Scott Williamson

[Balsa]

http://media.scout.com/Media/Image/20/209785.jpg

 

What do you guys think of this 'lightning in a bottle' reliever?

 

In his last 8.1 innings, he allowed only 1 run, striking out 13, walking 2 and allowing 1 homerun.

 

It seems that he's regained a bit of his composure as a reliever, especially as it was a bit rough for him in August, when he first came off the DL. That was 6 IP with 8 runs, 10 strikeouts, walking 4 and allowing 2 homeruns.

 

Even when he's not on top of his game, it seems like he strikes a lot of guys out with minimal walks. Does anyone remember watching him at the end of last year? Did he seem to have much better control?

 

Also, where do you think he will fit into the bullpen? We just signed a set-up guy....do you think he'd come in the 7th inning then?

Edited January 25, 2006 by Balsa

[CuseCubFan69]

IMO...the better he pitches the closer he gets to closing. I'm curious on how he's feeling and if he can handle the back to back games. If he can and be effective the Cubs might have one of the best pens in baseball.

[YearofDaCubs]

If healthy Williamson is a very good reliever.

[Neuby]

this years can be one of the best the cubs have ever had. If Williamson is healthy he is one of the top relivers in baseball. Novoa has the stuff to very good. Wuertz was very effective when used right last year. Ohman is another year removed from surgery and was lights out last year. Dempster is coming into spring training with his role defined and another year from surgery. Eyre and Howry bring two proven arms. With a chance Rusch, Miller, Wood, Williams, Guzman, Hill could find a slot in the pen the cubs has a lot of depth.

[professahesse]

Yep, yep, yep. With any luck a healthy staff ought to mean a very good year for the Cubs. Just think of what our staff ERA might be if Willamson, Miller and Wood all come back effectively? What if Guzman, Hill and J. Willams pan out? A lot of ifs, yes, but hey the odds are with us, no? And all of those other arms can translate into trades to bolster the offense. Ah, hope springs eternal.

[RynoRules]

If healthy Williamson is a very good reliever.

 

Agreed. If he picthes well, the pen is very deep.

[Wheelimus]

I think our bullpen is going to be key next year. If everything falls into place, we're going to be incredibly deep and probably have a few pieces that can be traded to improve our offense.

 

If Williamson is healthy, he has to be your guy in either the 7th or 8th inning. That is unless Dusty has the starters throw 130 pitches :?

[Neuby]

I think our bullpen is going to be key next year. If everything falls into place, we're going to be incredibly deep and probably have a few pieces that can be traded to improve our offense.

 

If Williamson is healthy, he has to be your guy in either the 7th or 8th inning. That is unless Dusty has the starters throw 130 pitches :?

 

With a guy like Wuertz/Nova slated for use in the sixth inning Dusty shouldn't have to overuse are starters. I can't really remember a pen with more talent in the last years off the top of my head that the Cubs had. Ohman/Eyre/Williamson/Wuertz are all 7,8 inning guys on other clubs. Ohman and Williamson could be closers for some clubs when healthy.

[soapy]

If the pen turns out to be as deep as it could be, I hope that Dusty starts getting away from using Dempster in non-save situations (unlike last year) unless completely necessary.

[Brian]

I hope he grows his hair out like it was when he first came back.

[Balsa]

If the pen turns out to be as deep as it could be, I hope that Dusty starts getting away from using Dempster in non-save situations (unlike last year) unless completely necessary.

 

Well you can't just let him sit in the bullpen when there isn't a save chance. He's got to get out and use him arm like any other pitcher every once in a while.

[YearofDaCubs]

I do believe our bullpen will be very solid especially if Williamson reverts to form you can make a case he might be our best RP. I'll give props to Hendry for strengthening our BP but man our SP have huge ? marks and so does our offense.

[soapy]

If the pen turns out to be as deep as it could be, I hope that Dusty starts getting away from using Dempster in non-save situations (unlike last year) unless completely necessary.

 

Well you can't just let him sit in the bullpen when there isn't a save chance. He's got to get out and use him arm like any other pitcher every once in a while.

 

I'm not advocating sitting him for long stretches. I'm talking about pitching him for a 2nd or 3rd day in a row when the Cubs are up by 5 going into the 9th. I seem to remember that happening often last year and it drives me crazy.

[Mark Priors Calves]

If the bullpen is going to be as good as advertised, there is no way the Cubs should carry 12 pitchers. A major piece of this off season was improving the pen, it would be completely counterproductive to keep those arms rusty in pen. The bench is pretty weak and an additional bat would be much needed.

[biittner77]

If the bullpen is going to be as good as advertised, there is no way the Cubs should carry 12 pitchers. A major piece of this off season was improving the pen, it would be completely counterproductive to keep those arms rusty in pen. The bench is pretty weak and an additional bat would be much needed.

 

Or the exact opposite is true. If the pen is your strength perhaps it's better to have a pitcher that can perform rather than another lousy bench option. I'm not saying I buy into that line of thinking but Baker might.

