Dusty in today's Trib

[RynoRules]

Paraphrasing here, but he is quoted (a bit of context I think) as saying Marshall and Guzman - based on their sterling performances yesterday - are in the running for the 5th starter spot irrespective of their exprience or lack thereof (Marshall has only 10 starts at AA). He said, "there are guys at AAA who can't throw strikes."

 

Sounds encouraging, especially if you are like me and want to see Guzman or Marshall in that 5th spot.

[Derwood]

I'm glad to hear he has an open mind about it. There will be times, however, when Marshall or Guzman won't be able to throw strikes either, but you take the good with the bad I suppose.

[rawaction]

I'm glad to hear he has an open mind about it. There will be times, however, when Marshall or Guzman won't be able to throw strikes either, but you take the good with the bad I suppose.

 

There won't be that many of those times. They are probably the top 2 pitchers in terms of control in the entire system, at least as far as legit prospects go. I imagine both missing so much time to injury and the pressure of going against ML players fighting for a major league job has a lot to do with spotty control at times this spring and last season.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Hooray, hope Guzman gets it.

[CUBZ99]

Paraphrasing here, but he is quoted (a bit of context I think) as saying Marshall and Guzman - based on their sterling performances yesterday - are in the running for the 5th starter spot irrespective of their exprience or lack thereof (Marshall has only 10 starts at AA). He said, "there are guys at AAA who can't throw strikes."

 

Sounds encouraging, especially if you are like me and want to see Guzman or Marshall in that 5th spot.

 

Every once in a while Baker makes a comment that makes sense. :lol:

[NCCubFan]

Paraphrasing here, but he is quoted (a bit of context I think) as saying Marshall and Guzman - based on their sterling performances yesterday - are in the running for the 5th starter spot irrespective of their exprience or lack thereof (Marshall has only 10 starts at AA). He said, "there are guys at AAA who can't throw strikes."

 

Sounds encouraging, especially if you are like me and want to see Guzman or Marshall in that 5th spot.

 

Every once in a while Baker makes a comment that makes sense. :lol:

And he's just made that statement for this year. Time to go back to his normal Dusty-isms. :D

[ThePenguin11]

Why aren't they competing for the 4th and 5th spots in the rotation? Or even the 3rd and 4th? Rusch and Williams have been just short of brutall all offseason, and I think that neither should be handed a spot in the rotation. Zambrano and Maddux are the only pitchers who get an automatic spot in the rotation.

[MeatampPotatoesMan]

Why aren't they competing for the 4th and 5th spots in the rotation? Or even the 3rd and 4th? Rusch and Williams have been just short of brutall all offseason, and I think that neither should be handed a spot in the rotation. Zambrano and Maddux are the only pitchers who get an automatic spot in the rotation.

 

b/c ST is just a small number of innings against guys that are going to be bagging groceries in a couple of weeks (well...sent down the the minors anyway).

 

Wuertz would be on a bus to Iowa right now if it wasn't for Baker taking into account the last couple of seasons. It's only fair that Rusch and Williams get the same benefit of the doubt.

[rawaction]

I say let these guys start a couple times in the minors (if possible), and go with the hot hand. Especially, since this seems to be a 2-3 start audition with Wood and/or Prior possibly coming back at the end of April/beginning of May.

[ThePenguin11]

Why aren't they competing for the 4th and 5th spots in the rotation? Or even the 3rd and 4th? Rusch and Williams have been just short of brutall all offseason, and I think that neither should be handed a spot in the rotation. Zambrano and Maddux are the only pitchers who get an automatic spot in the rotation.

 

b/c ST is just a small number of innings against guys that are going to be bagging groceries in a couple of weeks (well...sent down the the minors anyway).

 

Wuertz would be on a bus to Iowa right now if it wasn't for Baker taking into account the last couple of seasons. It's only fair that Rusch and Williams get the same benefit of the doubt.

 

Then explain to me why Williams and Rusch seem to be having trouble getting the grocery baggers they're facing and Guzman and Marshall aren't? Either way, my actual point was to ask why it was a foregone conclusion that Williams and Rusch would fill out two rotation spots 'automatically'.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

Then explain to me why Williams and Rusch seem to be having trouble getting the grocery baggers they're facing and Guzman and Marshall aren't? Either way, my actual point was to ask why it was a foregone conclusion that Williams and Rusch would fill out two rotation spots 'automatically'.

 

Rusch sucks.

 

Williams has historically performed poorly in ST, and we've seen what he can do with his time in the bigs. He may just be throwing his pitches down the heart of the plate just to build up his stamina, arm strength, etc.

 

Rusch sucks.

[MeatampPotatoesMan]

Why aren't they competing for the 4th and 5th spots in the rotation? Or even the 3rd and 4th? Rusch and Williams have been just short of brutall all offseason, and I think that neither should be handed a spot in the rotation. Zambrano and Maddux are the only pitchers who get an automatic spot in the rotation.

