Neifi to seek fame and fortune elsewhere?

[J.R.]

God I hope so.

 

Kiley[/url]"]Glendon Rusch and shortstop Neifi Perez, both of whom are in the Cubs' plans for next year, played major parts Sunday in their resurgent club tying a pretty ribbon on an 8-2 trip and renewing interest in the next three weeks.

 

But Rusch and Perez also gave the future a slight twist by saying they might not be interested in coming back to the Cubs next season unless they are slated for starting roles. Rusch wants to be in the rotation, while Perez said he could start at second base if the Cubs are set on playing rookie Ronny Cedeno at shortstop.

 

"I want to come back,'' said Perez, who will be a free agent. "But my body tells me I can play every day, and I might be looking for a starting job. Let's see. I feel happy here to play for a manager like Dusty Baker.''

[Tracer Bullet]

Of course he likes playing for Dusty Baker. How many other managers in the game would start him every day (let alone let him hit 2nd).

 

Neifi - please leave. There must be someone else who thinks a good defensive shortstop with a .280 AVG (and a .300 OBP) should start and bat 2nd.

[vance_the_cubs_fan]

Good riddance to both.

[neely crenshaw]

i think they both will leave. hopefully rusch has another decent start and a team wants him to be a starter full time. i think neifi will look for a full time gig. this is his only shot a decent contract...got two words for ya- tony womack. if he can spin one decent year into a starters deal, so can neifi.

[Guest]

Good riddance to both.

As much as I'd like to see Hill or another young arm get a shot at a rotation slot next year, I must also stick up for my boy Rusch. He's once again having a tough-luck season in the ERA department. His Fielding-Independent ERA is actually among the best on the team, coming in at 3.67. That puts him right between Prior and Zambrano and is a far sight better than his actual ERA of 4.62. For whatever reason, Rusch just seems to be one of those pitchers whose results just don't match up to his peripheral stats.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Good riddance to both.

As much as I'd like to see Hill or another young arm get a shot at a rotation slot next year, I must also stick up for my boy Rusch. He's once again having a tough-luck season in the ERA department. His Fielding-Independent ERA is actually among the best on the team, coming in at 3.67. That puts him right between Prior and Zambrano and is a far sight better than his actual ERA of 4.62. For whatever reason, Rusch just seems to be one of those pitchers whose results just don't match up to his peripheral stats.

 

At what point to you come to the conclusion that he's either cursed or just bound to have a worse ERA than expected though? Last year was the only year of his career where he had an ERA near his DERA, as you of course know since you wrote an article on it.

[MeatampPotatoesMan]

Rusch is a keeper.

 

Neifi...don't let the door hit you where the Good Lord split you.

[erik316wttn]

I'll give them both 20 bucks to leave.

[Wild_Cubs04]

Rusch is a keeper.

 

Neifi...don't let the door hit you where the Good Lord split you.

 

Lmao, have never heard the "splitting" thing before, very good :lol:

[Tracer Bullet]

I'll give them both 20 bucks to leave.

 

I'll match that.

[Derwood]

"I want to come back,'' said Perez, who will be a free agent. "But my body tells me I can play every day, and I might be looking for a starting job.''

 

Your body is lying to you. Never listen to your body.

[biittner77]

Just out of curiosity, who needs a SS or 2nd base badly enough to start Perez?

 

Please don't answer the Cubs.

[AAApittsburgh]

Just out of curiosity, who needs a SS or 2nd base badly enough to start Perez?

 

Please don't answer the Cubs.

Cards. :twisted:

[Transmogrified Tiger]

Just out of curiosity, who needs a SS or 2nd base badly enough to start Perez?

 

Please don't answer the Cubs.

Cards. :twisted:

 

If Neifi goes to the Cards and does well, I may lose hope and interest in the game of baseball.

[YearofDaCubs]

Neifi and Rusch were not the problems, but they werent the answers either. If they can find a better job elsewhere, more money for us to use and upgrade the team.

