So now what do we do?

[JonnyRed]

Assuming Prior is out for the beginning of the season--joining Wood and Miller--what should our starting staff look like? Frankly, our injured staff looks quite a bit better than what's left.

 

1. Zambrano: We need him to take that next step up to become an elite pitcher (ie 20 wins)

2. Maddux: Let's hope his improved conditioning pays off

3. Rusch: Sad to have to place him this high in the rotation

4. Williams: Now's his chance to shine

5. Hill? Guzman? Trade?: I don't see anyone trading a starting-caliber pitcher and Guzman needs more work, so Hill might win by default.

 

Let's hope that Prior, Wood and Miller can return by May and we can rely on the improved bullpen early in the year.

 

(Maybe Hendry could have signed that #3 pitcher I really was hoping for in the offseason)

[MeatampPotatoesMan]

lmfao. Maddux is our #2. *%#*

[TB_11]

Is Zambrano not an elite pitcher?

[NCCubFan]

This is what we do:

 

Or this: ](*,)

[Ding Dong Johnson]

Is Zambrano not an elite pitcher?

 

Apparently he needs more wins.

[JonnyRed]

Is Zambrano not an elite pitcher?

 

Not yet IMO. To be elite you have to deliver 18+ wins on a consistent basis and Z's best to date is 16. He can't blow easy Ws like in last season's opener.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

Is Zambrano not an elite pitcher?

 

Not yet IMO. To be elite you have to deliver 18+ wins on a consistent basis and Z's best to date is 16. He can't blow easy Ws like in last season's opener.

 

Yes, I was heartbroken when we lost that game.

[Derwood]

Is Zambrano not an elite pitcher?

 

Not yet IMO. To be elite you have to deliver 18+ wins on a consistent basis and Z's best to date is 16. He can't blow easy Ws like in last season's opener.

 

so by that criteria, Maddux is the only one close to being elite on our roster

[ManEatingTarp]

Prediction from the other side of the rivalry.

Williams comes up big in April and keeps the Cubs out of the early hole. Prior misses 2-3 starts then has a bumpy first couple outings before finding his groove.

 

To start the season:

Zambrano- is awesome (my early pick for Cy)

Maddux- does well but it costs him later in the season

Rusch- .... Bullpen gets a lot of work in the first month

Williams- Goes 4-0 in April. This is his chance.

Hill- ... Not ready. Yet...

[MeatampPotatoesMan]

Is Zambrano not an elite pitcher?

 

You need depth (those on the DL don't count).

[TB_11]

Is Zambrano not an elite pitcher?

 

Apparently he needs more wins.

 

Right. I guess those three straight years of at least 130 ERA+ don't matter, especially when the only starters to have accomplished this from 2003-05 were him and Santana.

 

I'll stop attempting to hijack this thread now.

[ManEatingTarp]

Is Zambrano not an elite pitcher?

 

Apparently he needs more wins.

 

Right. I guess those three straight years of at least 130 ERA+ don't matter, especially when the only starters to have accomplished this from 2003-05 were him and Santana.

 

I'll stop attempting to hijack this thread now.

 

If Zambrano pitched for the Yankees or Red Sox he would lead Sportscenter every time he pitched.

He is a special talent. He and Lee are the 2 most important players for the Cubs. I'd say Z may be the most important.

[TB_11]

Assuming Prior is out for the beginning of the season--joining Wood and Miller--what should our starting staff look like? Frankly, our injured staff looks quite a bit better than what's left.

 

1. Zambrano: We need him to take that next step up to become an elite pitcher (ie 20 wins)

2. Maddux: Let's hope his improved conditioning pays off

3. Rusch: Sad to have to place him this high in the rotation

4. Williams: Now's his chance to shine

5. Hill? Guzman? Trade?: I don't see anyone trading a starting-caliber pitcher and Guzman needs more work, so Hill might win by default.

 

Let's hope that Prior, Wood and Miller can return by May and we can rely on the improved bullpen early in the year.

 

(Maybe Hendry could have signed that #3 pitcher I really was hoping for in the offseason)

 

Essentially we have a true #1 starter, and then four guys who should be either a #4 or #5 starter after them. The problem is the offense didn't improve enough during the offseason, which means that for the team to succeed we needed a 2003-level of performance out of our starting pitching. Doesn't look like that can happen with these five as our rotation.

[neely crenshaw]

hendry once again built this team on pitching and pitchimg only. we have a sad offense, although pierre will help.

he gambles once again on oft injured starters that appear to let us down. to me this is once again a penny pinchinh issue...although with wood at 12 mil it's not cheap! but rather than sign a pitcher who had a pretty proven record he low balls and fills in with rusch and a prayer on miller. we are not the KC royals! we have plenty of revenue coming in that could have been used to solidify this team.

maybe prior comes back quickly and is fine, maybe wood and miller have everything we hope for BUT why do we have to sit here every single season and pray that everything goes our way? i know that nothing is for sure, anyone can get hurt, anyone can have a tough year but when EVERY move that you make is a freakin' gamble, you have to expect that most will fail!

we gambled that lee and rameriz would be great and uninjured. decent bet on lee, not so good a track record on aram.

we gambled that cedeno and murton will be decent or better.

we gambled that jones and pierre would return to form.

we gambled that prior would be healthy and return to form

we gambled that wood and miller would be able to pitch and be good.

we gambled that rusch would be the pitcher from the first half and not the 2nd half

we gambled that the new set up guys would continue to be very good, which can change very quickly with set up men

we also gambled somewhat that dempster will continue to be a stud.

sorry about the length but i just think a franchise with the resources and revenue that the cubs have(and the salary level) should not build like the twins do.

