Z taken out early due to back spasms (day-to-day)

[CuseCubFan69]

I think Z should prove he's a workhorse and pitch through this.

 

RumDum, is that you?

 

Guys pitched without heads in 73....ya gotta pitch hurt.

[AlwaysaCub]

If they were looking at his forearm, then he might have had some tingling in it.

 

If that's the case, he should be shut down immediately since that sure is NOT a sign of a muscular problem in the back.

 

Z's had forearm cramping before, right? And it didn't hurt him?

[goonys evil twin]

If they were looking at his forearm, then he might have had some tingling in it.

 

If that's the case, he should be shut down immediately since that sure is NOT a sign of a muscular problem in the back.

 

Z's had forearm cramping before, right? And it didn't hurt him?

 

It's impossible to say it didn't hurt him. Maybe it didn't, or maybe it has. Maybe it's affecting him in a way that will have lasting effects as he reaches his later 20's, a time when some young phenoms start losing their old dominance.

[Outshined_One]

If they were looking at his forearm, then he might have had some tingling in it.

 

If that's the case, he should be shut down immediately since that sure is NOT a sign of a muscular problem in the back.

 

Z's had forearm cramping before, right? And it didn't hurt him?

 

Correct, but my point more had to do with tingling as a result of his back injury rather than anything cramp-related. If you're feeling tingling in your arm and there's nothing wrong with your arm, that could be a sign of something wrong with your spine itself.

[goonys evil twin]

If they were looking at his forearm, then he might have had some tingling in it.

 

If that's the case, he should be shut down immediately since that sure is NOT a sign of a muscular problem in the back.

 

Z's had forearm cramping before, right? And it didn't hurt him?

 

Correct, but my point more had to do with tingling as a result of his back injury rather than anything cramp-related. If you're feeling tingling in your arm and there's nothing wrong with your arm, that could be a sign of something wrong with your spine itself.

 

Are you saying he's a spineless wimp?

[Soriano12]

If they were looking at his forearm, then he might have had some tingling in it.

 

If that's the case, he should be shut down immediately since that sure is NOT a sign of a muscular problem in the back.

 

Z's had forearm cramping before, right? And it didn't hurt him?

 

Correct, but my point more had to do with tingling as a result of his back injury rather than anything cramp-related. If you're feeling tingling in your arm and there's nothing wrong with your arm, that could be a sign of something wrong with your spine itself.

 

Are you saying he's a spineless wimp?

 

Mark Prior is firmly holding down that title

[soccer10k]

Please don't let Z be seriously hurt.

[Laura]

A.P.[/url]"] CHICAGO -- An MRI exam of Carlos Zambrano's back Tuesday revealed no significant damage, but it was unclear when he would be able to pitch again for the Chicago Cubs.

 

Zambrano left Monday's game against the Pirates in the second inning with lower back stiffness.

 

"There is some muscular skeletal spasms that are protecting what you would call early signs of degeneration in his lower back, which athletes are prone to get," Cubs trainer Mark O'Neal said.

 

"Right now he still has some irritation in his lower back, and we're going to treat that. And until he's able to throw a pain-free bullpen, we'll do that. If that takes two days from now, three days from now, a week from now, we can't answer that," O'Neal said.

 

Zambrano doesn't want to push his return.

 

"I want to pitch, but I can't risk my career for this," he said.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

Great, Z's back has fallen off.

[Outshined_One]

Shut him down for cripe's sake!

[Roast]

oh god.

 

can i quit being a cubs fan yet? PLEASE?

[USSoccer]

A.P.[/url]"] CHICAGO -- An MRI exam of Carlos Zambrano's back Tuesday revealed no significant damage, but it was unclear when he would be able to pitch again for the Chicago Cubs.

 

Zambrano left Monday's game against the Pirates in the second inning with lower back stiffness.

 

"There is some muscular skeletal spasms that are protecting what you would call early signs of degeneration in his lower back, which athletes are prone to get," Cubs trainer Mark O'Neal said.

 

"Right now he still has some irritation in his lower back, and we're going to treat that. And until he's able to throw a pain-free bullpen, we'll do that. If that takes two days from now, three days from now, a week from now, we can't answer that," O'Neal said.

 

Zambrano doesn't want to push his return.

 

"I want to pitch, but I can't risk my career for this," he said.

 

I wouldn't trust Mark O'Neal to treat my cat.

[Brian]

"degeneration" ^$#^#^$#^ I don't want that word in a press release about Big Z :(

[UMFan83]

Beautiful. Sounds like something Z will suffer with the rest of his career.

 

For the love of God, just contract this team please. PLEASE PLEASE

[Laura]

Paul Sullivan / The Tribune[/url]"] An MRI on Zambrano's back showed nothing more than irritation, but he will miss at least one start as he waits for the pain to subside.

 

Zambrano sounded as if he eventually will decide to shut himself down for the remainder of 2006.

 

"I want to pitch, but I can't take a risk on my career with this," Zambrano said. "When you have a back problem … sometimes you can [compensate and] hurt your shoulder, and that can be the end of my career in one or two seasons. I don't want that to happen."

 

Trainer Mark O'Neal said there is "no significant irritation" to Zambrano's back.

