Cubs Ace, aces his test!

After the game the Cubs announced that the MRI/Arthrogram performed on Carlos Zambrano's right pitching shoulder showed absolutely NO structural damage. Specifically there was no evidence of a labrum injury or rotator cuff tear. There was some inflammation in the back of the shoulder which probably refers to the infraspinatus muscle, hence the Tribune reporting the test showed a minor shoulder strain.

The infraspinatus is the posterior of the four muscles that make up the rotator cuff. Cuff tears are mostly synonymous for a tear in the supraspinatus tendon which is the superior muscle and tendon. The muscle in front is the subscapularis and the teres minor is posterior below the infraspinatus. A mild muscle strain implies some inflammation but no significant stretch or tear of the muscle fibers. So with no structural damage and a collective sigh from all places Cub Blue, the conservative thing is to let Zambrano's shoulder rest for two starts. Supposedly they discussed this with Z and they wanted to know if he should miss only one start (vs. Baltimore) or two starts (at US Comisk-ular). Rumor has it that when Zambrano was told he would not bat in an AL team home park he opted to miss two starts.

Tags: 
Carlos Zambrano injury
Submitted by Dr. Joseph Hecht on Fri, 06/20/2008 - 6:30pm
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Comments

Submitted by Transmission
on Fri, 06/20/2008 - 6:37pm

May I ask, is that a "rumor" in that you are re-reporting a rumor someone else heard, or a way to tip us off that you heard something directly from some horse's mouth?  Either way, it's a fun bit of info.  And thanks for passing on the encouraging news!

Submitted by Cubster
on Fri, 06/20/2008 - 6:52pm

just having fun implying Z would rather hit than pitch.

Rumors on the radio have ranged from a retroactive DL stint from last Wednesday to him just missing the one start against Baltimore.

If he does miss two starts including a retroactive DL event, rumor's have said they will call up Sean Marshall to pitch the two outings in Z's slot.

No press mention of the infraspinatus muscle, but that's the anatomy of the posterior shoulder and strain is always a reference to muscle injury (strains are muscle injuries, sprains are ligament injuries).

Submitted by crunch
on Fri, 06/20/2008 - 7:07pm

j.lieber has pitched 4.2ip this month. he's getting blanco'd.

Submitted by 10man
on Sat, 06/21/2008 - 10:25am

Well, Lieber is the long man, and the starters have been going longer, so Lieber has been going shorter.

Submitted by nohit
on Fri, 06/20/2008 - 7:08pm

Is there going to be baseball in Boston tonight?

Submitted by Cubster
on Fri, 06/20/2008 - 7:39pm

Is there going to be baseball in Boston tonight?
=========
yes. why are the Red Sox wearing green jerseys?

Submitted by nohit
on Fri, 06/20/2008 - 8:13pm

Colorblindness?

Submitted by crunch
on Fri, 06/20/2008 - 8:57pm

celtics...

rsox and celtics owners are in a booth with all their recent hardware on display on the skybox booth ledge. they're partying old people style.

Submitted by carlosrubi
on Fri, 06/20/2008 - 7:52pm

Sigh of relief. Collective sigh of relief.

But I never panicked. Thank God.

Submitted by Arizona Phil
on Fri, 06/20/2008 - 8:04pm

Sean Marshall's last three starts at Iowa as he has been trying to get stretched out  to 90+ pitches...

16.0 IP
14 H
5 R (5 ER)
2 BB
11 K
1.00 WHIP
2.81 ERA
.225 OBA
20/14 GO/FO

Sean's last start was yesterday (Thursday), so he should be ready for 90-100 pitches in his next start, which can be as early as next Tuesday (or whenever he is needed after that).  

Submitted by Rudiger
on Fri, 06/20/2008 - 8:37pm

It's safe to say Rich Hill won't be the one to take Zambrano's start. His line tonight:
IP H R ER BB K
0.2 3 6 6 4 1

Plus an HBP, a wild pitch, and a wild pickoff throw!

Submitted by The E-Man
on Fri, 06/20/2008 - 8:37pm

THANKS for the good news, CUBSTER!

I know some of you hate Ozzie, but I got a chuckle out of this:

Guillen was on a roll before the game and got in another shot at one of his favorite targets, Wrigley Field. Especially the batting cage under the right field bleachers.

“You go to take batting practice and the rats are bigger than pigs out there. You want to take a look? I think the rats are lifting weights,” he said.

Submitted by eli18
on Fri, 06/20/2008 - 8:48pm

it really was priceless having kenny williams and ozzie freely admitting the collective inferiority complex that sox nation suffers from...

Submitted by Ryno
on Fri, 06/20/2008 - 9:00pm

It's time we put a scout in Iceland. Just sayin'...

Submitted by jacos
on Fri, 06/20/2008 - 9:40pm

So Z is alive, correct?

