Steve Trachsel is here, like it or not

[Sammy Sofa]

everyone is talking about a marshal rest, I understand and hope that he is used as a spot starter for everyone so they can all have an extra day of rest but it is Zambrano that definetly needs a rest.

 

They're resting Marshall because he still hasn't gone a full season and he's had injury troubles.

[Keener98]

everyone is talking about a marshal rest, I understand and hope that he is used as a spot starter for everyone so they can all have an extra day of rest but it is Zambrano that definetly needs a rest.

 

No he doesnt

[Ender]

Baseballprospectus just posted their valuations of the contenders rotations. The Brewers ranked #7, the Cubs #10. They used qERA as their stat of choice which ignores defense by keying in on K's, BB's and GB%.

 

The truth is going to obviously be somewhere between ERA and qERA but an outside source does seem to agree with me that the differences aren't all that big overall. The biggest difference is the Brewers bullpen has been just horrible with inherited runners and the Brewers defense is terrible. Both problems that are going to last the rest of the year most likely and will likely be why the Brewers don't make the playoffs, so its kind of nitpicking.

 

It just always rubs me wrong when people point at the starters as the problem when the bigger problems are out of their control.

 

Article is linked below though its premium.

 

http://www.baseballprospectus.com/article.php?articleid=6662

[Keener98]

For all this talk of needing to rest Marshall, you people do realize he hasnt even pitched 100 innings in the Majors this year, right? We are talking about resting a guy who has only allowed more than 3 earned runs in 2 of his last 10 starts, in place of a guy who has allowed more than 3 runs in 4 of his last 10 starts, granted they were in the 1st 4 games of the 10 game stretch.

 

I just dont see where starting Trachsel in place of Marshall makes any sense at all. All the numbers point at Marshall being better than Trachsel this year, so why do it?

[CubColtPacer]

For all this talk of needing to rest Marshall, you people do realize he hasnt even pitched 100 innings in the Majors this year, right? We are talking about resting a guy who has only allowed more than 3 earned runs in 2 of his last 10 starts, in place of a guy who has allowed more than 3 runs in 4 of his last 10 starts, granted they were in the 1st 4 games of the 10 game stretch.

 

I just dont see where starting Trachsel in place of Marshall makes any sense at all. All the numbers point at Marshall being better than Trachsel this year, so why do it?

 

Marshall has only broke 100 innings once in his career (last year when he threw 147 1/3 innings combined). He clearly wore down last year after he had reached innings pitched that his arm had never experienced before.

 

This year, he's already at 128 innings with a month to go. If he starts all of September, he would already be at 160 innings going into the playoffs plus all the extra he would throw there, which would be complete uncharted territory for him and possibly cause more injuries. If they are looking at this as demotion for him because he is supposedly not pitching well, then I'm not happy. If it's an attempt to try to limit his innings because of his injury history, I think it's a good move.

[Keener98]

For all this talk of needing to rest Marshall, you people do realize he hasnt even pitched 100 innings in the Majors this year, right? We are talking about resting a guy who has only allowed more than 3 earned runs in 2 of his last 10 starts, in place of a guy who has allowed more than 3 runs in 4 of his last 10 starts, granted they were in the 1st 4 games of the 10 game stretch.

 

I just dont see where starting Trachsel in place of Marshall makes any sense at all. All the numbers point at Marshall being better than Trachsel this year, so why do it?

 

Marshall has only broke 100 innings once in his career (last year when he threw 147 1/3 innings combined). He clearly wore down last year after he had reached innings pitched that his arm had never experienced before.

 

This year, he's already at 128 innings with a month to go. If he starts all of September, he would already be at 160 innings going into the playoffs plus all the extra he would throw there, which would be complete uncharted territory for him and possibly cause more injuries. If they are looking at this as demotion for him because he is supposedly not pitching well, then I'm not happy. If it's an attempt to try to limit his innings because of his injury history, I think it's a good move.

 

While I understand what you are saying, and agree this better not be a demotion, if we make the playoffs Marshall is very unlikely to get more than probably 10 innings Id guess. He might pitch out of the bullpen as a long man(which you really hope we wont need) and other than that I dont see him pitching. There is noway he'd start in the playoffs.

[hardcorecubfan]

everyone is talking about a marshal rest, I understand and hope that he is used as a spot starter for everyone so they can all have an extra day of rest but it is Zambrano that definetly needs a rest.

 

No he doesnt

 

OK, then tell me what is his problem he looks terrible. A rest may give hiom some mental relief as well as physical. He has the highest pitch count on the team.

[Drew Doughty]

everyone is talking about a marshal rest, I understand and hope that he is used as a spot starter for everyone so they can all have an extra day of rest but it is Zambrano that definetly needs a rest.

 

No he doesnt

 

OK, then tell me what is his problem he looks terrible. A rest may give hiom some mental relief as well as physical. He has the highest pitch count on the team.

