Can we just move Zambrano back into the rotation already.

[davell]

Who can we deal though? Does a team out there right now actually WANT Silva at this point in the season? Sure, he's been better than we thought, but there's still a solid amount on his contract that's left to be paid and I'd think most teams have journeymen types down in AAA they'd try before actually trading for Silva.

 

I don't think Dempster is in any danger of being dealt. Hell, I'm much more worried that Lou will send him to the setup guy role, if anything.

 

Wells is young, cheap, and has surprised us a ton over the last year and a quarter. Seriously doubt he'd get moved unless it was for something very nice and I'm not so sure what other teams view Wells as at this point.

 

Which leads us to either Gorzelanny or Lilly. Gorzelanny is cheap and has been pretty solid for us. We have Marshall in the pen, we may not need to have 2 guys that are fairly close to the same pitcher. Especially since we also have Russell, who may or may not ever get a shot at becoming a SP for us as well. Still, not sure what kind of return we could wrangle out of someone for Gorz.

 

If we ARE going to make a trade, i'd like to see us trade Lilly. He's been damn good for us obviously, but trading him early could net us a larger return and also give us more room financially to make an addition, if we actually get to the point where we feel we can contend.(unlikely, if you ask me anyway)At any rate, I'd like to think Lilly would fetch us some decent prospects. Probably better than what DeRo brought us back anyway.

[dew1679666265]

I'd be shocked if Lilly were to be traded at this point. Unless Ricketts is looking to further replinish the farm and is ordering a firesale of some sort, I can't see Hendry selling this early in the season.

 

If a trade is in the works, I really think it's likely to either be Silva or Gorzelanny in exchange for a reliever (maybe + prospect(s) or something). Or it could be something as simple as Z to the rotation (after stretching back out) and Silva to the pen.

[dew1679666265]

Bruce Miles' take:

 

Nobody's saying exactly when it will happen, but all indications are that Carlos Zambrano is eventually headed back to the starting rotation.

 

"He told me today there may be a chance to go back to the rotation," Z said. "We'll see how everything works in the next outings for me. Tomorrow will be a big day in the bullpen for me. I may throw 40 or 45 pitches. Like I told one of my teammates in BP, Silva may come tomorrow dealing and throw 80 pitches and I might pitch tomorrow."

[Banedon]

"Look, we thought the outcome would be a little different, and he's not as comfortable in the bullpen pitching short," Piniella said. "So we're going to use him in a different role, give him some stamina, build up his arm."

[17 Seconds]

18 million dollar long reliever? which for lou means mop up duty

[javy knows my name]

"Look, we thought the outcome would be a little different, and he's not as comfortable in the bullpen pitching short," Piniella said. "So we're going to use him in a different role, give him some stamina, build up his arm."

Basically, "we fucked up"

[Guest]

This will never, ever happen, but part of me hopes they use Z for like 3-4 innings, then realize that would be an awesome tool to have every 3 games or so. In fact, I've always wondered what would happen if you blew up the structure of the modern pitching staff. What if you had 2 guys treated like regular starters, 2 guys treated as short relievers, and everyone else was a middle reliever in the sense that every few days they'd pitch several innings, not facing more than say, 15 hitters. You could probably have more success with guys who have good stuff but have trouble the 2nd and 3rd times through the order, you'd lower injury risk, and if you had several very good starters already, you could go to 3 full time starters and maybe only need an 11 man staff.

[jersey cubs fan]

This will never, ever happen, but part of me hopes they use Z for like 3-4 innings, then realize that would be an awesome tool to have every 3 games or so. In fact, I've always wondered what would happen if you blew up the structure of the modern pitching staff. What if you had 2 guys treated like regular starters, 2 guys treated as short relievers, and everyone else was a middle reliever in the sense that every few days they'd pitch several innings, not facing more than say, 15 hitters. You could probably have more success with guys who have good stuff but have trouble the 2nd and 3rd times through the order, you'd lower injury risk, and if you had several very good starters already, you could go to 3 full time starters and maybe only need an 11 man staff.

