Suicide Watch on the North Side

Late last night as most Cub fans were probably tucking themselves into bed, one of their worst nightmares became reality.

As Scott Eyre flung a baseball from his glove to first baseman Derrek Lee on a Rafael Furcal bunt, Lee and Furcal collided.

Scott Eyre hurt his knee on the play but nobody seemed to notice. They were too busy watching Derrek Lee rolling around on the ground holding his right wrist.

It appears that 2006 may be just another chapter in the Shakespearian tragedy that is the Chicago Cubs. With a season that started under the same old Prior/Wood injury questions, there loomed a sense of optimism in Wrigleyville. The Red Sox had won the World Series in 2004, and the White Sox did it in 2005.

Surely that meant that 2006 has to be the Cubs year.

Until last night it seemed that way. The Cubs were off to a very good start and were only a half game out of first place. Greg Maddux is pitching like he's 27 again, and the youngsters look promising.

Not even a week ago the Cubs resigned the new face of their franchise, known as DLee, to a 5 year $65 million contract extension. Now the only face Cub fans see is the grimacing one of their new hero.

The X-rays taken Wednesday night came back, "inconclusive," and the Cubs are saying it's just a sprain right now. They have scheduled more x rays and tests for their day off on Thursday.

Given the Cubs dubious history when it comes to injuries, and what they tell the media, what exactly does inconclusive mean? You either see a fracture or you don't. I have a feeling that when the Cubs do release the news on Lee's wrist it won't be good.

At the very least we're probably talking a week missed. Your hands and wrists are incredibly important in baseball. Lee cannot throw, or swing a bat with a sprained wrist. They also take a lot of time to heal.

If the team's worst fears are realized, and Derrek in fact has a broken wrist, it's likely he'd be out for the season. Hand and wrist injuries take a very long time to recover from, and seeing how the Cubs just invested $65 million in Lee, they will probably want to take every precaution they can with him.

What that would also mean to the Cubs is that fans will already be saying "Wait til next year." Where as this team is better than the teams of 2004 and 2005, they cannot make the playoffs without Derrek Lee.

Some people probably think that I'm delighted at the possibility that DLee could be out for the year.

They'd be wrong too.

See I'm a White Sox fan, but I don't wish ill will upon the Cubs. I love to talk smack with my Cub fan friends about who's better, but I don't have an actual hatred of the Cubs franchise. It's more the majority of their fans that catch my ire.

In all reality Derrek Lee is one of my favorite players in baseball right now. It started in 2003 when it was Lee's Marlins eliminating the Cubs from the NLCS, and beating the Yankees in the World Series. Derrek Lee is easily one of the game's premier players, and if it wasn't for a certain guy named Pujols, he would be the perennial starting first baseman in the National League.

In fact Lee's injury HURTS me. I have him on my Roto team, and I'm sure to struggle without him. So while the North Side of Chicago is on suicide watch, I'll be holding my own silent vigil hoping that Lee will miss a week, and come back as good as new.

It's the only way I'll ever get to experience the joy of seeing the White Sox beat the Cubs in a World Series.

RANDOM THOUGHTS

• Speaking of injuries in baseball, and there are a ton so far, there was some very good news for White Sox fans on Wednesday night. Of course it's bad news for the Cleveland Indians, but at least CC Sabathia will have some company on the DL. Well, if there's any left anyway. Sabathia is a large man.
• Curt Schilling just keeps on tickin this year. Last night he went 6 innings and gave up only one run, improving his record to 4-0 with a 1.61 ERA. Josh Beckett is also off to a very good start. One of Beckett's former teammates thinks it's only a matter of time before he gets another blister and goes on the DL though. "I give him a month," he said.
• Chad Johnson is probably going to get a lot of fines this year thanks to the NFL's new endzone celebration's crackdown. Luckily for him the Bengals want to do everything possible to help him pay those fines.
• If you get a chance, there's a great pitching matchup Friday night in Chicago. The White Sox and Mark Buerhle go against the Twins and Johan Santana. If you're a fan of pitching, then this game is a must see. Expect a 1-0 85 minute affair.
• I hope the fact that the Detroit Pistons rested their players this last week, and indirectly cost the Bulls a chance at the 5th seed, bites them in the ass. It won't, but I can hope. The Bulls meanwhile start their postseason Saturday night in Miami.