 

b/c ST is just a small number of innings against guys that are going to be bagging groceries in a couple of weeks (well...sent down the the minors anyway).

 

Wuertz would be on a bus to Iowa right now if it wasn't for Baker taking into account the last couple of seasons. It's only fair that Rusch and Williams get the same benefit of the doubt.

 

Then explain to me why Williams and Rusch seem to be having trouble getting the grocery baggers they're facing and Guzman and Marshall aren't? Either way, my actual point was to ask why it was a foregone conclusion that Williams and Rusch would fill out two rotation spots 'automatically'.

 

Marshall and Guzman haven't proven anything at the ML level. Williams and Rusch have and it counts in their favor. A few ST games are almost meaningless unless you pull a Wuertz.

 

Rusch and Williams are notoriously slow starters. This is also factored into the equation. Once you have your SP ML job, it's pretty tough to lose it in ST. Right or wrong, that's the way it is all over the majors. It's not Dusty's vet fetish coming into play.

[CubbieSouthpaw]

Paraphrasing here, but he is quoted (a bit of context I think) as saying Marshall and Guzman - based on their sterling performances yesterday - are in the running for the 5th starter spot irrespective of their exprience or lack thereof (Marshall has only 10 starts at AA). He said, "there are guys at AAA who can't throw strikes."

 

Sounds encouraging, especially if you are like me and want to see Guzman or Marshall in that 5th spot.

 

Every once in a while Baker makes a comment that makes sense. :lol:

 

And those times people need to pause and realize that the end of mankind is just around the corner. :D

[abuck1220]

Why aren't they competing for the 4th and 5th spots in the rotation? Or even the 3rd and 4th? Rusch and Williams have been just short of brutall all offseason, and I think that neither should be handed a spot in the rotation. Zambrano and Maddux are the only pitchers who get an automatic spot in the rotation.

 

b/c ST is just a small number of innings against guys that are going to be bagging groceries in a couple of weeks (well...sent down the the minors anyway).

 

Wuertz would be on a bus to Iowa right now if it wasn't for Baker taking into account the last couple of seasons. It's only fair that Rusch and Williams get the same benefit of the doubt.

 

Then explain to me why Williams and Rusch seem to be having trouble getting the grocery baggers they're facing and Guzman and Marshall aren't? Either way, my actual point was to ask why it was a foregone conclusion that Williams and Rusch would fill out two rotation spots 'automatically'.

 

Marshall and Guzman haven't proven anything at the ML level. Williams and Rusch have and it counts in their favor. A few ST games are almost meaningless unless you pull a Wuertz.

 

all rusch has proven at the ML level is that he sucks. why do bad innings count in favor of guys as 'experience'?

[MeatampPotatoesMan]

Why aren't they competing for the 4th and 5th spots in the rotation? Or even the 3rd and 4th? Rusch and Williams have been just short of brutall all offseason, and I think that neither should be handed a spot in the rotation. Zambrano and Maddux are the only pitchers who get an automatic spot in the rotation.

 

b/c ST is just a small number of innings against guys that are going to be bagging groceries in a couple of weeks (well...sent down the the minors anyway).

 

Wuertz would be on a bus to Iowa right now if it wasn't for Baker taking into account the last couple of seasons. It's only fair that Rusch and Williams get the same benefit of the doubt.

 

Then explain to me why Williams and Rusch seem to be having trouble getting the grocery baggers they're facing and Guzman and Marshall aren't? Either way, my actual point was to ask why it was a foregone conclusion that Williams and Rusch would fill out two rotation spots 'automatically'.

 

Marshall and Guzman haven't proven anything at the ML level. Williams and Rusch have and it counts in their favor. A few ST games are almost meaningless unless you pull a Wuertz.

 

all rusch has proven at the ML level is that he sucks. why do bad innings count in favor of guys as 'experience'?

 

He's not that bad. It's a pretty good bet that he'll eat innings with around a 4.50 ERA as a starter, which is decidedly average. I'm no big fan of Rusch, but saying that he sucks isn't entirely accurate.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

saying that he sucks isn't entirely accurate.

 

It might be a bit harsh, but he really does suck.

[Shilzzz]

i can see alot of the same reasoning in this thread that dusty is using to keep grissom.

[srbin84]

Compared to Zambrano and Prior when healthy, Rusch does suck, however, I'm much rather have him than a second rookie in the rotation.

[Mark Priors Calves]

Compared to Zambrano and Prior when healthy, Rusch does suck, however, I'm much rather have him than a second rookie in the rotation.

 

What if that second rookie is better than Rusch?

[KatJ]

Hooray, hope Guzman gets it.

 

I hope Guzman stays healthy.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

Compared to Zambrano and Prior when healthy, Rusch does suck, however, I'm much rather have him than a second rookie in the rotation.

 

What if that second rookie is better than Rusch?

 

And I think most of them are.