 

I would be interested in seeing something like that, but I never would have predicted it would start with an $18m starter with a multi year contract.

[SouthSideRyan]

Wouldn't you need an extremely deep pitching staff for that to work? It seems like it's putting a lot more on the 9th-12th guys on a staff compared to modern pen usage.

[soapy]

This will never, ever happen, but part of me hopes they use Z for like 3-4 innings, then realize that would be an awesome tool to have every 3 games or so. In fact, I've always wondered what would happen if you blew up the structure of the modern pitching staff. What if you had 2 guys treated like regular starters, 2 guys treated as short relievers, and everyone else was a middle reliever in the sense that every few days they'd pitch several innings, not facing more than say, 15 hitters. You could probably have more success with guys who have good stuff but have trouble the 2nd and 3rd times through the order, you'd lower injury risk, and if you had several very good starters already, you could go to 3 full time starters and maybe only need an 11 man staff.

 

Yeah, I think the idea would be very intriguing, but I would rather see it done with someone like Silva rather than Zambrano. Like you said though, it will not happen. I can't imagine Lou/Hendry thinking outside the box like that. They're just stretching him out to get him back in the rotation.

[Guest]

Wouldn't you need an extremely deep pitching staff for that to work? It seems like it's putting a lot more on the 9th-12th guys on a staff compared to modern pen usage.

 

It might require more depth end to end, but I don't think it would make much of a performance difference with the same talent. The innings those guys are taking away are the 2nd and 3rd time through the order for your worst starters, not exactly a high standard.

[jersey cubs fan]

Wouldn't you need an extremely deep pitching staff for that to work? It seems like it's putting a lot more on the 9th-12th guys on a staff compared to modern pen usage.

 

Your mop up guys can still take mop up duty. But your 9th and 10th guys on your staff have to be counted on for something already.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Right now, Z is highly paid, untradeable, and very unhappy. He's also a lot more valuable to this team than a senile manager in his last year. At what point does someone in the organization say Lou, either fix this or your out. If 1 of these guys is railroaded out of town over this, it won't be the $eo mil ace.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Right now, Z is highly paid, untradeable, and very unhappy. He's also a lot more valuable to this team than a senile manager in his last year. At what point does someone in the organization say Lou, either fix this or your out. If 1 of these guys is railroaded out of town over this, it won't be the $eo mil ace.

[bushwoodcc]

The interview with Zambrano after the game last night was hilarious. When the reporter said, "Pineilla said that he was going to..." then Zambrano interrupts him and said, "What did he say?" (waiting for the reporter to answer). The reporter then said, "he said he was going to stretch you out with a possible return to the rotation, which is really not what Piniella said in his presser.

 

It is so obvious that something is going on behind the scenes, because neither guy is a very good liar.

[chuckywang]

This is why we can't have nice things.

[Roast]

This is why we can't have nice things.

Truth.

 

 

I hate this team sometimes.

[Hall7810]

According to WGN, Z is headed back to the rotation

[BleedCubbieBlue81]

According to WGN, Z is headed back to the rotation

Yep.

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/chicago/mlb/news/story?id=5199380&campaign=rss&source=twitter&ex_cid=Twitter_espn_5199380

[NCCubFan]

I was about to post a link to the ESPN Chicago report. According to the report he will pitch three times in long relief to get stretched out, then return to the rotation. It didn't mention a specific date for his return to the rotation, nor did it say who he'll replace in the rotation.

[ChiCubsFan]

6 man staff? Or maybe a trade is being talked about with Gorz, Silva, or Lilly?

[CincyCubsFan]

Wells to pen. Book it.

[illiniguy]

Wells to pen. Book it.

That'd be par for the course. Keep dumping good starters in the pen instead of sticking one of your two below average ones out there. Only the Cobs.

[chuckywang]

6 man staff? Or maybe a trade is being talked about with Gorz, Silva, or Lilly?

 

6 man staffs only take away starts from your best starters.

[Mark Priors Calves]

This, of course, is the right decision. But it also shows the complete lack of foresight with Piniella and Hendry. Bumbling idiots, I tell ya.