[stitchface]

Is Zambrano not an elite pitcher?

 

Apparently he needs more wins.

 

Right. I guess those three straight years of at least 130 ERA+ don't matter, especially when the only starters to have accomplished this from 2003-05 were him and Santana.

 

I'll stop attempting to hijack this thread now.

 

If Zambrano pitched for the Yankees or Red Sox he would lead Sportscenter every time he pitched.

He is a special talent. He and Lee are the 2 most important players for the Cubs. I'd say Z may be the most important.

 

Kind of sad when the cards fan is the only one with any hope for this team. Saying Z isn't elite is ridiculous. He has had the three best consecutive years of any cubs starter since WWII

[soapy]

I'd take a good long look at Guzman for the rotation. I hate to "rush" him, but I'd consider sliding him in there. He's obviously an injury risk, but is he more likely to get injured at MLB v. AAA? I think he gives them a better chance than Hill. Guzman will likely go down with an injury at some point anyway, so why not get what you can out of him. I hate to say stuff like that, but that's how I'm starting to feel.

[NCCubFan]

He has had the three best consecutive years of any cubs starter since WWII

Fergie Jenkins might beg to differ. Z is definitely an elite pitcher, however.

[neely crenshaw]

being the best cubs pitcher since ww2 is kind of like being the richest man in the housing project. lol

[WrigleyinEngland]

My best suggestion is to trade todd walker for Matos .........bridge jump!!!

[stitchface]

He has had the three best consecutive years of any cubs starter since WWII

Fergie Jenkins might beg to differ. Z is definitely an elite pitcher, however.

 

he might, but he'd be wrong.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

being the best cubs pitcher since ww2 is kind of like being the richest man in the housing project. lol

 

http://www.tvparty.com/vgifs13/jjgoodtimes.jpg

[kente777]

Is Zambrano not an elite pitcher?

 

Apparently he needs more wins.

 

Right. I guess those three straight years of at least 130 ERA+ don't matter, especially when the only starters to have accomplished this from 2003-05 were him and Santana.

 

I'll stop attempting to hijack this thread now.

 

If Zambrano pitched for the Yankees or Red Sox he would lead Sportscenter every time he pitched.

He is a special talent. He and Lee are the 2 most important players for the Cubs. I'd say Z may be the most important.

 

Kind of sad when the cards fan is the only one with any hope for this team. Saying Z isn't elite is ridiculous. He has had the three best consecutive years of any cubs starter since WWII

 

Hmm....seems to me that Fergie Jenkins had a few good years in a row.

 

:)

 

Ken

[treebird]

Is Zambrano not an elite pitcher?

 

Apparently he needs more wins.

 

Right. I guess those three straight years of at least 130 ERA+ don't matter, especially when the only starters to have accomplished this from 2003-05 were him and Santana.

 

I'll stop attempting to hijack this thread now.

 

If Zambrano pitched for the Yankees or Red Sox he would lead Sportscenter every time he pitched.

He is a special talent. He and Lee are the 2 most important players for the Cubs. I'd say Z may be the most important.

 

Kind of sad when the cards fan is the only one with any hope for this team. Saying Z isn't elite is ridiculous. He has had the three best consecutive years of any cubs starter since WWII

 

Hmm....seems to me that Fergie Jenkins had a few good years in a row.

 

:)

 

Ken

 

unless you want to base your entire argument on wins or innings pitched, id have to agree with stitchface here.

[Vinestal]

Id say that we are completely screwed. Our rotation after Zambrano sucks to put it bluntly and our offense is not good enough to carry us. We should just start dismantling now. Trade some of our better players for prospects rebuild the farm and play for last place. This team is going to be extremely mediocre at best without Prior and Wood. I know Hendry wont do this though because he's trying to keep his job. We are going to be a pretty sad team going into April and we really needed to get off to a good start in order to compete in our division.

I had been listening to the doom and gloom from people on these boards all offseason and I had tried to remain optimistic about our chances but it looks like we are going to be the same team as last year in the end.

I hope Im wrong, but things look pretty bleak.

[Soul]

I don't see any way this team finishes above 4th.

 

It's easy for a Cards fan to be positive about our situation---he knows it means an easier road for his team in any event (no offense meant).

 

Prior & Wood will remain on and off the DL all year long. No way do they just magically heal and put in serious innings. Neither one of them was ready to do anything more than pretend-pitch in pseudo-simu-games with a towel when spring training began.

 

They aren't ready for anything close to MLB baseball even when they "heal," and that's a fact. It would take months to get anything close to normal levels of production---especially Wood.

 

I know little about Miller's chances to come back, so I will remain positive about him until proven otherwise. But this team needed Wood & Prior to have any chance whatsoever. Both are done----it's over, book it.

 

Negativity? When it's warranted, you bet.