Z may be shut down for the season

[frostwyrm]

Carlos Zambrano may have gone from Cy Young Award candidate to sayonara on Monday afternoon at Wrigley Field.

 

The Cubs ace lasted 1-1/3 innings in a 5-4 loss to Pittsburgh, then said afterward a team physician told him he could be shut down for the rest of the season with a lower-back problem.

 

Zambrano will have an MRI on Tuesday morning. He has experienced back problems in the past, but none since 2004.

 

"I feel like my back was locked," Zambrano said. "The doctor talked to me [about] what can happen, 'If we want to stop you for this year.' I don't know. That's their decision."

 

"I feel like my back was locked," Zambrano said. "The doctor talked to me [about] what can happen, 'If we want to stop you for this year.' I don't know. That's their decision."

 

Trainer Mark O'Neal, however, downplayed the seriousness of the injury.

 

"An MRI is the first thing that needs to be done," O'Neal said. "Carlos has requested to have it done, so we're going to have it done."

 

O'Neal declined to speculate on whether Zambrano would be shut down but said there are no indications of any "significant disc or lower back injury." Cubs pitchers are falling like dominos, with Zambrano the latest to suffer an injury.

 

"We can't get a pitcher through the fifth inning without getting hurt," first baseman Derrek Lee said. "I'm not exactly sure what's going on. Hopefully 'Z' is all right. He's having a great season. We don't need him getting hurt."

 

Even if he does return, Zambrano's chances of winning the Cy Young took a severe blow with Monday's performance. He gave up five runs on four hits and four walks in the shortest outing of his career.

 

Even more disturbing was the fact that Zambrano felt pain beforehand but did not inform manager Dusty Baker. After Ronny Cedeno's throwing error allowed another run in the second, Zambrano decided to quit.

 

"That was my mistake," he said. "I had a problem before the game and didn't tell anybody, trying to be the hero."

 

 

 

I say eliminate any doubt and shut him down now. Z would have no right to complain about it after stupidly trying to be the macho hero in a meaningless game in a lost season.

 

http://chicagosports.chicagotribune.com/sports/baseball/cubs/cs-060904cubszambrano,1,7566846.story?coll=cs-cubs-headlines

[CubsInNC]

Agree. Shut him down. And Z, shame, great shame on you for trying to pitch through that, this particular year. Doesn't he realized that we're so close to the top in the reverse pennant race?

 

In seriousness though, hasn't he paid attention to the number of pitchers we've lost this year due to injury? Does he really think he's immune?

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

I'm all for shutting him down. He's a long shot for the Cy anyways, and this is the best move for the long term. He's been overworked this season and if we're going to do anything next year, we need a healthy Zambrano.

[C.C.]

Shut him down! Which, of course, means that the Cubs won't....

[soccer10k]

Just shut him down. Please, Cubs.

[JeffH]

The Cubs will shut him down pitching-wise, but will use him as a pinch hitter.

 

He will be hit by a pitch, shattering his right elbow and ending his career.

[WeberJazz]

I say shut him down as well -- there is nothing to play for at this point.

 

This of course means that Baker will let him throw +120 pitches in his next start.

[NCCubFan]

The Cubs will shut him down pitching-wise, but will use him as a pinch hitter.

 

He will be hit by a pitch, shattering his right elbow and ending his career.

No, that's not what will happen. He'll be used as a pinch runner, get his spikes caught in mud, and go down with a blown knee and broken ankle.

[Neuby]

Shut him down now and let him get an early start on the offseason.

[CuseCubFan69]

Rest Carlos and get some Z's. Hopefully the Cubs haven't ruined him yet and this is a blessing in diguise. Back injuries do bother me though and this may be a chronic thing for Z for the rest of his career especially if he continues to keep his weight up.

[rynefan]

The only sensible thing to do at this point in this nightmarish season is to shut him down, which means that is exactly what they won't do. But, the good thing is from the clips I've seen, Z himself is being smart and is thinking long term. Hopefully he has a say!

[Dr. Cub]

He should be shutdown of course. I do have one question though; does every professional sports team on earth have a team chiropractor except for the Cubs? It is 2006, right?