[Kyle]

With that much depth in the pen, I just don't want to see Baker keep our starters in way too long like years past. When you have a Weurtz, Ohman, Novoa as third stringers behind the top relievers, use them. I don't want to see them rot on the bench while our SP is out there throwing a million pitches. I think Williamson will be our second best reliever behind Dempster. Dempster should remain our closer period, no matter who's pitching well. Dempster is a major headache for other teams to deal with for only one inning. His fastball is in the mid-90's, and he has that nasty sinker to go with it. That's a tough order to face for only one inning.

[stitchface]

If the pen turns out to be as deep as it could be, I hope that Dusty starts getting away from using Dempster in non-save situations (unlike last year) unless completely necessary.

 

I hope for the opposite - that dusty uses his relievers to best leverage their talents. why do you care if its a save situation or not? just win the game.

[GlassCow]

The pen should be fine. The only question is whether or not the offense will be good enough to give them some leads to protect.

[stitchface]

The pen should be fine. The only question is whether or not the offense will be good enough to give them some leads to protect.

 

the offense should be in the neighborhood of 700 runs. the staff needs to hold opponents to the low 600s to be a very good team. the compete maybe 650 or so.

[TrueBlueCubFan]

I think Williamson will be our second best reliever behind Dempster.

 

Williamson has definately proven he can be an excellent RP. If there is a competetion for 2nd best RP behind Dempster, Howry & maybe Weurtz should be right there. There is a possibility all 3 of them could have better years than Dempster, let's hope that's not the case & Dempster continues his brilliance as a closer.

[soapy]

If the pen turns out to be as deep as it could be, I hope that Dusty starts getting away from using Dempster in non-save situations (unlike last year) unless completely necessary.

 

I hope for the opposite - that dusty uses his relievers to best leverage their talents. why do you care if its a save situation or not? just win the game.

 

No, I don't care if it's a save situation per say. I just don't want Dempster (and this really could apply to everyone in the pen) used three days in a row when it's not necessary.

 

Example: If Dempster pitches an inning one day, and then is brought into a game the next day when the Cubs are up five runs in the 9th, I think that's stupid. Save him for the next day. What if the next day the Cubs are in a tight game in the 9th and they feel like they need Dempster. Well, you have to pitch him for the third day in a row (when Ohman, Williamson, Weurtz, etc) probably could have closed out the previous day's game.

 

That's very poorly worded. I hope you know what I mean.

[Fred Hornkohl]

If the pen turns out to be as deep as it could be, I hope that Dusty starts getting away from using Dempster in non-save situations (unlike last year) unless completely necessary.

 

Well you can't just let him sit in the bullpen when there isn't a save chance. He's got to get out and use him arm like any other pitcher every once in a while.

 

I'm not advocating sitting him for long stretches. I'm talking about pitching him for a 2nd or 3rd day in a row when the Cubs are up by 5 going into the 9th. I seem to remember that happening often last year and it drives me crazy.

 

That did not happen often. Below is a listing of the games that Ryan Dempster appeared in as a reliever. There were a total of 10 games in which he appeared that the CUBS won by more than 3 runs. (a typical non-save situation). In 7 of those 10 instances, Dempster was pitching on at least 4 days rest. The 01 Jun game vs. Los Angeles was a game started by Koronka, and as you might expect, that meant Baker had to go to the bullpen early and often. While it was the third consecutive game for Dempster and not a save situation, Dempster was the 5th relief pitcher used by the CUBS in the game. In the 24 July game at St Louis, Dempster entered the game in the 9th with a 4-3 lead, and proceeded to pick up a blown save and a win, as Neifi Perez hit a grand slam in the 10th. In the 02 Sept game at Pittsburgh, Dempster entered in the 8th inning with the score 4-3 in favor of the CUBS and was the beneficiary of 3 more CUBS runs in the 9th inning.

 

