A groin is a terrible thing to strain

Sunday, when the Cubs were busy sweeping the Los Angeles Angels of Disneyland Abutments, or whatever Arte Moreno is insisting people call them these days, the bullpen was left to cover four full innings when starter Jameson Taillon left the game after throwing just 62 pitches in five innings. It seemed like a pretty conservative move, but considering Taillon spent two months on the injured list not long ago, you kind of figured Craig Counsell was just being cautious with his oddly shaped right hander.

But then we found out that Big Jimmy felt something in his groin (no, not like the time Bobby Brady saw his oldest step-sister getting out of the pool, and had to quickly convince Tiger to sit on his lap, or at least stand in front of him until Marcia went inside). Taillon soldiered through the fifth inning, but then was unable to handle the throbbing and left the game.

The Cubs summoned Andrew Kitteredge to crawl out from whatever park bench he was sleeping under to start the parade of relievers who finished the game. Kitteredge gave up two runs, but Caleb Thielbar, Brad Keller and Daniel Palencia held the 4-3 lead while the Cubs offense caught an early flight for San Francisco.

Taillon's groin injury is no laughing matter, as the rotation is already stretched thin thanks to Jed's trade deadline blunder, where the only starter he acquired came with one punch left on his "Get a free cookie with your 10th MRI" card.

But, really. Are groin injuries ever funny?

OK. Just that one.

And yeah, well, that. Sure. But just those two, right?

Lots of familiar faces (and groins in this one) like Taillon, Leonys Martin, Willson Contreras, Drew Pomeranz, Tim Federowicz, and more.

It's not funny. It's serious stuff. I mean, I didn't laugh at all of these.

No. I did.