5th Starter Battle Down to Miller vs Guzman

[moorecg]

Any chance they send Guzman down...and if he pitches well for a couple weeks and Marquis happens to struggle they bring Guzman back up, move Miller to long relief and tell Miller that if he can show he can out pitch Marquis the starting spot is is...if not he's the long reliever?

 

(this assumes Cotts is, and remains worthless)

 

For $21 million, Marquis is not going to be a long reliever. Even if he does struggle (he's pitched well down here), they're going to stick with him a long time.

 

Yeah...I figured as much...but my hypo assumes at least a full bad month out of Marquis...obviously having too many available solid pitchers is a good thing...lets just hope we have the problem all year...

[Guest]

Prior is still a wildcard in all this, too. He could very well show himself to be ready by early-, mid- or late-April, forcing another adjustment.

 

But this is a much better problem than the one we faced last year.

[treebird]

shouldn't we run with guzman and try to get something out of him while he's healthy? this seems like a no-brainer. he's probably going to get hurt again, let's get as much value out of the guy as we can before that happens.

[goonys evil twin]

shouldn't we run with guzman and try to get something out of him while he's healthy? this seems like a no-brainer. he's probably going to get hurt again, let's get as much value out of the guy as we can before that happens.

 

I don't think I'd share your game plan, although I'd like to see Guzman be a starter for the Cubs this year.

[Electron Blue]

am I the only one who didn't realize Prior was so far behind?

Have you not been watching the games? If Prior makes rapid progress, I think he's still got a chance. But it will have to be very rapid.

 

Lou said he's going to take his best pitchers north with him. I guess he meant it.

 

I was actually unable to watch the game he was in and have only sporadically caught the others. I think there may be some subconscious thing going on where I'm avoiding news about Prior. No news is good news!! :D

[Wheelimus]

All I know is I like the "we've got too many starters!" problem a lot better than the "do we have any warm bodies left at Iowa?" problem we had last year.

[Soul]

If all things are equal, the club would probably choose Miller over Guzman, who has minor-league options. If you read Larry Rothschild's quotes the other day, he correctly noted that Guzman pitched for the first time in three years last year. He still needs to show he can throw strikes. He also needs to prove he can maintain his arm strength into a second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth inning.

The competition is good, and maybe they can work a trade for Miller if Guzman clearly is the better choice. But my guess is things will be pretty close to equal, and the Cubs will bide their time.

 

Was Wade Miller able to maintain his velocity beyond the 1st two innings? He was making minor league rehab starts last year where he would touch 87-89 and a maybe flirt with 90 once or twice and by the 3rd end up around 84-85.

 

It appeared he was. This also falls under the category of "all things being equal." In fact, even if Miller's velocity does drop during games, the Cubs will figure that he'll "know how to pitch" without it. I'm not saying that's right or wrong; it's just what they'll figure. And don't discount the minor-league option that Guzman has.

 

I understand all this, but don't you think it would be more wise to give Guzman a chance with the big boys first, before just burning that last option?

 

If they send him down right off, then the next time they bring him up it's for good or gone.

 

I also think Prior has a place in this argument. Even if Miller were traded, Mark might be able to progress enough to be ready after maybe 3 Guzman starts. That would buy a little breathing room to consider a Miller trade in my mind.

[CubColtPacer]

If all things are equal, the club would probably choose Miller over Guzman, who has minor-league options. If you read Larry Rothschild's quotes the other day, he correctly noted that Guzman pitched for the first time in three years last year. He still needs to show he can throw strikes. He also needs to prove he can maintain his arm strength into a second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth inning.

The competition is good, and maybe they can work a trade for Miller if Guzman clearly is the better choice. But my guess is things will be pretty close to equal, and the Cubs will bide their time.

 

Was Wade Miller able to maintain his velocity beyond the 1st two innings? He was making minor league rehab starts last year where he would touch 87-89 and a maybe flirt with 90 once or twice and by the 3rd end up around 84-85.

