Illness bug bites Harden
MESA, Ariz. _ Rich Harden won't start today's televised (Channel 9) game against the Padres as originally scheduled. He's come down with a flu-like illness and will pitch a simulated game on the back field and then head home. Mitch Atkins, whom the Cubs already optioned out to Iowa, will start in Harden's place. Derrek Lee won't play until tomorrow against the White Sox in Glendale. Lee has been bothered by a sore right quad, but the Cubs say he'll go through a full workout and take batting practice today.
The lineup:
Soriano, LF
Theriot, SS
Hoffpauir, 1B
Bradley, RF
Ramirez, 3B
Fontenot, 2B
Soto, C
Fuld, CF
Atkins, P
Aaron Heilman said he was "disappointed" in not winning the fifth-starter's spot, but he added that his results didn't "speak as loudly as I wanted them to" as he lost out to Sean Marshall. Heilman now goes to the bullpen, where he pitched for the Mets the past several years.
Corey Koskie arrived this morning, one day after leaving the game against the Mariners because he wasn't feeling good. We may talk to him later. Koskie is trying to make a comeback from post-concussion syndrome. We have no word yet on the nature of what ailed Koskie yesterday.
From Rotoworld.
Corey Koskie said Saturday that he's retiring following his latest setback with post-concussion syndrome.
Koskie, who had missed 2 1/2 seasons since going down in mid-2006, was attempting a return with the Cubs as a bench player. It's a real shame that his career has to end this way, but at least he did make more than $26 million and he should be able to live a pretty normal life from here on in with the progress he's made over the last year or so. The 35-year-old hit .275/.367/.458 with 124 homers in nine seasons. He won his owners a lot of fantasy leagues in 2001, when he hit .276 with 26 homers, 103 RBI, 100 R and 27 steals. He never had more than 71 RBI or 11 steals in any other season.
Lou said Harden was too ill from a stomach bug to pitch in the simulated game today. So they sent him home. Harden should get a start early next week, and Lou said this current development shouldn't set him back from starting the fourth game of the regular season, at Milwaukee. Lou says he wants all righties to face the Brewers.
D-Lee probably won't go now until Sunday, Lou said. The Cubs are being extra careful with Lee's sore right quad.
Expect to see both Kevin Gregg and Carlos Marmol in today's game. The closer decision may come next week, and Lou may try to have each work more than 1 inning in a game before spring training ends.
Disregard! didn't see the Koskie part at the bottom!
Koskie met with the Cubs training staff today. He expects to make a decision on his future tomorrow. We don't expect to talk with him until the morning.
I hope he's able to live a normal life.
Bruce, please tell him we're all pulling for him!
He seems like a really nice guy.