Back in The Bigs

[dlee4prez]

Cubs.com offers a good question, who will be the first player back on the cubs roster. Rich Hill, Sean Marshall, or Felix Pie. Personally I think the cubs need to work out whatever kinks Hill's having with his mechanics, and get him back ASAP because playing Marquis is killing the Cubs.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Hoff will beat all 3 back. guaranteed.

[Dirt Dog Sparly]

I personally dont think that Hills problem is mechanical.

 

Pie isnt coming back as long as Edmonds can still run it down and hit a little bit. The emphasis is little bit there.

 

Marshall by process of elimination becomes the first one to come back.

 

LLF however has it right, Hoff will be back before any of the other three barring an injury.

[UMFan83]

I agree, Marshall

[Derwood]

Ascanio

[Electron Blue]

I know he shouldn't win the vote, but as a Murton fan, I'm disappointed to not even see him as an option. Poor guy.

[NCCubFan]

It's not at all a given that Hoff will be back first. It all depends on when Ward is ready to return. There will definitely be a position player added and the pitching staff cut back to 12 before the interleague road games when a DH will be needed. If Ward is ready to return by then it will be him; otherwise it will be Hoff.

[CubColtPacer]

It's not at all a given that Hoff will be back first. It all depends on when Ward is ready to return. There will definitely be a position player added and the pitching staff cut back to 12 before the interleague road games when a DH will be needed. If Ward is ready to return by then it will be him; otherwise it will be Hoff.

 

Looks like it will either be Hoffpauir or Murton. My guess is it will be Hoffpauir, since Toronto has 5 right-handers in their starting rotation. From Cubs.com:

 

Daryle Ward, on the disabled list with a bulging disk in his back, is not expected back by the time the Cubs begin Interleague Play on June 13 in Toronto. The team is considering calling up a hitter for that series and is looking at Micah Hoffpauir or Matt Murton, depending on whether they want a lefty or righty

[Colin Wyers]

Hill is supposed to pitch tonight in Iowa. (His start last night was rained out.) That might give us a beter idea of how close he is to a callup.

[Clem Fandango]

If Hill could get his control problems, uh... under control... then we could boot Marquis from the rotation. That'd be delightful.

[twothousandfive]

My guess is it will be Hoffpauir, since Toronto has 5 right-handers in their starting rotation.

I don't know a lot about the Jays, but they seem to have four lefty pitchers. If they are all relievers, then maybe Murton is the better choice -- the Cubs more likely to use a pinch hitter late in the game against a relief pitcher, and that relief pitcher for the Jays is likely to be a lefty.

 

 

Given that someone will replace Marquis, but the rest of the pitching staff is pretty solid, is there a chance the Cubs would be able to package a starter, a lefty reliever, a righty reliever, and RH bat and a LH bat for a key piece at the deadline? Does Marshall, Cotts, Ascanio, Murton and Hoffpauir get Michael Young from Texas? Furcal from LA? Swap Pie for Murton and get Nate McLouth and Jack Wilson from Pitt?

 

I'm sure some would say all those Cubs are border-line major leaguers, but would the sheer number of role players get a top prospect from a contender?

[Derwood]

My guess is it will be Hoffpauir, since Toronto has 5 right-handers in their starting rotation.

I don't know a lot about the Jays, but they seem to have four lefty pitchers. If they are all relievers, then maybe Murton is the better choice -- the Cubs more likely to use a pinch hitter late in the game against a relief pitcher, and that relief pitcher for the Jays is likely to be a lefty.

 

 

Given that someone will replace Marquis, but the rest of the pitching staff is pretty solid, is there a chance the Cubs would be able to package a starter, a lefty reliever, a righty reliever, and RH bat and a LH bat for a key piece at the deadline? Does Marshall, Cotts, Ascanio, Murton and Hoffpauir get Michael Young from Texas? Furcal from LA? Swap Pie for Murton and get Nate McLouth and Jack Wilson from Pitt?

 

I'm sure some would say all those Cubs are border-line major leaguers, but would the sheer number of role players get a top prospect from a contender?

