6/8 Cubs (Rusch) @ Reds (Arroyo) 6:10 p.m. CT on WGN

[Banedon]

That he can't get over the plate. You want to see a good curveball that is thrown for strikes watch Marshall.

 

He can get it over the plate in AAA. Is that minor league plate smaller? Or could it be that he needs to build confidence in the majors?

[C.C.]

Better yet, is there any circumstance, ever, in which Hill would get another chance to pitch in the big leagues by your standards cubbiechris?

 

I say it right now. Hill will never be a effective starter. There I said it and I will stand by it. I hope that I'm wrong....I really do.

 

But he's already an effective starter at AAA, so what are you basing this on?

 

Key word being AAA...The minors are filled with effective minor league starters who never made it in the big leagues. I think Hill will be best suited as a lefty specialist if he can gain some sort of control. What's with all this Hill love? What has he shown that leads you people to believe he'll be a good starter in the ML?

 

A really really really big curveball.

 

That he can't get over the plate. You want to see a good curveball that is thrown for strikes watch Marshall.

 

He can get it over the plate in AAA. Is that minor league plate smaller?

 

I don't think the plate is smaller, but I do believe his stones get smaller when he takes a Major League mound.

[baseball7897]

Better yet, is there any circumstance, ever, in which Hill would get another chance to pitch in the big leagues by your standards cubbiechris?

 

I say it right now. Hill will never be a effective starter. There I said it and I will stand by it. I hope that I'm wrong....I really do.

 

But he's already an effective starter at AAA, so what are you basing this on?

 

Key word being AAA...The minors are filled with effective minor league starters who never made it in the big leagues. I think Hill will be best suited as a lefty specialist if he can gain some sort of control. What's with all this Hill love? What has he shown that leads you people to believe he'll be a good starter in the ML?

 

A really really really big curveball.

 

That he can't get over the plate. You want to see a good curveball that is thrown for strikes watch Marshall.

 

He can get it over the plate in AAA. Is that minor league plate smaller?

 

I don't think the plate is smaller, but I do believe his stones get smaller when he takes a Major League mound.

 

 

It's more mental than anything

[Banedon]

I don't think the plate is smaller, but I do believe his stones get smaller when he takes a Major League mound.

 

Oh you're hilarious.

[Banedon]

It's more mental than anything

 

That's my point. He has to have an opportunity at the big league level to get past whatever mental block he has about pitching in the bigs.

[C.C.]

Better yet, is there any circumstance, ever, in which Hill would get another chance to pitch in the big leagues by your standards cubbiechris?

 

I say it right now. Hill will never be a effective starter. There I said it and I will stand by it. I hope that I'm wrong....I really do.

 

But he's already an effective starter at AAA, so what are you basing this on?

 

Key word being AAA...The minors are filled with effective minor league starters who never made it in the big leagues. I think Hill will be best suited as a lefty specialist if he can gain some sort of control. What's with all this Hill love? What has he shown that leads you people to believe he'll be a good starter in the ML?

 

A really really really big curveball.

 

That he can't get over the plate. You want to see a good curveball that is thrown for strikes watch Marshall.

 

He can get it over the plate in AAA. Is that minor league plate smaller?

 

I don't think the plate is smaller, but I do believe his stones get smaller when he takes a Major League mound.

 

 

It's more mental than anything

 

Whatever it is it's not good. I remember watching him before he threw a pitch to the W.Sox he looked like he already lost. Maybe he's more of a smaller market pitcher ala florida or KC. Less pressure for the kid.

[C.C.]

I don't think the plate is smaller, but I do believe his stones get smaller when he takes a Major League mound.

 

Oh you're hilarious.

 

Sorry I just had to! :lol:

[goonys evil twin]

Whatever it is it's not good. I remember watching him before he threw a pitch to the W.Sox he looked like he already lost.

 

Maybe he realized he was pitching for the Cubs.

[C.C.]

Whatever it is it's not good. I remember watching him before he threw a pitch to the W.Sox he looked like he already lost.

 

Maybe he realized he was pitching for the Cubs.

 

LOL! No doubt!

[KaiserCesar]

When he first came up last year, he looked very good. Ever since that Mets game with Nomar's return where the infield forgot how to play defense, things have been bad. I'd like to see him get an extended chance to start through bad outings to see what he's really made of.

[C.C.]

When he first came up last year, he looked very good. Ever since that Mets game with Nomar's return where the infield forgot how to play defense, things have been bad. I'd like to see him get an extended chance to start through bad outings to see what he's really made of.

 

I'd like him to start in the bullpen and see how does there first. Give him some mop up roles to get some sort of confidence. I remember him coming out of the bullpen last year and he looked really good.

[KaiserCesar]

When he first came up last year, he looked very good. Ever since that Mets game with Nomar's return where the infield forgot how to play defense, things have been bad. I'd like to see him get an extended chance to start through bad outings to see what he's really made of.

 

I'd like him to start in the bullpen and see how does there first. Give him some mop up roles to get some sort of confidence. I remember him coming out of the bullpen last year and he looked really good.

 

I could definitely see him being effective in that role. He's great in flashes right now. Example: giving up a homer to Iguchi then striking out Thome on 3 pitches. Since I'm pretty certain its a confidence issue, whatever helps him out most is great with me.

