Guzman's road to majors grows longer

[aTrUeCUBsFaN]

Guzman's road to majors grows longer

By Paul Sullivan
Tribune staff reporter

May 21, 2005, 12:05 AM CDT

In spring training, when he was starting Cactus League games, the belief was pitching prospect Angel Guzman would be ready to join the Cubs by midseason.

Now it looks as if Guzman may not even be up by then.

Swedish Covenant Hospital
The 23-year-old right-hander hasn't pitched since suffering forearm stiffness during a minor-league exhibition game in late March. The Cubs have downplayed Guzman's injury, saying he needed rest before resuming a throwing program.

But Cubs physicians examined Guzman in Chicago on Friday, and he said afterward he's not anywhere close to pitching.

"I'm not sure when I'll be back," he said. "Maybe sometime in July."

Guzman has a 27-13 career record in the minors and a 2.62 earned-run average. He was considered their top pitching prospect before a shoulder injury curtailed his seasons in 2003 and '04.

Barrett watch

Michael Barrett was relieved his MRI showed only minor shoulder inflammation. He sat out Friday but insists he will play Saturday if manager Dusty Baker needs him.

"I'm going to take it easy [Friday] and give it a break," Barrett said. "More than anything, it's probably one of those things from throwing too much or from the impact of a foul ball. It's the first time I've gone through this. I'm counting my blessings and glad I'm only going to miss two or three days."

Baker tried to shield the media from the injury Wednesday.

"That's what I didn't want you guys to know," Baker said. "I didn't want the other team to know. Then they start running on you unnecessarily."

Baker said Jose Macias is the emergency catcher.

More than a game

The White Sox-Cubs series isn't just crucial for the fans, it's big for the Cubs because they are off to such a mediocre start.

"It's very important in the standings, it's very important to the city and especially because the teams that usually do good in interleague play are usually the teams pretty close to the playoffs," Baker said.

"This year our interleague [schedule] is probably even more difficult than any other time I've experienced because we're playing the Sox six times, playing Toronto, Boston and the Yankees. Our interleague schedule is probably among the most difficult [in baseball]."

Extra innings

The Cubs sent second baseman Mike Fontenot to Triple-A Iowa Friday to make room for Joe Borowski. … Kerry Wood had an MRI on his right shoulder Friday, but the Cubs did not announce the findings. … Sergio Mitre pitched six shutout innings for Iowa on Thursday in what likely was a tuneup for a Tuesday start against Houston. … Mike Remlinger hadn't pitched in a week before entering in the eighth inning Friday. He gave up a solo home run to Jermaine Dye in his inning of work. "Rem's all right," Baker said. "It's just a matter of trying to pick the right situation for him."


Copyright © 2005, The Chicago Tribune

[aTrUeCUBsFaN]

Guzman:
Will he ever be healthy enough to have one full season? Is this a new curse to the team: injuries to the pitchers?

'Kerry Wood had an MRI on his right shoulder Friday, but the Cubs did not announce the findings.'
It sounds really bad since the Cubs are not announcing their findins. They might be affraid of the panicking Cubs fans.

[rockin500]

guzman's forearm stiffness is from his early teen years when he broke his arm and it was set wrong.

as far as the MRI goes, I heard on ESPN radio 1000 yesterday that the damage was gone and he should resume throwing very soon.