 

usually teams won't take quantity over quality. they also don't want to deal with swapping one 40-man roster spot for five

[CubColtPacer]

My guess is it will be Hoffpauir, since Toronto has 5 right-handers in their starting rotation.

I don't know a lot about the Jays, but they seem to have four lefty pitchers. If they are all relievers, then maybe Murton is the better choice -- the Cubs more likely to use a pinch hitter late in the game against a relief pitcher, and that relief pitcher for the Jays is likely to be a lefty.

 

 

Given that someone will replace Marquis, but the rest of the pitching staff is pretty solid, is there a chance the Cubs would be able to package a starter, a lefty reliever, a righty reliever, and RH bat and a LH bat for a key piece at the deadline? Does Marshall, Cotts, Ascanio, Murton and Hoffpauir get Michael Young from Texas? Furcal from LA? Swap Pie for Murton and get Nate McLouth and Jack Wilson from Pitt?

 

I'm sure some would say all those Cubs are border-line major leaguers, but would the sheer number of role players get a top prospect from a contender?

 

The Cubs aren't pulling somebody up to be a pinch-hitter. They're bringing somebody up to be the DH in some of those interleague games.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Is there any chance that Randy Wells will beat Hill and Marshall to Chicago?

[biittner77]

Is there any chance that Randy Wells will beat Hill and Marshall to Chicago?

 

Doubt it unless someone goes on the 60 day DL. He's not on the 40 man roster. They'd probably prefer one of the LHP.

 

Of course they could always DFA Marquis.

[Jehrico]

Hart will go down for Hoff for the interleague, then Hoff will go down for Ascanio after that, barring no one else going on the DL.

[NCCubFan]

Hart will go down for Hoff for the interleague, then Hoff will go down for Ascanio after that, barring no one else going on the DL.

That part of it I don't see. Sending Hart down for Hoff would just get them back to their usual 12 pitchers. I don't see them going back up to 13. That was a short-term move; staying with 13 long-term just leaves the bench too thin.

[Jehrico]

Hart will go down for Hoff for the interleague, then Hoff will go down for Ascanio after that, barring no one else going on the DL.

That part of it I don't see. Sending Hart down for Hoff would just get them back to their usual 12 pitchers. I don't see them going back up to 13. That was a short-term move; staying with 13 long-term just leaves the bench too thin.

I thought I saw a quote somewhere that they were going to bring up a DH for the interleague. If the move is just for the interleague, then I'm assuming they'll go back to where they are now, with 13 pitchers, once interleague is over. If they do that, I think Ascanio will come back up before Hart. I was always under the impression that his run late last year was lightning in a bottle, I don't think he's anything other than a lower-end to midrange reliever material. Ascanio could develop into a high end reliever on the other hand though.

[Soul]

Hill's not doing well. He'll be back but I think at this point it's going to take some time.

 

I'd guess Marshall. And I like that -- I always thought Sean has the capability to be a solid back-of-the rotation lefty. Provided he's ready I would like to see him back in Chicago.

[Jon]

Marshall is a ways away. When he's activated from the DL on Monday, he'll have missed 2.5 weeks. His endurance wasn't built up before that, either.

 

Hill's endurance is up, but he has no command. He could still conceivably make it back before Marshall, though. It's just wait and see with him. He has good stuff, but his command actually got worse yesterday evening. It's basically just keep your fingers crossed. Hopefully he can start to turn it around next time out.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Is there any chance that Randy Wells will beat Hill and Marshall to Chicago?

 

Doubt it unless someone goes on the 60 day DL. He's not on the 40 man roster. They'd probably prefer one of the LHP.

 

Of course they could always DFA Marquis.

 

Or they could always do the smart thing and choke back the tears and DFA Chad Fox. Adam Harben, Billy Petrick, Sam Fuld, and Jake Fox could also be taken off the 40 man. Also Samardzia unless theres something in his ridiculous for a 5th round pick contract that forbids it.

[TruffleShuffle]

let me go off the board and say randy wells.