 

Also, his future with the Cubs if he has one could very well be in the pen. If a free agent is signed, and Guzman is more preferred in the rotation, there may not be any room for him in the regular 5 unless there's injury (which you can always count on). Z-Prior-Zito/Mulder-Marshall-Guz

 

Hill could be the young Glendon: lefty spot starter in the bullpen, just gotta get him a few twinkies and he's on the fast track.

[goonys evil twin]

I think it would be interesting to use Guzman and Hill in a sort of tag team role, similar to the outing in the spring when Marshall and Guzman had a no-hitter going deep against the A's.

 

If you are going to waste space with a 7 man bullpen anyway, and you know you have guys who aren't going 7/8 innings a start, then try something new. See if you can get Guzman to go 3-4 strong, then try and get 3-4 out of Hill. This might help Guzman in the health department as well, and would also keep guys available for some between outing appearances from the pen. Something like this could also work for a team that eventually tries to go with the 4 man rotation.

[C.C.]

I think it would be interesting to use Guzman and Hill in a sort of tag team role, similar to the outing in the spring when Marshall and Guzman had a no-hitter going deep against the A's.

 

If you are going to waste space with a 7 man bullpen anyway, and you know you have guys who aren't going 7/8 innings a start, then try something new. See if you can get Guzman to go 3-4 strong, then try and get 3-4 out of Hill. This might help Guzman in the health department as well, and would also keep guys available for some between outing appearances from the pen. Something like this could also work for a team that eventually tries to go with the 4 man rotation.

 

I would think that at this point Gooz needs to pitch more. He really hasn't pitched much the past two years. And you are talking about Dusty doing something radical (for him anyway) which will never happen.

[Omar]

Don't know how Reds line up, but the Cubs will go thusly, as of 3 Eastern Time:

 

Pierre, CF

Womack, 2B

Barrett, C

Walker, 1B

Ramirez, 3B

Jones, RF

Murton, LF

Cedeno, SS

Rusch, P

 

I wonder why we got Phil Nevin.

 

Why exactly doesnt he start?

[Ding Dong Johnson]

Don't know how Reds line up, but the Cubs will go thusly, as of 3 Eastern Time:

 

Pierre, CF

Womack, 2B

Barrett, C

Walker, 1B

Ramirez, 3B

Jones, RF

Murton, LF

Cedeno, SS

Rusch, P

 

I wonder why we got Phil Nevin.

 

Why exactly doesnt he start?

 

Because Womack had a couple of really good games 2 weeks ago.

[C.C.]

Don't know how Reds line up, but the Cubs will go thusly, as of 3 Eastern Time:

 

Pierre, CF

Womack, 2B

Barrett, C

Walker, 1B

Ramirez, 3B

Jones, RF

Murton, LF

Cedeno, SS

Rusch, P

 

I wonder why we got Phil Nevin.

 

Why exactly doesnt he start?

 

Because Womack had a couple of really good games 2 weeks ago.

 

I'm with ya! I don't see the logic in not starting him and adding more pop in that lineup. Espically against the Reds.

[Mizzou]

I never thought I'd see the day where people were complaining that a .214 hitter wasn't starting.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

I never thought I'd see the day where people were complaining that a .214 hitter wasn't starting.

 

Ain't it wonderful to be a Cubs fan?

[C.C.]

I never thought I'd see the day where people were complaining that a .214 hitter wasn't starting.

 

LOL! Have we hit rock bottom yet?

[goonys evil twin]

I would think that at this point Gooz needs to pitch more. He really hasn't pitched much the past two years. And you are talking about Dusty doing something radical (for him anyway) which will never happen.

 

I think Guzman needs to pitch regularly, not necessarily more and more each game. I don't think getting to 80 or 90 pitches in any one game is nearly as useful as appearing in the game. I'm not talking about some 10 pitch outing with 4 days rest between. Guzman and Hill have each looked good in spurts at the major league level. I say give them the chance to build on those short spurts. If one starts to outperform the other, and looks like he can be extended, do that. If a guy has a no-hitter (or otherwise pitching brilliantly) you don't have to pull him in the 5th. But given the alternatives, I'd callup each and tell them the plan is to get 4 good innings out of each. If one bombs early, the other comes in. If a guy goes 3 giving up 2 runs, with a few too many walks, put the other guy in. I would do my best to keep them from entering in the middle of an inning. And I wouldn't have a problem using Hill between outings in very short stints in the 2nd or 3rd game after the outing. I'd avoid that with Guzman for now.

[frostwyrm]

Is it just me or is it hilarious that Tony Womack's backup makes $2.5 million per year and is signed thru 2007? Edited June 8, 2006 by frostwyrm

[Ding Dong Johnson]

Is it just me or is it hilarious that Tony Womack's backup makes $2.5 million per year and is signed thru 2007.

 

It would be funny if it happened to a team other than this one.

[Flames24Rulz]

here's the Reds lineup:

 

1. R Freel, CF .273 3 10 12

2. F Lopez, SS .282 6 23 17

3. R Aurilia, 3B .273 7 23 1

4. A Dunn, LF .232 18 35 1

5. A Kearns, RF .282 12 38 2

6. S Hatteberg, 1B .293 3 14 0

7. B Phillips, 2B .312 5 34 11

8. D Ross, C .339 5 16 0

9. B Arroyo, P .156 2 6 0

[Derwood]

No Griffey, no Valentin. It's something...