Brian Schlitter is the latest Chicago Cub to come down with bad-performance-itis. I kid (sort of), but following his disastrous outing on Friday against the Reds, the Cubs discovered that Schlitter had a “shoulder impingement.” He’ll head to the DL, and Mitch Atkins comes back up from Iowa to take his spot in the bullpen.
Manager Lou Piniella said Schlitter injured the shoulder in his last outing — he allowed five runs on Friday against the Reds — and the cortisone shot he received on Saturday improved his ailment, but not to the degree that he became available out of the bullpen.
Schlitter, who made three appearances since being called up on June 26, will accompany the club to Los Angeles for a four-game game set that closes out of the first half. He will likely be activated to the roster shortly after the All-Star break.
Atkins, who was available to pitch in long relief Wednesday, wasn’t called upon in his June 12-15 stint at the big league level. The 24-year-old went 5-2 with a 3.60 ERA in 18 games (10 starts) for Iowa and now joins a ‘pen that already includes fellow rookies Andrew Cashner, James Russell and Justin Berg, who was recalled on Monday.
“We need some innings out of our bullpen,” Piniella said. “The young kids are going to have to perform.” cubs.com.
Perhaps Atkins will actually get a chance to pitch this time around – he didn’t make an appearance in his last stint with the big club, and he didn’t get into a bullpen-heavy game last night.
The injury to Schlitter makes me remember/wonder: what’s up with Esmailin Caridad these days? He went on the DL (for the second time) with an elbow strain all the way back on May 19, but we haven’t really heard boo since then. Anyone know how he’s doing?
The real question is why hasn’t Samardjia come back up? He’s been lights out in Iowa. I’ve never liked the guy and if the fire sale’s is on, Hendry needs to get his NTC waived and dump him, too. Maybe that’s why Atkins got the call up over him, so as not to damage his trade value.
Think he wasn’t called up in order to press him to waive the NYC?
Or the NTC, even…
Or just to give him a little TLC.
Fucking hate Samardjia (or whatever)…he has proven time and time again he can’t pitch at this level, so let him blossom in AAA and hopefully a sucker will ask for him in a deal for Lilly/Lee/Fukudookie and that can make the return gift a little sweeter.
Exactly. I know Ace isn’t high on trading prospects but if you can package them for a higher talent prospect, then do it. The Cubs haven’t been sellers for a long time so this is kind of a treat. Teams like the Rangers, Mets, Phillies, Dodgers, Red Sox are motivated buyers so use this to upgrade on prospects like Samardjia, Gaub, Atkins, Lalli, Mateo, Berg, Parker and anybody else who can’t win a job on this roster. Don’t just add some prospects, clean out the middle weights in the minors and rebuild the system.