Official: "Lee delivers in the clutch post-game thread".

[TruffleShuffle]

Howry has had stretches where he's sucked throughout his ill-advised contract.

 

howry has at the very least performed up to the amount of his contract, and probably has outperformed it.

 

Not sure how you can figure that. He's very much on pace to absolutely suck for 33% of the contract's duration.

 

and the other two years he was one of the better setup men in the league. bp projected his numbers this year at:

 

62.0 IP, 59 H, 17 BB, 51 K, .281 BAA, 1.22 WHIP, 3.64 ERA.

 

they put the free-market value of these numbers at $5.1M. given that he pitched more innings than this the last two seasons and was more effective than the numbers above, he probably pitched at a level of about $7M each year. his entire contract is worth $12M, so even if you think he's had negative value this year (and he hasn't), he's still earned more than the $12M that the cubs will have ended up paying him. it's like if derosa tanks the rest of this year and next, the contract that he got will have still been worth it because he produced at a high level for more than half of it.

 

by the way, maybe the reason that howry's decline has been pretty ugly is because he's pitched in 241 games the last three seasons? that's basically half of all of his team's games. his managers have ridden him hard, and they might have taken too many miles off of that arm.

[weis21]

Wuertz and Ascanio have both been getting torched pretty good in Iowa. Ascanio has given up runs in 7 of his last 10 outings, and Wuertz in 2 of his last 3(including a 3 walk inning). You could add Ceda I guess, but he's given up 3 hits and a walk, 2 walks, and 3 hits respectively in his most recent AA outings. There's no clear replacement for Howry's job, unless Lieber is healthy.

Hmmm, I guess I should have looked up those numbers before heading out to work. Well, if the Cubs really do not have anyone better than Howry in their system, then I'm on board with keeping him in a mop-up duty role. In that role he can either bounce back and show that he can actually contribute to the team, or at worst, he only minimally hurts their chance to win.

[Ding Dong Johnson]

I wonder if the Brewers would be willing to deal Turnbow. he's finally gotten his ERA in AAA under 16 (at 10.50 right now)

[Keener98]

sure, but when he gives up 3 runs then you'll say "see, Lou can't use a pen because Eyre is rusty." I'm just saying there are built-in excuses for every failed bullpen situation

 

Built-in excuses for Lou? Yes, it's stupid to keep a reliever on the active roster but not use him, in part because it's easy to get rusty over those long breaks. Why would he be wrong for criticizing Lou about Eyre being rusty?

 

he would be right, i'm just saying that Keener98 is going to complain either way. Either he doesn't put him in and Lou is dumb, or he puts him in and Lou is dumb

 

 

You crack me up.

[nilodnayr]

sure, but when he gives up 3 runs then you'll say "see, Lou can't use a pen because Eyre is rusty." I'm just saying there are built-in excuses for every failed bullpen situation

 

Built-in excuses for Lou? Yes, it's stupid to keep a reliever on the active roster but not use him, in part because it's easy to get rusty over those long breaks. Why would he be wrong for criticizing Lou about Eyre being rusty?

 

he would be right, i'm just saying that Keener98 is going to complain either way. Either he doesn't put him in and Lou is dumb, or he puts him in and Lou is dumb

 

How about Lou use his relievers efficiently and allow the shakier guys to get some innings in low leverage situations and save the better guys for higher leverage situations. Sometimes that is hard when you have a stretch of one or the other.

[YearofDaCubs]

Howry has had stretches where he's sucked throughout his ill-advised contract.

 

howry has at the very least performed up to the amount of his contract, and probably has outperformed it.

 

Not sure how you can figure that. He's very much on pace to absolutely suck for 33% of the contract's duration.

 

and the other two years he was one of the better setup men in the league. bp projected his numbers this year at:

 

62.0 IP, 59 H, 17 BB, 51 K, .281 BAA, 1.22 WHIP, 3.64 ERA.

 

they put the free-market value of these numbers at $5.1M. given that he pitched more innings than this the last two seasons and was more effective than the numbers above, he probably pitched at a level of about $7M each year. his entire contract is worth $12M, so even if you think he's had negative value this year (and he hasn't), he's still earned more than the $12M that the cubs will have ended up paying him. it's like if derosa tanks the rest of this year and next, the contract that he got will have still been worth it because he produced at a high level for more than half of it.

 

by the way, maybe the reason that howry's decline has been pretty ugly is because he's pitched in 241 games the last three seasons? that's basically half of all of his team's games. his managers have ridden him hard, and they might have taken too many miles off of that arm.

You're right his manager did ride him hard. From Cle to the Cubs I think he was putting over 80ip in. That's a lot. I remember Dusty using him almost every day when we were officially out of the playoffs his last year. I hate that guy.

[Vanilla Ice]

I wonder if the Brewers would be willing to deal Turnbow. he's finally gotten his ERA in AAA under 16 (at 10.50 right now)

holy cunp

 

how long was his ERA over 16?

[weatherdood]

I don't particularly trust Wuertz, Ascanio or Hart in that situation either. Lou is trying to make do. He can't run with a 3 man pen all year

 

 

I understand hes trying to make do right now, but there is no reason at all for Eyre to be banished right now. Hes done nothing to justify it at all

 

except the first time he is brought in and gives up a run, you'll be the first one jumping in to question the move. I'm not sure what you would do differently.

 

 

When your pen is taxed and you have a guy who should have a fresh arm, he needs to be used plain and simple.

 

sure, but when he gives up 3 runs then you'll say "see, Lou can't use a pen because Eyre is rusty." I'm just saying there are built-in excuses for every failed bullpen situation

 

Thats ridiculous, and even still he had Cotts and Marshall who werent rusty to face Branyon.

 

I blame Lou for not having the presence of mind to bring in any of the left handers out of the pen...

 

However.....

 

If you get ahead two strikes on Russell freaking Branyan....how on God's green earth can you not put him away??? Fact is, and it's been said here time and time again... Bob Howry does not have an out pitch, not even for Russell Branyan.

 

Bob Howry's K/9 innings the past three seasons.

2006: 8.32 K/9

2007: 7.97 K/9

2008: 6.88 K/9

 

I'd say that's a pretty meaningful regression. There's no reason to keep him at this stage in the game.

[Vanilla Ice]

does anybody have video of the cedeno/DeRo handshake and the Z/Fontenot thing from last night?