Wesneski ⬆, Rucker ⬇

[UMFan83]

 

Really just wanted to test whether emojis could be used in thread titles.  Cubs trying creative ways to fix the pen

[Brock Beauchamp]

4 minutes ago, UMFan83 said:

Really just wanted to test whether emojis could be used in thread titles.  Cubs trying creative ways to fix the pen

Huh. Well, there you go. Learn something new every day.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Quote

 

Wrong thread 

Spoiler.

 

 

Edited May 31, 2023 by Hairyducked Idiot

[gflore34]

Once Codi Heuer is ready to go is Fulmer next?

[CubinNY]

Mooney has an article in The Athletic suggesting they will use Ben Brown in the bullpen. That would be a bold move and I really like it. 

[Brock Beauchamp]

1 minute ago, CubinNY said:

Mooney has an article in The Athletic suggesting they will use Ben Brown in the bullpen. That would be a bold move and I really like it. 

I assume they're concerned about Brown's usage, which means a a shift to the bullpen in 2023 makes sense for a variety of reasons.

But I really want him to go back to starting as soon as possible.

[CubinNY]

1 minute ago, Brock Beauchamp said:

I assume they're concerned about Brown's usage, which means a a shift to the bullpen in 2023 makes sense for a variety of reasons.

But I really want him to go back to starting as soon as possible.

Agreed. I (and probably almost everyone) want them aggressively trying to win games for a change. This is a move that smart teams make who care about winning. 

[Transmogrified Tiger]

34 minutes ago, CubinNY said:

Mooney has an article in The Athletic suggesting they will use Ben Brown in the bullpen. That would be a bold move and I really like it. 

Mooney was careful in his wording and I think he's making a more general association of 'well if they do it with Wesneski then why not Brown?' than giving insight into the org's thinking.  I don't think that's out of the question, especially given he only threw 104 IP last year so he likely has a ceiling they don't want to push him past.  That said, at his current rates he can get to a modest IP increase by finishing the MiLB season as a starter, and they're already making several aggressive moves that are aimed at short term bullpen help(Wesneski, Palencia, Little) on top of the return to health/form options(Heuer, Keegan, Roberts) so I think Brown is a 'maybe in September' type of situation.

[muntjack]

Taiilon is averaging 3.2 IP per start.  Replacing him with a young, breakout SP would be enormous.  

But I get it.  

[CubinNY]

1 hour ago, Transmogrified Tiger said:

Mooney was careful in his wording and I think he's making a more general association of 'well if they do it with Wesneski then why not Brown?' than giving insight into the org's thinking.  I don't think that's out of the question, especially given he only threw 104 IP last year so he likely has a ceiling they don't want to push him past.  That said, at his current rates he can get to a modest IP increase by finishing the MiLB season as a starter, and they're already making several aggressive moves that are aimed at short term bullpen help(Wesneski, Palencia, Little) on top of the return to health/form options(Heuer, Keegan, Roberts) so I think Brown is a 'maybe in September' type of situation.

If those things don’t work and in a hurry (Heuer looks way off, Keegan is lost), they need to do something. I don’t think Mooney was totally speculating, but I also think it’s not something they want to necessarily do. 

[Transmogrified Tiger]

5 minutes ago, CubinNY said:

If those things don’t work and in a hurry (Heuer looks way off, Keegan is lost), they need to do something. I don’t think Mooney was totally speculating, but I also think it’s not something they want to necessarily do. 

I just tend to think they have a lot more buttons to press before they get to that point.  Right now they have a pecking order with Alzolay/Leiter/Merryweather that have been consistently good this year, plus Hughes has been mostly fine and has past performance to lean on.  You've got the 6 guys I mentioned above you can funnel to the MLB pen, you've got Burdi coming off the IL to get a real shot, Horn looks about ready for his chance, Assad has been fine 1st time through the order and would maybe gain a tick in short relief, and Estrada hasn't DQed himself from being a positive contributor.