Zambrano Hurt

By Benjy Lipsman in News on Sep 3, 2008 1:55PM

Last week's "tired" status has apparently been downgraded to "injured" for the Cubs' Carlos Zambrano. The Cubs ace's scheduled Sunday start was pushed back due to a "fatigued arm." But after leaving Tuesday's game, Big Z "told pitching coach [Larry Rothschild] he wasn't feeling good." That does not sound good.

Zambrano is expected to pay a visit to Cubs orthopedist Stephen Gryzlo today. Will we learn more about the severity of Z's arm problems later? We imagine the media will ask Lou Piniella about little else.

As the Cubs hit the final few weeks of the season and begin preparing for the post season, there's perhaps no other player on the team they'll need to rely on as heavily as their top pitcher. With the division just about wrapped up -- they're up 4 1/2 on Milwaukee -- do they shut him down until October? [Ed.'s Note: Uh, I wouldn't call the division "wrapped up" by any stretch of the imagination. These are the Cubs.] Or do they begin preparing for a World Series run without their ace? A century of hopes and dreams hang in the prognosis.

AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh