Cashner to contribute this season?

[Little Slide Rooter]

Chicago - Things were as up in the air for the Cubs a year ago as they are for the Braves right now, but with Kerry Wood putting together three healthy months for the first time since 2003 and Carlos Marmol quickly developing into one of the game's best relievers, the entire pen has been pretty stable this season. It does remain to be seen what will happen in 2009. Wood has taken less money to stay with the Cubs each of the last two years. If he can get through the rest of this season without an arm problem, he'll want to be rewarded, probably to the tune of $10 million per year for two or three seasons. The Cubs can afford it, but they do have Marmol ready to take over at a moment's notice. No pitcher in baseball is tougher to hit.

 

In this space a year ago, I had Angel Guzman as the favorite for saves in 2008 (with Marmol taking over in 2009). Guzman, though, hurt his elbow last June and underwent Tommy John surgery in October. He'll try to earn a setup role in the first half of next year. Jose Ascanio, who was picked up from the Braves, should develop into a seventh- or eighth-inning guy, perhaps by next year. He allowed one run in five innings in his first stint with the Cubs last month. Jeff Samardzija was supposed to be a closer-type reliever if he failed to develop as a starter coming out of Notre Dame, but nothing he's done in the last year suggests he'll be a major league pitcher at all.

 

Even with Samardzija falling out of the picture, the Cubs have two of the game's top relief prospects. Jose Ceda can throw in the high-90s and has a promising slider. He's not going to come as quickly as the team was thinking this spring, but he might be of use by the middle of 2009. Andrew Cashner was the first of four relievers selected in the first round of this year's draft, and he's polished enough to potentially contribute during the second half of this season. With a 94-97 mph fastball and a plus slider, he should close someday.

 

2009: Marmol, Wood, Cashner, Michael Wuertz

2010: Marmol, Wood, Cashner, Ceda

2011: Marmol, Cashner, Ceda, Wood

 

 

From rotoworld.

[Old Style]

I saw him pitch a few months ago and, based on what I saw, it would not surprise me.

[inari]

People here weren't happy with the drafting of Cashner, right?

[Transmogrified Tiger]

I doubt that's really the case. That's an overview from a source that's covering all 30 teams, so I don't think they're too in the know when it comes to the plans of the Organization for Cashner. He hasn't even signed yet, and even then there's talk of him becoming a starter again, so I doubt he sees Wrigley this season.

[Jehrico]

People here weren't happy with the drafting of Cashner, right?

It's not that people were unhappy with drafting Cashner, they were unhappy with the strategy of taking a reliever with our first round pick, regardless of how close to MLB ready he is, when our overall farm system sucks right now.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

I wouldn't be surprised to see him in September, but I would also not be surprised if he doesn't make it out of AA. I don't see him as being a big contributor this season, but I can see him breaking ST with the team next season

[TruffleShuffle]

haven't there been reports that the cubs are thinking about making him a starter?

[Ding Dong Johnson]

haven't there been reports that the cubs are thinking about making him a starter?

shortly after he was picked, Hendry or Wilken said it was a possibility. I can see him finishing this season as a reliever and start stretching him out over the offseason

[Post Count Padder]

I doubt it, but I guess we'll have to see.

[Shilzzz]

haven't there been reports that the cubs are thinking about making him a starter?

shortly after he was picked, Hendry or Wilken said it was a possibility. I can see him finishing this season as a reliever and start stretching him out over the offseason

 

but how would that work? you would lose some arb years if they brought him up this year as a reliever then spent the following season stretching him out as a starter in the minors, right?

[Transmogrified Tiger]

haven't there been reports that the cubs are thinking about making him a starter?

shortly after he was picked, Hendry or Wilken said it was a possibility. I can see him finishing this season as a reliever and start stretching him out over the offseason

 

but how would that work? you would lose some arb years if they brought him up this year as a reliever then spent the following season stretching him out as a starter in the minors, right?

 

Option years. Arbitration/free agency is tied to service time, which is only accrued on the Major League Roster and DL.

[Clem Fandango]

If he's good enough to make it to the majors and contribute productively the same year he's drafted, then rock and roll. That'd be a huge boost to the team. Like everyone else I was all "WTF" but I really dig the guy's skillset. All the scouting reports seem really positive, it'd be great if he could make it to the majors this year.

[Guest]

I doubt that's really the case. That's an overview from a source that's covering all 30 teams, so I don't think they're too in the know when it comes to the plans of the Organization for Cashner. He hasn't even signed yet, and even then there's talk of him becoming a starter again, so I doubt he sees Wrigley this season.

 

Shortly after the Cubs acquired Aardsma, they had him starting game in Iowa. At that time, the organization said they were just trying to get him into a position to increase his pitch count so he could work on his pitches. I wonder if they're considering doing the same thing with Cashner?

[chuckywang]

Looks like the Cubs made a conscience effort to draft a major-league ready player to a position of need. With the season the Cubs are having, why wouldn't you put all your eggs in one basket and draft a player who can help your team THIS YEAR?

 

How does the saying go ... a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush?

[badnews]

Someone remind me though - has this ever happened, or happened recently, with one of these touted college relievers? It didn't happen with Craig Hansen or Joey Devine, the Rockies drafted Casey Weathers, a better reliever than Cashner last year, and they didn't use him in September or the playoffs though he has definite swing and miss stuff.

 

If the Cubs see Cashner in the bigs in 2008 I'll be surprised. And if we don't win in 2008, by 2009 it might be less useful. For example I don't see why a team like the Mariners grabbed Josh Fields.

 

Anyway, those projections are a little silly. The 2011 bullpen?

[YearofDaCubs]

Someone remind me though - has this ever happened, or happened recently, with one of these touted college relievers? It didn't happen with Craig Hansen or Joey Devine, the Rockies drafted Casey Weathers, a better reliever than Cashner last year, and they didn't use him in September or the playoffs though he has definite swing and miss stuff.

 

If the Cubs see Cashner in the bigs in 2008 I'll be surprised. And if we don't win in 2008, by 2009 it might be less useful. For example I don't see why a team like the Mariners grabbed Josh Fields.

 

Anyway, those projections are a little silly. The 2011 bullpen?

Chad Cordero was drafted in 2003 and pitched 11 innings for them the same year.

[Irrelevant Dude]

Even with Samardzija falling out of the picture

When did this happen? I know he struggled for awhile, but has since started pitching better and been promoted to AAA.

[bukie]

Even with Samardzija falling out of the picture

When did this happen? I know he struggled for awhile, but has since started pitching better and been promoted to AAA.

Don't put much faith in LLF's "scouting reports". The Shark pitched pretty well tonight in his AAA debut. He's nowhere near falling out of the picture.

[badnews]

The Nats will give anybody a quick shot, it seems like.