goonys evil twin
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Everything posted by goonys evil twin
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Optimism from goony? :shock: I am optimistic when the situation warrents it.
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3/16 ST Cubs (Hill) vs Angels (Weaver) 2 PM
goonys evil twin replied to texascub's topic in Fred Hornkohl Game Thread Forum
I think he might still be competing for the #3 spot. -
I didn't say you asked him to do it. Dusty is the manager. I don't want Dusty taxing the few starters we have in April because he's afraid to use his bullpen. If you don't have to use the long man, great. But, he should be there for blow out games just the same. He's going to use his starters long anyway. And he's going to waste the extra man anyway. There's no benefit to having a long man just for having a long man. If he would have made the team otherwise, then fine. But don't throw Rich Hill in the back of the bullpen because you might need somebody to come in during the 3rd sometime in the first two weeks.
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How was picking up an option going to get an easy draft pick?
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I probably wouldn't give up a #1 in 07. Basically trade the #1 and a later pick for those 2. I'd give up the #1 in 2007, it's going to be the 32nd pick anyway.
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Yes they did, and they tried to use that as evidence that what they were doing with Prior was perfectly normal. Only, Maddux started a couple days later. Prior was not 100%, and it wasn't just health. Arm issues were holding him back, and it wasn't just stretching out after being sick in December. It was mid-March, a full month after others started pitching, and they still didn't know when he would get into a game. That does not happen without physical problems, yet the Cubs maintain he had no physical problems all spring. The secretive nature of how he threw, the non-existent schedule that kept Game 2 as the endpoint despite not knowing when he could get to certain goals (mound, hitters, simulated games, games). It's not an outright conspiracy, it's just a combination of incompetence and dishonesty, two things that have defined this organization and it's management team.
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They had no choice. It was either pay him or let him walk. 5 months of Prior can still be worth the money. A banged up less than 100% Prior can still be worth the money. His contract doesn't prove they must have thought he was 100%.
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We'll just have to disagree on this one, Goony. Starters aren't in full season form at the beginning of the year. Letting Zambrano throw 120 pitches in the first few weeks is just asking for trouble. When did I ask him to do it? 7 relievers is more than enough to eat up the innings caused by early departures. 2 off-days in 4 days makes it all that much easier, and the third 3 days later is the icing. If you have a guy who can do the job, great. But don't reserve a spot for a pitcher who would not be used otherwise. That's when you end up going with 8 relievers and completely wasting roster spots.
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In actuality, this discussion was all about Rusch at the beginning. So taking him out is pointless. Initially Rusch was brought up, but then teh statement was made that "anyone" could be an innings eater. He wasn't brought up, he was what the discussion was about. And if people are calling Rusch an innings eater, then lots of guys can do it. If all you need is somebody to throw 6 innings of crappy ball, it's not hard to find. Signing a guy who will give you 6 innings 30 times a year with a 5.00 ERA only makes sense if he's dirt cheap. Innings eaters are the proverbial girl with good personality. It's what you call a guy who isn't good but goes out there anyway. Managers get comfortable with certain guys and keep running them out there even though they suck and usually lose. They typically keep getting pulled early, which hurts your bullpen. The only guys who actually do help save your bullpen are your elite pitchers who stay healthy. Everybody else requires help. Guys like Shawn Estes who supposedly can eat innings, get pulled in the 2nd and 3rd so often that their ability to go every 5 days is worthless.
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Because you need someone to be able to go long innings on short notice. In April, the winds blow out a lot. Do you want Maddux giving up 12 runs in 5 innings or do you want Jon Koronka giving up 12 runs in 5 innings? Do you want to tax the entire bullpen by making them all pitch extended innings in back to back games? If the wind is blowing out, everyone outside of Zambrano can get torched. I'd rather see a scrub gobble up those innings rather than a much needed starter or bullpen arm. Let's say Maddux gets lit up in Game 2. They have a day off before and after that game. Going into Game 3, your relievers will have worked, at most, 2 games in 4 days. Spread among 7 guys, there will be plenty of innings. You then have 3 games in a row, with Zambrano likely pitching the middle one, and likely eating up some innings. And another off day. The need for a true longman is grossly overrated. Wasting a roster spot on a guy who can go 3-4 innings in a blowout loss the first week would be pretty silly. At the worst, you have Williams or Rusch available in the first few games, and if they have to go, you call somebody else up to get the start.
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In actuality, this discussion was all about Rusch at the beginning. So taking him out is pointless.
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This is baseball. It's all about reputation. Once you get one, it's hard to lose it. A proven veteran is a proven veteran even if all he's done for years is prove he doesn't deserve a job. A good baseball man is usually just a guy with good stories who has been in the league for a longtime without winning anything or having the top job, and who happens to believe every cliche and pearl of conventional wisdom. I think Larry has done some good things (developed Zambrano first and foremost). He helped Clement get better, but Clement also declined under his watch, and never solved his control issue. Walks have been a problem for all Cubs pitchers, and while that's probably mostly a personel problem and organization philosophy issue, Larry doesn't seem to do much to get guys to reduce the walks. He obviously has no idea how to help reduce injuries by pitchers. He might not be hurting guys, but he's not helping either. I'd say most evidence points to Larry just being another pitching coach.
