CHICAGO -- Chicago Cubs relief pitcher Kyle Farnsworth took out
his frustrations by kicking an electric fan. Now he's expected to
miss at least three weeks.
Farnsworth was placed on the 15-day disabled list with a
sprained and bruised right knee Saturday, one day after he gave up
six runs in the ninth inning to the Houston Astros. Farnsworth,
who'd been struggling, threw his glove in the stands as he left the
field following the six-run ninth that helped the Astros to a 15-7
victory.
Then, as he went back to the Cubs clubhouse, he kicked an
electric fan that sits in the runway from the dugout, manager Dusty
Baker said. Farnsworth was on crutches Saturday and declined
comment.
"He was rather upset after the game, You hate for it to happen.
You wish things had been handled better," Baker said. "You know
everybody has done something similar at some time in their career.
There's a valuable lesson here, an expensive one."
Farnsworth, whose fastball sometimes hits 100 mph, has been
booed at Wrigley Field while he's struggled the last month. That
pattern continued Friday, when he gave up six hits, including a
homer to Carlos Beltran.
"He's obviously had a rough go the last month or so. He pitched
really well the first half. Obviously, he was frustrated yesterday
and it got the better of him," Cubs general manager Jim Hendry
said Saturday.
"You wish you could have handled your frustration differently
because it affects not just yourself but everyone else. This game
is tough enough to keep everybody healthy and you hate to have
injuries that cost DL time that weren't done on the field."
Farnsworth is 4-4 with a 5.12 ERA in a team-high 65 games and
had 69 strikeouts in 58 innings. The Cubs recalled right-hander
Todd Wellemeyer from Triple-A Iowa. Wellemeyer is in his second
stint with the Cubs and is 1-0 with a 2.25 ERA in 12 games.
Cubs trainer Dave Groeschner said Farnsworth had an MRI exam,
which ruled out ligament damage, but he does have a lot
inflammation in his knee.
"From what he did, he almost hyperextended it," Groeschner
said, estimating it be three-to-four weeks until Farnsworth can
pitch.