The Cubs Cactus League Rotation

[98navigator]

Gameday Audio subscribers should click here for candid moments between Lou and Santo. LOL, they talk for a couple of minutes (not knowing the mic is open). It sounds like they are in the middle of a small disagreement when someone triggers the recording... Santo uses some colorful language too. Then the formal pregame show starts--is interrupted--and starts again later.

 

Good find!

 

Verrrry interesting. GREAT find! Straight from Lou's mouth, with no pretense. That means if Angel pitches well he has a good chance of making the team.

 

I can't listen to the audio link yet, but if all he is that he prefers a young 5th starter, how do you know that he is not talking about Neil Cotts? Aren't Cotts and Guzman similar ages?

 

To be clear, Lou refers to all the players as "kids." However, he actually mentions a few players by name.

Edited March 8, 2007 by 98navigator

[cubweiser03]

Hey a player requesting a trade i actually like. Fine ship miller if he can't start, i wouldnt want him in the BP anyway.

 

And yeah, if Wuertz is not on the 25 man i am going to be all kinds of pissed off, ESPECIALLY if Novoa is on. Lou will come through for me though....i hope.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

It's important to note that Wade Miller does not want to pitch in the bullpen. If he doesn't win the fifth starter spot he may ask for a trade which will open a roster spot:

 

Trib

 

"My fastball is coming around," Miller said. "I threw a bullpen [session] a couple of days ago, and I feel great right now."

 

If Miller doesn't earn the fifth spot, he said, "I'll have to explore my options." Going to the bullpen isn't among them, and Hendry likely would accommodate Miller if he asks for a trade.

 

"Until that time comes, I'm a Cub," Miller said.

 

So, what teams are looking for a fifth starter, and what could we get in exchange for Miller?

 

I can think of the Mets, Nationals, Mariners, and Rangers who could be in the market for a starter. The Cardinals and Astros might as well, but we'd be hesitant to deal with those two.

[RichHillIsABeast]

It's important to note that Wade Miller does not want to pitch in the bullpen. If he doesn't win the fifth starter spot he may ask for a trade which will open a roster spot:

 

Trib

 

"My fastball is coming around," Miller said. "I threw a bullpen [session] a couple of days ago, and I feel great right now."

 

If Miller doesn't earn the fifth spot, he said, "I'll have to explore my options." Going to the bullpen isn't among them, and Hendry likely would accommodate Miller if he asks for a trade.

 

"Until that time comes, I'm a Cub," Miller said.

 

So, what teams are looking for a fifth starter, and what could we get in exchange for Miller?

 

I can think of the Mets, Nationals, Mariners, and Rangers who could be in the market for a starter. The Cardinals and Astros might as well, but we'd be hesitant to deal with those two.

 

B prospects

[CubColtPacer]

An interesting article about working on new pitches from cubs.com-Marquis working on a splitter?

 

"I feel like I'm getting that feel back of a good slider, which would be my out pitch with two strikes," he said. "I worked on the split the last two months of last season and all offseason. I always have that in my bag of tricks."

 

And here is Marquis talking about what pitches will be his focus:

 

"I learned from a lot of guys that you're better off getting real consistent with three main pitches than having five, six pitches that are average pitches," Marquis said. "Obviously, my main focus is sinker down in the zone, get ahead with that and come up with a breaking ball that I can throw for strikes at any time."

 

http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070307&content_id=1832292&vkey=spt2007news&fext=.jsp&c_id=chc

[98navigator]

An interesting article about working on new pitches from cubs.com-Marquis working on a splitter?

 

"I feel like I'm getting that feel back of a good slider, which would be my out pitch with two strikes," he said. "I worked on the split the last two months of last season and all offseason. I always have that in my bag of tricks."

 

And here is Marquis talking about what pitches will be his focus:

 

"I learned from a lot of guys that you're better off getting real consistent with three main pitches than having five, six pitches that are average pitches," Marquis said. "Obviously, my main focus is sinker down in the zone, get ahead with that and come up with a breaking ball that I can throw for strikes at any time."

 

http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070307&content_id=1832292&vkey=spt2007news&fext=.jsp&c_id=chc

 

 

To add to that, Ted Lilly is working on a sinker.

 

Trib

 

...the lefty... is working this spring on a sinker he plans to use more often this season, and he was encouraged by it Monday. He'll work on it more Saturday against the Kansas City Royals in a scheduled three-inning start.

[KaiserCesar]

man if cotts is our five over guzman, i dont know what to say about how much of a disaster this organization is

 

I am hoping it is just pure speculation by Sullivan. I don't see how Guz is overlooked if Prior is unable to go!

 

Although, during the webcast today Kasper mentioned the same thing....

 

I wouldn't put much stock in what Sullivan has to say about the fifth spot. He is speculating. For the record, Lou has noticed Guzman's performance and will continue to evaluate him.

 

Bruce Miles

 

Piniella also liked youngster Angel Guzman, who pitched 2 scoreless innings Tuesday.

 

“He looks like he wants a spot on the club,” Piniella said. “He’s throwing the ball very well. You look at his natural stuff, and it’s as good as people’s in camp.”