[Derwood]

Just out of curiosity, who needs a SS or 2nd base badly enough to start Perez?

 

Please don't answer the Cubs.

Cards. :twisted:

 

If Neifi goes to the Cards and does well, I may lose hope and interest in the game of baseball.

 

he can join Grudz for the "Double Play Combo that Dusty Kept Playing Despite Better Players on the Roster"

[mg420]

if rusch was left in the rotation the whole year he could have easily won 15 games imo. with Z & prior and most likely maddux (i like greg but he's the one i hope doesn't come back in 06), rusch & williams would be the best options to start & leave wood in the pen where he can excel (see dempster). if any of the starters falters or get injured, hill, pinto & nolasco are in the wings to get a shot. i dont see the cubs spending $ on starting pitching with such a good group of minor leaugers ready to contribute.

[goonys evil twin]

if rusch was left in the rotation the whole year he could have easily won 15 games imo.

 

Is this an attempt at humor?

[ltb]

if someone pulls a bowden and neifi goes to another team, i will be ecstatic.

[BigbadB]

if rusch was left in the rotation the whole year he could have easily won 15 games imo.

 

Is this an attempt at humor?

 

I don't see it as an attempt at humor. Rusch was very effective last year as a starter, and was pretty effective this year until Baker started jerking him around.

 

In April, Rusch was used exclusively as a reliever, and he excelled with a 2.03 ERA. In May, he started 6 games and posted a 2.48 ERA. In 2 more starts in June, he got his ERA down to 2.07. Then, he had 3 Greg Maddux-like games and was removed from the rotation. His ERA was still only 3.13 at that time. He then gave up runs in 5 straight relief appearances. Once he got on track with his new job description, he got his ERA back under 4.00. Inserted back as a starter, it took him awhile to get back on track.

 

If he had been left alone to start all year, I don't see why it would be unreasonable to think that he could post a 3.50 ERA and win close to 15 games. Maddux has a chance to win 15 this year with a 4.40 ERA.

 

I think most of Rusch's struggles this year stem from being bounced back and forth between the pen and the rotation.

[YearofDaCubs]

Prior, Wood, Zambrano, and Maddux do not have 14 wins yet Rusch would have? I think not.

[CuseCubFan69]

I think Rusch is more comfortable pitching every 5th day and would be a decent 5th guy. I thought he was throwing ok before he went into the pen and he tanked once he was being bounced. I think he is finding his groove again. I would rather have Rusch and the extra 7 million to put a impact everyday player out there instead of Maddux.

[goonys evil twin]

if rusch was left in the rotation the whole year he could have easily won 15 games imo.

 

Is this an attempt at humor?

 

I don't see it as an attempt at humor. Rusch was very effective last year as a starter, and was pretty effective this year until Baker started jerking him around.

 

In April, Rusch was used exclusively as a reliever, and he excelled with a 2.03 ERA. In May, he started 6 games and posted a 2.48 ERA. In 2 more starts in June, he got his ERA down to 2.07. Then, he had 3 Greg Maddux-like games and was removed from the rotation. His ERA was still only 3.13 at that time. He then gave up runs in 5 straight relief appearances. Once he got on track with his new job description, he got his ERA back under 4.00. Inserted back as a starter, it took him awhile to get back on track.

 

If he had been left alone to start all year, I don't see why it would be unreasonable to think that he could post a 3.50 ERA and win close to 15 games. Maddux has a chance to win 15 this year with a 4.40 ERA.

 

I think most of Rusch's struggles this year stem from being bounced back and forth between the pen and the rotation.

 

Well then if it wasn't an attempt at humor it ranks up there with one of the biggest stretches in the history of sports debate.

