Call your shot - Pitchers

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Before ST games start, let's try something that we can all look back and pound our chest or laugh at each other after the season. Give me your pitcher that you think will greatly exceed expectations this year. You can also pick someone who will fall way short of expectations, but not only is that not as fun, but for most Cub pitchers(like the hitters) there's not as far to go down as there is to go up. Say what you truly believe, but "I think Ryan Dempster will ERA 4.20 instead of 4.05" isn't all that fun either. I'll start:

 

Jeff Beliveau puts up the best statistical season of any Cub reliever.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Travis Wood will be the Cubs best starting pitcher.

[ctcf]

Matt Garza puts up even better numbers than he did in 2011.

[Tracer Bullet]

Shark wins 15 games.

[Old Style]

Carlos Marmol has 35 saves.

[jersey cubs fan]

Casey Coleman will, in fact, get an opposing hitter out this season.

[XZero771679666304]

Chris Volstad will have a better year than Zambrano.

[Post Count Padder]

Randy Wells is moved to the pen and is our best middle reliever.

[BeerHere]

Dempster struggles and is moved for scraps at the deadline.

 

4-9, era in the 5's, whip near 2

[Ding Dong Johnson]

Chris Volstad will have a better year than Zambrano.

I was going to say that.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Kerry Wood is our closer by Memorial Day.

 

Randy Wells is traded to the Mariners by opening day.

 

Ryan Dempster and Jeff Baker are traded to the Red Sox in early July. We end up with 2 of their top 15 prospects and another young high upside prospect. SoSH collectively loses is it and come to Wrigley Field bearing torches and pitch forks.

Edited February 29, 2012 by Little Slide Rooter

[Guest]

Randy Wells will have a low 3s ERA

 

Matt Garza will make less than 20 starts

[SouthSideRyan]

Paul Maholm, all star

[woodchip2153]

maybe this should go in the hitters thread, but Matt Garza will hit a home run.

[javy knows my name]

I agree with the guy who said Dempster shows he has nothing left in the tank this year.

 

I think Maholm has a killer first half and we shop him and his minuscule contract for two high-upside A-ballers at the deadline

[Hairyducked Idiot]

maybe this should go in the hitters thread, but Matt Garza will hit a home run.

 

Which will put him ahead of Ian Stewart.

[ManCrushOnNomar]

Travis Wood will win 18 games.

[Gilby]

Trey McNutt makes at least 5 starts in the 2nd half, and that combined with his 2012 minor league numbers, show he's a legit top of the rotation candidate for 2013.

[SouthSideRyan]

Trey McNutt makes at least 5 starts in the 2nd half, and that combined with his 2012 minor league numbers, show he's a legit top of the rotation candidate for 2013.

 

He still fails to crack Boston's top 30 in next year's BA rankings.

[MWV]

Samardzija earns a spot in the rotation, cuts his BB/9 in half and posts an ERA around 3.50.

[PriortoTheoIhadWood]

The starting rotation will be surprisingly competent.

 

The Cubs fix Volstad up a little...he was a little stiff for a while though last year that improved some...anyway, he has his best season. I hesitate to call it breakout, but he shows more confidence in his fastball than he has in years. If you've seen Volstad before you're not unimpressed by his breaking stuff and he's got a good changeup that he can locate well...There's plenty of talent and youth there. It's a little disappointing tha he's not more physical as a 6'8" guy, but get beyond that and he's got stuff to work with that can get better results than he's had.

 

Garza does really well again. I hold out some hope that the Tigers will off some combination of two of the following: Porcello, Turner, Castellanos, Smyly, Oliver.

Edited February 29, 2012 by PriortoTheoIhadWood

[UMFan83]

Chris Volstad will be the 2nd best starter on the Cubs this year.

[rocket]

Marmol wins the Rolaids reliever award

[biittner77]

Russell makes 0 starts and gets named to the all star team.

[ctcf]

Shark will be a quality major league starter.