"Stephen Gryzlo"? We Have No Idea Who You're Talking About

It doesn't take Dr. Stephen Gryzlo to tell you that the Cubs are in danger of having a
"missed appointment" with destiny in the 2008, World Series.

Things aren't looking too great as a Cubs fan right about now. First you have an offense that gets shutout by the likes of Randy Wolf. Then you have a pitcher who's already talked about issues with discomfort or a strain in shoulder, which crop up after giving an extra two days off because of a fatigued or "dead arm", even though normally you would expect him to "skip a turn".

If this was two years ago, you'd have people screaming about hiding arm issues and telling us one thing while the pitcher was off to a magnetic resonance imaging for a "tired arm". Perhaps before he officially gets disabled, I hope he can have his triceps looked at during a full examination or at least visit an orthopedist.

And that's just Chad Blasko.

__________________________

Livin' just a little, laughin' just a little, ain't easy.

let me know if they're working properly again.

OK, no talk about injuries...how about talking about an inept offense.
Great cure coming up. Bronson Arroyo who has given up a whopping 4 runs in his last 3 starts covering 23 innings.

Cubs offense this week reminds me of the last week of 2004 when a great offense just died. That year, due to the hurricane, Cubs played something like 26 games in the final 25 days of the season. This year, the slump was at the end of a 13 day stretch and 20games in 20 days including the DH in Atlanta. When an offense as consistantly good as the Cub takes such a deep turn south, I wonder how much fatigue settles in. Maybe 2 days off in the next 5 and 3 in the next 12 will be the cure to all our ills....

or not.

oh good. we can still say "boobs"

__________________________

That's Manila with an "L"

I think we're abouot due for a Fonzie carry us on his back-hot streak.

add cancelled MRI arthrogram to the list

...oops, I shouldn't have said that

__________________________

2 weeks until the Winter Meetings...Woo!

The scene: Cubs clubhouse, September 3, 2008, 11:00 p.m.

Lou: OK, well, Bob, tough homestand, huh? Oh well, onward and upward, as they say. Here's your plane ticket for tomorrow.

Howry: Thanks. [reads] Hey, this doesn't say "Cincinnati." It says "Changchun." Isn't that the capital and largest city of China's Jilin province?

Lou: Uh, that's a typo. See you at the ballpark.

__________________________

"Kids, you tried your best and you failed miserably. The lesson is: never try." -- Homer

Other nominees:

"Towel drill"
"Long toss"
"Throwing off flat ground"
"Bases loaded, one out, DLee coming up"
"Howry is up in the bullpen"

"1969"

__________________________

Equal Opportunity Offender

"In Dusty We Trusty"

__________________________

Fire Hendry!!!

Quick congrats to former Cubbie Scott McClain on his first MLB home run yesterday. Dude earned it.

__________________________

The Todd Zeile of Internet handles.

"...and Neifi! Perez is in the on-deck circle."

Yeah, but how 'bout those I-Cubs, eh boys?! Seriously, I try to fight the curse/superstition mentality but we were 51-19 @ Wrigley & riding a seven-gamer when my two sons & I piled into the car @ dawn on Saturday & left Des Moines bound for Chicago & our first eyewitness games of this glorious year. I'm starting to feel personally responsible for all that's happened since...

Dr. Stephen Gryzlo -

Lou calls him Griswald.

"He's taking us to uh,uh, uh Wally World.

It' relaxing.
Good time.
uh
uh
uh
Something we need."

__________________________

I hate to advocate drugs, alcohol, violence, or insanity to anyone, but they've always worked for me- hst

a missed appt isn't the Mental Midget's only concern. Apparently Z also has some major clubhouse heat on him from a number of teammates for calling out (allegedly Theriot)for a botched play on Tuesday. I don't recollect exactly which play it was, but Z sure as hell better not be cracking on his teammates after his August meltdown and after Aramis botched 3 plays in successive innings.

As you might be able to tell from my handle, I'm also a very, very large OSU fan. Between Chris Wells and Carlos Zambrano, my two dream seasons might be dashed.

I want to cry (nearly did when Wells went down this past weekend).

Here's to hoping the MRI's for both come out in a positive (or is it negative? you know, no bad things) way.

__________________________

Quit arguing about non-baseball stuff yall.

good call Jacos, forgot about that play.

I think it likely speaks volumes that Z's behavior has been so erratic since Tuesday. I think we're gonna be without him for awhile...

that Z had a personal matter to attend to and will take the MRI today (from Chris DeLuca)

http://www.northsidebaseball.com/Forum/viewtopic.p...

and then (from Jesse Rogers)

http://www.northsidebaseball.com/Forum/viewtopic.p...

that Z didn't want to take the MRI injection that would make him miss at least 2 starts

http://www.suntimes.com/sports/baseball/cubs/11453...

Z did take his MRI today and missed yesterday because of a family matter. Results should be available this afternoon.

The Trib is trying to sell that Z is done for the year.