 

I also read a quote from Lou that said the Cubs are going to continue to stretch him out and see how he responds when he pitches 4,5, and 6 innings. Unfortunately, I can't find it now.

 

:evil:

 

We're talking about a young starter here. We'll see more as we stretch him out and get him into the three-, four-, five-[inning] category. You've got to be pleased with his stuff, there's no question about that

 

Thanks, where did you find it?

 

It was just in a thread, I believe, and I had quoted it in an earlier post so I found my post, but not the original quote.

 

Ah, ha, thanks to google, here it is (under "extra bases")

 

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20070306&content_id=1831674&vkey=spt2007news&fext=.jsp

[CaliforniaRaisin]

I heard about Lilly's sinker last week and I was totally confused. If he could actually perfect that pitch, that'd be fantastic, given his HR-rate.

[98navigator]

This new article by Carrie Muskat makes me think she's been listening to Gameday Audio or reading this message board. :wink:

 

Link

 

Besides Miller, the other candidates include Mark Prior, Neal Cotts and possibly Angel Guzman.

 

"We're going to leave here with whatever team gives us the best chance of winning baseball games," Piniella said. "It could go down [to the last week]. That's why it's competition. I'm open to anything. I've got nothing in mind. Go out and compete and good luck to the winner. The other part of the equation is, we're going to need a long reliever, too."

 

Young pitchers who have impressed Piniella so far include Rocky Cherry, Sean Gallagher and Jeff Samardzija.

 

In non pitcher news:

 

"That was a pretty throw from center field," Piniella said. "I remember center fielders of yesterday. That was impressive. He threw a strike right to home plate. He's playing well. He told me today before the ballgame, 'If I have to pick up bats, I want to be on the Major League club.' These kids are playing like they want jobs here, and that's really what you want."

[CubColtPacer]

This new article by Carrie Muskat makes me think she's been listening to Gameday Audio or reading this message board. :wink:

 

Link

 

Besides Miller, the other candidates include Mark Prior, Neal Cotts and possibly Angel Guzman.

 

"We're going to leave here with whatever team gives us the best chance of winning baseball games," Piniella said. "It could go down [to the last week]. That's why it's competition. I'm open to anything. I've got nothing in mind. Go out and compete and good luck to the winner. The other part of the equation is, we're going to need a long reliever, too."

 

Young pitchers who have impressed Piniella so far include Rocky Cherry, Sean Gallagher and Jeff Samardzija.

 

In non pitcher news:

 

"That was a pretty throw from center field," Piniella said. "I remember center fielders of yesterday. That was impressive. He threw a strike right to home plate. He's playing well. He told me today before the ballgame, 'If I have to pick up bats, I want to be on the Major League club.' These kids are playing like they want jobs here, and that's really what you want."

 

So this means that those 4 are pushing for 5th starter-if one of the other 3 get it, then Cotts is the long reliever. If Cotts gets it, then what-Guzman as the long reliever?

[98navigator]

This new article by Carrie Muskat makes me think she's been listening to Gameday Audio or reading this message board. :wink:

 

Link

 

Besides Miller, the other candidates include Mark Prior, Neal Cotts and possibly Angel Guzman.

 

"We're going to leave here with whatever team gives us the best chance of winning baseball games," Piniella said. "It could go down [to the last week]. That's why it's competition. I'm open to anything. I've got nothing in mind. Go out and compete and good luck to the winner. The other part of the equation is, we're going to need a long reliever, too."

 

Young pitchers who have impressed Piniella so far include Rocky Cherry, Sean Gallagher and Jeff Samardzija.

 

In non pitcher news:

 

"That was a pretty throw from center field," Piniella said. "I remember center fielders of yesterday. That was impressive. He threw a strike right to home plate. He's playing well. He told me today before the ballgame, 'If I have to pick up bats, I want to be on the Major League club.' These kids are playing like they want jobs here, and that's really what you want."

 

So this means that those 4 are pushing for 5th starter-if one of the other 3 get it, then Cotts is the long reliever. If Cotts gets it, then what-Guzman as the long reliever?

 

It's possible that Angel could be a long reliver. The REAL question is how are the Cubs going to handle Prior if he doesn't win the 5th spot?

[NCCubFan]

The REAL question is how are the Cubs going to handle Prior if he doesn't win the 5th spot?

My guess is that he either wins a spot in the rotation or else starts the season on the 15-day DL, perhaps staying behind in extended Spring Training or else going to Iowa for a rehab assignment.

[98navigator]

The REAL question is how are the Cubs going to handle Prior if he doesn't win the 5th spot?

My guess is that he either wins a spot in the rotation or else starts the season on the 15-day DL, perhaps staying behind in extended Spring Training or else going to Iowa for a rehab assignment.

 

You're probably right. A lot of the local media people are portraying Mark Prior as a primadona and with the venom being spewed, you'd think he personally harmed them. I was listening to Chet Choppock last night, on ESPN AM 1000, and he unleashed a verbal assault on Prior (it was so bad I eventually turned it off). Anyway, Suntimes columnist Chris De Luca was one of Choppock's guests. De Luca speculated that the Cubs would/should demote Prior to AAA Iowa if he can't "get himself together."