5th starter

[Tryptamine]

James Russell will be given a shot at a rotation spot this spring.

Russell operated as a reliever last year as a rookie, posting a decent 4.96 ERA and 1.35 WHIP over 49 innings of work. The 25-year-old left-hander relies mostly on a high-80s fastball and a sharp slider, but he also carries a curveball and changeup in his arsenal. His main competition will be Andrew Cashner, a 24-year-old righty. This is one to watch come spring time.

Source: Cubs.mlb.com

 

Unless Cashner's arm falls off in spring training Russell had better not be given that spot in the rotation.

[dew1679666265]

James Russell will be given a shot at a rotation spot this spring.

Russell operated as a reliever last year as a rookie, posting a decent 4.96 ERA and 1.35 WHIP over 49 innings of work. The 25-year-old left-hander relies mostly on a high-80s fastball and a sharp slider, but he also carries a curveball and changeup in his arsenal. His main competition will be Andrew Cashner, a 24-year-old righty. This is one to watch come spring time.

Source: Cubs.mlb.com

 

Unless Cashner's arm falls off in spring training Russell had better not be given that spot in the rotation.

 

Even if Cashner's arm does fall off, Diamond/Silva/Gorz/JJax should probably be considered before Russell anyway.

[CubsWin]

James Russell will be given a shot at a rotation spot this spring.

Russell operated as a reliever last year as a rookie, posting a decent 4.96 ERA and 1.35 WHIP over 49 innings of work. The 25-year-old left-hander relies mostly on a high-80s fastball and a sharp slider, but he also carries a curveball and changeup in his arsenal. His main competition will be Andrew Cashner, a 24-year-old righty. This is one to watch come spring time.

Source: Cubs.mlb.com

 

Unless Cashner's arm falls off in spring training Russell had better not be given that spot in the rotation.

 

Even if Cashner's arm does fall off, Diamond/Silva/Gorz/JJax should probably be considered before Russell anyway.

Coleman, too.

[SouthSideRyan]

James Russell will be given a shot at a rotation spot this spring.

Russell operated as a reliever last year as a rookie, posting a decent 4.96 ERA and 1.35 WHIP over 49 innings of work. The 25-year-old left-hander relies mostly on a high-80s fastball and a sharp slider, but he also carries a curveball and changeup in his arsenal. His main competition will be Andrew Cashner, a 24-year-old righty. This is one to watch come spring time.

Source: Cubs.mlb.com

 

Unless Cashner's arm falls off in spring training Russell had better not be given that spot in the rotation.

 

Even if Cashner's arm does fall off, Diamond/Silva/Gorz/JJax should probably be considered before Russell anyway.

 

Lefty Cashner over Russell IMO

[Ding Dong Johnson]

Whatever happened to Daniel Garibay?

[Little Slide Rooter]

James Russell will be given a shot at a rotation spot this spring.

Russell operated as a reliever last year as a rookie, posting a decent 4.96 ERA and 1.35 WHIP over 49 innings of work. The 25-year-old left-hander relies mostly on a high-80s fastball and a sharp slider, but he also carries a curveball and changeup in his arsenal. His main competition will be Andrew Cashner, a 24-year-old righty. This is one to watch come spring time.

Source: Cubs.mlb.com

 

I bet Sean Marshall just punched something.

[Northside Blues]

Marshall's window of opportunity to land a starting gig with this organization closed last year when he cemented himself as a fixture of our bullpen. It's a damn shame too, he's probably the third best starter on the team after Z and Dempster.

[SouthSideRyan]

Marshall's window of opportunity to land a starting gig with this organization closed last year when he cemented himself as a fixture of our bullpen. It's a damn shame too, he's probably the third best starter on the team after Z and Dempster.

 

Garza?

[toonsterwu]

I'm intrigued with the idea of Russell back in the rotation. When he was working as a starter in the minors, I had some hopes for him, as he had a solid arsenal for a lefty. More an end of the rotation lefty, but still, it was a solid arsenal. He never seemed to take to it too well, partly due to long ball issues.

 

That said, if it's Cashner vs. Russell and both are going to make the big league squad, I hope they go Cashner. If the possibility exists that one of them would go back to the minors, then I'm fine with either one, although I personally think Russell is better in the pen as a "pure" LOOGY.

[Little Slide Rooter]

I'm intrigued with the idea of Russell back in the rotation. When he was working as a starter in the minors, I had some hopes for him, as he had a solid arsenal for a lefty. More an end of the rotation lefty, but still, it was a solid arsenal. He never seemed to take to it too well, partly due to long ball issues.

 

 

That would be all fine and dandy if we had a lack of rotation depth, but assuming that Z, Demp, Garza, and Wells are 1-4, Gorz, Silva, Cashner, Jackson, Carpenter, Coleman, and Diamond all should be in line in front of Russell. These are guys who have had success as starters be it in the majors or minors as of recently. Hell, even give Samardzjia one more shot to figure it out before finally giving up on him.

[Cubs Fan Dan]

Boosting trade value???

 

I really liked what I saw of Maine last year and would rather see him on the team than Russel, let James start at AAA to stretch him out, put Maine in the pen.

[Rob]

Looks like Silva got in a fight after his disaster start today.

 

It's great news, really.

[ctcf]

Looks like Silva got in a fight after his disaster start today.

 

It's great news, really.

 

Pretty much.

 

What about giving JJ a real look?

[UMFan83]

The trib reported that the Cubs said that Silva "is not in the right frame of mind" to speak about the incident. lol

[Keener98]

 

The altercation Wednesday in the Cubs' dugout was an argument between Carlos Silva and Aramis Ramirez.

Silva left the Cubs' clubhouse in a golf cart soon after he was pulled from the game and refused to discuss the matter with the media. Ramirez called it a "misunderstanding" and said that he's never been a "trouble-maker." Though it's concerning to see players get into scuffles this early in the spring, it sounds like something that should blow over quite easily.

[nick23]

lovely