No Doubt Who's The Ace

[Backtobanks]

Ted Lilly has left no doubt about who's the ace of the Cubs' pitching staff. Congrats to Lilly and Kudos to Hendry on this one.

[Mephistopheles]

This isn't true. He's produced the most but he's not the best pitcher thus he's not the ace.

[Omar]

This isn't true. He's produced the most but he's not the best pitcher thus he's not the ace.

 

Of course.

[Ender]

He has pitched the best out of any of the pitchers this year though. Zambrano is lucky that his ERA isn't higher than it is. Hill could turn into the ace but I think that flyball percentage is always going to hold him back in that stadium.

 

Lilly's stats aren't all that surprising, his BB's are down but a lot of that is not having to face the Red Sox and Yankees so much. The biggest surprise is he's been healthy all year, he has not had a fully health season in his entire career.

[RynoRules]

This isn't true. He's produced the most but he's not the best pitcher thus he's not the ace.

 

Are you taking a contrarian position? Say it isn't so!

[NCCubFan]

I think it depends on how you define "ace." If it means the pitcher who is the best during the current season then it would be Lilly. If it means the pitcher who has the ability to be the best then it would be Zambrano. Since you win or lose based on performance rather than ability I'll go with Lilly for now.

[Mephistopheles]

He has pitched the best out of any of the pitchers this year though. Zambrano is lucky that his ERA isn't higher than it is. Hill could turn into the ace but I think that flyball percentage is always going to hold him back in that stadium.

 

Yeah it's comment like this that make me stand up and think if people ever think before they post. Okay I don't stand up....

 

48% of balls that go into play off of Ted Lilly are flyballs.

43% of balls that go into play off of Rich Hill are flyballs.

[Mephistopheles]

I think it depends on how you define "ace." If it means the pitcher who is the best during the current season then it would be Lilly. If it means the pitcher who has the ability to be the best then it would be Zambrano. Since you win or lose based on performance rather than ability I'll go with Lilly for now.

 

Its the person who is most likely to be the best in the near future.

[C.C.]

If we had to win 1 game as of today, I'd be Ted Lilly taking the ball. End of discussion.

[Ender]

He has pitched the best out of any of the pitchers this year though. Zambrano is lucky that his ERA isn't higher than it is. Hill could turn into the ace but I think that flyball percentage is always going to hold him back in that stadium.

 

Yeah it's comment like this that make me stand up and think if people ever think before they post. Okay I don't stand up....

 

48% of balls that go into play off of Ted Lilly are flyballs.

43% of balls that go into play off of Rich Hill are flyballs.

 

You obviously missed my point though. I didn't say Lilly is an ace, I said he has pitched the best out of all the Cubs this year. What you see out of Lilly this year is probably his career year, I doubt you see another one better though he might match it. This is his upside.

 

Zambrano has been a true ace in the past but his stats have been regressing not improving, add in all the mileage on his arm and the fact that I'm not sure he's ever going to mature mentally and I'm not so sure he's going to be an ace long term.

 

Hill to me is the most likely to become a true ace over the next few years, I just think that FB% is going to limit him. When only 34%-35% of your balls are hit on the ground you really have to limit those BB's to be an ace.

[Sammy Sofa]

Ace or not, I love that Lilly is a Cub.

[Brian]

Ace or not, I love that Lilly is a Cub.

 

wasn't that excited about the signing, but ever since spring training and actually getting to watch him pitched I've liked him more and more.

[Sammy Sofa]

Ace or not, I love that Lilly is a Cub.

 

wasn't that excited about the signing, but ever since spring training and actually getting to watch him pitched I've liked him more and more.

 

He's been like a rock (with a few exceptions) this season.

[YearofDaCubs]

Sucks that our best pitcher has a 3.85 ERA. You usually expect more from an ace of the staff. Lilly has been good for us all year but on a good pitching staff he wouldn't be considered an ace.

[Keener98]

Sucks that our best pitcher has a 3.85 ERA. You usually expect more from an ace of the staff. Lilly has been good for us all year but on a good pitching staff he wouldn't be considered an ace.

 

I understand your point, but just about every team in the league would kill to have the numbers our entire staff has put up. Not many teams can get the production out of the 3-4-5 that we have got

[NCCubFan]

Sucks that our best pitcher has a 3.85 ERA. You usually expect more from an ace of the staff. Lilly has been good for us all year but on a good pitching staff he wouldn't be considered an ace.

Conversely the worst on the Cubs' staff is Zambrano's 4.26 (I'm considering Marshall and not Trachsel as part of the staff because that's how it's been most of the year). A difference of only 0.41 from top to bottom. That may be one of the most balanced in history.

[YearofDaCubs]

Sucks that our best pitcher has a 3.85 ERA. You usually expect more from an ace of the staff. Lilly has been good for us all year but on a good pitching staff he wouldn't be considered an ace.

 

I understand your point, but just about every team in the league would kill to have the numbers our entire staff has put up. Not many teams can get the production out of the 3-4-5 that we have got

Very true. Adding Trachsel to the mix was dumb. Marshall wasn't a world beater but he's better than old man Trach. All we really needed was for Z to step up. Let's hope his last outing is a sign of things to come.

[C.C.]

I just heard that Lilly is 9-1 when winning a game after a loss...

[Sammy Sofa]

I just heard that Lilly is 9-1 when winning a game after a loss...

 

Ted Lilly...slumpbuster.

 

http://www.sonic.net/~ckelly/Seekay/dana_lilly.jpg

 

HAWT.

[sethuel1]

I just heard that Lilly is 9-1 when winning a game after a loss...

 

How did he get the one loss when he won the game?

[C.C.]

I just heard that Lilly is 9-1 when winning a game after a loss...

 

How did he get the one loss when he won the game?

 

He's a Cub.

[Cubzfan64]

I think it depends on how you define "ace." If it means the pitcher who is the best during the current season then it would be Lilly. If it means the pitcher who has the ability to be the best then it would be Zambrano. Since you win or lose based on performance rather than ability I'll go with Lilly for now.

 

Its the person who is most likely to be the best in the near future.

 

In my definition of being the ace of the staff, that statement is absolutely untrue. The ace in my book is the "go to guy" - the guy who consistently has performed in the recent past and the one guy you rely on RIGHT NOW to step up and pitch the big game when it's needed.

 

Zambrano certainly has the potential to be the ace, but potential isn't a word used to describe an ace.

 

The ace of your staff can change throughout the season imho - right now, Lilly deserves that tag.

[weatherdood]

9-1 in games following a Cub loss...he's a stopper...no doubt about it. I would love to see what Z's record is like following a Cub loss.

[Guest]

This isn't true. He's produced the most but he's not the best pitcher thus he's not the ace.

 

Are you taking a contrarian position? Say it isn't so!

 

Doesn't mean he's wrong.

[Bruno7481]

This isn't true. He's produced the most but he's not the best pitcher thus he's not the ace.

 

Are you taking a contrarian position? Say it isn't so!

 

Doesn't mean he's wrong.

 

And it doesn't mean he's exactly right either.

 

At this (key word here) point in time, I'd rather have Lilly starting the game compared to anyone of the other options in the rotation.