"Young" guys - finally going in the right directio

[RynoRules]

With Marshall earning a spot in the rotation, Cedeno and Murton starting, and Pagan and (perhaps) Theriot making the team, are we finally seeing this franchise go in the direction most have wished for, giving young and home-grown talent a chance to play? I think we are seeing a change in philosophy here, and I am very excited about it.

 

Thoughts?

[soccer10k]

Whatever gets us to the postseason. If that means playing the young guys, so be it.

[minnesotacubsfan]

I think we are seeing a change in philosophy here, and I am very excited about it.

 

 

you been drinking???

 

 

seriously though, I think the "youth movement" is due more to balancing the budget and need then a philospohy movement

[NewUserName]

I dont care why they do it, it is much more proven way to build a successful franchise through a productive minor league system and enhancing your team with trades and free agent pick ups than it is to try to build a team from other peoples talent. If this is really a philosophy change all I have to say is about time, after not winning for 100 yrs it is about time they tried something different

[srbin84]

I dont care why they do it, it is much more proven way to build a successful franchise through a productive minor league system and enhancing your team with trades and free agent pick ups than it is to try to build a team from other peoples talent. If this is really a philosophy change all I have to say is about time, after not winning for 100 yrs it is about time they tried something different

 

Agreed. I'd much rather give guys like Marshall, Sing and Pagan a chance, even though they aren't highly regarded prospects, than sign washed up pieces of crap like Estes, Grissom and Lenny Harris. If you give 5 or 6 fringe guys a chance, you have a good chance of finding a diamond in the rough and that's the difference between most of the good team and the bad ones. Look at the Cardinals every year with guys like Bo Hart, Bud Smith, Pauquette. Those guys keep them winning when they need someone.

[MeatampPotatoesMan]

If we were dealing with the braves pulling this, I'd be happy. We don't exactly have the greatest track record with our prospects, particularly position players.

 

This looks like desperation to me brought on by injuries and budget concerns. Could we afford a 5M LF instead of Murton and Furcal at 10M/season? Nope.

 

I think Murton has earned his spot. Cedeno hasn't. Marshall hasn't.

 

Don't get me wrong, I like Marshall better than Rusch and Cedeno better than Neifi, but the fact we're even in this position is laughable.

[CUBZ99]

If we were dealing with the braves pulling this, I'd be happy. We don't exactly have the greatest track record with our prospects, particularly position players.

 

This looks like desperation to me brought on by injuries and budget concerns. Could we afford a 5M LF instead of Murton and Furcal at 10M/season? Nope.

 

I think Murton has earned his spot. Cedeno hasn't. Marshall hasn't.

 

Don't get me wrong, I like Marshall better than Rusch and Cedeno better than Neifi, but the fact we're even in this position is laughable.

 

I agree with you on Cedeno, there is no way his play this spring justifies him starting. But, the Cubs have shown some ability to judge pitchers. With Marshall it may just be the case of him putting it all together at the right time. The simple reality is that he outperformed everyone else that was auditioning for the job and some of the guys in the rotation.

 

I haven't seen anything about Marshall that is not to like. Sure he doesn't throw 95 mph on a regular basis, but he seems to have good control and some pretty filthy stuff. It has been awhile since the Cubs have had a good lefty in the rotation.

[frostwyrm]

Anyone noticed Neifi's spring at bats total? It's the 2nd most on the team at 58, and only 2 less than Pierre's.

[dalgreen]

I dont care why they do it, it is much more proven way to build a successful franchise through a productive minor league system and enhancing your team with trades and free agent pick ups than it is to try to build a team from other peoples talent. If this is really a philosophy change all I have to say is about time, after not winning for 100 yrs it is about time they tried something different

 

There's a certain MLB team about 4 1/2 hrs south of Chicago, who wear a bunch of birds on their jerseys who seem to win with a bunch of other people's talent (save Pujols). It's all about making good decisions.

 

I'm still not sold on our farm system (position players).

[Mizzou]

Anyone noticed Neifi's spring at bats total? It's the 2nd most on the team at 58, and only 2 less than Pierre's.

