This is a guest post by reader Raymond Bureau. If you are interested in contributing a guest post and having your work featured on MLB Injury News email blaine@mlbinjurynews.com.
The Chicago Cubs have their share of injured players, but
things look brighter for them as we get closer to the 2013 Spring Training and
regular season. Here is an update on key players that the Cubs and their fans
are counting on to help the team move closer to contention.
The Cubs signed right-hander Scott Baker on November 12 to a
one-year, $5.5 million contract even though he missed the entire 2012 season
due to Tommy John surgery in April. Team President Theo Epstein and general
manager Jed Hoyer are confident that Baker will return during Spring Training,
which would mean Baker would be available for the starting rotation. Baker is
63-48 with a 4.15 ERA for his career, all with the Minnesota Twins from
2005-2011.
Matt Garza last pitched in July, 2012. He missed most of the
second half with a right elbow stress reaction. He resumed throwing in early
December, and reports show that he’ll likely return for Spring Training. Garza
was one of the Cubs’ best in 2011 and the first half of 2012 before his injury,
and he looks to be the Cubs’ No. 2 starter in 2013. He is 57-61, 3.84 ERA, for
his career and 15-17, 3.52 ERA over parts of two seasons as a Cub.
Third baseman Ian Stewart went down for the season in
mid-June with a bone spur in his wrist. He had surgery to remove the spur in
July. He played in only 55 games and hit .201. All indications are that he is
healthy and ready to begin on the first day of Spring Training. He is working
with hitting great Rod Carew in two-week stints in preparation. The left-handed
hitter’s last full season was 2009 when he hit 25 home runs for the Colorado
Rockies.
The Cubs and their fans are hoping that Arodys Vizcaino can
live up to the hype that he earned as an Atlanta Braves’ farmhand. After all,
the Cubs traded Paul Maholm and Reed Johnson to get him. Vizcaino had Tommy
John surgery in March and missed all of 2012. He may be ready soon after the
season begins, but he will most likely start in the minors. Vizcaino is 19-15,
2.91, in 65 Minor League games and 1-1, 4.67, in 17.1 Major League innings.
Sources:
Chicago Cubs, Injury Report,
cubs.mlb.com as of January 25, 2013.
Chicago Cubs, Individual Player Pages (Linked Above),
cubs.mlb.com.
See more MLB commentary from Raymond at Scoop Post.com (http://scooppost.com/author/
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The Cubs need ALL of these guys healthy, especially the pitchers. The Cubs will not out-slug anyone, so the pitching had better be healthy and do its job.
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