Rangers Sign Brandon Webb (p. 10)

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

According to rotoworld...

 

The Cubs are in talks with free agent Brandon Webb, sources told AOL Fanhouse's Ed Price.

[KingKongvs.Godzilla]

Good. If he's been rehabbing well and taking his HGH like a good athlete then I don't mind the risk...better than Bonderman...though I wouldn't mind him if it came to it.

[Outshined_One]

I'd be in favor of taking that gamble. He's an excellent pitcher when healthy and has the kind of profile I like seeing in Cubs pitches (groundballs, stingy with HRs), so if he can be had at a bargain, why not give it a whirl?

[UMFan83]

Definitely a good high risk/high reward gamble there. I'd definitely give him a chance...

 

Webb

Zambrano

Dempster

Wells

Gorzelanny

 

Not too bad of a replacement for Lilly.

[TruffleShuffle]

build a ground ball staff and grow that grass out HIGH. that's my formula for cub success.

 

plus get better hitters and stuff.

[Little Slide Rooter]

As long as hes willing to take an incentive filled contract, hes the very definition of a low risk/high reward player.

[rawaction]

Win-Win. If Brandon Webb pitches, he will pitch well. If Brandon Webb doesn't pitch, the Cubs hopefully throw a young guy in there (Cashner, Jackson, Archer later in the season) and see what he can do.

[Post Count Padder]

I'd definitely take a shot. One year, incentive laden deal. If he comes close to returning to form, he's better than any other starter on the open market.

[erik316wttn]

As long as hes willing to take an incentive filled contract, hes the very definition of a low risk/high reward player.

 

This. If we can get him to sign one, I'm all for it.

[Southpaw191679666239]

jcrasnick | Jerry Crasnick

Cubs & Nats are stepping up their pursuit of Brandon Webb. Several other clubs interested, but Chicago & Washington are making big push.

 

jcrasnick | Jerry Crasnick

Last year the Cubs and Nationals duked it out over reliever Matt Capps. Now they're in competition over Webb.

[UMFan83]

Please don't lose to the [expletive] Nats again.

[javy knows my name]

This would be a really interesting acquisition, but I wish in earnest that Larry were still here for it

[dew1679666265]

This would be a really interesting acquisition, but I wish in earnest that Larry were still here for it

 

I agree, though I think Webb's only concern is health. When he's been healthy, he's been very good. I don't know that there's anything to fix really (unless he's been hurt because of something mechanical).

[Guest]

If we're going to add a starter, Webb is a fantastic choice.

[davell]

If we're going to add a starter, Webb is a fantastic choice.

 

I agree completely. If he pitches, we probably have an ace type guy. If he doesn't, we can use one of the youngsters anyway.

[rawaction]

I didn't know (or remember) that the Cubs were in on Matt Capps. I wonder if it would have made a difference if the Cubs had Capps for the 73 innings he pitched rather than the 70 from Howry, Mateo, and Stevens.

 

Oh and Webb would be wonderful. Doesn't help with the innings eating thing though.

[David]

Can someone summarize wth Webb's health situation is/was?

[davell]

Can someone summarize wth Webb's health situation is/was?

 

He had right shoulder bursitis, had exploratory surgery. Never found anything that appeared to be important. Rehab progressed extremely slowly though. Wanted to pitch near end of season, but wasn't allowed to do so. Is supposedly topping out in the low 80's right now. If I'm wrong on any of this, please correct me.......

[UMFan83]

Can someone summarize wth Webb's health situation is/was?

 

He had right shoulder bursitis, had exploratory surgery. Never found anything that appeared to be important. Rehab progressed extremely slowly though. Wanted to pitch near end of season, but wasn't allowed to do so. Is supposedly topping out in the low 80's right now. If I'm wrong on any of this, please correct me.......

 

He was also injured all of 2009 right? Or most of it? It's been 2 years since he's been a healthy big league pitcher

[Dr. Cub]

Can someone summarize wth Webb's health situation is/was?

 

He had right shoulder bursitis, had exploratory surgery. Never found anything that appeared to be important. Rehab progressed extremely slowly though. Wanted to pitch near end of season, but wasn't allowed to do so. Is supposedly topping out in the low 80's right now. If I'm wrong on any of this, please correct me.......

 

Of course I can't remember where I read it, but the last thing I read said he was in the mid to upper 80's.

[davell]

Can someone summarize wth Webb's health situation is/was?

 

He had right shoulder bursitis, had exploratory surgery. Never found anything that appeared to be important. Rehab progressed extremely slowly though. Wanted to pitch near end of season, but wasn't allowed to do so. Is supposedly topping out in the low 80's right now. If I'm wrong on any of this, please correct me.......

 

He was also injured all of 2009 right? Or most of it? It's been 2 years since he's been a healthy big league pitcher

 

 

Oh yeah. He pitched one game in 2009, then missed the rest of THAT year. In fact, I think when the injury occurred, they didn't even think he'd have to go on the DL. I think the surgery was back in late 2009. August or September, maybe? At any rate, he hadn't pitched off a mound heading towards spring training-2010. He'd be throwing and just kept acting like things weren't right, is all I believe it was that was keeping him off the mound. At any rate, this kept him out all of 2010 as well, unless I'm missing something somewhere. I know Arizona kept him last year because they definitely expected him to pitch at LEAST the second half of the season, and hoped for more than that.

[UK1679666180]

I'd rather see Bonderman or Penny at this point over Webb if they're used car shopping. Webb has a substantial past workload, wrong side of 30, borderline velo before injury, below avg secondary pitches. Obviously his sinker was prob the second best single pitch in MLB until he got injured but there are better risk/reward guys avail.

[jersey cubs fan]

How is Brad Penny a counter to any of those risks you list for Webb?

[davell]

I'd rather see Bonderman or Penny at this point over Webb if they're used car shopping. Webb has a substantial past workload, wrong side of 30, borderline velo before injury, below avg secondary pitches. Obviously his sinker was prob the second best single pitch in MLB until he got injured but there are better risk/reward guys avail.

 

I'm not a fan of Bonderman at all and don't see the upside with him, to be honest. Penny would be my choice if we lose out on Webb though. That said, I actually think he's older than Webb, for what it's worth.

[rawaction]

I'd rather see Bonderman or Penny at this point over Webb if they're used car shopping. Webb has a substantial past workload, wrong side of 30, borderline velo before injury, below avg secondary pitches. Obviously his sinker was prob the second best single pitch in MLB until he got injured but there are better risk/reward guys avail.

 

Brad Penny is older than Webb, and was never as good as Webb was last time he was healthy. Bonderman gives up a lot of hits, a lot of HRs, and doesn't strike out anyone. Both are likely to be healthier than Webb, but not by much.