 

he looked terrible at the beginning of the season too and i doubt it was because he needed a rest. he's just a terribly inconsistent pitcher.

[Keener98]

everyone is talking about a marshal rest, I understand and hope that he is used as a spot starter for everyone so they can all have an extra day of rest but it is Zambrano that definetly needs a rest.

 

No he doesnt

 

OK, then tell me what is his problem he looks terrible. A rest may give hiom some mental relief as well as physical. He has the highest pitch count on the team.

 

he looked terrible at the beginning of the season too and i doubt it was because he needed a rest. he's just a terribly inconsistent pitcher.

 

Bingo

[Mizzou]

I can't say I'm pumped about Trachsel joining the rotation, but I'm also not upset (or surprised) to see Marshall temporarily removed from it.

[Keener98]

I can't say I'm pumped about Trachsel joining the rotation, but I'm also not upset (or surprised) to see Marshall temporarily removed from it.

 

Care to explain why?

[XZero771679666304]

I can't say I'm pumped about Trachsel joining the rotation, but I'm also not upset (or surprised) to see Marshall temporarily removed from it.

 

Care to explain why?

 

Marshall needs a break. He's been awful for about a month now, and has been getting progressively worse over the past 2-3 months.

 

Trachsel is bad, but not as bad as Marshall was in August.

 

Marshall missing a couple starts may be a long term benefit, if he can come back refreshed.

[Keener98]

I can't say I'm pumped about Trachsel joining the rotation, but I'm also not upset (or surprised) to see Marshall temporarily removed from it.

 

Care to explain why?

 

Marshall needs a break. He's been awful for about a month now, and has been getting progressively worse over the past 2-3 months.

 

Trachsel is bad, but not as bad as Marshall was in August.

 

Marshall missing a couple starts may be a long term benefit, if he can come back refreshed.

 

Sure is funny the stats seem to disagree with you. Marshall has allowed more than 3 er's twice in his last 10 starts, guess thats awful nowadays.

[Soul]

Simple solution. Let Marshall pitch and use Trachsel to give Z a break.

[Omar]

He already has a mugshot.

 

http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/images/players/mugshot/ph_123431.jpg

Hello there, grandpa.

[Irrelevant Dude]

Simple solution. Let Marshall pitch and use Trachsel to give Z a break.

While that isn't a realistic solution, I wouldn't mind seeing Lou hang it over Zambrano's head to see how he responds.

[third eye]

He already has a mugshot.

 

http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/images/players/mugshot/ph_123431.jpg

Hello there, grandpa.

 

Yikes, the years have not been kind.

[Soul]

He already has a mugshot.

 

http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/images/players/mugshot/ph_123431.jpg

Hello there, grandpa.

 

Yikes, the years have not been kind.

 

Hehe. Hopefully the arm has resisted the effects of age?

[NCCubFan]

Simple solution. Let Marshall pitch and use Trachsel to give Z a break.

While that isn't a realistic solution, I wouldn't mind seeing Lou hang it over Zambrano's head to see how he responds.

It wouldn't be realistic this time through the rotation (both Trachsel and Marshall are prepared for Trachsel starting tomorrow, and changing it on short notice would probably be disruptive to both of them). However, Lou could certainly make it clear to Z that he needs to have a good game next time if he wants to make his subsequent scheduled start.

[Have a seat, Neifi]

I'm not for replacing Marshall with Rain Delay in the rotation, but it's not like Sean's been blowing people away lately. Since the ASB, he has a 4.53 ERA, a 1.40 WHIP, and 23 Ks:14 BBs. In August, he had a 6.18 ERA, a 1.56 WHIP, and 13 Ks:9 BBs.

 

Of course, the trouble is despite these very pedestrian numbers...he hasn't been appreciably less effective than either Marquis or Z. He doesn't give you the innings that either of those guys do, but that's more of a factor of his age and injury history than anything. At least presumably.

[rynefan]

I'm up for a change, whatever it is. The starters seem off lately. Tired? Let's see what Steve has.

[Fred Hornkohl]

He already has a mugshot.

 

http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/images/players/mugshot/ph_123431.jpg

Hello there, grandpa.

 

Yikes, the years have not been kind.

 

Hehe. Hopefully the arm has resisted the effects of age?

 

Oh, I don't know..... he looks like a handsome young pup to me. :wink:

[Derwood]

i probably won't start watching this game until 8:30 or 8:45, but with Trachsel, that will mean top of the 2nd

[ctcf]

Well to his credit it he did pitch a QS. A lot better that I expected. Unfortunately the offense still sucks.

[CubmanPi]

Well to his credit it he did pitch a QS. A lot better that I expected. Unfortunately the offense still sucks.

I understand that GIDP, whatever that stands for, is an important stat, and apparently the Cubs offense got one literally almost every chance they had. I think that 5 of these "GIDP" and still only scoring two runs is a sign that they were just unlucky, and that the runs will start to come around eventually.

 

I agree, Trachsel did a pretty decent job today though.