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But the fact is they don't take the ball every 5th day and they don't save the bullpen because they generally get pulled earlier. A guy who gives you 200 innings of crap pitching isn't necessarily saving a thing. The claim was that the Cubs are lucky to have Rusch because he's such a good innings eater, yet the evidence would indicate the exact opposite. He only starts on occasion, and he gets knocked out earlier than most pitchers, which puts a greater strain on the bullpen, not less.
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If Gooz is 100%, I completely agree. Yeah, I'd go with him as well, if he seems healthy. But I question the Cubs' ability to judge a pitcher's health.
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It's also not out of the realm of possibility that one of: Miller,Wood or Prior could be ready. I'm guessing Blueheart is right on what the rotation will look like in early April. And I believe Prior might still be back shortly after that, if not, Hill will get a start unless Guzman or some other kid is absolutely dominating at the time. Even if Blueheart's rotation is accurate, they will need a long man in the bullpen. Why? With an 11 man staff they'd still start out with 7 relievers, which is more than enough. All those relievers would have built-in days off as well.
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Come on now. Prior averaged over 6 innings per start. Rusch average less than 6. How in the world does he help save your bullpen? Rusch practically guarantees you'll need more relief work, and he's a greater threat to kill your bullpen by getting knocked out very early. Why do people feel the need to glorify lesser players? Rusch isn't valuable. Rusch is a dime a dozen replacable arm who brings very little to the table.
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I don't see how that deal shows anything. I don't think there was a huge conspiracy to cover up an injury. I just think they are an dishonest and partially inept organization that can't handle the situation. Prior obviously wasn't 100% this spring. My guess is they thought he could work through it without there being a problem. But he clearly wasn't 100%. It doesn't have to be a huge elaborate plan to hide the nature of his injury until after tickets were sold or anything. He was not 100% and they didn't want to talk about it. Now they are forced to.
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It's also not out of the realm of possibility that one of: Miller,Wood or Prior could be ready. I'm guessing Blueheart is right on what the rotation will look like in early April. And I believe Prior might still be back shortly after that, if not, Hill will get a start unless Guzman or some other kid is absolutely dominating at the time.
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They can help take the strain off of an overworked bullpen, which is what happened to the Cubs last year. That doesn't change the fact that almost anybody can do it. Hill could do what Rusch does (suck for 5-6 innings at a time), and do it cheaper.
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Pretending that the whole "we have no idea when he'll be ready to pitch, but it'll definitely be by opening day, probably, maybe" spring training ritual doesn't necessarily mean anything. It did mean something. It means Prior wasn't 100%. Not that he wasn't a little behind, or a little sick. It meant he wasn't 100%. That's clear.
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Lee heading to LA to have shoulder examined
goonys evil twin replied to Mark Priors Calves's topic in Chicago Cubs Talk
So, if it was his throwing shoulder, he'd be going under the knife right now? That doesn't sound too promising. Yeah, I don't get that one. I'm guessing they mean the wear and tear of throwing would eventually force this into a surgery issue. -
Rogers Praises Guillen, Faults Baker and Riggs
goonys evil twin replied to Wilson A2000's topic in Chicago Cubs Talk
It's a summation. Guillen did a better job. He wasn't spotless. Nobody is asking for spotless. Dusty lacked any semblence of reasonable moderation. Your point is purely speculative b/c it's possible it could be the make-up of the personal over how the manager used that certain pitcher. The fact remains we don't know how pitch counts effect a pitcher based on their physical make-up. Your hate for the Cubs FO is well documented, or I could specualte & say you just sound like a White Sox fan & an appololgist. What does the make up of the personel have to do with whether or not the manager routinely sends his pitchers out there longer than anybody else. I had some faith in the front office a few years ago. I never had any faith in Baker, and his hiring caused me to rethink my faith in management. It doesn't matter that we don't know exactly how the effects work. What matters is Dusty abuses his guys more than anybody else. That's a lack of moderation, and has nothing to do with speculation. -
Rogers Praises Guillen, Faults Baker and Riggs
goonys evil twin replied to Wilson A2000's topic in Chicago Cubs Talk
It's a summation. Guillen did a better job. He wasn't spotless. Nobody is asking for spotless. Dusty lacked any semblence of reasonable moderation. -
I didn't realized NSBB was the reason for all the injuries last year. If Zambrano & Lee get injured, this site should be removed from the internet. ;) .......Lee is already injured. It's nothing major right?? Nobody knows yet. Even if it's small, it could be a nagging problem that effects his performance.
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Rogers Praises Guillen, Faults Baker and Riggs
goonys evil twin replied to Wilson A2000's topic in Chicago Cubs Talk
Your question was obviously phrased in a way to discredit the idea that there might be a correlation. It's clearly not based on pure speculation.