Did anyone notice (Guzman pitches for Mesa)

[donobr]

That Angel Guzman pitched 2 innings for Mesa with 4 k's and no hits?

[Jon]

Awesome! The box hadn't been posted by the time I went to bed. Good news.

[Chris]

We should've remembered about him.

 

(From the progress on Guzman thread)

 

And now Cubs.com's story has changed.... from the Wood/Nomar back soon notes

 

Angel Guzman, a highly touted right-handed pitcher who has been slowed by injuries, is rehabbing in Mesa, Ariz., and is scheduled to pitch on Aug. 15 with the rookie team. If all goes well, Guzman could be assigned to an Arizona Fall League team. The Cubs would like him to go every fifth day for two months to get ready for 2006.

 

"We thought we'd bring him along gradually," said Oneri Fleita, the Cubs player development director.

 

Guzman was slowed this season with a strained right forearm and developed inflammation in his right elbow.

[donobr]

Funny,my calendar still isn't to the 15th,i do not believe a word that comes out of the most outrageous liars club,better known as CUBS MANAGEMENT(FIRE MacPhail FIRST)

[JeffH]

That wasn't Angel in that boxscore.

 

That was Bubba Guzman, a non-drafted free agent.

 

Angel has had his right arm immobilized in a shoulder-to-wrist cast.

[Chris]

That wasn't Angel in that boxscore.

 

That was Bubba Guzman, a non-drafted free agent.

 

Angel has had his right arm immobilized in a shoulder-to-wrist cast.

 

Oh well, a great thought while it lasted.

 

Thanks for the update!

[imb]

Bubba Guzman? Is he a mexican redneck or something?

[RyCubsFan]

I'm confused about whether this is sarcasm or not....Was it Angel or not? It was....right?

[donobr]

Yes.

[Jon]

I'm confused about whether this is sarcasm or not....Was it Angel or not? It was....right?

Yeah, it was THE Angel Guzman.

[donobr]

His fastball was at 94.

[RyCubsFan]

I'm confused about whether this is sarcasm or not....Was it Angel or not? It was....right?

Yeah, it was THE Angel Guzman.

 

 

ha THANKS!

 

This is really good news. I'd really like to see Angel be able to make the squad out of Spring Training next season. Begin as a set up guy in the pen, and then starting by mid summer if all goes well (to keep the innings down).

 

Prior, Wood, Zambrano, Maddux, Guzman ; )

 

Then Pinto or Marshall takes Maddux's spot in '07.

[Jon]

His fastball was at 94.

Cubs.com[/url]"]Pitcher Angel Guzman, who has been slowed this season with a strained right forearm, threw 25 pitches over two innings for rookie-league Mesa. Guzman gave up one hit and struck out four, and his fastball averaged 94 mph.

If he can pitch this fall and remain healthy...

[rawaction]

His fastball was at 94.

Cubs.com[/url]"]Pitcher Angel Guzman, who has been slowed this season with a strained right forearm, threw 25 pitches over two innings for rookie-league Mesa. Guzman gave up one hit and struck out four, and his fastball averaged 94 mph.

If he can pitch this fall and remain healthy...

 

I don't know that I've ever called a prospect a "sure-thing", but if Angel Guzman can stay relatively healthy, he will definitely be a good ML pitcher. No doubt about it.

[UK1679666180]

I can't think of a ML pitcher I can compare his stuff too. Great control, solid velocity, solid curve and change, not overly deceptive.

[bannor10]

I can't think of a ML pitcher I can compare his stuff too. Great control, solid velocity, solid curve and change, not overly deceptive.

 

How about Mark Prior....?

[minnesotacubsfan]

His fastball was at 94.

 

 

o goody goody goody goody goody goody goody

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Put him in the bullpen next year. Let him start to get his work in this offseason in the fall league, then let him make the major league pen. Since he won't have as heavy a workload in the pen, he won't get worn down from pitching this offseason thru next year.

[sporrer17]

If he stays healthy, he certainly helps shore up our staff next year. Whether he's used as a 5th starter in place of Wood (who could be in the pen) or if he's used in the pen, his command/control/stuff is a great combo.