That doesn't exactly mean a lot... Dave Duncan's son (Chris?) had the most at bats for the Cards, and he was sent down to AAA. Just cause a guy bats a lot during ST doesn't necessarily mean he'll play a lot during the season.

[dalgreen]

Anyone noticed Neifi's spring at bats total? It's the 2nd most on the team at 58, and only 2 less than Pierre's.

 

I was actually hoping that would be a good thing thinking he would straight suck and there would be no justifying his being a starter. I never realized that neither Hairston nor Walker wouldn't statistically be good enough to win the job by a landslide.

[MeatampPotatoesMan]

If we were dealing with the braves pulling this, I'd be happy. We don't exactly have the greatest track record with our prospects, particularly position players.

 

This looks like desperation to me brought on by injuries and budget concerns. Could we afford a 5M LF instead of Murton and Furcal at 10M/season? Nope.

 

I think Murton has earned his spot. Cedeno hasn't. Marshall hasn't.

 

Don't get me wrong, I like Marshall better than Rusch and Cedeno better than Neifi, but the fact we're even in this position is laughable.

 

I agree with you on Cedeno, there is no way his play this spring justifies him starting. But, the Cubs have shown some ability to judge pitchers. With Marshall it may just be the case of him putting it all together at the right time. The simple reality is that he outperformed everyone else that was auditioning for the job and some of the guys in the rotation.

 

I haven't seen anything about Marshall that is not to like. Sure he doesn't throw 95 mph on a regular basis, but he seems to have good control and some pretty filthy stuff. It has been awhile since the Cubs have had a good lefty in the rotation.

 

I don't think one good spring should get you a ML job. It should be able to tip the scales in your favor, but guys like Marshall shouldn't vault from a few innings in AA to the 4 spot in the rotation. If we're in the "earn it" business like Hendry says we are, Hill would be in the rotation, not Marshall, even with his horrible spring. No one else has logged the innings (among Hill, Guzman, and Marshall).

 

Marshall has 54 innings above A ball. Fifty freaking four. The only pitcher I know of to pitch fewer than 54 innings above A ball before a decent stint in the majors is Mark Prior. And Prior was ML ready out of college.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Marshall has 54 innings above A ball. Fifty freaking four. The only pitcher I know of to pitch fewer than 54 innings above A ball before a decent stint in the majors is Mark Prior. And Prior was ML ready out of college.

 

I can think of another Cubs minor league left handed starter that had less than 50 IP above A Ball....

[MeatampPotatoesMan]

Marshall has 54 innings above A ball. Fifty freaking four. The only pitcher I know of to pitch fewer than 54 innings above A ball before a decent stint in the majors is Mark Prior. And Prior was ML ready out of college.

 

I can think of another Cubs minor league left handed starter that had less than 50 IP above A Ball....

 

And Hill got lit up in the bigs.

 

I also said "decent stint in the majors."

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Marshall has 54 innings above A ball. Fifty freaking four. The only pitcher I know of to pitch fewer than 54 innings above A ball before a decent stint in the majors is Mark Prior. And Prior was ML ready out of college.

 

I can think of another Cubs minor league left handed starter that had less than 50 IP above A Ball....

 

And Hill got lit up in the bigs.

 

http://i.a.cnn.net/si/2005/writers/james_quintong/07/13/secondhalf.duds/t1_willis_allstar_all.jpg

Edited March 31, 2006 by Transmogrified Tiger

[SouthSideRyan]

Marshall has 54 innings above A ball. Fifty freaking four. The only pitcher I know of to pitch fewer than 54 innings above A ball before a decent stint in the majors is Mark Prior. And Prior was ML ready out of college.

 

I can think of another Cubs minor league left handed starter that had less than 50 IP above A Ball....

 

Took the words right out of my mouth.

 

Cedeno did put up a 355/.403/.518 line last year in AAA. It's not like he's coming straight from his disaster of a minor league career up to '03. I don't know what happened to Ronny, but he really seemed to turn things around in '04.

