Sisco is already pitching for the Royals.

[JC]

Sisco with another hitless, scoreless inning today with 2 more K's. ERA is down somewhere around 1.06.

[bmkhawk]

Maybe this has already been covered in this lengthy thread, but I have to wonder if Sisco would be having all of this success if still in a Cub uniform.

 

Getting unprotected seemed to motivate him to get into better shape and (at least as it appears) improve his attitude. His makeup hasn't been an issue as far as I know yet in KC. That wasn't the case here.

[don_kessinger_was_good]

Where's Vance to lecture me again that he's "confident" Sisco will return to the Cubs? :roll:

 

As I said in March, Sisco was gone for good, KC has been excited about him since they got him and had no intention of returning him. The best we could have ever hoped for in this situation was maybe KC would give us a player for Andy, and now that doesn't even appear likely to happen.

 

Why do the Cubs deserve ridicule and scorn on this matter? I've made the points before, so no elaboration necessary.

 

1. Sisco was a Cubs 1st round pick, Cubs had $1MM and three full years time invested in him.

 

2. You don't grow 6 foot 9 inches tall southpaws on trees. Especially ones with a defensive lineman's physique and a mid-90s fastball.

 

3. You don't protect zeroes like Koronka and Vazquez in preference to a 1st round pick--period.

 

4. Would it have been too tough, too much to ask, of the Cubs organization to make a few inquiries and phone calls last fall and gauge what level of interest there'd be in Sisco were he not protected? I mean, wouldn't that be the minimal degree of caution the Cubs should have used?

 

Not Hendry's finest hour, squandering a top pick for absolutely nothing to show for it. It's either inexcusably poor judgment or nonchalance or downright negligence, and while most prefer to think it's the first reason, I think anymore it was actually nonchalance. They just didn't give this matter the full attention it deserved, and you see the consequences.

 

Doesn't exactly inspire confidence considering there will be a dozen good prospects that need to be protected THIS coming offseason, huh?

[biittner77]

OK so Sisco isn't coming back. There is a bright side:

 

1. Pitching for the Royals he'll bee effectively out of baseball - as far as the Cubs are concerned- for the next 5 years.

 

2. Hopefully, he'll be able to stick it to the White Sox on a regular basis.

 

3. Since Hendry made this decision for non baseball reasons (the only logical conclusion) it really drives his point home that it's his way or the highway.

 

4. Hendry will no doubt think twice before he places some roster filler, non prospect types on the 40 man ahead of a genuine prospect.

 

Now can we please delete this thread? I don't see how belaboring the obvious does us any good.

[bmkhawk]

Sisco was a second round pick and I don't think his fastball has touched the mid-nineties in some time. Maybe 92 from what I have seen.

 

Also Don, you don't know what Hendry did or did not do in attempting to gauge the interest in Sisco. Plus, that isn't something that I would presume that other GMs are just dying to tell Jim.

 

And I second Bittner's post.

[TruffleShuffle]

Why are people so eager to delete this thread?

[T2E]

Why is nobody freaking out that Ricky Nolasco was left unprotected? That's about where Sisco would have ranked on this year's prospect list coming into the season. And in 2004, Ricky looked a lot more major league ready than Andy did.

 

I think it was clear that Sisco was going to be taken, and it was clear that Nolasco was unlikely to be taken.

[TXCubsFan]

Why is nobody freaking out that Ricky Nolasco was left unprotected? That's about where Sisco would have ranked on this year's prospect list coming into the season. And in 2004, Ricky looked a lot more major league ready than Andy did.

 

I'll second that opinion.

 

Hard to know if Sisco's composure will hold over the long haul. A tall, hard-throwing lefty is going to give the league real trouble the first time around because of his novelty, much like Dontrelle's unorthodox style did in 2003. I'm not convinced, after the league catches up with Sisco, that he'll mature as Dontrelle has done after the league caught up with him.

 

The odds of a young, immature pitcher that hadn't thrown a pitch above Low A making it in the majors were very slim when Hendry left him unprotected.

