Cubs Suffer Simultaneous Rotation Injuries

There is no use denying that as a Mariner fan I took great delight in the happenings surrounding Carlos Silva this spring. There are few players that I have rooted harder against than he, and to see his self-appraisal turn out to be delusional gave me joy at a time when Spring Training was wearing thin. With the season beginning, I was prepared to toss Silva out of mind and get on with following the many interesting stories cropping up from those that play Major League baseball.

That is, until this morning when I was greeted with the following two notices in rapid succession.

Yes, it appears that both Andrew Cashner and Randy Wells are headed to the disabled list in Chicago. Not one week into the season and the Cubs now need to replace two of their starting pitchers. If Carlos Silva had been just slightly less of a egotistical me-first prima donna, he would likely be filling one of those holes and have a chance to prove his worth to either the Cubs or other teams in the league. Instead, he is wherever he is. Enjoying his paid year probably, but a baseball leper nonetheless for the time being.

The question concerning Cubs fans is how serious these injuries are and who does enter the voids left by Cashner and Wells. The answer to the former appears to be not traumatic in the long run. Cashner has been diagnosed with a mild rotator cuff strain and will get two weeks of rest before a re-evaluation. The Cubs are likely to be overly cautious with Cashner and that could prolong his stay on the disabled list past what is normal for his injury.

Wells’ injury is reportedly a strain to his forearm which is much better news than it being in the elbow or shoulder. Nothing further is known at the moment, but forearm injuries are rarely season-threatening for pitchers. But they can linger and might take Wells off the team for a month or so.

Casey Coleman is almost surely getting one of the call ups, and the other might be a more fluctuating assignment given to whomever is best fit when the team has a need for a fifth starter. Chicago has the next three Thursdays off from baseball so some juggling of the rotation around those days can help lessen the burden on the newer new guy. Of course, with all the roster movement on going in the early weeks, the chances are also there for the Cubs to pick up someone off waivers or who was recently released. I heard Jarrod Washburn is still looking for a job. Either way, it’s a tough blow for Chicago especially so close together and so soon into the season.