Call your shot - Pitchers

[Little Slide Rooter]

Mark Prior is somebodies closer by the end of the season.

[Magnetic Curses]

kerry wood becomes a starter again.

[cubweiser03]

Wells will have a sub 4 era

Shark will have a plus 4 era

[dew1679666265]

Garza will have a similar year to last year and Dempster will be comparable to him.

[Rob]

The added SP depth comes in very handy. Injuries abound this season.

 

Garza suffers through injury and ineffectiveness. On the whole though, he still posts the highest fWAR of any Cubs pitcher.

 

Dempster looks like his old self, but is injured in early June and doesn't return.

 

Maholm makes 4 starts before experiencing shoulder tightness. Returning to the team after a six week absence, he's killed in his second start by a comebacker to the head, prompting rule changes by MLB.

 

Marmol undergoes TJS by mid-May.

 

A ball gets lost in Samardzija's ridiculous hair and is ruled a ground rule double.

 

Randy Wells doesn't make the starting rotation. He's traded to the Red Sox when they suffer their first rotation injury.

 

Mateo and Dolis both establish themselves as good relievers.

[SouthSideRyan]

Didn't Quade murder Mateo last year?

[TruffleShuffle]

Jeff beliveau will be good.

 

Samardzija doesn't last as a starter but pitches pretty well as a setup man.

 

Volstad posts his best statistical season as a major leaguer.

[MSG T]

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

 

I don't know about 2nd best, but I do think he'll be a very pleasant surprise.

[davell]

Garza's solid all year, leads us in fWAR, around 4.5. Shark is 2nd, putting up a 3.5. Volstad is a 3 win guy. Wood and Maholm battle injuries all season. Dempster sucks. Marmol is solid again, but Woody can't stay healthy. Wells struggles out of the pen. Beliveau and Dolis both look like longterm assets. Russell is decent. No one else shows anything of note.

[Derwood]

Shark is in AAA by the end of May

[Guest]

Volstad and Wood will be two of our top three starters.

 

Russell will be the team's best reliever.

[Rob]

Didn't Quade murder Mateo last year?

 

His battle with Charon for his very soul has left him angry and fearless.

[Sammy Sofa]

Volstad and Wood will be two of our top three starters.

 

I see what you did there.

[TheDude]

The Cubs collective pitching staff will be in the top half of the NL for key metrics including WAR.

[PriortoTheoIhadWood]

I like Beliveau too so he gets K's when he comes up in a callup.

 

Wells is traded at the deadline and Wood replaces him as a solid 4-5.

 

Shark doesn't start until September when he and McNutt split games. This one makes sense.

[toonsterwu]

Chris Volstad will have a strong season, maintaining the strong control last year while getting the HR rate down. By mid-season, he'll be a clear number 3 in the rotation, and perhaps forced into the 2 spot when a trade gets made.

[champaignchris]

The Cubs' starting pitching ERA will be at least a half run lower than last years' (4.79).

[bcl412]

Paul Maholm wins the Cy Young.

[Cubs Fan Dan]

Shark is closing by mid season an goes 21 for 23 in saves.

 

Marmol struggles as closer and eventually re-discovers himself as a 7 inning guy.

 

Garza posts a 16-10 season with a 2.98 era

Wells and Volstad suck

Demp and Wood finish with a sub 4 ERA

 

The Cubs get production from Jackson and struck in spot starts and relief.

[bukie]

Every starter in the Cub rotation cracks a 2.5 fWAR.

[minnesotacubsfan]

Ryan Dempster wins the Cy Young.

[minnesotacubsfan]

I might be joking.