NEWSLETTER
Various reports circulated this weekend that the latest flare-up of Chicago Cubs first baseman Derrek Lee’s neck spasms, which have kept him out of the last couple games, was caused by a celebratory head smack by relief pitcher Angel Guzman. Once the OMG-this-could-only-happen-to-the-Cubs hand wringing was over, Derrek Lee took a moment to clear the air.
The Cubs first baseman was not available because of the spasms, which he said were probably the result of a combination of his slide into second base on Thursday and possibly some exuberant congratulations in the duguout.
Guzman had been named as the guilty party but didn’t recall doing anything.
“I don’t know why people are saying that — that’s not true,” Lee said about blaming Guzman. “I don’t know what it was. It could’ve been the slide. When I sat down, it locked up.”
Lee stole second in the ninth to set up Jeff Baker’s game-winning two-run homer. When he got back to the dugout, he was slapped on the head by his teammates, and the double whammy may have aggravated his neck spasms. Lou Piniella called it a “love tap.” Muskat Ramblings.
Derrek Lee is expected to return before the season ends, hopefully to add to his already impressive totals on the 2009 season.