 

I don't think Rusch stood a chance of winning 15. But to say he could have easily won 15 is absurd. Somehow, one of the crappiest regular pitchers of the past 10 years is going to "easily" accomplish something that no other Cubs pitcher this year will easily accomplish? Yeah right. Rusch is a swingman. He's good for the occasional 5 IP 2-3 ER outing, sprinkled with some disaster starts and great outings. But by and large he's going to be a 4.50 ERA pitcher who will be lucky to win 10 games. If there is one thing Rusch's 2004 taught me about his ability is he could be good if used properly, and one of the aspects of using him properly is not starting him every 5th day for 6 months.

 

He was a good starter for about a month last year, then started to blow up frequently. Rusch moved to the pen and did alright in the swingman role, before finishing up as a starter again. This year he was a starter by May, did fine for about a month and a half, then once again blew up. Rusch has proven time and time again that he's not a good full season starter. He's no short reliever either, because his stuff is so mediocre.

 

Let's stop pretending Rusch is some hero. He's a 6th starter, nothing more. Like a backup QB on a struggling team, brief flashes of quality play tends to warp the viewers opinion of what his ability would be over the course of an entire season.

[XZero771679666304]

Yeah, Rusch was fading badly in the last few starts before he was removed from the rotation and stank in his first couple back in it. I'm not sure if he would have won more than 1 or 2 more games if he had been in the rotation the whole time.

 

IMO, the Cubs really should have traded him in July, when he had some real value to a team desperate for a LH starter. A real missed boat.

[BigbadB]

if rusch was left in the rotation the whole year he could have easily won 15 games imo.

 

Is this an attempt at humor?

 

I don't see it as an attempt at humor. Rusch was very effective last year as a starter, and was pretty effective this year until Baker started jerking him around.

 

In April, Rusch was used exclusively as a reliever, and he excelled with a 2.03 ERA. In May, he started 6 games and posted a 2.48 ERA. In 2 more starts in June, he got his ERA down to 2.07. Then, he had 3 Greg Maddux-like games and was removed from the rotation. His ERA was still only 3.13 at that time. He then gave up runs in 5 straight relief appearances. Once he got on track with his new job description, he got his ERA back under 4.00. Inserted back as a starter, it took him awhile to get back on track.

 

If he had been left alone to start all year, I don't see why it would be unreasonable to think that he could post a 3.50 ERA and win close to 15 games. Maddux has a chance to win 15 this year with a 4.40 ERA.

 

I think most of Rusch's struggles this year stem from being bounced back and forth between the pen and the rotation.

 

Well then if it wasn't an attempt at humor it ranks up there with one of the biggest stretches in the history of sports debate.

 

I don't think Rusch stood a chance of winning 15. But to say he could have easily won 15 is absurd. Somehow, one of the crappiest regular pitchers of the past 10 years is going to "easily" accomplish something that no other Cubs pitcher this year will easily accomplish? Yeah right. Rusch is a swingman. He's good for the occasional 5 IP 2-3 ER outing, sprinkled with some disaster starts and great outings. But by and large he's going to be a 4.50 ERA pitcher who will be lucky to win 10 games. If there is one thing Rusch's 2004 taught me about his ability is he could be good if used properly, and one of the aspects of using him properly is not starting him every 5th day for 6 months.

 

He was a good starter for about a month last year, then started to blow up frequently. Rusch moved to the pen and did alright in the swingman role, before finishing up as a starter again. This year he was a starter by May, did fine for about a month and a half, then once again blew up. Rusch has proven time and time again that he's not a good full season starter. He's no short reliever either, because his stuff is so mediocre.

 

Let's stop pretending Rusch is some hero. He's a 6th starter, nothing more. Like a backup QB on a struggling team, brief flashes of quality play tends to warp the viewers opinion of what his ability would be over the course of an entire season.

 

Well, I did miss the "easily" part of his statement. But, worse pitchers have won 15 in a season. I was only defending that Rusch could potentially win 15 in a season if he was left in to start everyday. Maddux, in a year where he looks more like Rusch than the Maddux of old, could reach 15 wins with a sub 4.40 ERA.