5/3 Cubs (Dempster) @ Reds (Bailey) 11:35 AM CSN

[Guest]

A little surprised Wood wasn't on the short list.

 

Probably doesn't want to count on him for that heavy closer's workload on this team.

[sneakypower]

jersey has two grading scales for rotations: 97 braves, and "mediocre"

again, I apologize for only basing it on the 4.20 starters era, good for 12th in NL. (actually now it's 4.04 after today's game, good for 11th).

huh...ERA, why not wins-losses?

[neely crenshaw]

the team is going no where and you have to stop thinking that "if" something just went a certain way they would be in the thick of it. The way we played the last 2 weeks is the best they possible can. You do not play your best for 162 games ever.We will return to the 3-11 cubs at some point, and then to the 6-5 variety, on our way to losing between 90 and 100+ games.

The bad part is Dempster didn't get a win that he deserved but in the long run as long as he pitches anywhere near this or his normal "good" he's traded by deadline for something in the future. The only negative is that Marmol needs to look like a closer so that one of the many teams that have already lost a closer, will want him...He won't be here, even if he puts up numbers like 2 years ago because they do not value the closer role to the point of dropping the dollars that it will take to sign a high end closer("high end" if he rebounds). There is really no reason to not use he and wood in the 8 -9 roles because no one on this roster can do it. (please do not say Camp) If they suck, we maybe blow 5 more games than the rest of this bullpen would at worst...the sad part is they still may be better than the rest. When you are looking at having 1 of the 4 worst records in baseball, does it really matter who closes? Take a chance that they will perform so we can drop them on someone else and get even a fungo, and 3 dozen pearls.

 

Simply rejoice that LaHair could be real, Castro is still going, samardzija may have something, and ,maybe just maybe Barney and Campagna can be real major leaguers because this season is about finding how who can play, and hoping to trade anyone of value to get more guys who might be able play. This is already better than I thought, because I figured by now we'd have Castro and be waiting to see if Jackson and Rizzo can play.

[jersey cubs fan]

jersey has two grading scales for rotations: 97 braves, and "mediocre"

again, I apologize for only basing it on the 4.20 starters era, good for 12th in NL. (actually now it's 4.04 after today's game, good for 11th).

huh...ERA, why not wins-losses?

 

because ERA is a better measure

[Guest]

the team is going no where and you have to stop thinking that "if" something just went a certain way they would be in the thick of it. The way we played the last 2 weeks is the best they possible can. You do not play your best for 162 games ever.We will return to the 3-11 cubs at some point, and then to the 6-5 variety, on our way to losing between 90 and 100+ games.

The bad part is Dempster didn't get a win that he deserved but in the long run as long as he pitches anywhere near this or his normal "good" he's traded by deadline for something in the future. The only negative is that Marmol needs to look like a closer so that one of the many teams that have already lost a closer, will want him...He won't be here, even if he puts up numbers like 2 years ago because they do not value the closer role to the point of dropping the dollars that it will take to sign a high end closer("high end" if he rebounds). There is really no reason to not use he and wood in the 8 -9 roles because no one on this roster can do it. (please do not say Camp) If they suck, we maybe blow 5 more games than the rest of this bullpen would at worst...the sad part is they still may be better than the rest. When you are looking at having 1 of the 4 worst records in baseball, does it really matter who closes? Take a chance that they will perform so we can drop them on someone else and get even a fungo, and 3 dozen pearls.

 

Simply rejoice that LaHair could be real, Castro is still going, samardzija may have something, and ,maybe just maybe Barney and Campagna can be real major leaguers because this season is about finding how who can play, and hoping to trade anyone of value to get more guys who might be able play. This is already better than I thought, because I figured by now we'd have Castro and be waiting to see if Jackson and Rizzo can play.

 

Again, barring running Marmol out there at the end of every close game, this team will not lose 100 games.

 

100 loss teams do not have starting pitching this good.

[sneakypower]

i think the word you're looking for is "mediocre"

[jersey cubs fan]

Again, barring running Marmol out there at the end of every close game.

 

Or injuries, or trades.

[Guest]

Again, barring running Marmol out there at the end of every close game.

 

Or injuries, or trades.

 

Yea, but I was making a smart ass comment on Marmol (granted, not a very funny one) and I didn't want to throw real things in there.

[XZero771679666304]

Again, barring running Marmol out there at the end of every close game.

 

Or injuries, or trades.

 

 

Both Garza and Dempster would have to go for 100 losses to be a possibility, imo.

[jersey cubs fan]

Again, barring running Marmol out there at the end of every close game.

 

Or injuries, or trades.

 

 

Both Garza and Dempster would have to go for 100 losses to be a possibility, imo.

 

probably

[Smack]

Doug Padilla @ESPNChiCubs

17s

Sveum finally considering a change at closer. Names Russell and Dolis as his options.

 

PLZ be Russell

 

You think Sveum would put Russell as closer when he hasn't let him pitch in a week?