[T2E]

Why is nobody freaking out that Ricky Nolasco was left unprotected? That's about where Sisco would have ranked on this year's prospect list coming into the season. And in 2004, Ricky looked a lot more major league ready than Andy did.

 

I'll second that opinion.

 

Hard to know if Sisco's composure will hold over the long haul. A tall, hard-throwing lefty is going to give the league real trouble the first time around because of his novelty, much like Dontrelle's unorthodox style did in 2003. I'm not convinced, after the league catches up with Sisco, that he'll mature as Dontrelle has done after the league caught up with him.

 

The odds of a young, immature pitcher that hadn't thrown a pitch above Low A making it in the majors were very slim when Hendry left him unprotected.

 

Except that he is just 22 years old and is likely to improve.

[TXCubsFan]

Why is nobody freaking out that Ricky Nolasco was left unprotected? That's about where Sisco would have ranked on this year's prospect list coming into the season. And in 2004, Ricky looked a lot more major league ready than Andy did.

 

I'll second that opinion.

 

Hard to know if Sisco's composure will hold over the long haul. A tall, hard-throwing lefty is going to give the league real trouble the first time around because of his novelty, much like Dontrelle's unorthodox style did in 2003. I'm not convinced, after the league catches up with Sisco, that he'll mature as Dontrelle has done after the league caught up with him.

 

The odds of a young, immature pitcher that hadn't thrown a pitch above Low A making it in the majors were very slim when Hendry left him unprotected.

 

Except that he is just 22 years old and is likely to improve.

 

Like Juan Cruz was likely to improve? Overall, Hendry has a good track record on which pitching prospects to keep and which to trade.

[T2E]

Why is nobody freaking out that Ricky Nolasco was left unprotected? That's about where Sisco would have ranked on this year's prospect list coming into the season. And in 2004, Ricky looked a lot more major league ready than Andy did.

 

I'll second that opinion.

 

Hard to know if Sisco's composure will hold over the long haul. A tall, hard-throwing lefty is going to give the league real trouble the first time around because of his novelty, much like Dontrelle's unorthodox style did in 2003. I'm not convinced, after the league catches up with Sisco, that he'll mature as Dontrelle has done after the league caught up with him.

 

The odds of a young, immature pitcher that hadn't thrown a pitch above Low A making it in the majors were very slim when Hendry left him unprotected.

 

Except that he is just 22 years old and is likely to improve.

 

Like Juan Cruz was likely to improve? Overall, Hendry has a good track record on which pitching prospects to keep and which to trade.

 

Cruz is a single example; most 22 years olds end up getting better.

 

What high profile pitching prospects has Hendry let go? Beltran was injured, and we don't know about Jones yet. The only other one I can think of off the top of my head is Willis, and letting him go was a mistake.

[mhuber92211]

 

Cruz is a single example; most 22 years olds end up getting better.

 

What high profile pitching prospects has Hendry let go? Beltran was injured, and we don't know about Jones yet. The only other one I can think of off the top of my head is Willis, and letting him go was a mistake.

 

No to nitpick but I thought MacPhail did the Willis trade.

[NCCubFan]

No to nitpick but I thought MacPhail did the Willis trade.

MacPhail was still the GM then (Hendry was the assistant). If I recall, however, I think Hendry was generally credited for the trade.

[mhuber92211]

No to nitpick but I thought MacPhail did the Willis trade.

MacPhail was still the GM then (Hendry was the assistant). If I recall, however, I think Hendry was generally credited for the trade.

 

Hmmm....ok then. So Lets recap some of the pitchers Hendry has dealt or lost...

 

Jones

Tavarez

Chavez

Willis

Farnsworth

Sisco

Sanchez

 

 

Who am I missing?

[Careless]

DOn't know how you missed cruz

[CubFanPhilly]

No to nitpick but I thought MacPhail did the Willis trade.

MacPhail was still the GM then (Hendry was the assistant). If I recall, however, I think Hendry was generally credited for the trade.

 

Hmmm....ok then. So Lets recap some of the pitchers Hendry has dealt or lost...

