CSN and Dempster Say Dempster in Rotation; CSN Backtracks

[seanimal]

I wouldn't DFA Eyre,I'd consider a trip to the 15 day DL.

 

Ooh, a 'back injury' would be awfully convenient right about now.

[YearofDaCubs]

I wouldn't DFA Eyre,I'd consider a trip to the 15 day DL.

 

Ooh, a 'back injury' would be awfully convenient right about now.

The player would have to agree to somethign like that no?

[seanimal]

I wouldn't DFA Eyre,I'd consider a trip to the 15 day DL.

 

Ooh, a 'back injury' would be awfully convenient right about now.

The player would have to agree to somethign like that no?

 

I'm not sure how that works. If he's Mark Prior, he'll just accept it and call himself an 'employee' in interviews.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

I wouldn't DFA Eyre,I'd consider a trip to the 15 day DL.

 

Ooh, a 'back injury' would be awfully convenient right about now.

 

You can't pull fat.

[anabiono]

I wouldn't DFA Eyre,I'd consider a trip to the 15 day DL.

 

Ooh, a 'back injury' would be awfully convenient right about now.

 

You can't pull fat.

 

lol

 

well, today is the day, i really hope the annoucement is a little better than miller will now be your god cub fans

[ctcf]

I posted this in the other thread, but it seems like it would also be relevant here. Sean Marshall is the new fifth starter. Per rotoworld:

 

Sean Marshall will be called up to take Angel Guzman's next scheduled start.

Guzman is being moved to the bullpen after struggling his past couple starts. Marshall has been great in Triple-A Iowa this season and could be someone to keep an eye on in deep NL-only leagues.

Source: Chicago Tribune

[Rob]

I posted this in the other thread, but it seems like it would also be relevant here. Sean Marshall is the new fifth starter. Per rotoworld:

 

Sean Marshall will be called up to take Angel Guzman's next scheduled start.

Guzman is being moved to the bullpen after struggling his past couple starts. Marshall has been great in Triple-A Iowa this season and could be someone to keep an eye on in deep NL-only leagues.

Source: Chicago Tribune

 

Rotoworld also says they're having Demp groom Gooz to be the closer while Demp stretches his arm out to become a starter.

[ctcf]

I posted this in the other thread, but it seems like it would also be relevant here. Sean Marshall is the new fifth starter. Per rotoworld:

 

Sean Marshall will be called up to take Angel Guzman's next scheduled start.

Guzman is being moved to the bullpen after struggling his past couple starts. Marshall has been great in Triple-A Iowa this season and could be someone to keep an eye on in deep NL-only leagues.

Source: Chicago Tribune

 

Rotoworld also says they're having Demp groom Gooz to be the closer while Demp stretches his arm out to become a starter.

 

Just saw that. Lame.

[Derwood]

I wouldn't DFA Eyre,I'd consider a trip to the 15 day DL.

 

Ooh, a 'back injury' would be awfully convenient right about now.

The player would have to agree to somethign like that no?

 

not if they hire someone to hit him in the back with a steel chair

[Rob]

I wouldn't DFA Eyre,I'd consider a trip to the 15 day DL.

 

Ooh, a 'back injury' would be awfully convenient right about now.

The player would have to agree to somethign like that no?

 

not if they hire someone to hit him in the back with a steel chair

 

You've been reading "The Idiot's Guide to Becoming Tonya Harding" again, haven't you?

[RynoRules]

On what planet has Guzman struggled since getting back to the rotation. He's been fine, not great, but he's the 5th freakin starter.

[YearofDaCubs]

On what planet has Guzman struggled since getting back to the rotation. He's been fine, not great, but he's the 5th freakin starter.

Of course he has. When you're dealing with this organization expect anything possible..anything.

[Soul]

On what planet has Guzman struggled since getting back to the rotation. He's been fine, not great, but he's the 5th freakin starter.

Of course he has. When you're dealing with this organization expect anything possible..anything.

 

Yes.

 

Closer though -- this is no middle relief role. As closer, Guzman's talents could benefit us as much or more than as a 5th starter who only makes it on the field 2, 3 times a month.

 

The big problem is, I don't think we've got a good 5th starter option right now. I guess the plan is to hope Marshall will be good enough for a couple starts, then Dempster will be ready. That sounds pretty flaky to me, but then again my job's not on the line Lou's is.

[jersey cubs fan]

On what planet has Guzman struggled since getting back to the rotation. He's been fine, not great, but he's the 5th freakin starter.

Of course he has. When you're dealing with this organization expect anything possible..anything.

 

Yes.

 

Closer though -- this is no middle relief role. As closer, Guzman's talents could benefit us as much or more than as a 5th starter who only makes it on the field 2, 3 times a month.

 

The big problem is, I don't think we've got a good 5th starter option right now. I guess the plan is to hope Marshall will be good enough for a couple starts, then Dempster will be ready. That sounds pretty flaky to me, but then again my job's not on the line Lou's is.

