Silva/Gorzelanny Final Two Spots in Rotation..

[NCCubFan]

http://blogs.dailyherald.com/node/3702

 

The upshot is that, barring a trade for a reliever, the bullpen looks like this: Carlos Marmol, John Grabow, Marshall, Samardzija, Justin Berg, Esmailin Caridad and lefty James Russell. If that holds, the Cubs will open with three lefties in the pen: Marshall, Grabow and Russell, who was a dark horse coming into camp.

Bruce was talking about that on this afternoon's telecast too. He was a guest in the booth for a half inning.

[Illini Iceman]

Why does Lou seem to hate Marshall so much? He always seems to get shoved into some weird roll in the bull pen. Like when Lou decided that he was a LOOGY. Or now, when he might be the best starting option and won't be.

 

With Wuertz and Gaudin gone, Lou had to find a new pitcher to hate.

 

I actually think it is the opposite, Lou likes him too much as a reliever to put him in the rotation. As soon as Guzman went down I had the suspicion that Marshall would go to the pen so they would have another guy out there with a track record of success in relief. Because he has shown he can get lefties and righties out I wouldn't be surprised to see Lou use him as the main 8th inning set up man to Marmol. Caridad had a nice run last year but I don't see Lou as being confident enough to count on him in that role just yet.

[PackLandVA]

Don't know if it matters much, but Marshall has come out of the pen a heck of a lot more in his career than Gorzelanny has. Maybe it's not so much who the better starter would be, but rather, who the better guy out of the bullpen would be.

[Cubbie Swagger]

With Wuertz and Gaudin gone, Lou had to find a new pitcher to hate.

Let's not forget Stevie Eyre.

 

I find Lou's usage/hatred of Marshall to be extremely comical, though. I'm actually very surprised that Marshall is still a Cub considering how his career is basically going to waste. Seems like he'd be much better off going to some shitty small market team where he can make 30 starts and play a prominent role.

[Banedon]

Gorzelanny is gonna surprise people this year, I be people start penciling him into next year's rotation by the break.

 

Agreed. Silva is garbage, but I'm not as down on Gorzelanny as I've seen others be.

[Cubswin11]

To bad Gray got hurt so early in ST that he missed out on a chance to make the bullpen out of camp. I think he could be a decent option for us and should be up by May sometime hopefully. Hopefully with 3 leties Lou will be willing to let Marshall face both righties and lefties and go more than one inning if needed and not just relegate him to LOOGY duty.

[TruffleShuffle]

russell seems kind of pointless. i have serious doubts that berg will be a non-bad major league pitcher; he walks too many guys for someone with such hittable stuff. hopefully this is the end of samardzija's starting career; his secondary stuff isn't very good and at this point it's just best to get what you can out of him as a power reliever.

[JonJayCutler]

I guess I'm fine with this, as Marshall is a guy who can give you a couple quality innings in relief, and with the bullpen being an unknown at this point, that is important. I am still worried about this rotation, as I see Wells regressing a bit, but we can always make a trade at the deadline.

[Skyballer]

I think Marshall is one of those guys who's valuable in both spots. As a starter you know he can come in and give you 6+ solid innings, he has the arm strength and the secondary pitches to do it. On the flip side though he makes a great reliever/spot starter. He can come in in relief and get both the righties and lefties out, he can come in for multiple innings and guys just aren't ready for the big loopy curve in the seventh and eight after seeing someone else the rest of the game. I would rather seem him take Silva's spot, but he's a fine reliever as well, so long as he is not a LOOGY

[biittner77]

Another element to the decision is that Marshall seems to have durability concerns.

 

Piniella doesn't hate Marshall. When he hates a pitcher he either never uses him or throws him out there to get killed when the game is already out of hand. Marshall looks to be the primary 8th inning guy depending on matchups. Though it really makes me wonder why they gave all that money to Grabow. I really like Caridad and am hopeful that he can play a big role in the 7th/ 8th from the right side. Russell seems like he would be the loogy, Shark is the 6th/ 7th guy and Berg is garbage time though he may start out as the 6th inning guy over Shark.

