Z to the Pen

[jeffy]

<!--quoteo(post=92104:date=Apr 22 2010, 12:55 PM:name=Scarey)-->QUOTE (Scarey @ Apr 22 2010, 12:55 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=92101:date=Apr 22 2010, 12:51 PM:name=rok)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (rok @ Apr 22 2010, 12:51 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=92099:date=Apr 22 2010, 12:47 PM:name=Butcher)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Butcher @ Apr 22 2010, 12:47 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=92097:date=Apr 22 2010, 12:47 PM:name=Scarey)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Scarey @ Apr 22 2010, 12:47 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=92091:date=Apr 22 2010, 12:43 PM:name=jstraw)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (jstraw @ Apr 22 2010, 12:43 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec--><!--quoteo(post=92086:date=Apr 22 2010, 12:38 PM:name=Scarey)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Scarey @ Apr 22 2010, 12:38 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}><!--quotec-->I never said that.

I'm confident that Z would pitch like he has the last 3 starts and the 1st start was an aberation. That has nothing to do with what Sipes said.

He said replacing Z's production with Lilly's is at worst an even trade off, at best an improvement. Silva and Gorzelanny's production have not been a detriment so far and will hopefully stay the same. <b>Meanwhile, Z will pitch out of the bullpen and should improve the relief corp.</b> So all around, the Cubs just got better. This all falls through if one of Gorzelanny or Silva start sucking though. Sipes just offered up an optimistic way of looking at it.

It's not the best percentage move, but I think Lou is going to try to ride out Gorzelanny and Silva's hot starts as long as he can. I don't agree with it, but I'm not going to jump out my office window because the 2010 sesason is ruined. At worst, one of those guys starts sucking and Zambrano will be reinserted into the rotation. I guess Lou could give them each 5 starts or shitastic pitching before yanking them, but I don't think that will be the case personally.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->

I'm worried he will absolutely suck out of the pen.
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That's always a possibility, but I don't understand why he would pitch well in the rotation and badly as a reliever.
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Because his best pitch is his sinker and it takes many sinkerballers (including Z) an inning or two to get into a groove?
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And I also don't like the idea of Z coming in with inherited runners. He seems to lose it in games when things happen that are not of his doing, so this could be disastrous in many ways.
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Opponents have a .708 OPS against Zambrano with any bases occupied compared to his .676 OPS overall. It's not that bad actually.
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Yes, but those are his numbers as a starter. Coming onto the mound fresh out of the pen with runners on can be different than having runners on after you're already settled in. We'll just have to see how he handles it.