I hoping its a psychological thing.

If you remember back in 04 and 05 Z would be getting his brains beaten in and then he would start complaining about his back bothering him.

Maybe thats why he didn't do MRI he didn't want them to tell him nothing wrong.

I don't know, just reaching for straws.

__________________________

I hate to advocate drugs, alcohol, violence, or insanity to anyone, but they've always worked for me- hst

http://www.cubsfx.com/2008/09/big-zs-arm-september...

velocity did go down in the 5th, but not in the "struggled to get over 90" that some were reporting.

Assuming Z is done -- Cubs should focus on keeping Harden healthy and the key bullpen guys rested. A healthy wild card team (currently 9 games up) is better than a divisin champ with no Harden and a worn-out bullpen.

Cub blogs are also exploding with calls to play Micah Hoffpauir, and bench Lee. I like Hoff and he had a great 1/2 season at Iowa, but I'm not convinced he is anything more than a nice PH/1B who had a great 1/2 season at AAA.

Is there any expert analysis out there on this guy?

I think the Cubs management is getting a little crazy because Z didn't get the MRI. They can't require him to get any medical procedure, can they? The Cubs only know that he will miss a start. No news is harder to accept than bad news.

Zambrano news good, could return in Houston

September 4, 2008Recommend (10)

FROM SUN-TIMES SPORTS STAFF
Cubs Nation can stop panicking — at least for the moment — as today's news is good on Carlos Zambrano.

Cubs general manager Jim Hendry said today's MRI confirmed his theory that Zambrano has rotator cuff tendinitis. If things go well, Zambrano will pitch in Houston during the Sept. 12-14 series.

"It's a relief knowing Z doesn't have anything more significant than what we thought, and hopefully that's it," Hendry said.

__________________________

Analyzing the Cubs to death since Dick Drott and Moe Drabowski were the Aces on the staff.

~wipes sweat from brow~

__________________________

I hate to advocate drugs, alcohol, violence, or insanity to anyone, but they've always worked for me- hst

Can we offer Z a bonus NOT to pitch in the next World Baseball Championships, or whatever they are called?

I don't think Cubs are out of the woods yet. Let's see when he comes back, and what stuff he has. The flare up could easily remain through the season.

tonight... think the magic number will stay at 19.

two mri/arthrograms in 3 months for rotator cuff tendonitis?

add that to the list of all the perks a $91 million contract will get cha...

People also call this impingement syndrome as the friction of rubbing the cuff (supraspinatus tendon) against the adjacent acromion (overlying bone from the shoulder blade/scapula) causes the inflammation. It's a positive diagnosis to have since this usually responds to a subacromial cortisone injection (which is what was done today). Symptoms usually start to respond in 3-5 days then they will ramp him up again.

__________________________

2 weeks until the Winter Meetings...Woo!

HE NEEDS REST, preferably in a hospital.
================
Are you suggesting Manteno?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manteno_State_Hospita...

__________________________

2 weeks until the Winter Meetings...Woo!

or is there a chance that if he went to two other doctors, he would get two other diagnoses?
-------------
Regarding other dxs, that could happen but I doubt it in this situation. The dx is made on a mixture of physical exam and diagnostic imaging. If the MRI + A/G shows inflammation but no dye extravasation it's extremely accurate regarding a full thickness tear. Some fraying or degeneration it might be less accurate although the MRI alone picks that stuff up. So unless the diagnostic study is unusually subtle to read, things should be clear cut.

Unless they saw a full thickness rotator cuff tear or a large labrum tear (that is why we should feel relieved), Z was going to pitch in 1-2 weeks if the pain quiets down and I expect it will.

Surgery can be done for impingement syndrome alone that doesn't resolve. The surgery addresses the structures that rub/produce friction causing inflammation. What is done shaves the acromion and/or releases a ligament in the front (the C-A or coraco-acromial ligament) that is responsible for the friction. Often this is done with a scope and certainly would not be done in the heat of a pennant race with them trying to work thru his symptoms if they were to persist after the cortisone injection.

__________________________

2 weeks until the Winter Meetings...Woo!

I'd like to suggest the phrase "cool as a cucumber" be added just for the hell of it.

__________________________

"Gasp... You used Ghostbusters for evil!" ~ Liz Lemon

another blog is suggesting that Z and teamates got into it a bit Tuesday Night after Zambrano called out Theriot for his error the other night. Wonder if there is any truth to that, and I wonder if maybe some lockerroom stuff is adding to the somewhat odd behavior.

As long as it doesn't escalate into a kind of Barrett situation, then no biggie.

BTW, that article on ESPN was supplied by some staff guy at the AP - they don't really cover analysis of sports too well, so I wouldn't take anything said there as gospel.

Iowa goes for a 2-0 lead in the best of five series. Daytona can clinch the best of three with a win over Palm Beach.

