Samardzija Called up, Vizcaino Designated for Assignment

[CUBZ99]

I'm no fan of Vizciano, but he hasn't looked terrible in the few times he has pitched. This move makes very little sense. There must be more going on than we are aware of.

[BleedCubbieBlue81]

Report on this coming in the 2nd inning. Makes no sense right now.

[questionmarkgrace]

Neal Cotts isn't that bad guys. We just don't use him properly. He's a useful guy to have in the pen as a long men because he's got stuff better suited for righties, but can get lefties out decently and he can go two innings if need be. He's not dominant enough against lefties to be a LOOGY which is what we try to do with him. We keep putting him in situations where he's going to fail, and when he fails we bitch at him.

 

Wrong, Neal Cotts just sucks. He cant find the strike zone and his stuff is a shell of what it was in 05. He cant get lefties out and all he has done so far is walk the first batter just about every time he pitches. 5 walks and a hit batter in 3 innings pitched. Also lefties are batting .500 against him righties .286. I'd say hes been extremely lucky so far have an era thats not double didgits.

[abuck1220]

i don't want to hear about the cubs' financial hardships when they've already pissed away $7 mil on gaudin and vizcaino and it's not even may yet.

[CubColtPacer]

i don't want to hear about the cubs' financial hardships when they've already pissed away $7 mil on gaudin and vizcaino and it's not even may yet.

 

Most people counted Vizcaino's 4 million against Marquis already. The book can now be closed on that contract. 15.5 million for 2 years of Marquis and a couple relief appearances by Vizcaino.

[Bull]

I don't like that the only reliever with options is Marmol. You have to be able to send down a reliever. What is puzzling is the timing.

[dew1679666265]

I don't like that the only reliever with options is Marmol. You have to be able to send down a reliever. What is puzzling is the timing.

 

Yeah, I kind of expected a move at some point - but not in late April. I especially didn't expect Samardzija to be up at all this season (save for September when rosters expand), much less in late April.

[Keener98]

Neal Cotts isn't that bad guys. We just don't use him properly. He's a useful guy to have in the pen as a long men because he's got stuff better suited for righties, but can get lefties out decently and he can go two innings if need be. He's not dominant enough against lefties to be a LOOGY which is what we try to do with him. We keep putting him in situations where he's going to fail, and when he fails we bitch at him.

 

 

Thats the biggest load of crap you've ever said on here and thats saying alot. Theyve brought him in with nobody on, theyve brought him in with runners on, theyve brought him in to face rightys and lefties, and he cant throw strikes no matter when hes used.

[Jehrico]

I can't see it being Vizcaino. They thought he was good enough to put on the roster, and since then he's given up two singles, no walks, no runs in 3.2 innings.

 

What are the odds that they're going to put Patton on waivers and hope he clears so they can offer Colorado something to put him in the minors?

[Omar]

I have a feeling Gregg might get the boot.

[anabiono]

if it is guzman, i am going to be pissed

 

however, hopefully it isn't guz...

 

maybe they will take gregg out of the closer spot, put marmol there, and then angel can be our new fireman!

[anabiono]

I have a feeling Gregg might get the boot.

 

if it is between gregg and vizcaino, i choose the latter easily

[erik316wttn]

I have a feeling Gregg might get the boot.

 

Nah.

 

He's Kerry's replacement. Hendry isn't going to admit failure that easily.

[Illini Iceman]

Cubs general manager Jim Hendry said he would announce the corresponding move on Thursday, but the team was expected to either trade or designate for assignment right-hander Luis Vizcaino, 34. He has given up two hits and struck out three over 3 2/3 innings in four games.

 

http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090422&content_id=4385010&vkey=news_chc&fext=.jsp&c_id=chc

 

I don't get what the rush is to get Shark up here and DFA Vizcaino. Personally I would rather keep Shark stashed away in AAA until they have an injury in the rotation. Maybe he was being vocal about not wanting to be in AAA and Hendry decided for long term it was better to keep him happy and just cut bait with Vizcaino. Guess this means Wells and Atkins will be the ones in line for the spot starting role. Can't see any way they will keep Samardzija stretched out enough that he could do it.

[Guest]

Releasing Vizcaino is baffling.

 

Plus (and correct me if I'm wrong), don't the Cubs want Shark to be a starter? What's the point in bringing him up just to have him pitch out of the pen?

[ConstableRabbit]

There had better be an awesome explanation for this

[Mephistopheles]

Neal Cotts isn't that bad guys. We just don't use him properly. He's a useful guy to have in the pen as a long men because he's got stuff better suited for righties, but can get lefties out decently and he can go two innings if need be. He's not dominant enough against lefties to be a LOOGY which is what we try to do with him. We keep putting him in situations where he's going to fail, and when he fails we bitch at him.

