Z to the pen

[Schwarber Fan]

Drop: Carlos Zambrano

Add: Mike Pelfrey

 

what a joke!!!!!

[Little Slide Rooter]

I guess we really did need a good 8th inning guy. We could also use some righty pop off the bench. How about Derrek [expletive] Lee? What the [expletive]. Can we just fire Lou and Hendry for this lunacy? I cant wait until Silva gets shelled tonight and Gorzolanny in his next start so this move looks even worse than it already does, if thats possible. Does Rickets even know or care what goes on around him? Is he even paying attention or is he too busy living out his dream of owning the Cubs?

 

I know when Z is getting shelled, people vent and say send him to the pen, but nobody ever thought it would happen. I remember reading about Z or Dempster going to the pen when Lilly returns, but never too it seriously. [expletive] Lou. [expletive] Hendry. [expletive] the bullpen for being so god awful and allowing Lou to even entertain this lunacy.

[Burtonbell]

So when Z issues his first walk, will Lou take him out right away? Maybe we can use Z as a ROOGY?

[erik316wttn]

Ok, we're getting to be "funny bad" now. I hope we lose 95 games and have a huge fire sale, because it doesn't even seem like Lou gives a damn anymore.

 

And people wonder why this franchise has been a laughingstock for so long.

 

A yard sale would be even better. Because people could walk up and see almost all the items laying around the yard, and then the seller can go, "whoops, that one isn't really for sale. Whoops, not that one, either, or that one or that one".

 

Those pesky no trade clauses, ya know.

 

I know, but Lee's contract is up at the end of the year. If he's told he won't be re-signed, I'm sure he'd agree to a trade to a contender. Same with Ramirez I'm sure.

[UMFan83]

Z said he's ok with the move as long as he's back in the rotation for the playoffs.

 

I think if Z was in the bullpen all year and the Cubs made the playoffs, it would be even more insane if they just randomly moved him back into the rotation.

 

The way Z and I guess Lou and Co. is framing this is "Z is a great pitcher, but we have a surplus of starting pitching and our pen is awful so moving him to the pen is the best move", which as we all know is completely horrible. They are framing this not as a demotion but as a shifting of resources. When as we all know, a top of the line starter is probably like (just throwing a random number out there) 5 times as valuable as a good reliever.

[Eric Clipperton]

I knew the Cubs were stupid, but I didn't think they were THIS stupid.

 

Unfortunately, they proved me wrong. :cry:

[MWV]

I have to assume this is a stop-gap move; Moving a starter to the 'pen upon Lilly's return allows an innefective bullpen pitcher to be demoted rather than a starter. Since Z pitched most recently, he goes to the 'pen such that he is available for this weekend when Lilly arrives. In the meantime, Hendry works out a trade for an actual reliever involving Gorz/Silva.

I don't know. I am just trying to give this organization the benefit of the doubt. I'm not sure why.

[Sammy Sofa]

I have no words for this insanity. It makes zero sense.

[erik316wttn]

I knew the Cubs were stupid, but I didn't think they were THIS stupid.

 

Unfortunately, they proved me wrong. :cry:

 

Any time the question is "Are the Cubs REALLY that stupid?" the answer is always "yes."

[Exile on Waveland]

I have no words for this insanity. It makes zero sense.

 

I initially read this as "I now know how insanity works." Also apt, I think.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Ok, we're getting to be "funny bad" now. I hope we lose 95 games and have a huge fire sale, because it doesn't even seem like Lou gives a damn anymore.

 

And people wonder why this franchise has been a laughingstock for so long.

 

A yard sale would be even better. Because people could walk up and see almost all the items laying around the yard, and then the seller can go, "whoops, that one isn't really for sale. Whoops, not that one, either, or that one or that one".

 

Those pesky no trade clauses, ya know.

 

I know, but Lee's contract is up at the end of the year. If he's told he won't be re-signed, I'm sure he'd agree to a trade to a contender. Same with Ramirez I'm sure.

 

Im not picking on you, but a lot of people dont seem to get that Aramis is NOT a free agent after this year. He has an opt out clause. The only way hes not on the team next year is if he choses to excersise it. If not, we have him for 2011 with a club option for 2012. But who knows, if Chad Tracy proves he can be a respectable starting 3B, maybe we can use Ram as a backup catcher. I wouldnt put it past Lou at this point.

