Bullpen

[badgercub]

With Hill only lasting 3 innings today and the fact we have a short pen, assuming Jock is not traded do you think a move needs to be made? If so, who gets sent down and who comes up? Theriot down and Rapada or Cherry gets brought up?

[sherwood921]

With Hill only lasting 3 innings today and the fact we have a short pen, assuming Jock is not traded do you think a move needs to be made? If so, who gets sent down and who comes up? Theriot down and Rapada or Cherry gets brought up?

 

Not necessarily. Maybe Wuertz and Petrick won't be available tomorrow unless it's really bad, but Marmol and Howry each went just one. Eyre and Ohman weren't used at all.

[killthegoat06]

We need a long man. With that said, we can wait until Jones/Izzy is traded. No need to send someone else down and then bring him back up after a couple of days. Don't waste an option.

[don_kessinger_was_good]

If you DFA a guy, you then have 10 days to actually trade him. Given the importance of this 10 game stretch leading in to the ASB, I think Hendry needs to DFA Jock tonight to free up that bullpen spot. Having enough relievers for Lou to be able to win games is much more important than either (a) Hendry saving face, or (b) trying to be "nice" to Jock Jones.

 

Jones has already seen that no team in baseball will pay more than the ML minimum for his services, so he cannot be insulted any further.

 

If the move was made, I think you bring up Rocky Cherry. Not that he warrants the promotion given his lousy work in Iowa, but the alternative is Rapada, who should only be used against lefties (Clay is a true LOOGY). Lou needs someone that could pitch 2 innings if need be, and that person is Cherry more than Rapada.

 

[Aside: Gallagher cannot be recalled so soon, beyond the fact he never should have been brought up in the first place. Unless I am forgetting someone, there are no other pitchers in the minors currently on the 40-man.]

[Guest]

[Aside: Gallagher cannot be recalled so soon, beyond the fact he never should have been brought up in the first place. Unless I am forgetting someone, there are no other pitchers in the minors currently on the 40-man.]

 

Well, Jeff Samardzija is also on the 40-man, but he's obviously not a viable option.

[Brian]

We need a long man. With that said, we can wait until Jones/Izzy is traded. No need to send someone else down and then bring him back up after a couple of days. Don't waste an option.

 

only one option is burned per year no matter how many times they go down.

[PackLandVA]

I think I'd wait to see how Marshall does tomorrow. A strong outing by him and some good offense by the Cubs bats may make it a moot point. If Marshall can go 7, I think they should be able to finish off the game with the pen without taxing it. Marmol and Howry could pitch tomorrow if needed. And since they all were off on Thursday, I'd even say Petrick and Wuertz could go if needed.

 

The key will be Marshall because the way Marquis has been pitching, they'll likely go to the pen early on Sunday.

[Guest]

I think I'd wait to see how Marshall does tomorrow. A strong outing by him and some good offense by the Cubs bats may make it a moot point. If Marshall can go 7, I think they should be able to finish off the game with the pen without taxing it. Marmol and Howry could pitch tomorrow if needed. And since they all were off on Thursday, I'd even say Petrick and Wuertz could go if needed.

 

The key will be Marshall because the way Marquis has been pitching, they'll likely go to the pen early on Sunday.

 

I'd have to guess that Billy Petrick isn't allowed to throw on back-to-back days yet since this is his first year of relieving and he had labrum surgery at the end of 2005.

[JeffH]

We need a long man. With that said, we can wait until Jones/Izzy is traded. No need to send someone else down and then bring him back up after a couple of days. Don't waste an option.

 

only one option is burned per year no matter how many times they go down.

 

That's true, but, if they chose to option a guy who hasn't been down at all this year (Theriot), it would burn an option year that otherwise wouldn't be.

[PackLandVA]

I would think Izzy is more likely to go than JJ. With Cedeno as a true SS, they have a little depth in the minors with MLB experience. And he's 20 for 45 in his last 10 games.

 

I'd see if there are any takers for Izzy, bring up a pitcher, maybe Cherry again, and see if a trade for JJ can be worked out. If SS becomes an issue sooner than later, bring up Cedeno.

[CubmanPi]

With Hill only lasting 3 innings today and the fact we have a short pen, assuming Jock is not traded do you think a move needs to be made? If so, who gets sent down and who comes up? Theriot down and Rapada or Cherry gets brought up?

