Fox out with elbow setback

HOUSTON -- The Cubs today will place right-handed reliever Chad Fox on the 15-day disabled list and recall righty reliever Jose Ascanio from Class AAA Iowa.

Fox has what the Cubs term ulnar neuritis in his pitching elbow. He said he felt numbness and tingling before Monday night's game while throwing with teammate Scott Eyre.

Fox has a history of devastating elbow problems. He came back this year to pitch for the first time since April 2005, when elbow problems ended his season with the Cubs.

"I'm good," the 37-year-old Fox said after Monday's 7-2 Cubs victory over the Astros. "It's frustrating. In talking with (trainer Mark O'Neal) and everyone here, I've got to be smart. Anytime, you think, 'Oh, God, it's his elbow.' I'm the same with you guys. I feel the same way.

"To have the numbness and tingling back in there, to me, it's a good sign because the nerve's inflamed or something around the nerve. It's not anything structural. I don't feel like I did when it was a train wreck back in '05. It's just another test, and I'm ready for it.

"I don't think it's anything that's going to cause me to go home, by any means."

Soriano bests Berkman: The Astros' Lance Berkman may be the best and the hottest hitter in baseball, but the Cubs' Alfonso Soriano is the National League player of the week for May 12-18.

Soriano piled up 16 hits and had six multihit games. He led the majors in home runs (7), RBI (14), slugging percentage(1.258) and total bases (39).

Always an aggressive hitter, Soriano has been jumping on more than first-pitch fastballs.

"If I swing at strikes, it doesn't matter what pitch they throw," he said. "If they throw a breaking pitch for a strike, I can hit it, too."

For what it's worth, many in the crowd at Minute Maid Park stood and cheered when Berkman came to the plate in the first inning.

"I'm happy for him because he's a good guy," Soriano said. "I hope that he can be a little cold for three games here against us. After that, he can do whatever he wants."

Hill to Iowa's DL:ΠLeft-handed pitcher Rich Hill has gone on the seven-day DL at Class AAA Iowa with what the Cubs describe as spasms in the middle of his back.

Hill came out of Friday's start for Iowa after his back stiffened. The Cubs say it's likely Hill will miss only 1 start.

"I don't think it's serious," manager Lou Piniella said. "Probably more of a mental break than anything else, I would assume. It's just my assumption, which might not be bad. That might be the best tonic of all."