 

It appeared he was. This also falls under the category of "all things being equal." In fact, even if Miller's velocity does drop during games, the Cubs will figure that he'll "know how to pitch" without it. I'm not saying that's right or wrong; it's just what they'll figure. And don't discount the minor-league option that Guzman has.

 

I understand all this, but don't you think it would be more wise to give Guzman a chance with the big boys first, before just burning that last option?

 

If they send him down right off, then the next time they bring him up it's for good or gone.

 

I also think Prior has a place in this argument. Even if Miller were traded, Mark might be able to progress enough to be ready after maybe 3 Guzman starts. That would buy a little breathing room to consider a Miller trade in my mind.

 

You can send Guzman up and down as many times as you want this year and it only takes 1 option. He won't be out of options until next ST, and by then it certainly will be time to either stick in the majors or not. Besides, if that last option is going to be used it's going to be used this year. It's not very likely that Guzman stays up the entire year this year and then they decide to send him down and use that last option next year.

[goonys evil twin]

I understand all this, but don't you think it would be more wise to give Guzman a chance with the big boys first, before just burning that last option?

 

If they send him down right off, then the next time they bring him up it's for good or gone.

 

Actually, it would only matter if they send him down next year. There would be a benefit to keeping Guzman up all year in 2007, saving the option for next year. But they don't run the risk of optioning him to AAA in April, calling him up in May, and then risk losing him if they send him down in June. The option lasts all year.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

I understand all this, but don't you think it would be more wise to give Guzman a chance with the big boys first, before just burning that last option?

 

If they send him down right off, then the next time they bring him up it's for good or gone.

 

No, it wouldn't. The Cubs can shuttle him between the big leagues and the minors all season if they wanted to.

[Guest]

So can Guzman be sent up and down this year as much as the Cubs like? :lol:

 

(respecting the 10 day stay minimum in the minors, of course, barring injuries)

[RichHillIsABeast]

The smart thing for the Cubs to do is stick Gooz and Prior in AAA with Miller in the ML starting rotation to start the season. Hendry built up starting pitching depth for a reason. Getting rid of Miller because he won't accept a 'pen role or an assignment to the minors isn't the safest route. It's a long season and we'll probably need this newfound pitching depth at some point.

 

My personal favorite is Guzman, so I certainly won't cry if the Cubs decide to go the less conservative route.

 

This is a really good problem to have, IMO.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

So can Guzman be sent up and down this year as much as the Cubs like? :lol:

 

(respecting the 10 day stay minimum in the minors, of course, barring injuries)

 

Hey, I ignore goony's posts.

[CubColtPacer]

So can Guzman be sent up and down this year as much as the Cubs like? :lol:

 

(respecting the 10 day stay minimum in the minors, of course, barring injuries)

 

Hey, I ignore goony's posts.

 

Apparently you ignore my posts as well :D

[Soul]

I understand all this, but don't you think it would be more wise to give Guzman a chance with the big boys first, before just burning that last option?

 

If they send him down right off, then the next time they bring him up it's for good or gone.

 

No, it wouldn't. The Cubs can shuttle him between the big leagues and the minors all season if they wanted to.

 

Ahhh, my bad :oops: I didn't think that was the way options worked.

[Soul]

So can Guzman be sent up and down this year as much as the Cubs like? :lol:

 

(respecting the 10 day stay minimum in the minors, of course, barring injuries)

 

Hey, I ignore goony's posts.

 

Apparently you ignore my posts as well :D

 

I ignore all kinds of things besides posts, too. :D

[CaliforniaRaisin]

So can Guzman be sent up and down this year as much as the Cubs like? :lol:

 

(respecting the 10 day stay minimum in the minors, of course, barring injuries)

 

Hey, I ignore goony's posts.

 

Apparently you ignore my posts as well :D

 

O:)

[A New Era]

I'd rather see Guzman win the job with superior performance. It seems like his confidence would be better starting the season with the cubs because he pitched better than his compitition. Rather than being called up a few weeks into the season because someone went down.