 

A 5th starter does not get on the field 2 or 3 times a month.

[abuck1220]

On what planet has Guzman struggled since getting back to the rotation. He's been fine, not great, but he's the 5th freakin starter.

Of course he has. When you're dealing with this organization expect anything possible..anything.

 

Yes.

 

Closer though -- this is no middle relief role. As closer, Guzman's talents could benefit us as much or more than as a 5th starter who only makes it on the field 2, 3 times a month.

 

 

who are you, charlie manuel? you don't measure how much a guy can contribute by how many times he "makes it on the field."

[USSoccer]

On what planet has Guzman struggled since getting back to the rotation. He's been fine, not great, but he's the 5th freakin starter.

Of course he has. When you're dealing with this organization expect anything possible..anything.

 

Yes.

 

Closer though -- this is no middle relief role. As closer, Guzman's talents could benefit us as much or more than as a 5th starter who only makes it on the field 2, 3 times a month.

 

The big problem is, I don't think we've got a good 5th starter option right now. I guess the plan is to hope Marshall will be good enough for a couple starts, then Dempster will be ready. That sounds pretty flaky to me, but then again my job's not on the line Lou's is.

 

A 5th starter would probably have 5-6 starts per month. That's 35 or so IP. There's no way a closer throws more than 20 IP in a month. I'll take his talent over more innings any day.

[Guest]

I posted this in the other thread, but it seems like it would also be relevant here. Sean Marshall is the new fifth starter. Per rotoworld:

 

Sean Marshall will be called up to take Angel Guzman's next scheduled start.

Guzman is being moved to the bullpen after struggling his past couple starts. Marshall has been great in Triple-A Iowa this season and could be someone to keep an eye on in deep NL-only leagues.

Source: Chicago Tribune

 

Rotoworld also says they're having Demp groom Gooz to be the closer while Demp stretches his arm out to become a starter.

 

Just saw that. Lame.

 

I got the feeling on Sunday that Lou wants Dempster in the rotation but he felt Guzman wasn't ready to close so he wants Dempster to groom him and then head to the pen. Lame.

[Soriano12]

Should "grooming" a new closer be a Spring Training Task?

 

 

Good grief this organization is cluless. :twisted:

[frostwyrm]

On what planet has Guzman struggled since getting back to the rotation. He's been fine, not great, but he's the 5th freakin starter.

Of course he has. When you're dealing with this organization expect anything possible..anything.

 

Yes.

 

Closer though -- this is no middle relief role. As closer, Guzman's talents could benefit us as much or more than as a 5th starter who only makes it on the field 2, 3 times a month.

 

 

I don't think so. Look at the game logs of any closer. It's a role that has the effect of largely wasting a team's most talented reliever and it's really an embarrassment to the sport of baseball. I'd take a talented starter over a closer, even a 5th starter.

[Rob]

On what planet has Guzman struggled since getting back to the rotation. He's been fine, not great, but he's the 5th freakin starter.

Of course he has. When you're dealing with this organization expect anything possible..anything.

 

Yes.

 

Closer though -- this is no middle relief role. As closer, Guzman's talents could benefit us as much or more than as a 5th starter who only makes it on the field 2, 3 times a month.

 

The big problem is, I don't think we've got a good 5th starter option right now. I guess the plan is to hope Marshall will be good enough for a couple starts, then Dempster will be ready. That sounds pretty flaky to me, but then again my job's not on the line Lou's is.

 

If Guzman isn't vintage Eric Gagne, he's nowhere near as valuable as a closer as he would be as an above average fifth starter.

[bleedcubbieblue]

Should "grooming" a new closer be a Spring Training Task?

 

 

Good grief this organization is cluless. :twisted:

 

While I would agree with you a bit, do remember that Lou is just getting to know these guys. A lot of the problems with this team can be traced back to Hendry, I honestly thought he had a plan coming in when he was named GM, and he keeps proving me wrong. I have given up on him having a clue about this team altogether.

 

Initially, I thought bringing in Lou was a mistake, but now seeing him in action, I do think he has a much better idea on what to do with these guys than even Hendry, and again, he is just getting to know them all.

 

I like the fact that he is willing to take chances and doing something different, and is not afraid to fail. Too many times I watched Dusty marched Hawkins out there, because that was his role as closer, even though he would keep failing, and failing and failing, and after everything said that Hawkins as a set up man......good......as a closer.....bad. My point is not that Dempster has been failing and failing and failing, but Lou takes a look at the arms he has, and looks at one that could possibly be dominant in that role. I will have to say after 2+ seasons, I am pretty sure Dempster never will be "dominant" in that role, and he did blow up at the end of last season. I understand that a lot of stats are thrown around on this board, and I don't discount them, but Dempsters make up seems more suited to starting, not relieving. Again, this is only my opinion.