 

Wrong, Neal Cotts just sucks. He cant find the strike zone and his stuff is a shell of what it was in 05. He cant get lefties out and all he has done so far is walk the first batter just about every time he pitches. 5 walks and a hit batter in 3 innings pitched. Also lefties are batting .500 against him righties .286. I'd say hes been extremely lucky so far have an era thats not double didgits.

 

I'm not wrong. All you've shown is that he's struggling right now. I didn't say otherwise. He's not this bad, he's just going through a rough patch. There's no need to get all bent of shape by anyone struggling three weeks into the season. What's a better indication of his talent level: The 1100+ batters he's faced in his career that show him to be a relatively average left-handed relief pitcher, or the 19 batters he's faced this year you're basing your assessment on? By no stretch of the imagination is he a great reliever, but he's a guy worth having around. Let's not be so fickle.

[ISUCubsFan]

Cubs general manager Jim Hendry said he would announce the corresponding move on Thursday, but the team was expected to either trade or designate for assignment right-hander Luis Vizcaino, 34. He has given up two hits and struck out three over 3 2/3 innings in four games.

 

http://chicago.cubs.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20090422&content_id=4385010&vkey=news_chc&fext=.jsp&c_id=chc

 

I don't get what the rush is to get Shark up here and DFA Vizcaino. Personally I would rather keep Shark stashed away in AAA until they have an injury in the rotation. Maybe he was being vocal about not wanting to be in AAA and Hendry decided for long term it was better to keep him happy and just cut bait with Vizcaino. Guess this means Wells and Atkins will be the ones in line for the spot starting role. Can't see any way they will keep Samardzija stretched out enough that he could do it.

 

This is what scares me the most. I guess they could get Heilman back to starting if they had to, but the starting pitching depth doesn't look good for a team that has Rich Harden on the roster. I'm assuming the only way to get value out of Viscaino now is to trade him, eat most of his salary (they have to pay him anyway), and get a minor leaguer that someone else has already given up on, correct?

[Mephistopheles]

Maybe the Cubs will go to a four man rotation when Rich Harden goes down. I can only hope we stop babying SPs... If Rich Harden goes down, we'll have four guys in the been who are good to go 3 innings without any stretching out needed (Samardzija, Heilman, Guzman, Cotts). Over the course of two times through the rotation we can stretch out one of the four to take the number five starts. I don't think it's a problem myself.

 

Either that or Hendry's not worried. He'll just finalize the Peavy deal and manage to keep Marshall.

[Mephistopheles]

I'm assuming the only way to get value out of Viscaino now is to trade him, eat most of his salary (they have to pay him anyway), and get a minor leaguer that someone else has already given up on, correct?

 

To be fair, Mike Fontenot qualifies as such minor leaguer.

[Rob]

Neal Cotts isn't that bad guys. We just don't use him properly. He's a useful guy to have in the pen as a long men because he's got stuff better suited for righties, but can get lefties out decently and he can go two innings if need be. He's not dominant enough against lefties to be a LOOGY which is what we try to do with him. We keep putting him in situations where he's going to fail, and when he fails we bitch at him.

 

Wrong, Neal Cotts just sucks. He cant find the strike zone and his stuff is a shell of what it was in 05. He cant get lefties out and all he has done so far is walk the first batter just about every time he pitches. 5 walks and a hit batter in 3 innings pitched. Also lefties are batting .500 against him righties .286. I'd say hes been extremely lucky so far have an era thats not double didgits.

 

I'm not wrong. All you've shown is that he's struggling right now. I didn't say otherwise. He's not this bad, he's just going through a rough patch. There's no need to get all bent of shape by anyone struggling three weeks into the season. What's a better indication of his talent level: The 1100+ batters he's faced in his career that show him to be a relatively average left-handed relief pitcher, or the 19 batters he's faced this year you're basing your assessment on? By no stretch of the imagination is he a great reliever, but he's a guy worth having around. Let's not be so fickle.

 

Lefties are batting .500 against him!!!

 

.500!!!

[Mephistopheles]

What 1 for 2 or 2 for 4?

[Rob]

What 1 for 2 or 2 for 4?

 

3 for 6, sucker. Can't argue small sample size for that one.

[Andy]

Neal Cotts isn't that bad guys. We just don't use him properly. He's a useful guy to have in the pen as a long men because he's got stuff better suited for righties, but can get lefties out decently and he can go two innings if need be. He's not dominant enough against lefties to be a LOOGY which is what we try to do with him. We keep putting him in situations where he's going to fail, and when he fails we bitch at him.

Maybe he is misused, but if he was going to be all that good to begin with, he might not suck so horribly in those situations.

[soapy]

I honestly could care less about Vizcaino (other than the fact that the Cubs keep releasing guys with sizeable contracts). What I don't like about it is calling up Samardzija. Are they going to make him a starter or aren't they? I don't see any indication that he's done anything in his two starts in Iowa to make them think he can't handle it. Doesn't it make the most sense to keep him there so he can stay stretched out and inserted into the starting rotation once the inevitable injury occurs to a SP?