Here’s one big mish-mash of related information. Follow me: the bullpen is struggling, Ted Lilly’s recovering, Carlos Silva is smarting, and things might be changing.
Piniella wouldn’t discount the possibility of Ted Lilly returning after one start at Triple-A Iowa, which would allow him to move Tom Gorzelanny to the bullpen.
“When I get Lilly back, we can make some adjustments,” he said.
Piniella said he will have a better idea after Lilly starts Sunday at Iowa.
Silva pitched six innings of one-run, three hit ball, leaving with a 3-1 lead. He threw only 71 pitches and retired 11 of the last 12 hitters he faced. But Piniella pulled him in the seventh, reasoning that Silva’s shoulder had stiffened up.
Silva said he felt fine.
“I was ready to go out (for the seventh),” Silva said. “They take me out.”
Was he surprised?
“He’s the one that has the call,” Silva said. “Man, it’s like now we ask all these kind of questions because we lost the game. If we won, we wouldn’t get any of these.” chicagotribune.com.
So, as these issues all relate:
Carlos Silva has a stiff shoulder, though he says he’s fine. Normally, this wouldn’t be news, but Silva’s primary problem the last two years? His shoulder. Ted Lilly is coming back from shoulder surgery, possibly a week sooner than planned, which could alleviate any Silva-related concerns. Lilly’s return could also alleviate some of the bullpen-related concerns, as it will push one of Silva or Tom Gorzelanny to the bullpen, which will, in turn, push one of the youngsters back to the minors.