Cubs Bullpen

[SABR Gamer]

I dont know what the numbers say, but based on players, if you ask me, the Cubs have the nastiest bullpen in all the land. I am so impressed in the improvement the Cubs have made in the past few years in the pen. Look at the guys we have, Wood, Howry, Dempster, Marmol, and if Wuertz could go back to his old form that would be as good of a collection of relief pitchers as there is. Props to big boy for this one, without our pen, especially Marmol, we would be nowhere near first place.

[Sammy Sofa]

At this point I prefer seeing Eyre going out there over Wuertz. I hope Michael turns it around for the stretch, but Eyre has looked a lot better as of late.

[Fred Hornkohl]

These guys have been absolutely unreal the last couple of weeks........

 

CUBS' bullpen over the last 16 games.....

 

08/16 - 09/02        IP    H    R   ER   BB    K   HR    PC  BB/9   K/9  HR/9  WHIP   ERA
Marmol              8.7    3    0    0    4   13    0   137  4.15 13.50  0.00  0.81  0.00
Eyre                5.7    4    0    0    0    3    0    60  0.00  4.76  0.00  0.71  0.00
Howry               7.7    5    1    1    3   10    1   134  3.52 11.74  1.17  1.04  1.17
Wood                7.0    3    1    1    3    3    0   111  3.86  3.86  0.00  0.86  1.29
Dempster            9.3    3    2    2    4    4    1   111  3.86  3.86  0.96  0.75  1.93
Wuertz              8.0    5    3    3    8   12    1   154  9.00 13.50  1.13  1.63  3.38
Pignatiello         1.3    2    1    1    0    2    1    20  0.00 13.50  6.75  1.50  6.75

totals             47.7   25    8    8   22   47    4   727  4.15  8.87  0.76  0.98  1.51

[anabiono]

i concur

[Keener98]

These guys have been absolutely unreal the last couple of weeks........

 

CUBS' bullpen over the last 16 games.....

 

08/16 - 09/02        IP    H    R   ER   BB    K   HR    PC  BB/9   K/9  HR/9  WHIP   ERA
Marmol              8.7    3    0    0    4   13    0   137  4.15 13.50  0.00  0.81  0.00
Eyre                5.7    4    0    0    0    3    0    60  0.00  4.76  0.00  0.71  0.00
Howry               7.7    5    1    1    3   10    1   134  3.52 11.74  1.17  1.04  1.17
Wood                7.0    3    1    1    3    3    0   111  3.86  3.86  0.00  0.86  1.29
Dempster            9.3    3    2    2    4    4    1   111  3.86  3.86  0.96  0.75  1.93
Wuertz              8.0    5    3    3    8   12    1   154  9.00 13.50  1.13  1.63  3.38
Pignatiello         1.3    2    1    1    0    2    1    20  0.00 13.50  6.75  1.50  6.75

totals             47.7   25    8    8   22   47    4   727  4.15  8.87  0.76  0.98  1.51

 

Ouch Wuertz really needs to work on that bb/9 stat. If he could get that under control, hed be just as nasty as Marmol.

[Fred Hornkohl]

 

Ouch Wuertz really needs to work on that bb/9 stat. If he could get that under control, hed be just as nasty as Marmol.

 

Yeah, to the best of my knowledge, that's been the only knock on Wuertz all along; his command.

[Keener98]

 

Ouch Wuertz really needs to work on that bb/9 stat. If he could get that under control, hed be just as nasty as Marmol.

 

Yeah, to the best of my knowledge, that's been the only knock on Wuertz all along; his command.

 

I dont think he trusts his fastball enough. I understand his slider is his "out" pitch, but he gets way to slider happy. Its usually not a strike so I think alot of smarter hitters go up there basically with no intention to swing knowing that the slider wont be a strike.

[Butterscup1679666578]

 

Ouch Wuertz really needs to work on that bb/9 stat. If he could get that under control, hed be just as nasty as Marmol.

 

Yeah, to the best of my knowledge, that's been the only knock on Wuertz all along; his command.

 

I dont think he trusts his fastball enough. I understand his slider is his "out" pitch, but he gets way to slider happy. Its usually not a strike so I think alot of smarter hitters go up there basically with no intention to swing knowing that the slider wont be a strike.

 

I agree. It seems like every time he goes up 0-2 he throws slider after slider until he either walks the guy or he swings at it.

[CubmanPi]

 

Ouch Wuertz really needs to work on that bb/9 stat. If he could get that under control, hed be just as nasty as Marmol.

 

Yeah, to the best of my knowledge, that's been the only knock on Wuertz all along; his command.

 

I dont think he trusts his fastball enough. I understand his slider is his "out" pitch, but he gets way to slider happy. Its usually not a strike so I think alot of smarter hitters go up there basically with no intention to swing knowing that the slider wont be a strike.

 

His WHIP is high, thanks to that 9BB/9IP part, but his 13.50 K/9 has kept his ERA at a reasonable level over whatever stretch it is that Fred's numbers covered. He's having a rough stretch, but I think those numbers are good reason to believe the hardcore wuertz will be back someday, possibly sooner rather than later.

[Keener98]

 

Ouch Wuertz really needs to work on that bb/9 stat. If he could get that under control, hed be just as nasty as Marmol.

 

Yeah, to the best of my knowledge, that's been the only knock on Wuertz all along; his command.

 

I dont think he trusts his fastball enough. I understand his slider is his "out" pitch, but he gets way to slider happy. Its usually not a strike so I think alot of smarter hitters go up there basically with no intention to swing knowing that the slider wont be a strike.

 

His WHIP is high, thanks to that 9BB/9IP part, but his 13.50 K/9 has kept his ERA at a reasonable level over whatever stretch it is that Fred's numbers covered. He's having a rough stretch, but I think those numbers are good reason to believe the hardcore wuertz will be back someday, possibly sooner rather than later.

 

I like Wuertz, but control has always been his biggest problem. Until he can harness that on a consistent basis, hes basically a 6th inning type guy. Its real hard to bring him in with runners on because of the walk probability. If he could cut that walk rate down, like I said, he would be as nasty as Marmol, ad be a good setup man and/or closer.

[chuckywang]

Marmol's ERA+ is 310.