Lilly to DL, to have knee surgery
The Cubs get a two-fer with Teddy Ballgame today. Lefty Ted Lilly will go on the DL with an inflamed left shoulder. He'll also have his left knee scoped Monday. He expects to miss 4-5 starts. That's probably an optimistic view. My guess he's out at least a month.
To take Lilly's spot on the roster, the Cubs called up Justin Berg from Class AAA Iowa. Berg is a sinkerballer who will go to the bullpen. At Iowa, he was 4-1 with a 2.00 ERA. He allowed only 1 homer in 36 innings. Pitching has been a problem at Iowa this season. Mitch Atkins had another rough outing in a 16-8 loss last night, when the Cubs had to use infielder Nate Spears to finish on the mound.
Lilly said the shoulder "got my attention" the day after his rough start in Philly this week.
The upshot is that once Ryan Dempster comes off the DL, the Cubs will have a rotaton of Carlos Zambrano, Dempster, Rich Harden, Randy Wells and Kevin Hart. Lou did not seem to think the Cubs would try to acquire a veteran starting pitcher in a trade.
Lou also said veteran reliever B.J. Ryan will report to Iowa Monday. The reports say Ryan has been throwing well in Arizona. He could join Sean Marshall as a second lefty in the pen before long. Lou called Marshall "an interesting choice" to rejoin the rotation but that for now, that choice would leave the Cubs without a lefty in the pen.
"I don't think that's the best of all worlds," Lou said.
Lineup
Johnson, Cf
Theriot, SS
Lee, 1B
Ramirez, 3B
Fukudome, RF
Soriano, LF
Fontenot, 2B
Hill, C
Hart, P
That was some pretty darned good stuff Hart was throwing in the first few innings. Was he bringing a middle 90s fastball with some life in his last start?
how is he doing with his 2nd and 3rd pitches? if not so good send him down and let him work on them.....when he is ready bring back and turn him loose on the NL......
must think everyone is stupid......
I don't care why Bradley is out of the lineup vs RH pitching, as long as he is out!
But the same can NOT be said of Hoffpauir. Unless he is hurt, and no one has mentioned it, he certainly needs to be playing RF instead of having Johnson in Center.
He is more likely to be traded than almost anyone else, and that is a real shame. Have you heard anything particular.
haven't seen him much lately......must be in lou's dog house
will do that to players!!!
And regarding Koyie Hill. He's a *back up* catcher. Back up catchers have 1 requirement: be a good catcher! and that is what Hill brings...he's definitely not on the roster to provide back up offense to Soto. Defense > Offense for a back up catcher.
Hill's fine IMO.
Knee stuff is never fun. If it's just a clean up/torn meniscus (something I've had twice), it will be a month easy, maybe 5-6 wks.
Ugh!
had a 3-1 on soriano before he singled, then walked Fontenot to load the bases and Hill comes up and swings at the first pitch, ugh is right.....
Bruce, do you think the Cubs might send Jeff Samardzija to Iowa to stretch out as a starter again when Dempster comes off the DL? It seems the most logical thing to do, since they don't even have any other candidates for callup. Jose Ascanio got ripped in the early going in his last couple starts after being untouchable first time through the order in his previous starts.
Lou said they thought of starting Samardzija tomorrow and Harden back to Monday. It'll be either Stevens or Samardzija.
Unfortuately, for many reasons, the only way I see this team improving is to get a SS or 2B and a real closer. Get a shortstop and move Theriot over ... or just get a 2B. Jim still has the Orioles #, right?
They won't get Sherrill. MacPhail is asking for any two of Castro, Vitters, Cashner and Carpenter just to start. They are not moving Theriot to second.
Hendry and Beane have some trade history now. Maybe the Cubs can acquire Orlando Cabrera for a reasonable amount of cash/prospects. He's a free agent after this season, and has been swinging a hot bat since end of June. I think he only has $1.4M left on his deal. Acquiring him would give the Cubs an option to move Theriot to 2B, if they want to. If not, Cabrera can play 2B.
Sheesh, the Holliday trade really has the hopes of selling GMs up, huh?
So, the inflammation is on Lilly's non-throwing arm then?
Why isn't Bradley in the line-up? Is he being traded?
Maybe the Cubs should look to upgrade in the rotation. Kevin Hart doesn't inspire a lot of confidence with his high base-on-balls rate.
Lou said it was a day off for who knows what reason. He'll play tomorrow _ for the Cubs.
did it again, 1st inning Reed gets a double, has decent speed and is in scoring position and Len say "Ryan will try to hit to the right side to move Reed", so Theriot bunts him to 3rd, giving up an out for the 6th time this year in the 1st inning......i mean we're not facing sandy kofax!.....Bruce what month was that SI article of Earl Weaver in? was looking for it but couldn't find so I ordered his book on strategy....interested on how his mind worked.......
The story ran two or three weeks ago in the "Where are they now" issue. I don't agree with giving up outs, either. Don Baylor did that bunt stuff with EY and Ricky Gutierrez all the time, and he played for Earl Weaver.
thanks, i really appreciate
... for wishful thinking! :)
I'll fix it if I messed it up.
Thanks Bruce. Perhaps, I'm over-reacting, but I think the loss of Lilly is devastating. At the same time, he clearly did not look right on Monday night, so it's obvious something needed to be taken care of...
What's the news on Soto? Hill's a great story and sound defensively, but offensively the guy can't hit consistently and he takes way too many pitches.
Lou says he'll start swinging a regular bat today after using a fungo bat. They're still talking first week of August. We shall see.
Trying to process too much info.