 

Jones

Tavarez

Chavez

Willis

Farnsworth

Sisco

Sanchez

 

 

Who am I missing?

 

 

Beltran & Cruz

[wilk]

No to nitpick but I thought MacPhail did the Willis trade.

MacPhail was still the GM then (Hendry was the assistant). If I recall, however, I think Hendry was generally credited for the trade.

 

Hmmm....ok then. So Lets recap some of the pitchers Hendry has dealt or lost...

 

Jones

Tavarez

Chavez

Willis

Farnsworth

Sisco

Sanchez

 

 

Who am I missing?

 

 

Beltran & Cruz

 

 

Ronald Bay, Matt Bruback, Ben Christiansen, Steve Smyth...

[mhuber92211]

No to nitpick but I thought MacPhail did the Willis trade.

MacPhail was still the GM then (Hendry was the assistant). If I recall, however, I think Hendry was generally credited for the trade.

 

Hmmm....ok then. So Lets recap some of the pitchers Hendry has dealt or lost...

 

Jones

Tavarez

Chavez

Willis

Farnsworth

Sisco

Sanchez

 

 

Who am I missing?

 

 

Beltran & Cruz

 

 

Ronald Bay, Matt Bruback, Ben Christiansen, Steve Smyth...

 

It was freakin 2am! :P Although I did recall Smyth this morning but Bruback we got back and released as we did Christiansen so those 2 shouldn't be counted. No Idea how I forgot Bear.

[JC]

Another strong showing by Sisco, bringing his ERA down to 1.00.

 

However, Sisco has now made 12 appearances in 25 Kansas City games. he has pitched 18 innings all told. He has the most innings pitched for anyone in baseball that hasn't started at least three games.

 

Considering that he is probably the best thing going for the Royals right now and that he hasn't ever been utilized in this role, is he being overused right now? No apparent ill effects, but I thought it was interesting and perhaps someone would want to share their insight on the matter.

[ZZ Thorn]

Another strong showing by Sisco, bringing his ERA down to 1.00.

 

However, Sisco has now made 12 appearances in 25 Kansas City games. he has pitched 18 innings all told. He has the most innings pitched for anyone in baseball that hasn't started at least three games.

Considering that he is probably the best thing going for the Royals right now and that he hasn't ever been utilized in this role, is he being overused right now? No apparent ill effects, but I thought it was interesting and perhaps someone would want to share their insight on the matter.

 

I wish you'd stop posting this stuff.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Since someone wants to call me out ( :roll: ) because it fuels their ego or such....I guess I should post my thoughts. At the time Sisco was drafted in the rule five, I thought we'd get him back. As the season began, I placed those odds at 50-50. I really didn't expect him to pitch this well making the jump that he did.

 

I was wrong. But even those who thought he would stick likely didn't project him to pitch this well. Based on his performance, yes I assume he's 99.9% gone.

 

It's not the first time I've made a wrong projection (I thought we'd sweep the Astros too..) and it won't be the last.

 

But since it's so important for someone else to know that I made a mistake, I guess I'll eat my crow. :roll:

[ZZ Thorn]

Who can think of eating at a time like this?

[CaliforniaRaisin]

Who can think of eating at a time like this?

 

If it's donuts, Andy Sisco can. :)

[YearofDaCubs]

Who can think of eating at a time like this?

Good point. This season has the makings of a disaster.

[don_kessinger_was_good]

Relax Vance, not calling you out. I was just ribbing you back then, that I was listening right from the horse's mouth here in KC that Sisco was staying, but you were adamant he'd be back based on no contradictory information you had. You seemed impossible to convince that a team really would go into the Rule 5 process intent on keeping someone, no matter what. And that's exactly what the Royals were doing from day one.

 

It was obvious to anyone here in the offseason that the Royals were going to be really REALLY bad this year, Sisco is something they can hang their hat on for the future. I've seen him now, and he DOES look good. He must have really burned some bridges in Lansing for the Cubs to give up on him so easily. Dude looks like a mountain out there.