[goonys evil twin]

I'd rather see Guzman win the job with superior performance. It seems like his confidence would be better starting the season with the cubs because he pitched better than his compitition. Rather than being called up a few weeks into the season because someone went down.

 

I highly doubt that would really have any effect on how he pitches.

[Bruce Miles]

If all things are equal, the club would probably choose Miller over Guzman, who has minor-league options. If you read Larry Rothschild's quotes the other day, he correctly noted that Guzman pitched for the first time in three years last year. He still needs to show he can throw strikes. He also needs to prove he can maintain his arm strength into a second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth inning.

The competition is good, and maybe they can work a trade for Miller if Guzman clearly is the better choice. But my guess is things will be pretty close to equal, and the Cubs will bide their time.

 

Was Wade Miller able to maintain his velocity beyond the 1st two innings? He was making minor league rehab starts last year where he would touch 87-89 and a maybe flirt with 90 once or twice and by the 3rd end up around 84-85.

 

It appeared he was. This also falls under the category of "all things being equal." In fact, even if Miller's velocity does drop during games, the Cubs will figure that he'll "know how to pitch" without it. I'm not saying that's right or wrong; it's just what they'll figure. And don't discount the minor-league option that Guzman has.

 

I understand all this, but don't you think it would be more wise to give Guzman a chance with the big boys first, before just burning that last option?

 

If they send him down right off, then the next time they bring him up it's for good or gone.

 

I also think Prior has a place in this argument. Even if Miller were traded, Mark might be able to progress enough to be ready after maybe 3 Guzman starts. That would buy a little breathing room to consider a Miller trade in my mind.

 

I've been gone for a while here on the off-day, so unless somebody has mentioned this, you can option a guy as many times as you want during the year. He is not "out of options" until next year.

[Bruce Miles]

Ah, I knew you guys would handle it. Thanks.

[CaliforniaRaisin]

If all things are equal, the club would probably choose Miller over Guzman, who has minor-league options. If you read Larry Rothschild's quotes the other day, he correctly noted that Guzman pitched for the first time in three years last year. He still needs to show he can throw strikes. He also needs to prove he can maintain his arm strength into a second, third, fourth, fifth and sixth inning.

The competition is good, and maybe they can work a trade for Miller if Guzman clearly is the better choice. But my guess is things will be pretty close to equal, and the Cubs will bide their time.

 

Was Wade Miller able to maintain his velocity beyond the 1st two innings? He was making minor league rehab starts last year where he would touch 87-89 and a maybe flirt with 90 once or twice and by the 3rd end up around 84-85.

 

It appeared he was. This also falls under the category of "all things being equal." In fact, even if Miller's velocity does drop during games, the Cubs will figure that he'll "know how to pitch" without it. I'm not saying that's right or wrong; it's just what they'll figure. And don't discount the minor-league option that Guzman has.

 

I understand all this, but don't you think it would be more wise to give Guzman a chance with the big boys first, before just burning that last option?

 

If they send him down right off, then the next time they bring him up it's for good or gone.

 

I also think Prior has a place in this argument. Even if Miller were traded, Mark might be able to progress enough to be ready after maybe 3 Guzman starts. That would buy a little breathing room to consider a Miller trade in my mind.

 

I've been gone for a while here on the off-day, so unless somebody has mentioned this, you can option a guy as many times as you want during the year. He is not "out of options" until next year.

 

:lol:

[Guest]

If they'd call them option years, everything would be so much more clear.

[Soul]

If they'd call them option years, everything would be so much more clear.

 

...or I could just take the time to know what I'm talking about before posting, heh 8-)

[goonys evil twin]

If they'd call them option years, everything would be so much more clear.

 

...or I could just take the time to know what I'm talking about before posting, heh 8-)

 

If we all did that the conversations would be so much less interesting.