Tuesday, March 22, 2005
Updated: March 23, 8:26 AM ET
Hawkins most likely candidate to take over
ESPN.com news services
MESA, Ariz. -- Chicago Cubs reliever Joe Borowski will miss
at least six weeks with a broken bone in his arm, another loss for
a pitching staff already without Kerry Wood and Mark Prior.
| |  |
| Borowski |
Borowski sustained a non-displaced fracture in his right ulna
when he was hit by a line drive in Monday's 12-5 loss to Kansas
City.
He's wearing a splint and will begin a throwing program when
the healing process is complete, approximately six weeks.
Borowski was attempting to come back from a partially torn
rotator cuff in his right shoulder this spring. The injury ended
his season in June last year.
"I've worked so hard to get back, and I'm just going to take
this as another bump in the road," Borowski said. "Fortunately,
all the doctors say it should heal without any problems. That's
good news."
In 2003, Borowski saved 33 games for the Cubs and he appeared to
be on the way to regaining his job as closer this spring.
The injury means the Cubs will have to scramble again to fill a
hole on their pitching staff. They're already without their top two
starters, Wood and Prior. Wood has bursitis in his shoulder but
was scheduled to throw a side session Tuesday and could pitch in a
game later this week. Prior has inflammation in his elbow. He
didn't have any soreness after throwing off a mound Sunday and
planned to throw again Tuesday.
Prior said he threw "30 or so" pitches from a mound Tuesday and
"felt fine."
Prior has not pitched since March 10, when he made
his Cactus League debut and pitched three innings against the
Seattle Mariners. Afterward, Prior reported discomfort in his right
elbow.
Tests revealed inflammation and irritation in the elbow and
around the ulnar nerve. Prior believed he would pitch in another
game this spring. The Cubs hope Prior will be ready to pitch in a
regular-season game by the middle of April.
Baker said that Wood
will start Thursday in Mesa against the Athletics. Wood has not
pitched since March 9, when he took himself out of his start
against Texas, complaining of tightness in his right shoulder.
Tests
revealed bursitis in the shoulder and inflammation around the
rotator cuff. Wood is 1-0 with a 2.25 ERA this spring.
With Borowski down, LaTroy Hawkins, who blew nine of 34 save opportunities last year, will be the top candidate to fill in. There's also an outside chance non-roster invitee Chad Fox could fill the spot.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