 

Not necessarily. Maybe Wuertz and Petrick won't be available tomorrow unless it's really bad, but Marmol and Howry each went just one. Eyre and Ohman weren't used at all.

The longer it stays this way, the better, no?

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

I think the bullpen can make it one more day. The off day on Thursday helps. Ohman, Eyre, Marmol, and Howry all should be available. I'm sure they'd prefer not to use Wuertz or Petrick, but could for an inning in a pinch.

 

If Marshall can give the Cubs six or seven strong innings, we'll be fine. An early exit by Marshall tomorrow and the Cubs likely have to add a pitcher on Sunday.

 

One option would be to send Petrick back down and replace him with Cotts or Rapada or another fresh reliever.

 

I'm not advocating such a move, but it would be a possibility.

[Sarcastic]

With Hill only lasting 3 innings today and the fact we have a short pen, assuming Jock is not traded do you think a move needs to be made? If so, who gets sent down and who comes up? Theriot down and Rapada or Cherry gets brought up?

 

Not necessarily. Maybe Wuertz and Petrick won't be available tomorrow unless it's really bad, but Marmol and Howry each went just one. Eyre and Ohman weren't used at all.

The longer it stays this way, the better, no?

 

Between Ohman and Cherry, I have to go with Ohman. As long as he faces mostly LH batters, he is usually solid.

[Guest]

I think the bullpen can make it one more day. The off day on Thursday helps. Ohman, Eyre, Marmol, and Howry all should be available. I'm sure they'd prefer not to use Wuertz or Petrick, but could for an inning in a pinch.

 

If Marshall can give the Cubs six or seven strong innings, we'll be fine. An early exit by Marshall tomorrow and the Cubs likely have to add a pitcher on Sunday.

 

One option would be to send Petrick back down and replace him with Cotts or Rapada or another fresh reliever.

 

I'm not advocating such a move, but it would be a possibility.

 

Cotts can't be called up, he's injured.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

somehow the names Rapada and Cherry don't make me feel any better

[badgercub]

Cherry it is, with Petrick being sent down. I think they will try and get through the all star break mixing and matching the best they can and when Dempster gets back I think the roles in the bullpen will be more defined with Dempster closing and Howry and Marmol setting him up. Eyre is going to get some mop up and middle inning work, Ohman will be the loogy and Wuertz will be Wuertz. With Guzman, Wood, or a host of others looking to fill that last spot.

[Amazing_Grace]

Cherry it is, with Petrick being sent down. I think they will try and get through the all star break mixing and matching the best they can and when Dempster gets back I think the roles in the bullpen will be more defined with Dempster closing and Howry and Marmol setting him up. Eyre is going to get some mop up and middle inning work, Ohman will be the loogy and Wuertz will be Wuertz. With Guzman, Wood, or a host of others looking to fill that last spot.

 

Eyre shouldn't be in the bullpen at all. Lou won't play him, and rightly so because he's sucked for 1.5 years now. The Cubs are paying his salary whether he sits on the roster or not and there are plenty of minor league players you can use to fill that spot that stand a very good chance of being something of an improvement over Eyre. He's a waste of a roster spot that could go to someone that might help the team win games. He should be told to either accept demotion to AAA or find another team that will pay him. If he found one, hey, we saved half a million as his new team will pay him league minimum. If he didn't (more likely), he'd either accept demotion or retire. Anyway about it, he'd be off the team.

[killthegoat06]

Cherry it is, with Petrick being sent down. I think they will try and get through the all star break mixing and matching the best they can and when Dempster gets back I think the roles in the bullpen will be more defined with Dempster closing and Howry and Marmol setting him up. Eyre is going to get some mop up and middle inning work, Ohman will be the loogy and Wuertz will be Wuertz. With Guzman, Wood, or a host of others looking to fill that last spot.

 

Eyre shouldn't be in the bullpen at all. Lou won't play him, and rightly so because he's sucked for 1.5 years now. The Cubs are paying his salary whether he sits on the roster or not and there are plenty of minor league players you can use to fill that spot that stand a very good chance of being something of an improvement over Eyre. He's a waste of a roster spot that could go to someone that might help the team win games. He should be told to either accept demotion to AAA or find another team that will pay him. If he found one, hey, we saved half a million as his new team will pay him league minimum. If he didn't (more likely), he'd either accept demotion or retire. Anyway about it, he'd be off the team.

 

Agreed. Wasted roster spot.