 

I think it is refreshing to see a manager looking to tweak and make changes in the name of trying to get better. I wonder how may starts Theriot would have made this year had Dusty been manager, and my guess is very few, and most likely he would be buried on the end of the bench. I give Lou credit for letting him start as often as he has, and there is no reason he should not be.

 

I like what Lou is doing so far, and what he is trying to do, so I say, I think he is trying to think outside the box and using his experience to dictate what he is doing, and where he is going. It certainly beats listening to Dusty tell us, by the end of his reign, what bad luck we seem to encounter everywhere. Every manager comes in and always say that they don't believe in bad luck, and by the end, they always are big believers. At least this new one seems to at least dare to try and make changes which he seems to think will work, in the past, it was changes, just to make changes. Lou at least seems to have a plan in place, or at least I hope so!

 

BCB

[Rob]

I like the fact that he is willing to take chances and doing something different, and is not afraid to fail. Too many times I watched Dusty marched Hawkins out there, because that was his role as closer, even though he would keep failing, and failing and failing, and after everything said that Hawkins as a set up man......good......as a closer.....bad. My point is not that Dempster has been failing and failing and failing, but Lou takes a look at the arms he has, and looks at one that could possibly be dominant in that role. I will have to say after 2+ seasons, I am pretty sure Dempster never will be "dominant" in that role, and he did blow up at the end of last season. I understand that a lot of stats are thrown around on this board, and I don't discount them, but Dempsters make up seems more suited to starting, not relieving. Again, this is only my opinion.

 

The following response is an exerpt from BP's Nate Silver chat yesterday.

 

theguag (Louisville): Dempster a starter again? Angel Guzman the closer? Is this Lou genuis or Lou unhinged? (Or both since he can't seem to make up his mind?)

 

Nate Silver: According to our studies, Dempster is one of those guys that should have a larger comparative advantage working out of the bullpen since his mechanics are slightly awkward and he walks a lot of hitters ... those guys tend to hold up better over shorter outings. Maybe he shouldn't be the closer ... but the spot for him is middle relief rather than in the rotation.

[bleedcubbieblue]

The following response is an exerpt from BP's Nate Silver chat yesterday.

 

theguag (Louisville): Dempster a starter again? Angel Guzman the closer? Is this Lou genuis or Lou unhinged? (Or both since he can't seem to make up his mind?)

 

Nate Silver: According to our studies, Dempster is one of those guys that should have a larger comparative advantage working out of the bullpen since his mechanics are slightly awkward and he walks a lot of hitters ... those guys tend to hold up better over shorter outings. Maybe he shouldn't be the closer ... but the spot for him is middle relief rather than in the rotation.

 

To me, I really don't care where Dempster gets moved to, I think Lou really likes Pagan's arm, and thinks he could thrive in the role as closer, so I like this thinking. If middle relief is best for Dempster great, but then again, you take a look at what he is signed for, and if he becomes a middle reliever, the Cubs will have the highest paid middle relievers in the history of baseball with Dempster, Howry and Eyre. Again, this goes back to Hendry having zero foresight, so it would not surprise me.

 

I think you take a look at the Cubs record in 1 run games(the difference between having a winning record right now and a losing record), and having a dominant reliever in that role would go a long way into swinging some of those games in the Cubs direction, which has to fall somewhat on Dempsters shoulders because he is the closer.

 

I will also say that the Lou deserves some of the blame because I am sure he got talked into taking Miller north instead of Pagan, but he has corrected that error.

 

 

BCB

[Handlebar McSkullet]

 

To me, I really don't care where Dempster gets moved to, I think Lou really likes Pagan's arm, and thinks he could thrive in the role as closer, so I like this thinking. If middle relief is best for Dempster great, but then again, you take a look at what he is signed for, and if he becomes a middle reliever, the Cubs will have the highest paid middle relievers in the history of baseball with Dempster, Howry and Eyre. Again, this goes back to Hendry having zero foresight, so it would not surprise me.

 

Insert saracastic joke about the cubs really having no clue if they want angel PAGAN as the closer. hehe

[bleedcubbieblue]

 

To me, I really don't care where Dempster gets moved to, I think Lou really likes Pagan's arm, and thinks he could thrive in the role as closer, so I like this thinking. If middle relief is best for Dempster great, but then again, you take a look at what he is signed for, and if he becomes a middle reliever, the Cubs will have the highest paid middle relievers in the history of baseball with Dempster, Howry and Eyre. Again, this goes back to Hendry having zero foresight, so it would not surprise me.

 

Insert saracastic joke about the cubs really having no clue if they want angel PAGAN as the closer. hehe

 

Yes, sorry, meant Guzman, not Pagan, thanks for pointing that out, and I suppose it is possible that Lou likes Pagan's arm too!

 

BCB