Submitted by navigator
on Fri, 06/20/2008 - 11:03pm

RICH HILL didn't make it out of the first inning tonight

Anderson Hernandez flies out to right fielder Josh Kroeger.
Argenis Reyes walks.
With Chris Aguila batting, throwing error by Rich Hill on the pickoff attempt, Argenis Reyes to 2nd.
With Chris Aguila batting, wild pitch by Rich Hill, Argenis Reyes to 3rd.
Chris Aguila hit by pitch.
Coaching visit to mound.
Valentino Pascucci walks. Chris Aguila to 2nd.
Raul Gonzalez singles on a ground ball to right fielder Josh Kroeger. Argenis Reyes scores. Chris Aguila scores. Raul Gonzalez to 2nd. Valentino Pascucci advances to 3rd, on fielding error by right fielder Josh Kroeger.
Jesus Feliciano singles on a line drive to pitcher Rich Hill. Valentino Pascucci scores. Raul Gonzalez to 3rd.
Gustavo Molina walks. Jesus Feliciano to 2nd.
Abraham Nunez walks. Raul Gonzalez scores. Jesus Feliciano to 3rd. Gustavo Molina to 2nd.
Ruddy Lugo strikes out swinging. Wild pitch by pitcher Rich Hill. Jesus Feliciano scores. Gustavo Molina to 3rd. Abraham Nunez to 2nd.
Anderson Hernandez singles on a ground ball to third baseman Casey McGehee. Gustavo Molina scores. Abraham Nunez to 3rd.
Pitcher Change: Gregory Reinhard replaces Rich Hill, batting 9th.

Submitted by crunch
on Sat, 06/21/2008 - 12:24am

puke.

Submitted by Jeff_Pico
on Sat, 06/21/2008 - 12:28am

What a hard and fast fall for Rich Hill. I wonder how long they keep trotting him out there to walk 4 or 5 guys per inning? Very very sad.

Submitted by Charlie
on Sat, 06/21/2008 - 8:47am

It's quite possible he's still having mechanical problems. With a good next start, he's right back where he was a week ago. The really worrisome part of this is Hill's history of considering mental processes more than his mechanics or execution. Ignore the pyscho-analysis for a while, Rich, and start executing your pitches.

Submitted by Wes
on Sat, 06/21/2008 - 9:18am

I agree with that.

On the one hand, you'd expect him to be able to handle the few slight mechanical changes to shorten his wind up that Lou and Larry wanted him to make. You have to expect some struggles with that, but that shouldn't mean that everything just falls apart and you can't throw a stike.

On the other hand, since we're 4 or 5 months since they made that change in his delivery and it's CLEARLY not working, it seems to me that he ought to be allowed to go back to his old mechanics.

I mean, really, which one is worse? The 5.88 he has at Iowa right now with nobody running on him OR posting a 3.82 in the show when everybody under the sun can take a free base? Should be a no-brainer.

Maybe there's something we don't know. It's really puzzling.

All that said, it certainly is a blessing that we're getting 3-3 with a 3.92 from Gallagher in his 8 starts. And more than 6 innings per start, too.

Submitted by The E-Man
on Sat, 06/21/2008 - 9:52am

"Maybe there's something we don't know. It's really puzzling."

I'd have to agree with this. Bruce Levine just mentioned this on his "Talking Baseball" Show on ESPN 1000, my Saturday morning addiction.

Levine said indeed it is really puzzling and Hill's career is on the line.

Submitted by Chifan
on Sat, 06/21/2008 - 10:56am

Maybe Jimbo should bring in Rick Peterson to be Hill's personal pitching coach. His problems seem to be mental and maybe Peterson's Phil Jackson like zen approach will work for him.

Submitted by 10man
on Sat, 06/21/2008 - 10:23am

"The 5.88 he has at Iowa right now with nobody running on him OR posting a 3.82 in the show when everybody under the sun can take a free base"

Greg Maddux and his 350 career wins would say "steal all you want, amigos."

Submitted by Wes
on Sat, 06/21/2008 - 8:25am

Hey, it's alright. Only one of those base hits actually left the infield.

/sarcasm

6 runs on 3 hits. That's a special kind of failure.

Submitted by Dr. aaron b
on Sat, 06/21/2008 - 9:54am

Iowa's defense is AWFUL. Mid 1990's Greg Maddux would have some struggles with that crew behind him.

Submitted by WISCGRAD
on Sat, 06/21/2008 - 10:15am

ESPN reports Zambrano will go on DL.

Submitted by Cubster
on Sat, 06/21/2008 - 10:27am

ESPN 1000 radio said EPat brought back from Iowa...not sure if he's taking Z's spot (retroactive DL).

Submitted by Cubster
on Sat, 06/21/2008 - 11:49pm

Epilogue:

To DL or not-DL, that is the question. Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer...

http://tinyurl.com/56xaf8

"I don't like to pitch in American League ballparks [anyway]," Zambrano said. "I feel bored. The games are too long. I like the National League. You're competing and no one has to come in for me and do the DH part.

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