Is it to early to claim that we have..... (bullpen content)

[badger1679666666]

Our

 

Dotel

Lidge

Wagner

 

w/

 

Williamson/Howry/Eyre

Willamson/Howry/Eyre

Williamson/Howry/Eyre

Dempster

 

Is that too early to make that claim? It's not like they are getting people out with smoke and mirrors. Sure Williamson has had a bad day, and Howry did too but other than one game, they've never been bad when we've needed them.

 

I posed the question in the game thread but I think it got lost in the Jockstrap homer.

 

I am stoked about this bullpen.

[Chocolate Milk]

That might be premature but the 6 consecutive K's to end the game was pretty impressive.

[Coach C]

I think it's too early to tell, but I am liking how this bullpen is shaping up for the most part.

 

It's sure a hell alot better than last year, especially in the middle-relief section of the BP. Just glad that Dempster worked out very well as a closer.

[soccer10k]

I am really liking the bullpen. I just hope that Ohman can return to his 2005 form to give us 2 solid lefty relievers.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Those 4 may be better than Wagner, Dotel, Lidge, and their 4th man, but I don't think they are in the same category 3 on 3.

 

Here's some combined numbers for Wagner/Lidge/Dotel from '03

 

258 IP, 2.61 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, 10.43 K/9, 3.11 K/BB

[TB_11]

Here's some combined numbers for Wagner/Lidge/Dotel from '03

 

258 IP, 2.61 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, 10.43 K/9, 3.11 K/BB

 

Sick.

 

Houston 2003 vs Cincinnati 1990 (Charlton/Dibble/Myers):

 

339 IP (Charlton started 16 games), 2.28 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 9.32 K/9, 2.47 K/BB.

 

What the Williamson/Howry/Eyre are at now:

 

2.45 ERA (Williamson's Florida debacle was rough), 1.30 WHIP (we have 16 walks in 29 1/3 innings), 8.90 K/9, 1.30 K/BB.

[Danny82]

Remember, Dempster (obviously the closer) isn't in these comparisons, while Wagner and Myers are.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Remember, Dempster (obviously the closer) isn't in these comparisons, while Wagner and Myers are.

 

He was in the original post.

 

EDIT: n/m, I didn't notice the post above yours.

Edited April 28, 2006 by Transmogrified Tiger

[Jehrico]

Our

 

Dotel

Lidge

Wagner

 

w/

 

Williamson/Howry/Eyre

Willamson/Howry/Eyre

Williamson/Howry/Eyre

Dempster

 

Is that too early to make that claim? It's not like they are getting people out with smoke and mirrors. Sure Williamson has had a bad day, and Howry did too but other than one game, they've never been bad when we've needed them.

 

I posed the question in the game thread but I think it got lost in the Jockstrap homer.

 

I am stoked about this bullpen.

IF our pen can keep the walks down, I'd say yes. At the worst, I think we'll match them in terms of BAA and K/9 when it's all said and done.

 

I'm still hopefull that Wuertz will come back and perform like last year, and that Ohman will get back on track like last year, which would give us 6 relievers capable of putting up a sub 3.00 ERA.

[sweetpeteman]

With Dempster instead of Williamson:

 

35 IP, 1.28 ERA, .97 WHIP, 7.45 K/9, 2.23 K/BB

[Balsa]

With Dempster instead of Williamson:

 

35 IP, 1.28 ERA, .97 WHIP, 7.45 K/9, 2.23 K/BB

 

Gorgeous.

 

And I don't think it's too early to say that our bullpen is SIGNIFICANTLY better than last year. This makes me much more comfortable heading with leads into the late innings, and also helps lessen the pressure on starting pitchers. Nice.

 

I think it's also been a big part of the 'Comeback Cubs' we've seen so far. The team doesn't get down on itself heading into the late innings, and when our bullpen can hold them off, it gives us a chance to come back offensively.

 

Kudos to Hendry on the bullpen I say.

[mhuber92211]

To be fair, It is still pretty early. Just like saying that a player struggling that its only 20 games.

 

However, I think what the nice thing with the Pen is that Dusty has the right options. He doesn't have to sort through to find the right roles, they are clearly defined and thus the pen will be better for it.

[NCCubFan]

I think at least the Cubs have a pen as good as we thought they had a couple of years ago after signing Remlinger and Hawkins. We were anticipating a tough late-inning combination with Remlinger and Hawkins setting up for Borowski. Things didn't work out as planned, with Borowski and Remlinger struggling with injuries and Hawkins struggling when forced by circumstances to close instead of set up. This time, so far things have worked out as expected.

[soccer10k]

With Dempster instead of Williamson:

 

35 IP, 1.28 ERA, .97 WHIP, 7.45 K/9, 2.23 K/BB

 

Gorgeous.

 

And I don't think it's too early to say that our bullpen is SIGNIFICANTLY better than last year. This makes me much more comfortable heading with leads into the late innings, and also helps lessen the pressure on starting pitchers. Nice.

 

I think it's also been a big part of the 'Comeback Cubs' we've seen so far. The team doesn't get down on itself heading into the late innings, and when our bullpen can hold them off, it gives us a chance to come back offensively.

 

Kudos to Hendry on the bullpen I say.

 

I knew coming into the season that, without a doubt, this year's pen would be the best we have had in a few years. Even if one of Eyre/Howry works out, we still have a great 8-9 combination in Eyre/Howry and Dempster. I loved the signings. Feel free to rip Hendry for resigning Neifi and Rusch and signing Jones, but at least give him huge props for the bullpen.

[Diffusion]

Let's hope we're all so happy about the signings in 2008.

 

When we're paying Howry, Eyre and Dempster a combined $13.3m.

 

I guess the reason I'm most frustrated with Hendry isn't really that he spent all that money on relievers though. He definately overpaid, needlessly so (in that Eyre saw his offer and immediately took it without even trying to shop for a better deal, with that setting the market for Howry and just about every other reliever too), both in money and years. But when you look at just how good a Dempster, Howry, Eyre, Williamson, Wuertz, Novoa and Ohman bullpen is or would be if they put that together, maybe that can be justified.

 

No, the big issue for me is that he didn't spend anything anywhere else besides the bullpen. Our lineup desperately needed and still needs just one more big bat, a guy to protect Lee and Ramirez and to compliment Walker, Barrett, Murton, Cedeno. The Cubs went into the offseason with two outfield vacancies. You'd have thought that at at least one of them, they could have done something. Instead we've ended up with Juan Pierre and Jacque Jones, who at a combined .252/.291/.403 through their first 152 plate appearances, have been even worse than I'd feared. I don't expect that'll last, and there is something to be said for Pierre's speed, but they were just never the answer and they never will be.