 

Zambrano has gone from thinking about possibly winning the Cy Young Award to the possibility of blowing a big payday if he hurts himself. With Houston's Roy Oswalt signing a five-year, $73 million extension last week, Zambrano's price tag figures to go up accordingly.

 

He will be a free agent after 2007, and the Cubs probably have to sign him before the start of next season to keep him through 2012.

 

If Zambrano's back is a recurring problem, would they be wise to give him a five-year deal?

 

"I have a history of problems with my back," Zambrano said. "I've had a problem with my back the last three years. One thing people don't know is one of my legs (the right) is longer than the other one, and that's my main problem. We're born like that. All Zambranos are born like that."

[Laura]

The Sullivan article seems to dismiss the notion that this is anything too serious (I'm reserving the right to be suspicious).

 

Does anyone else hear the not-so-distant sound of the PR gears starting to churn? Z is shutting himself down so he can cash in ... ? That's the spin I see here, no mention of how much he has pitched so far and the fact that this is a lost season.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Cubs starters and whether they've been hurt this year

 

Zambrano - Yes

Prior - Yes

Wood - Yes

Maddux - No

Williams - No

Marshall - Yes

Marmol - Yes

Mateo - Yes

Hill - No

Ryu - No

O'Malley - Yes

Rusch - Yes

Guzman - Yes

Walrond - Yes

 

10/14 starters, not bad guys not bad.

 

If you want to include the minors, Ryu sprained his ankle with Iowa.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

The Sullivan article seems to dismiss the notion that this is anything too serious (I'm reserving the right to be suspicious).

 

Does anyone else hear the not-so-distant sound of the PR gears starting to churn? Z is shutting himself down so he can cash in ... ? That's the spin I see here, no mention of how much he has pitched so far and the fact that this is a lost season.

 

I hate the Cubs and their spin. And Sullivan laps it up.

[frostwyrm]

Degeneration in Z's back, and Izturis has degenerative arthritis in his elbow. Can't wait to see who else degenerates.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Degeneration in Z's back, and Izturis has degenerative arthritis in his elbow. Can't wait to see who else degenerates.

 

Hopefully it's not Barrett's nut.... :ohnoes:

[frostwyrm]

Degeneration in Z's back, and Izturis has degenerative arthritis in his elbow. Can't wait to see who else degenerates.

 

Hopefully it's not Barrett's nut.... :ohnoes:

Let's all say a prayer for Michael's nut.

[Andy]

Degeneration in Z's back, and Izturis has degenerative arthritis in his elbow. Can't wait to see who else degenerates.

 

Hopefully it's not Barrett's nut.... :ohnoes:

Let's all say a prayer for Michael's nut.

You weren't doing it already?

[NCCubFan]

Degeneration in Z's back, and Izturis has degenerative arthritis in his elbow. Can't wait to see who else degenerates.

Ever heard of the comedian Ellen DeGenerate? :lol:

[Laura]

Bruce's take suggests that Z needs to focus on his conditioning.

 

Z has seemed to show up in very good shape the last couple of spring trainings, then put on some weight as the season progresses.

 

Bruce Miles / The Daily Herald[/url]"]

If anything, Carlos Zambrano admitted he might have gotten a “little lazy” in his conditioning work, and that might have contributed to his latest back woes.

 

The Cubs’ star right-hander underwent an MRI on Tuesday, and according to team trainer Mark O’Neal, Zambrano is suffering from nothing serious. However, he likely will miss at least 1 start, and it’s still possible he could be out for the remainder of the season.

 

“The fortunate thing for this, which is what we told a few of you (Monday), is that we’ve got two or three years of consecutive MRIs that we were able to compare to, and there’s no significant irritation to his lower back,” O’Neal said.

 

“Nothing has changed significantly with any of the films. There’s no spinal-cord damage. There’s no nerve irritation. There are some muscular-skeletal spasms that are protecting what you would call early signs of degeneration in his low back, which athletes are prone to get.”

 

Zambrano left Monday’s start after 1º innings because of the spasms. The 25-year-old right-hander has had a history of minor back problems, which he said is contributed to by one of his legs being longer than the other. He said that he may need to step up his “core” physical workouts.

 

The Cubs will not allow him to pick up a ball and throw until he is pain free, and no one can predict when that may be.

 

“Right now, he still has some irritation in his low back, and we’re going to treat that,” O’Neal said. “Until he’s able to throw a pain-free bullpen, we’ll do that.

 

“If that takes two days from now, three days from now, a week from now, we can’t answer that. We’re not going to put him in a position to pitch in a game until this thing has calmed down completely.”

 

O’Neal termed the need to do core exercises a “career maintenance thing for every player, not just Carlos.”

[sonofsamiam]

The Sullivan article seems to dismiss the notion that this is anything too serious (I'm reserving the right to be suspicious).

 

Does anyone else hear the not-so-distant sound of the PR gears starting to churn? Z is shutting himself down so he can cash in ... ? That's the spin I see here, no mention of how much he has pitched so far and the fact that this is a lost season.

 

Sullivan has also said on many occasions that he thinks pitch counts, pitcher abuse points, and such are a bunch of hooey. All Cubs pitchers are a bunch of money-grubbing wimps!