league debut

When he heard that his manager _ his first-ever big league skipper _ had called him a "kid," Bobby Scales couldn't help but smile.

"Sounds good to me," he said. "Maybe we can hoodwink him and make him think I'm 26."

Scales is 31 years and seven months old, so he wasn't about to fool Lou Piniella. But the "kid" did impress the Chicago Cubs manager Tuesday in his major league debut.

After 11 years of bouncing around the minor leagues _ dreaming and hoping and yearning for just a chance to perform on baseball's biggest stage _ Scales started at second base at Wrigley Field. He singled sharply to left field in …