Don't entitle posts like this anymore. For those of your readers who use an RSS Reader to look at the headlines before reading this story, a post title like this causes a heart attack for the 10 seconds between clicking on the feed and getting to the post.

Felt like an hour.

So why is it that with a fragile Prior (their best pitcher) the Cubs are still looking strong, but the Yankees, with a relatively minor injury to Lieber or Contrares, need to look over their shoulder for the Blue Jays or Orioles breathing down their neck? Sounds like a double standard to me...

Well, I personally have never made such a comment, but I don't think people are crazy for saying it.

First, nobody is saying the Cubs are going to win the division or a playoff berth for sure. They are a de facto over shoulder watcher; unlike the Yankees that have been officially guaranteed a playoff spot by the pundits during this preseason.

Second, Lieber's injury though minor is still an injury to a guy coming off major arm surgey who hasn't pitched in a major leage game in a year and a half. He isn't that reliable to begin with.

Third, if Lieber and Contreras go down for any period of time the Yankees are left with Donovan Osborne and De Paula as their 4th and 5th starters.

Fourth, my all accounts Prior will not miss more than one or two starts. Based on the Cubs scheduled they could go with a four man rotation and never not pitch Clement, Zambrano, Maddux, or Wood. If they don't do that they use Juan Cruz as their fifth starter.

So people talking about the Yankees having to worry about other members of their division isn't completely outlandish. And, since there is no consensus about the Cubs winning the division (thus already having to look over their shoulder) the lack of journalistic talk about Prior's injury and its effect on the Cubs season is not a double standard.

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