Silva to have heart procedure Monday
The Cubs say they expect Carlos Silva to pitch again this season, but he has more heart tests ahead of him.
Silva will undergo a "diagnostic procedure" Monday. Depending on what the procedure shows, it's possible Silva could undergo a cardiac ablation to restore a regular heartbeat.
That's a procedure that renders part of the heart tissue inoperable to as to restore a regular heart rhythm. In the spring of 2008, former Cubs infielder Mark DeRosa underwent a similar procedure and missed about a week and a half of spring-training action.
Silva came out of Sunday's game at Colorado in the first inning because of a rapid heartbeat. He spent one night in a Denver hospital before coming back to Chicago, where he has undergone a battery of tests.
Colvin slumping: Rookie right fielder Tyler Colvin has hit a rut. He was 0-for-4 in Friday's 3-0 loss to the Reds, making him2-for-17 on the homestand.
"Colvin has a tendency to widen the strike zone for himself," said Cubs manager Lou Piniella. "That's something he's going to have to learn if he wants to be a really good professional hitter and RBI guy. It's something that young players have to go through and learn.
Respect for D-Lee: First baseman Derrek Lee was 0-for-4, as his average fell to .249. Lou Piniella appears to have no plans to move Lee out of the No. 3 spot despite what's been a bad year overall for the veteran.
"It has to do with my confidence in the guy," Piniella said. "Just because a guy is veteran doesn't mean that you can't drop him down. It has nothing to do with it. It has to do with the fact that he's been our big guy here for a long time, and you stay with him. That's basically it."
Grabow going out: Left-handed reliever John Grabow could head to Arizona on Saturday to begin rehabbing his sprained left knee, an injury that has had him on the disabled list since June 29. It's Grabow's second bout with the injury.
From there, Grabow could head to either the Cubs' Class AAA Iowa or Class AA Tennessee farm club on a rehab assignment. Lou Piniella said Grabow could return to the Cubs sometime on the next homestand, which begins Aug. 16.