When the going gets tough, the tough get going. But for the Cubs, when the going gets tough, the tough get injured.
Look for the Cubs to place left-hander Ted Lilly on the disabled list today.
Lilly, the Cubs’ lone all-star, had an MRI arthrogram performed on his left shoulder Friday after experiencing soreness in the front part of his shoulder. The procedure involves shooting a dye into the affected area, and manager Lou Piniella acknowledged Lilly likely will be out two weeks. The Cubs said they’ll know the results today.
“Oh, gosh,” Piniella said. “We were just talking about getting (Ryan) Dempster back. We were happy about that. All of a sudden, the Lilly situation. It seems like every time we get player, we lose one. Let’s see what the MRI says on Theodore, and we can go from there.”
Piniella added that Lilly experienced similar problems in Toronto. He spent two stints on the DL in 2005 with what was termed tendinitis. Daily Herald.
….and Lilly was in fact placed on the DL today. The MRI showed minor issues, but the recovery time is still expected to be three to four weeks. Further, Lilly is going to have an arthroscopic procedure done on his troubled knee, which would itself have a recovery time of two weeks. Sigh.
Presumably Lilly will be replaced in the rotation by Sean Marshall, if necessary. But because Ryan Dempster is set to return next week, the Cubs may be able to get by without replacing Lilly’s spot in the rotation, and then Kevin Hart will simply stay in the rotation.
That is unless the Cubs acquire Roy Halladay, of course.