Cashner and Wells headed to Disabled List

Two Cubs players have been recently been assigned to the DL (Disabled list).  For those who don’t know what the DL is, it is a non-roster players are assigned to for injuries.  There are two types of DL: there is a 15 day disabled list, where the injury is day to day, but the player could be back relatively fast.   The 15 day DL injuries could include a sprained ankle, shoulder soreness and concussions depending on how bad the concussion is diagnosed.  The 60 day disabled list, is for more serious injuries where the player will be out for more than two months.  The two players that recently went to the DL are starters Andrew Cashner and Randy Wells.  Andrew Cashner strained his rotator cuff during his first game on April 5^th against the Arizona Diamondbacks.  The rotator cuff is the network of four muscles and several tendons that form a covering around the top of the upper arm bone (humerus). These muscles form a cover around the head of the humerus. The rotator cuff holds the humerus in place in the shoulder joint and enables the arm to rotate.  Randy Wells strained his forearm during the April 4^th game against the Arizona Diamondbacks.  A strained forearm is an injury to the muscles or tendons connected to the bones in the lower arm. Forearm strain is common because of the many tendons that glide together in the same or separate sheaths. Muscles, tendons and bones comprise units. These units stabilize the elbow and wrist joints and allow their motion. A strain occurs at the weakest part of a unit.

 Cubs manager Mike Quade said he is not counting on either pitcher for three to four weeks.

"The way I'm looking at it now is over the next three weeks we need a line of three Tuesdays, where we need pitching," Quade said. "Whether that's [reliever James Russell] coming out of the chute or whether someone takes the bull by the horn in the minor leagues and establishes themselves, we need somebody three times in three weeks."

The Cubs plan is to recall Casey Coleman from Triple-A Iowa and he will become the fourth starter.  He will pitch Sunday against Milwaukee at Miller Park.  The Cubs are also trying to decide on a starter for Tuesday in Houston, and James Russell is being mentioned as a possibility.  General Manager Jim Hendry will consider other minor leaguers such as Thomas Diamond, who was a starter and reliever late last season.  Cashner and Wells won’t go on the disabled list until Wednesday and the Cubs will make a move or two on Friday. 

Until the next post, Go Cubs Go.