Edited March 29, 2010 by biittner77

[treebird]

i don't really see how james russell is ever going to get into a game that doesn't go into extra innings

[SouthSideRyan]

Another element to the decision is that Marshall seems to have durability concerns.

 

Chicken or egg. How is Marshall supposed to build up durability when he's never allowed to pitch an entire season in the rotation?

[biittner77]

Another element to the decision is that Marshall seems to have durability concerns.

 

Chicken or egg. How is Marshall supposed to build up durability when he's never allowed to pitch an entire season in the rotation?

 

 

Hendry probably figures that if Marshall pitched out the rotation he's an average starter but he is an above average reliever. I believe Hendry values relief pitching more than he does back of the rotation starters.

[CUBZ99]

I think Shark will be a late innings guy. Yesterday vs. the Mariners his stuff looked fantastic in short relief. I wish they would just leave him there instead of yo-yoing him around.

[Bluescale]

Another element to the decision is that Marshall seems to have durability concerns.

 

Chicken or egg. How is Marshall supposed to build up durability when he's never allowed to pitch an entire season in the rotation?

 

 

Hendry probably figures that if Marshall pitched out the rotation he's an average starter but he is an above average reliever. I believe Hendry values relief pitching more than he does back of the rotation starters.

 

That doesn't make a lot of sense. Unless Lou has reason to believe Marshall will pitch like a 2007-2008 Marmol, I'd rather see Marshall used as an average starter than allow our rotation to stink it up two out of every five days. I haven't looked at his starting vs. relieving splits, so perhaps this a moot point, and he's really worse at starting than I remember, but if the two are even remotely close, his value is greater as starter than as a reliever.

[17 Seconds]

it's crucial that we have marshall available to come in and eat up 2 1/3 innings after the starter only goes 3 and leaves with the cubs down 7-2.

[Peoriaman]

Why does Lou seem to hate Marshall so much? He always seems to get shoved into some weird roll in the bull pen. Like when Lou decided that he was a LOOGY. Or now, when he might be the best starting option and won't be.

 

With Wuertz and Gaudin gone, Lou had to find a new pitcher to hate.

 

I actually think it is the opposite, Lou likes him too much as a reliever to put him in the rotation. As soon as Guzman went down I had the suspicion that Marshall would go to the pen so they would have another guy out there with a track record of success in relief. Because he has shown he can get lefties and righties out I wouldn't be surprised to see Lou use him as the main 8th inning set up man to Marmol. Caridad had a nice run last year but I don't see Lou as being confident enough to count on him in that role just yet.

 

 

well said.

 

Good luck to both Silva and Gorz.

[WrigleyField 22]

it's crucial that we have marshall available to come in and eat up 2 1/3 innings after the starter only goes 3 and leaves with the cubs down 7-2.

I'm not sure if this is sarcastic or not, but with Marshall in the rotation over crappier options like Silva, those games should happen less often.

[hawkeyecub]

it's crucial that we have marshall available to come in and eat up 2 1/3 innings after the starter only goes 3 and leaves with the cubs down 7-2.

I'm not sure if this is sarcastic or not, but with Marshall in the rotation over crappier options like Silva, those games should happen less often.

 

Come on

[JudasIscariotTheBird]

it's crucial that we have marshall available to come in and eat up 2 1/3 innings after the starter only goes 3 and leaves with the cubs down 7-2.

I'm not sure if this is sarcastic or not, but with Marshall in the rotation over crappier options like Silva, those games should happen less often.

 

Come on

 

Dexter was being a touch sarcastic.

 

[Bluescale]

it's crucial that we have marshall available to come in and eat up 2 1/3 innings after the starter only goes 3 and leaves with the cubs down 7-2.

I'm not sure if this is sarcastic or not, but with Marshall in the rotation over crappier options like Silva, those games should happen less often.

 

I think it's safe to say that was sarcasm...

[WrigleyField 22]

it's crucial that we have marshall available to come in and eat up 2 1/3 innings after the starter only goes 3 and leaves with the cubs down 7-2.

I'm not sure if this is sarcastic or not, but with Marshall in the rotation over crappier options like Silva, those games should happen less often.

 

I think it's safe to say that was sarcasm...

Okay, I figured, just making sure.