[bukie]

Doug Padilla @ESPNChiCubs

17s

Sveum finally considering a change at closer. Names Russell and Dolis as his options.

 

PLZ be Russell

 

You think Sveum would put Russell as closer when he hasn't let him pitch in a week?

The Cubs just haven't been in a situation where they needed outs against good lefty hitters...

[bcl412]

the team is going no where and you have to stop thinking that "if" something just went a certain way they would be in the thick of it. The way we played the last 2 weeks is the best they possible can. You do not play your best for 162 games ever.We will return to the 3-11 cubs at some point, and then to the 6-5 variety, on our way to losing between 90 and 100+ games.

The bad part is Dempster didn't get a win that he deserved but in the long run as long as he pitches anywhere near this or his normal "good" he's traded by deadline for something in the future. The only negative is that Marmol needs to look like a closer so that one of the many teams that have already lost a closer, will want him...He won't be here, even if he puts up numbers like 2 years ago because they do not value the closer role to the point of dropping the dollars that it will take to sign a high end closer("high end" if he rebounds). There is really no reason to not use he and wood in the 8 -9 roles because no one on this roster can do it. (please do not say Camp) If they suck, we maybe blow 5 more games than the rest of this bullpen would at worst...the sad part is they still may be better than the rest. When you are looking at having 1 of the 4 worst records in baseball, does it really matter who closes? Take a chance that they will perform so we can drop them on someone else and get even a fungo, and 3 dozen pearls.

 

Simply rejoice that LaHair could be real, Castro is still going, samardzija may have something, and ,maybe just maybe Barney and Campagna can be real major leaguers because this season is about finding how who can play, and hoping to trade anyone of value to get more guys who might be able play. This is already better than I thought, because I figured by now we'd have Castro and be waiting to see if Jackson and Rizzo can play.

 

Again, barring running Marmol out there at the end of every close game, this team will not lose 100 games.

 

100 loss teams do not have starting pitching this good.

 

I think some under performing offensive players could get better with warmer weather, we won't see a great offense but it won't remain terrible. I still think it could be an average offense and I also don't think the bullpen will be this horrendous. I'm still hoping that the National League will be somewhat unimpressive and we can remain within striking distance of the second wild card spot for awhile (up to the trade deadline or something). Is that over optimistic? Maybe, but I have seen some things that give me hope (mainly the starting pitching).

[Smack]

Doug Padilla @ESPNChiCubs

17s

Sveum finally considering a change at closer. Names Russell and Dolis as his options.

 

PLZ be Russell

 

You think Sveum would put Russell as closer when he hasn't let him pitch in a week?

The Cubs just haven't been in a situation where they needed outs against good lefty hitters...

 

ha!

[Guest]

Doug Padilla @ESPNChiCubs

17s

Sveum finally considering a change at closer. Names Russell and Dolis as his options.

 

PLZ be Russell

 

You think Sveum would put Russell as closer when he hasn't let him pitch in a week?

The Cubs just haven't been in a situation where they needed outs against good lefty hitters...

 

Well done.

[Little Slide Rooter]

Dolis would be an awful option, at least until he learns control. I still say we try out a few live arms from the minors that hitters arent familiar with like Batista, Cabrera, or even Jackson since I think that the ship has sailed on him being a big league starter.

[neely crenshaw]

whoa...our starting pitching has been great BUT:

Dempster and Garza may very well be gone by July leaving Wood, Volstad and Wells in the rotation.

Dempster is 3 full runs per game below his career ERA and 3.50 below last years..he won't keep dealing at a 1.33 rate

Garza is a full run below his career average

If Marmol doesn't close, who does? Anyone on this roster will blow more than their share of saves.

With our in consistent offense we might very well lose more of our well pitched games than we win.

 

for the record with all our "improved" play and seeming jumping in our OPS. In may with our power outbreak we have scored 3 runs a game, and over the last 12...we averaged 3.50, of course the problem is that over our first 13-when we sucked- we averaged 3.53

[Little Slide Rooter]

So you say our starting pitching's good, our bullpen sucks, at least the back end and we don't score enough runs? I thought nobody would ever shed light on the problems we've known about since day 1.

[chuckywang]

Let this be Exhibit A in how a bullpen can completely derail a season. There's no reason we should be this bad with this starting rotation and getting so much production out of our 3-4 hitters.

[Little Slide Rooter]

It's really just been the back end rather than the bullpen as a whole. The majority of the pen has been very solid in their roles but it shows that quality back end relievers are more valuable than they get credit for. When your starting pitching is going to give up roughly 2-3 runs per game and an offense that's going to score roughly 2-4 runs a game, my advanced skills in elementary Mathamatics tell me that the result is going to be a lot of 1-2 run leads entering the late innings. My vote is to either dip into the minors or try to trade for some live arms an just start throwing [expletive] at the wall. Alberto Canreras been great for AA and already on the 40 man. Surely Lendy Castilllo could develope a minor injury, and by minor, I of course mean non-existent.