Bullpen Options

[imb]

holy horsefeathers his k/9 was 4.6 last year. That barely seems possible.

[cubsclapp]

I'd be fine adding another arm into the bullpen mix, but Theo made it sound recently like the Cubs were done shopping there.

[cubsclapp]

Yeah, he said after the Duensing addition, "That really completed our bullpen moves."

[Bobson Dugnutt]

yeah, cashner is intriguing, but I’m good with the pen as is unless we somehow end up counting on monty for the rotation.

[craig]

...I've posted this before, but Sergio Romo was pretty great in the second half after working with Hickey. If he could be had on a short, cheap deal, I'd love to bring him in. Particularly if he could be had on an NRI.

 

Theo basically said they were done with pen after Duensing, so I don't think they're going to sign anymore guaranteed big-league-contract guys. I think it's NRI or nothing.

 

Not sure who's left or who would be willing to sign NRI deals at this point. But yeah, if Romo or other decent guy or two was willing, I'd be pretty interested.

 

The last spot is basically between Grimm, Butler, and Maples. Maples has probably the most electric stuff of those three, but he's got options. So I think he'd need to dramatically out-impress the other two to win that job. Anything even remotely comparable, may as well save him at Iowa for options yo-yo.

 

AzPhil had a nice article this week detailing how Grimm's arb deal is NOT guaranteed, so it's not like the Cubs would be out $2.2 if they chose Romo of Butler and cut Grimm. Phil also suggested there was pretty good chance Cubs could get Grimm to Iowa (If nobody else claimed him for their 25, and if he didn't immediately declare FA.)

 

So, if you had Butler and Romo and/or somebody else NRI, it really could be a true open competition.

 

I admit I'd like to see another name or two, whether Romo or somebody else, added to that competition if possible.

[Bryants Disco Ball]

...I've posted this before, but Sergio Romo was pretty great in the second half after working with Hickey. If he could be had on a short, cheap deal, I'd love to bring him in. Particularly if he could be had on an NRI.

 

Theo basically said they were done with pen after Duensing, so I don't think they're going to sign anymore guaranteed big-league-contract guys. I think it's NRI or nothing.

 

Not sure who's left or who would be willing to sign NRI deals at this point. But yeah, if Romo or other decent guy or two was willing, I'd be pretty interested.

 

The last spot is basically between Grimm, Butler, and Maples. Maples has probably the most electric stuff of those three, but he's got options. So I think he'd need to dramatically out-impress the other two to win that job. Anything even remotely comparable, may as well save him at Iowa for options yo-yo.

 

AzPhil had a nice article this week detailing how Grimm's arb deal is NOT guaranteed, so it's not like the Cubs would be out $2.2 if they chose Romo of Butler and cut Grimm. Phil also suggested there was pretty good chance Cubs could get Grimm to Iowa (If nobody else claimed him for their 25, and if he didn't immediately declare FA.)

 

So, if you had Butler and Romo and/or somebody else NRI, it really could be a true open competition.

 

I admit I'd like to see another name or two, whether Romo or somebody else, added to that competition if possible.

 

Romo signed a one-year deal with Tampa this week.

[Neuby]

The market still has a ton of bullpen depth options on the market.

 

Cashner

Cahill

Clippard

Norris

Peavy

Jimenez

Simmons

[craig]

Grimm has plenty of velocity and a knockout breaking ball, and has been variable good/anti-awful in years prior to last. So I think it makes sense to have an open competition where he could step it up and win the job. He might have a very good year. So don't think Hoyer is going to give a guaranteed contract and guarantee that spot to somebody else.

 

Still, even when his seasonal numbers have come out alright, he's always been a bucket of inconsistency/non-reliability/nervousness. You just don't know which day he won't be able to throw a strike. And it takes him so many pitches to get an out that it's hard to envision him picking up 2-3 innings, or picking up a 3-5 inning start here or there.

 

I admit for a 6th-inning guy, I'd kinda prefer to see a more consistent strike-thrower, even if the stuff is more limited, and a guy who could pick up a couple of innings. For those days when Chatwood is kinda wild or when Lester is at 90 pitches after 4 innings, I'd kind of like that bridge guy to be able to throw strikes and get his fastball over, even if he doesn't strike many guys out. A guy who can usually get through an inning or two without walking everybody. If he gives up some contact and gives up a run, that's life, you know you aren't going to have a dominant shut-down guy as your 13th pitcher.

 

Not sure that kind of guy is available for a NRI deal, though.

[craig]

Morrow, Cishek, and a full year of (hopefully) not-2017 Wilson is a fair amount of turnover too. You can quibble that the names are the wrong names, but 3 of the top 5 relievers being new from April 2017 to 2018 is significant.

 

Yes.

Morrow for Davis;

Cishek for Rondon;

Wilson for Koji.

And a chance of Butler/Maples for Grimm.

 

There's some turnover there, yes. Not sure how much step-up in terms of strike-throwing personnel, though.... Given Morrow's history and that Wilson was the most non-strike-throw-y of anybody we had. And even if Maples or Butler were to win Grimm's job, they aren't exactly strike-throwers either....

[craig]

I kinda suspect Theo just hopes/expected that Hickey and Contreras and a fresh year will get more strikes thrown out of the carryover personnel. Think he'd like (Theo) a different approach. Maybe more aggressive, more fastballs, more inside the zone and less nibbling the edges and outside the zone, maybe going for less chase pitches. Throwing more fastballs and fewer chase pitches would probably result in fewer K's and more hard contact, as would aiming a fastball two inches into the strike zone rather than targeting an inch off the edge. (Given that our relievers aren't going to hit their fastball targets anyway, if you aim inside the zone, the guy may well miss and throw it down the middle and get whacked....)

 

If they were to adjust a little bit towards more fastballs and more strikes, that could reduce the walks (good) but compromise K's and perhaps result in more hard contact (bad). Even if Theo were to want that shift, I don't think that's going to play unless Willson buys in. If he's always setting up outside the zone for fastballs, and calling more breaking pitches than fastballs with the relievers, I'm not sure the carryover guys are going to magically become better strike-throwers.