03-26-2010, 01:39 AM
<!--quoteo(post=84521:date=Mar 25 2010, 09:58 PM:name=KBwsb)-->QUOTE (KBwsb @ Mar 25 2010, 09:58 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->I'm always bullish on the Cubs this time of year, but I must confess to being a little worried
about our rotation. Lilly has been our best starter for awhile now.
Now, no Ted.
No Dick Harden to give us a chance at upside.
Randy Wells was a pleasant surprise last year, but he was such a unique case, that I worry whether he'll be able to repeat his performance the second time around the league.
Z and Dempster are, by their very nature, erratic and unpredictable.
We don't have a "rock" that we can count on. We have nobody in AAA who projects as a "breakout" possibility. I really liked Guzman as a possible closer, and he's gone.
I freaking sound like Negative Jim.
Someone, please talk me off the ledge.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Lilly is going to miss two times through the rotation at most. He'll be back very soon and it looks like Marshall could be holding his spot. Marshall just needs to ride his strong ST starts into at least 2 solid major league starts.
Rich Harden has struggled to get his fastball up to 88mph this spring and recent reports say that he can't put his change up in the strike zone. We're better off without him.
Wells pitched 191 innings last year. The most innings he pitched previously in a season... 132. I understand that expectations are low, but it's not easy to throw a 3.05 ERA in 165 big league innings, especially for a rookie. I wouldn't worry about him until he actually struggles. Not only that, but he already faced a lot of teams multiple times and still pitched well. It's not as if the Prince Fielders and Albert Pujolses of the league got caught off guard by him once around and now have him pegged.
Dempster really shouldn't be classified as erratic the last two years. He put up 1.21 and 1.31 the last two years. Not all world, but not erratic. Zambrano wasn't that bad either (1.29 and 1.38).
We actually have at least two breakout pitcher possibilities in Jay Jackson and minor league pitcher of the year Casey Coleman. Cashner could be another, but I think it would be wise to give him another full year starting before even thinking about putting him in the major league rotation. Also, former big time prospect Thomas Diamond is showing flashes of what made him a well regarded prospect. All of those guys are lightning-in-a-bottle candidates.
Caridad looks like he's going to be the second coming of Guzman version 2009. We just need Marmol to kick it into gear correctly and we have a pretty decent back end to the rotation.
I'm not going to feed you all rainbows and lollipops, but there's a legitimate chance this team could be a division winner.
about our rotation. Lilly has been our best starter for awhile now.
Now, no Ted.
No Dick Harden to give us a chance at upside.
Randy Wells was a pleasant surprise last year, but he was such a unique case, that I worry whether he'll be able to repeat his performance the second time around the league.
Z and Dempster are, by their very nature, erratic and unpredictable.
We don't have a "rock" that we can count on. We have nobody in AAA who projects as a "breakout" possibility. I really liked Guzman as a possible closer, and he's gone.
I freaking sound like Negative Jim.
Someone, please talk me off the ledge.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Lilly is going to miss two times through the rotation at most. He'll be back very soon and it looks like Marshall could be holding his spot. Marshall just needs to ride his strong ST starts into at least 2 solid major league starts.
Rich Harden has struggled to get his fastball up to 88mph this spring and recent reports say that he can't put his change up in the strike zone. We're better off without him.
Wells pitched 191 innings last year. The most innings he pitched previously in a season... 132. I understand that expectations are low, but it's not easy to throw a 3.05 ERA in 165 big league innings, especially for a rookie. I wouldn't worry about him until he actually struggles. Not only that, but he already faced a lot of teams multiple times and still pitched well. It's not as if the Prince Fielders and Albert Pujolses of the league got caught off guard by him once around and now have him pegged.
Dempster really shouldn't be classified as erratic the last two years. He put up 1.21 and 1.31 the last two years. Not all world, but not erratic. Zambrano wasn't that bad either (1.29 and 1.38).
We actually have at least two breakout pitcher possibilities in Jay Jackson and minor league pitcher of the year Casey Coleman. Cashner could be another, but I think it would be wise to give him another full year starting before even thinking about putting him in the major league rotation. Also, former big time prospect Thomas Diamond is showing flashes of what made him a well regarded prospect. All of those guys are lightning-in-a-bottle candidates.
Caridad looks like he's going to be the second coming of Guzman version 2009. We just need Marmol to kick it into gear correctly and we have a pretty decent back end to the rotation.
I'm not going to feed you all rainbows and lollipops, but there's a legitimate chance this team could be a division winner.