Gm#    Date       Opponent         Score  Starter	
31  Mon 05/09    New York      N   4- 7  Leicester     	
33  Wed 05/11    New York          4- 3  Prior        	
37  Tue 05/17  @ Pittsburgh    N   4- 3  Prior        	
38  Wed 05/18  @ Pittsburgh        3- 2  Rusch        	
42  Mon 05/23    Houston       N   4- 1  Rusch        	
43  Tue 05/24    Houston       N   4- 2  Mitre        	
47  Sat 05/28    Colorado          5- 1  Rusch        	
49  Mon 05/30  @ Los Angeles   N   5- 3  Maddux        	
50  Tue 05/31  @ Los Angeles   N   2- 1  Zambrano      	
51  Wed 06/01  @ Los Angeles   N   9- 5  Koronka       	
55  Sun 06/05  @ San Diego         4- 0  Zambrano      	
58  Wed 06/08    Toronto           2- 0  Mitre        	
60  Sat 06/11    Boston            7- 6  Zambrano      	
64  Wed 06/15    Florida           5-15  Maddux        	
68  Mon 06/20  @ Milwaukee     N   5- 4  Maddux        	
69  Tue 06/21  @ Milwaukee     N   4- 2  Williams      	
73  Sat 06/25  @ Chicago (AL)      6- 2  Maddux        	
74  Sun 06/26  @ Chicago (AL)      2- 0  Prior        	
75  Tue 06/28    Milwaukee     N   2- 0  Zambrano      	
80  Sun 07/03    Washington        4- 5  Zambrano      	
84  Thu 07/07  @ Atlanta       N   4- 9  Williams      	
85  Fri 07/08  @ Florida       N   9- 6  Zambrano      	
88  Thu 07/14    Pittsburgh        5- 1  Prior        	
93  Tue 07/19  @ Cincinnati    N   7- 3  Prior        	
95  Thu 07/21  @ Cincinnati        6- 9  Maddux        	
97  Sat 07/23  @ St. Louis         6- 5  Williams      	
98  Sun 07/24  @ St. Louis     N   8- 4  Prior        	
99  Mon 07/25    San Francisco N   3- 2  Hill        	
101  Wed 07/27    San Francisco     4- 3  Zambrano      	
105  Sun 07/31    Arizona           6-13  Maddux        	
106  Tue 08/02  @ Philadelphia  N   2- 1  Zambrano      	
109  Fri 08/05  @ New York      N   5- 9  Hill        	
113  Tue 08/09    Cincinnati        3- 8  Prior        	
116  Fri 08/12    St. Louis         4- 1  Zambrano      	
118  Sun 08/14    St. Louis     N   5- 4  Prior        	
120  Tue 08/16  @ Houston       N   4- 1  Maddux        	
121  Wed 08/17  @ Houston       N   4- 2  Zambrano      	
122  Fri 08/19  @ Colorado          5- 3  Prior        	
126  Tue 08/23    Atlanta       N  10- 1  Williams      	
130  Sun 08/28    Florida          14- 3  Zambrano      	
132  Tue 08/30    Los Angeles   N   6- 3  Prior        	
134  Fri 09/02  @ Pittsburgh    N   7- 3  Maddux        	
136  Sun 09/04  @ Pittsburgh        2- 0  Williams      	
138  Tue 09/06  @ St. Louis     N   5- 2  Rusch        	
139  Wed 09/07  @ St. Louis     N   2- 1  Maddux        	
140  Thu 09/08  @ San Francisco N   5- 3  Zambrano      	
142  Sat 09/10  @ San Francisco     5- 2  Prior        	
143  Sun 09/11  @ San Francisco     3- 2  Rusch        	
145  Tue 09/13    Cincinnati    N   4- 3  Zambrano      	
146  Wed 09/14    Cincinnati    N   4- 7  Williams      	
148  Fri 09/16    St. Louis         5- 3  Rusch        	
152  Wed 09/21  @ Milwaukee     N   6- 7  Prior        	
153  Thu 09/22  @ Milwaukee         3- 0  Maddux        	
154  Fri 09/23    Houston           5- 4  Rusch        	
156  Sun 09/25    Houston           3- 2  Williams      	
159  Thu 09/29  @ Houston       N   3- 2  Rusch        	
160  Fri 09/30  @ Houston       N   4- 3  Zambrano   

[Balsa]

Thorough as ever Fred. Good work.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

If the pen turns out to be as deep as it could be, I hope that Dusty starts getting away from using Dempster in non-save situations (unlike last year) unless completely necessary.

 

Well you can't just let him sit in the bullpen when there isn't a save chance. He's got to get out and use him arm like any other pitcher every once in a while.

 

I'm not advocating sitting him for long stretches. I'm talking about pitching him for a 2nd or 3rd day in a row when the Cubs are up by 5 going into the 9th. I seem to remember that happening often last year and it drives me crazy.

 

That did not happen often. Below is a listing of the games that Ryan Dempster appeared in as a reliever. There were a total of 10 games in which he appeared that the CUBS won by more than 3 runs. (a typical non-save situation). In 7 of those 10 instances, Dempster was pitching on at least 4 days rest. The 01 Jun game vs. Los Angeles was a game started by Koronka, and as you might expect, that meant Baker had to go to the bullpen early and often. While it was the third consecutive game for Dempster and not a save situation, Dempster was the 5th relief pitcher used by the CUBS in the game. In the 24 July game at St Louis, Dempster entered the game in the 9th with a 4-3 lead, and proceeded to pick up a blown save and a win, as Neifi Perez hit a grand slam in the 10th. In the 02 Sept game at Pittsburgh, Dempster entered in the 8th inning with the score 4-3 in favor of the CUBS and was the beneficiary of 3 more CUBS runs in the 9th inning.

 

 

I'm gonna have to bust you on that one. Teh Cobs have never scored 3 runs in the 9th, silly. :lol:

[soapy]

Thanks for providing that, Fred. My memory must have deceived me. I thought that Dempster had pitched 3 days in a row more then the few days he did.