[MeatampPotatoesMan]

Marshall has 54 innings above A ball. Fifty freaking four. The only pitcher I know of to pitch fewer than 54 innings above A ball before a decent stint in the majors is Mark Prior. And Prior was ML ready out of college.

 

I can think of another Cubs minor league left handed starter that had less than 50 IP above A Ball....

 

And Hill got lit up in the bigs.

 

http://i.a.cnn.net/si/2005/writers/james_quintong/07/13/secondhalf.duds/t1_willis_allstar_all.jpg

 

Willis?

 

LMAO. That only undermines the argument that the Cubs org. knows what pitchers to call up to the big league team with limited minor league innings (much less trade away).

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Willis?

 

LMAO. That only undermines the argument that the Cubs org. knows what pitchers to call up to the big league team with limited minor league innings (much less trade away).

 

I agree with your point about Marshall's lack of experience, I just found it funny that you didn't think of Dontrelle in your original post.

[MeatampPotatoesMan]

Willis?

 

LMAO. That only undermines the argument that the Cubs org. knows what pitchers to call up to the big league team with limited minor league innings (much less trade away).

 

I agree with your point about Marshall's lack of experience, I just found it funny that you didn't think of Dontrelle in your original post.

 

I don't really consider Willis to be a "Cubs minor leaguer" since he pitched all of 121 innings with us before being traded.

 

Willis also had a sub 1.50 ERA in his short stint in AA.

Edited March 31, 2006 by Meat&PotatoesMan

[SouthSideRyan]

Marshall has 54 innings above A ball. Fifty freaking four. The only pitcher I know of to pitch fewer than 54 innings above A ball before a decent stint in the majors is Mark Prior. And Prior was ML ready out of college.

 

I can think of another Cubs minor league left handed starter that had less than 50 IP above A Ball....

 

And Hill got lit up in the bigs.

 

http://i.a.cnn.net/si/2005/writers/james_quintong/07/13/secondhalf.duds/t1_willis_allstar_all.jpg

 

Willis?

 

LMAO. That only undermines the argument that the Cubs org. knows what pitchers to call up to the big league team with limited minor league innings (much less trade away).

 

Like Mark Prior. Or Kerry Wood who didn't have much minor league experience when he was called up.

[SouthSideRyan]

Marshall has 54 innings above A ball. Fifty freaking four. The only pitcher I know of to pitch fewer than 54 innings above A ball before a decent stint in the majors is Mark Prior. And Prior was ML ready out of college.

 

Dontrelle Willis is a pitcher who pitched fewer than 54 innings above A ball before a decent stint in the majors. That's what TT was saying.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Willis?

 

LMAO. That only undermines the argument that the Cubs org. knows what pitchers to call up to the big league team with limited minor league innings (much less trade away).

 

I agree with your point about Marshall's lack of experience, I just found it funny that you didn't think of Dontrelle in your original post.

 

I don't really consider Willis to be a "Cubs minor leaguer" since he pitched all of 121 innings with us before being traded.

 

Willis also had a sub 1.50 ERA in his short stint in AA.

 

As opposed to his 66 IP in the Marlins system?

[MeatampPotatoesMan]

Like Mark Prior. Or Kerry Wood who didn't have much minor league experience when he was called up.

 

Mark Prior was ML ready out of college. Darn near every scout in the country thought that.

 

Kerry Wood pitched 151 innings above A ball before being called up to Chicago.

 

Do you really think Marshall has more talent than Wood (at that point in his career)? You have to be kidding me.

[Laura]

Huston Street

 

[SouthSideRyan]

Sean Marshall has more talent than Kerry Wood

 

Mark Prior was ML ready out of college. Darn near every scout in the country thought that.

 

Kerry Wood pitched 151 innings above A ball before being called up to Chicago.

 

Do you really think Marshall has more talent than Wood (at that point in his career)? You have to be kidding me.

 

You got me!!!

 

Do you really think that no pitcher should ever be promoted to the majors until they have at least 55 innings above A ball?