The injuries continue to pile up for the Chicago Cubs. The team has been
without starter Mark Prior (Achilles', elbow) for the whole
season and Mark Grudzielanek (Achilles') since the beginning of
April. This week, the team added two more of its starters to the 15-day
disabled list.
Starting pitcher Kerry Wood was placed on the 15-day disabled
list on Thursday due to a triceps injury. He is expected to be activated
when eligible to return next weekend, but he still has to serve a
five-game suspension which might see him out until the beginning of
June. The club will likely turn to Glendon Rusch to fill the hole
in the rotation. He is not worth adding in NL-only leagues unless the
matchup is extremely favorable.
Outfielder Sammy Sosa suffered a sprained ligament in his lower
back after a powerful sneeze over the weekend. The jovial slugger said
he felt like he was "95 years old." He is no stranger to odd injuries,
as he once missed a game after sleeping on his shoulder the wrong way.
Sosa was placed on the 15-day disabled list and will be replaced in
right field by Todd Hollandsworth. Prospect Jason DuBois
will also get some at-bats after being recalled from Triple-A Iowa.
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| Sammy Sosa is on the 15-day disabled list with a back injury caused by a sneeze.(Getty Images) | |
Here are some other strange injuries that have occurred over the years
to make Sosa feel a little bit better about his unfortunate injury,
although
Cal Ripken Jr. is likely somewhere shaking his head:
Second baseman Bret Barberie was once held out of the lineup after
inadvertently rubbing chili juice in his eye.
Hall of Fame third baseman Wade Boggs missed a handful of games after
straining his back while pulling on a pair of cowboy boots.
Hall of Fame pitcher Bob Feller was scalded with near-boiling water when
he lost control of a hose for the whirlpool, burning himself below the
waste. He was unable to perform baseball activities for nearly a week.
Pitcher Dwight Gooden once missed a start after teammate Vince Coleman
hit him with a golf club in the team clubhouse by mistake.
Outfielder Terry Harper of the Braves injured his shoulder after giving
another player a high-five.
Outfielder Glenallen Hill was unable to play for a few games after
falling out of his bed due to a nightmare about spiders. He jumped from
the bed, fell through a glass table and crawled through the broken glass
suffering multiple cuts.
Minnesota's Kent Hrbek missed the final 10 games in 1990 due to a
sprained ankle. He suffered the injury after wrestling with a clubhouse
attendant.
Pitcher Jeff Juden had one of his scheduled starts pushed back in 1994
after getting an infection from a tattoo.
Pitcher Carlos Perez missed time after breaking his nose in a car
accident. The wreck occurred as he was trying to pass the team bus.
Catcher Mickey Tettleton was once placed on the 15-day disabled list due
to a severe bout of athlete's foot. The irritation was the result of
tying his shoes too tight.
Mets disable starter Leiter
The Mets placed Al Leiter on the 15-day disabled list Thursday
because of tendinitis in his left shoulder. There are rumors floating
around that the veteran is suffering from a frayed labrum and might have
damage to his rotator cuff that might require an arthroscopy. Leiter
will try to work through pain for the remainder of the season, but he
might be lost at any time, especially if the season goes on and the Mets
fall out of contention for a playoff spot.
It appears the team will plug Tyler Yates into the rotation on
Saturday against Colorado to replace him. Yates might be worth using for
this favorable matchup. Yates has a lot of potential and might be worth
keeping when Leiter is able to return just in case he suffers a setback
that requires season-ending surgery. Yates is one of the club's solid
young arms that provides fans of the Mets a glimmer of hope for the
future after a few disappointing seasons.
Anderson learns source of ailment
The Anaheim Angels finally found out what the source of Garret
Anderson's (back) injury. He was diagnosed with undifferentiated
inflammatory arthritis after consulting with a team physician and
rheumatologist. The All-Star is expected to be treated with oral
medications before beginning light workouts either on a treadmill or in
a pool. He is still likely out until at least after the All-Star break.
With Anderson out at least six to eight more weeks, Chone Figgins
remains a solid player in all AL-only leagues. Figgins appears to have
locked up a permanent spot in manager Mike Scioscia's lineup with his
solid all-around play. He will split time between third base and the
outfield, increasing his Fantasy appeal from an eligibility perspective.
Prior sharp in first rehab start
Mark Prior (Achilles', elbow) was sharp in his first rehab start
in Class A. He threw three hitless innings for the Lansing Lugnuts,
allowing one walk while striking out five. The outing was successful,
although Prior complained that his breaking balls were poor. He threw
primarily fastballs. He will make one more start in Class A before
moving on to make one start for Triple-A Iowa. Prior is targeting the
first weekend of June for his return against the Pirates.
Promising rookie injures thumb
The Texas Rangers will have to do without rookie catcher Gerald Laird
for at least one month after he suffered a torn ligament in his left thumb in
Thursday's game with the Royals. The injury opens the door for Rod
Barajas to start. He is a decent pickup in AL-only leagues as a No.
2 catcher. The team will decide between Danny Ardoin and Ken
Huckaby as the backup. Neither is useful from a Fantasy perspective.