[Sammys Boombox]

These kind of rash decisions are the reason Lou needs to go. Even if this turns out to be a good idea, he's making a decision based on three starts in which Z gave up a lot of broken-bat and/or seeing-eye singles. It's similar to him deciding that Theriot needs to move down in the order against lefties because he was 1-for-11 off of them.

[JeffH]

The worst organization in professional sports.

 

Any and all doubt should now be erased.

[Sammy Sofa]

Im not picking on you, but a lot of people dont seem to get that Aramis is NOT a free agent after this year. He has an opt out clause. The only way hes not on the team next year is if he choses to excersise it.

 

Or they can be upfront with him and tell him that they have no intention of re-signing him or exercising the team option and ask if they can trade him. It wouldn't hurt to ask.

[Cubswin11]

I have to assume this is a stop-gap move; Moving a starter to the 'pen upon Lilly's return allows an innefective bullpen pitcher to be demoted rather than a starter. Since Z pitched most recently, he goes to the 'pen such that he is available for this weekend when Lilly arrives. In the meantime, Hendry works out a trade for an actual reliever involving Gorz/Silva.

I don't know. I am just trying to give this organization the benefit of the doubt. I'm not sure why.

This is what I initially thought, but you would think they would have made it clear this was the intention, as far as I know and heard it's a relatively permanent move. They said he will stay until they find an 8th inning guy, but who knows how long that will take this early in the year.

[Cubswin11]

Im not picking on you, but a lot of people dont seem to get that Aramis is NOT a free agent after this year. He has an opt out clause. The only way hes not on the team next year is if he choses to excersise it.

 

Or they can be upfront with him and tell him that they have no intention of re-signing him or exercising the team option and ask if they can trade him. It wouldn't hurt to ask.

It's a player option. But I get where you are coming from if they say if you opt out or stay for your final year the team has no intentions of resigning you so we are going to shop you around.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Im thinking that a Heath Bell trade wouldnt have been the worst thing in the world, as long as we could have gotten away without trading Castro, Cahner, Vitters, or either Jackson. Could they at least have shopped Gorzolanny? Could they at least have given Parker, Stevens, Gaub, or even Diamond a shot before taking the non stop flight to planet crazy? This is not rational.

[Jon]

The next question becomes how the front office ends up giving Zambrano and Soto the Sosa/Bradley treatment to get the media to run the two out of town for them..

 

My guess is a public accusation that they've been bringing in fatty foods into the clubhouse and affecting the health of the other players. Or perhaps they carry some communicable chubbiness virus.

[J.R.]

What the [expletive].

[Little Slide Rooter]

Im not picking on you, but a lot of people dont seem to get that Aramis is NOT a free agent after this year. He has an opt out clause. The only way hes not on the team next year is if he choses to excersise it.

 

Or they can be upfront with him and tell him that they have no intention of re-signing him or exercising the team option and ask if they can trade him. It wouldn't hurt to ask.

 

It would hurt next year when our 3-5 hitters are Byrd, Soriano, and Fontenot. Despite his brutal start, hes our best hitter. Id prefer letting Lee and Lilly walk and using the money toward bidding on Adrian Gonzalez or Prince Fielder when they become FAs in 2012. the 2011 FA class is far from plentiful. The 3B class is highlighted by Jurge Cantu and Mike Lowell. In fact, looking up and down the list, I cant imagine Ramirez not opting out and not getting a 3-4 year deal when he does.

Edited April 21, 2010 by Little Slide Rooter

[Cubswin11]

In other news, the Giants have decided to send Matt Cain and Tim Lincecum down to the minors and have them switch to 1B and OF because they have a lack of a middle of the order bats, run producers, HR threats, and RBI guy's. You know since they have a strong rotation and weak spots in the offense.....

[Fro]

This is one of the dumbest moves ever.

[chuckywang]

I just moved my opening day starter to the bullpen two weeks into the season. I'm going to pay him $18M dollars. Am I living the high life?

[Cubswin11]

I just moved my opening day starter to the bullpen two weeks into the season. I'm going to pay him $18M dollars. Am I living the high life?

Cokes a hell of a drug

[Elrhino]

We already had the worst contract in baseball for an every day player, and the worst contract in baseball for a starting pitcher ... might as well have the worst contract in baseball for a reliever and complete the trifecta.