This whole story seems odd from the minute he was pulled
=============
Yeah, as if Lou had to have a press conference after spending the weekend babysitting for his grandchildren and explaining to the press what when on over those past few days.

__________________________

2 weeks until the Winter Meetings...Woo!

Thank God, the NFL starts tonight

I can't think of one other thing that a sane, red blooded American male would watch tonight.

:-)

__________________________

I hate to advocate drugs, alcohol, violence, or insanity to anyone, but they've always worked for me- hst

Here's the mlb.com writeup...

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080904&c...

Muskie sez he'll pitch 9/14 in Houston. She didn't say he got a cortisone injection, just anti-inflammatory medicine (of course a cortisone shot IS one way of getting anti-inflam. medicine)

__________________________

2 weeks until the Winter Meetings...Woo!

He displays our jubilation when things are going well, and he gets spitting mad when things go bad. If nothing else, we know, beyond doubt that Zambrano cares about winning.

This very reason is why we love Zambrano, so naturally he'll get frustrated when a very good Cub's team is struggling to win games.

__________________________

"Gasp... You used Ghostbusters for evil!" ~ Liz Lemon

What are the chances that Z hurt himself punching a wall or wrestling a water cooler rather than on the field?

I'd say 100% myself.

__________________________

Analyzing the Cubs to death since Dick Drott and Moe Drabowski were the Aces on the staff.

What are the chances, in other words, that Zombie's abrupt removal from the game was somehow related to his upset @ the Theriot play? Also, Cubster,can we take any encouragement from the fact that Zombie was clocking @ 96 in the early innings; could someone w/ a more serious RC problem than 'impingement' throw that hard even briefly?

NSFW- Audio

Earl Weaver and Ump go at it

This is funny-
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kl-4FSRYagc&feature...

"I'll be in the Hall of Fame."

"For what, blowing World Series?"

Awesome!

__________________________

I hate to advocate drugs, alcohol, violence, or insanity to anyone, but they've always worked for me- hst

Pads get a run on a AGon double, Venable single

__________________________

2 weeks until the Winter Meetings...Woo!

does it strike you as odd that Z says his shoulder is sore and he gets a doc visit then an mri-arthrogram

rich harden shoulder is sore and he gets nada

I guess it's like the kid who has cried "wolf" too often (rolls eyes), and I don't mean Randy Wolf

At $91M, you'd better get your money's worth.

-------
Cameron Tripled and scored, 1-1. Estes sucks.

__________________________

2 weeks until the Winter Meetings...Woo!

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20080904&c...

Soto, Samardzija, C. Perez and I. Stewart nominated for the NL

Voting goes through Monday

a balk, a single and a good slide by Giles...

3-1

Keep reminding the Pads that it was the brewers that forced game 163 last yr...and revenge is a dish best served cold.

__________________________

2 weeks until the Winter Meetings...Woo!

5-1

Venable HR and a bases loaded Sac Fly.

Suppn out after 106 pitches....flippin Sean Estes has a horseshoe up his hinnie.

http://www.nomadig.com/stuff/tuuri_onnenkenka.jpg

__________________________

2 weeks until the Winter Meetings...Woo!

Never underestimate the depths to which a Ned Yost team can sink in the season's final month.

__________________________

tbone

Estes! Estes! Estes!

__________________________

Antagonizing TCR posters with my my "assinine" "socialist drivel" and my signatures since 2003.

5 games

__________________________

I hate to advocate drugs, alcohol, violence, or insanity to anyone, but they've always worked for me- hst

Estes is the Dodge player of the Game. Hoffman save #28.

5-2 final, 5 GB

__________________________

2 weeks until the Winter Meetings...Woo!

5 game lead, 22 to go.

Venable! Venable! Venable! (2-4, HR) Big ups to you, young sir. May you have a long and fruitful career in which you apply much hurt to Cubs divisional opponents. Thank you for starting that aspect of your career this evening.

__________________________

"Kids, you tried your best and you failed miserably. The lesson is: never try." -- Homer

Nice reminder that the Padres eliminated the Brewers last year.
(of course the Brewers then followed that up by killing the Padres playoff chances winning the final 2 of the season with thE Padres magic # stuck at 1).

See, all it takes is just a little time and worries get knocked down one by one. Now let's snap back into the W column against these Reds, and we'll be well on our way back.

__________________________

That's Manila with an "L"

Micah Hoffpauir is 28, Scott McClain is 36. That's a big difference.

Hoffpauir is old to be considered a "prospect," but i'd sure rather give a guy a shot who hits 25 HR and 100 RBI in 71 games in AAA, and then comes up for a cup of coffee and goes 14 for 37, with 6 doubles than not.

To win the NL Pennant

Cubs 5:4
Brewers 5:2
DBacks 4:1
Mets 11:2
Phillies 10:1
Dodgers 14:1

To win the World Series

Angels 14:5
Cubs 3:1
Red Sox 9:2
Rays 9:2
Brewers 6:1
DBacks 10:1

__________________________