CHICAGO -- Shortstop Alex Gonzalez will be out six to eight weeks after breaking a bone in his right wrist, joining the Chicago Cubs' growing list of injured players on Thursday.
Gonzalez was hurt in the seventh inning of Wednesday night's 2-0 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks when he was struck by the ball on a pitch from Mike Koplove.
Plate umpire Charlie Reliford ruled that Gonzalez fouled the
pitch. After a brief argument, Gonzalez resumed his at-bat before
striking out.
"I kind of checked my swing and it ran in on me," Gonzalez
said.
"It's as frustrating as it can be. Any time a player can't help
his ball club or be on the field, it's tough to handle. It's a
waiting game. I'm going to do whatever I can do to stay in shape."
Cubs manager Dusty Baker said Gonzalez remained in the game after he was hit because no one knew how badly injured he was.
"We couldn't tell, the umpire couldn't tell, nobody could tell
except Alex," Cubs manager Dusty Baker said.
"He didn't argue very emphatically. ... Usually when you are
hit like that, you show a lot more emotion. You show the umpire the
mark."
After his at-bat, Gonzalez played the top of the eighth inning,
fielded a grounder and threw out the runner before leaving the
game. The fracture was discovered in a postgame examination.
The Cubs will call up veteran Damian Jackson from Triple-A Iowa on Friday and transfer right-hander Mark Prior to the 60-day
disabled list. Ramon Martinez will fill in as the starting
shortstop.
Prior's time time will be backdated, meaning he'll be eligible to come off June 3. General manager Jim Hendry said the Cubs are hoping Prior will be ready to throw 90 to 100 pitches by that first weekend in June. He's currently working out at the team's complex in Mesa, Ariz.
Gonzalez, who was batting .244 with three homers and seven RBIs, has a non-displaced fracture, meaning surgery won't be needed. He has already been fitted in a cast that he will wear for at least
three weeks.
Chicago is already without starting second baseman Mark Grudzielanek, who's been on the disabled list since April 10 with a
partial tear of his right Achilles' tendon. Prior (Achilles tendon) and Mike Remlinger (shoulder) have been on the disabled list all season.
"No feeling sorry for yourself, that happens to everybody in
the business. Everybody usually has a traumatic injury over 162
games," Cubs general manager Jim Hendry said Thursday.
"This has kind of been Dusty's forte, that when things are
going badly we find a way to reach down and find a positive. Maybe
Damian will come and defensively play well. Give Ramon a chance to
play more."
Prior, also bothered by a tender elbow, is making progress
during workouts in Arizona. After going on a rehab assignment, the
Cubs hope Prior will be ready to pitch in the majors by early June.
"Remlinger and Prior are coming along. So, you know, it's a
matter of grinding it out, toughing it out for the next month and
hopefully we'll still be in a good position to make a charge the
last two-thirds of the season," Hendry said.
Jackson, 30, was a non-roster invitee to Colorado's camp. He has played for Cleveland, Cincinnati, San Diego, Detroit and Boston
since 1996. A .246 career hitter, he saw action at every position
except pitcher and catcher last season for the Red Sox.