rolleyes

[stitchface]

One odd bit of information to come out of Cubs’ camp was that the team may demote Rich Hill, who is probably their second-best starter, should both Mark Prior and Wade Miller be available to start later in the year. Set aside for the moment that Prior and Miller have been simultaneously healthy for about 20 minutes since 2004, making this something of a theoretical exercise. Who in their right minds would look at Wade Miller and Rich Hill and decide that they actually prefer Miller?

 

Hill abused Triple-A last year to the tune of a 6-to-1 K/BB and more than 12 strikeouts every nine innings. With the Cubs, he struck out 90 and walked 39 in 99 frames, with a high home run rate (one every six innings) in the bad news department. Miller hasn’t thrown more than 91 innings since ’04, and has 84 strikeouts and 65 walks in 112 2/3 innings the past two years. I don’t think he’s a terrible pitcher—if healthy, he deserves a chance to start for someone—he’s just not the pitcher that Hill is, and any starts given to him instead of Hill push the Cubs further away from October.

[NCCubFan]

The ONLY way this makes sense to me is if they're only planning to do that for a short period of time until Miller proves that he's back and builds some trade value, much like last year when the Angels sent Jered Weaver back down when Jeff Weaver came off the DL until they found a taker for Jeff. Even then, if the Cubs are truly trying to win this year they need to put the five best starters in the rotation rather than worrying about who has the highest salary or who has options left.

[abuck1220]

where's that from?

[Guest]

where's that from?

 

Baseball Prospectus - can't remember who's column.

[Guest]

thank goodness lou squelched this nonsense.