[Tim]

Put him in the bullpen next year. Let him start to get his work in this offseason in the fall league, then let him make the major league pen. Since he won't have as heavy a workload in the pen, he won't get worn down from pitching this offseason thru next year.

If he's in the pen, someone better hang a sign in the dugout that tells Dusty that he can't be used every stinking day.

[CubinNY]

Put him in the bullpen next year. Let him start to get his work in this offseason in the fall league, then let him make the major league pen. Since he won't have as heavy a workload in the pen, he won't get worn down from pitching this offseason thru next year.

If he's in the pen, someone better hang a sign in the dugout that tells Dusty that he can't be used every stinking day.

 

Ha! :D I can see it now. Guzman will lead Cub relievers in appearences until his elbow explodes.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Put him in the bullpen next year. Let him start to get his work in this offseason in the fall league, then let him make the major league pen. Since he won't have as heavy a workload in the pen, he won't get worn down from pitching this offseason thru next year.

If he's in the pen, someone better hang a sign in the dugout that tells Dusty that he can't be used every stinking day.

 

I'm all for Dusty getting fired yesterday, today, and tomorrow. But if he's still around having Dempster and Williamson as solid relievers will help.

[Tim]

Put him in the bullpen next year. Let him start to get his work in this offseason in the fall league, then let him make the major league pen. Since he won't have as heavy a workload in the pen, he won't get worn down from pitching this offseason thru next year.

If he's in the pen, someone better hang a sign in the dugout that tells Dusty that he can't be used every stinking day.

 

I'm all for Dusty getting fired yesterday, today, and tomorrow. But if he's still around having Dempster and Williamson as solid relievers will help.

Tell that to Wuertz.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Put him in the bullpen next year. Let him start to get his work in this offseason in the fall league, then let him make the major league pen. Since he won't have as heavy a workload in the pen, he won't get worn down from pitching this offseason thru next year.

If he's in the pen, someone better hang a sign in the dugout that tells Dusty that he can't be used every stinking day.

 

I'm all for Dusty getting fired yesterday, today, and tomorrow. But if he's still around having Dempster and Williamson as solid relievers will help.

Tell that to Wuertz.

 

Dempster and Williamson weren't around for much of Wuertz's overuse, just Hawkins.

[craig]

Will be interesting to see how quickly Guzman comes back and pitches again, how many innings he gets before the month is out, and then to see what happens in fall/winter ball.

 

Can somebody clarify for me; I thought I'd read Fleita saying he wanted to have Guzman pitch regular rotation in AFL. But I also thought that AFL wasn't allowed to use players from winter-league countries (ie Venez and DR), in which case Guzman wouldn't even be AFL eligible. Am I crazy? Assuming so, which of those two things am I misremembering? Did Fleita never say anything about him in AFL, or am I wrong that Venezuelans are ineligible for AFL? Or am I correct on both, and Fleita just doesn't know that yet? I'm puzzled.

 

Anyway, will be interesting to see if Guzman can stay healthy enough to continue to pitch effectively for a little while.

 

We've seen that Wood can look great for some simulation throwing, some short rehab starts, and for a start or two with Cubs, but then his problem reappears. They've been saying he can throw for a while, but after the pitches build up the inflammation and pain return. After Connolly got his cortisone shot, he pitched one really good game and felt strong; but after a couple of games the arm hurt again; Prior always seems to look really sharp in his first game after a rehab, but doesn't look quite so strong at regular rotation. We saw Guzman throw 96 or 98 or whatever and look sharp in his first spring game this year; not so fast his 2nd and 3rd, and back to DL by then. We also saw him start off good in his rehab last year, but then be inflamede and hurting again after a month. So it seems it's one thing to get yourself rehabbed well enough to feel good for a couple of innings or a couple of games; but if there is an uncured underlying problem, that tends to cause inflammation and pain after use and seems inevitably to cause recurring problems.

 

Hopefully Guzman is 100% now, and will remain so, and will be good for good. He's had enough medical care, you'd think. Hopefully whatever has caused the varying problems, from his shoulder to his forearm to his elbow, have all been truly cured, and there is no underlying structural problems that will inevitably bite him again once he pitches regularly. But it's going to take more than two innings to demonstrate that the internal structure is healthy and sound. Would sure be awesome if it were.